Who's planning for 2014 vacations?

[michigansandzil]

Just booked our first camping trip for April 2014. We're going to stay at the Jellystone in Cosby in the Smoky Mountains. Kids have never been there and we're all really looking forward to it.

This summer we also plan on visiting Lake Superior in Brimley and Tahquamenon Falls. We'll visit Lake Huron at Tawas Point, and Lake Michigan at Silver Lake. We've stayed at all of these places before (aside from Tahquamenon) and have enjoyed them all.

It's still another 5 months before we can dewinterize, but I'm already looking forward to it. Seems like planning is half the fun!

Anyone else have vacations planned yet?

[Veebyes]

Lauren wrote:
Hey, we have all done a one day long drive.

But they are looking at 260 average for three weeks straight and wanting to see things as well.

That is a lot different.

Again - apples and oranges now pears.

Agree. 250 miles is 5 hours at least driving, even on boring interstates. More than half the day plus check out & set up time, another hour. Where is the time to go & see something after that?

Never been able to understand the marathon high mileage trips. Last one our average was less than 100 miles PD. Most miles in 1 day was 400. Busted after that one. Even our Alaska trips were under 150 miles PD.

[Wavesprite]

We have Death Valley booked for February and just booked sites for our two weeks in July in Oregon tonight. I had no idea you could book the state parks in Oregon 9 months in advance! Luckily I checked Friday! We love their state parks,

Now I just need to book a couple nights in Northern California at the beginning and end of that two weeks!

[EPenney]

So far, I've got our Memorial Day Weekend reservations made. Between now & then we'll be weekend camping in some federal CG's at least once a month up in the foothills east of us.

[Lauren]

Hey, we have all done a one day long drive.

But they are looking at 260 average for three weeks straight and wanting to see things as well.

That is a lot different.

Again - apples and oranges now pears.

[michigansandzil]

Lauren wrote:
Truck drivers do it for a living; they are not on vacation where one is supposed to relax and see things. And they are used to doing it. Comparing apples and oranges here.

Well with 3 kids in school and 2 employed parents (thankfully), we drive 500-600 miles in 1 day to get where we are going. When you only have 1 week off of work and you want to go 600 miles away, you don't exactly want to waste it driving and only have 3 days at your destination when you could have 5. But that's entirely a difference of opinion and everyone has different needs.

I've now started to plan for vacations in 2015! Doh!

[Lauren]

Truck drivers do it for a living; they are not on vacation where one is supposed to relax and see things. And they are used to doing it. Comparing apples and oranges here.

[wbwood]

Lauren wrote:
stew57 - Assuming you come straight back to Dover that is an average of 260 miles / day - every day. Way too ambitious...even alone just driving a car! IMHO.

Seriously? 260 miles is too ambitious in a car? From our home to our hometown, where our parents live is a 200 mile stretch. We often drive there and back in the same day. And it's usually just me driving. Heck I drive 35 miles just to get to work every day.

How do truck drivers do it? And I imagine its a little tougher driving a truck pulling a 53' trailer. Long haul truck drivers can drive 11 hours in a 14 hour period and then needs to take 10 hours off. So for simpler example, lets say 11 hours, every 24 hrs. Not technically correct, but that's the most they can drive in a day if they drive straight through. At a low average of 55mph, thats over 600 miles in a day.

[Lauren]

Could write you a book just on AZ and UT alone.

Will PM you.

Lauren

[RCWannabe]

My family is planning a trip from second week of March 2014 to mid August 2014. Trying to figure out what we have to see and what we can stand to miss. Working through the Utah, Arizona area right now (planning phase) and want to hike, mtn. bike and maybe a little bit of easy climbing.

Looking for sugestions.

We are starting in Ontario Canada, going to Florida to see family, then across towards California and up to British Columbia ultimately. Want to see the Grand Canyon, Mesa, Moab, Monument NP, etc. but it is hard to plan a route that does not take us up and down. Plan to be in the UT and AZ area in April and May, then June in CA heading up the coast to BC and Alberta for July.

Any mtn biking suggestions for intermediate and beginner riders?
Hiking?
Things we just can't afford to miss?
Things we should miss?

Thanks in advance!

[Strictly_simon]

It's not far but we are going on our first trip the 2nd weekend in May to Jellystone in Western NY. We have also booked a week at the KOA 1000 island in August. Guess we need to hurry up and order our trailer.

[Lauren]

You will LOVE the Northwest. We are heading back there again next year - God willing - and already have many reservations in place.

[coastie_family]

We have a crazy 2014 coming up! Hubs is active duty Coast Guard and we are expecting orders to move to Seattle from OKC. Daughter number 2 is getting married May 17 and daughter #1 is having first grand baby on June 26. We will be living in our RV and daughter #2 and new hubby will stay in our house.

Guess our regular RV trips are on hold for the year. Will have one great trip from OKC to Seattle. Once we get settled there, we will start taking lots of trips around the Pacific Northwest. Never been to the area and know very little, so any help is greatly appreciated!!

[Lauren]

stew57 - Assuming you come straight back to Dover that is an average of 260 miles / day - every day. Way too ambitious...even alone just driving a car! IMHO.

raldl - Make sure to buy Mountain Directory West book. You will love the western part of the U S.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

raldl wrote:
I retire in April and have plans to take a long trip with my wife. We bought our first camper (22 foot TT) a couple of months ago. We want to leave in May and head west. I want to hit all the states west of the Mississippi. I have no reservations and no timeline. I want to see some of the popular national parks, but otherwise I'm flexible! Any ideas??

Just be wary of the weather. Some of the northern states are still quite cold in May. Some campgrounds in the Rockies are barely open Jun 1.

And the season is short - September gets snow some places.

Put a few pins in a map of your 'must places', or an electronic version like Streets & Trips, or Google Maps or the Good Sam Trip Planner - get a rough idea of the time to take the trip.

Double that.

My wife doesn't like setup/tear down every day - so we tend to do drive one day, stay two, or if on a tight trip - drive two, stay two.

I have friends who have been going to the same area in Colorado or Utah for five years of more, and still haven't seen everything.

It is a BIG country.

[dblr]

Leaving in June and run down the East coast for 2 weeks then into Disney for the 4th of July. Then looking to head towards Indiana in August for the FROG rally so planning a way to get there and see some sights. Looking to head thru either Ky. or TN so looking for suggestions on how to go or what to see and where to stay?