Florida to Pacific Coast and Back

[BrentHG]

We are currently planning a round trip 3 month RV tour from Florida to Pennsylvania, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Seattle, down the Pacific Coast to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Wichita and return to Florida.  Our highlights will be visits with friends and family all along the way including the Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore), Yellowstone, Pacific Coast Highway, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Four Corners. 

We currently own a Winnebago 35 Adventurer (gas), but we are looking to upgrade to a diesel pusher to get us through the mountains along the way. This will be our big retirement trip of a lifetime and looking forward to seeing a good part of the good ole USA.

Our plans are to leave mid-summer 2017 that puts us at Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore) and Yellowstone in early August and getting all the way down the Pacific Coast to Las Vegas by late August for heading to Grand Canyon. 

If anyone has any recommendations for places to see or stay in the major attractions, please feel free to chime in.  We are currently using an online trip planning website called:  furkot.com  So far it has helped us in creating an itenary for our family as we are planning to fly them in for certain legs along the way.  Sounds complicated, but my wife is known for her expert planning talents and always very successful in getting things done.

Looking forward to hearing from others who have done long distance trips in their RV.  Ours is approximately 10,000 miles.

 

[hoddinron]

If you're going to Seattle, drive just a little farther to the Olympic National Park.  On our trip to California, Oregon, and Washington and back from Florida it was really one of the highlights. Good place to start south on the Pacific Coast Highway.  We went north from San Francisco, but which ever way you go, it's a great trip!

Ron and Joyce

 

[SeilerBird]

I just left yesterday on basically the same trip, Florida to the Grand Canyon, to Yellowstone to Grand Tetons and then back to Florida. I am doing it in a car and motels and only taking one month. You really do not want to take an RV to Las Vegas in August. You will be miserable. Early October would be the earliest I would consider it. I suggest hitting Grand Tetons since it is so close to Yellowstone. Also consider North Cascades National Park just north of Seattle. Stunningly beautiful and the park will be empty.If you can swing it you should also check out Death Valley, but not before October.

 

[BruceinFL]

You are going to miss the buffalo roundup in the Black Hills!  :-\

 

[TravlinOn]

If you're going to Seattle, drive just a little farther to the Olympic National Park.  On our trip to California, Oregon, and Washington and back from Florida it was really one of the highlights. Good place to start south on the Pacific Coast Highway.  We went north from San Francisco, but which ever way you go, it's a great trip!

Ron and Joyce

It's been a few years for us, but I think it was in, or close to, Port Townsend and Olympic National Park, that we rode a ferry over to Victoria and while there rode transit around to various places.  Some spectacular gardens and different foods (other than US).  Ferry was a fun trip, too, but be sure to check the weather first!

 

[BrentHG]

I've read a couple of posts on here about Sky Walk at Grand Canyon.  Is it still a dirt road to get there?  Do they let you take your own photos? 

 

[SeilerBird]

I've read a couple of posts on here about Sky Walk at Grand Canyon.  Is it still a dirt road to get there?  Do they let you take your own photos?

It is still a dirt road and they do not let you take your own photos. They charge $25 per photo. No need to go there and pay the money $75 to get in since the same view is available for free at The Abyss on the Hermit's Rest road.

 

[Busskipper]

We are currently planning a round trip 3 month RV tour from Florida to Pennsylvania, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Seattle, down the Pacific Coast to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Wichita and return to Florida.  Our highlights will be visits with friends and family all along the way including the Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore), Yellowstone, Pacific Coast Highway, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Four Corners. 

We currently own a Winnebago 35 Adventurer (gas), but we are looking to upgrade to a diesel pusher to get us through the mountains along the way. This will be our big retirement trip of a lifetime and looking forward to seeing a good part of the good ole USA.

Our plans are to leave mid-summer 2017 that puts us at Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore) and Yellowstone in early August and getting all the way down the Pacific Coast to Las Vegas by late August for heading to Grand Canyon. 

If anyone has any recommendations for places to see or stay in the major attractions, please feel free to chime in.  We are currently using an online trip planning website called:  furkot.com  So far it has helped us in creating an itenary for our family as we are planning to fly them in for certain legs along the way.  Sounds complicated, but my wife is known for her expert planning talents and always very successful in getting things done.

Looking forward to hearing from others who have done long distance trips in their RV.  Ours is approximately 10,000 miles.

Having done most/all this a few times over the years First thing is you will likely go over your mileage by at least 20%. Second is if possible try to allow at least another month or two as you have included a number of great places but will discover dozens more. Also why not use the Adventurer? No need to have a diesel to go over the mountains.

When family fly in to join you, we have generally found that big cities work better than the non major airports, and Las Vegas is one of the easiest/Cheapest! SLC works well for Yellowstone and Denver is not that far from Custer. California is almost always crowded in the NP's and will require lot's of planning.

Keep the time of Year and Seasons in mind when you do the planning, if at all possible be in the Mountains of Colorado last week of September for the Aspen. Utah requires you to be aware of temperatures, so check those. 

State Parks are special - especially in Utah - We could spend months in Colorado - I could go on and on but........

Best of Luck in the Adventure!

 

[Curiosity]

BrentHG that sounds like my dream trip.  Can you do it in 3 months?  It sounds like you will not have time to smell the flowers.

SeilerBird goin g by car?  Motels? No RV?  How do plan a trip like that.  I found I couldn't find a place to stay when I did a short trip like that.

BussKipper.  When I have thought about my travels never thought about the seasons. I am born and raised in South Florida and all we have is Hot, Cool or Rain.  How do you get the info?

 

[Busskipper]

BussKipper.  When I have thought about my travels never thought about the seasons. I am born and raised in South Florida and all we have is Hot, Cool or Rain.  How do you get the info?

Florida, the place we go to warm up in the Winter!

Not Colorado, the Place we Go to Ski in the Winter?

So just by luck we have discovered that the RV really Prefers to be in the two shoulder seasons, Spring and Fall, when the weather is, Not too Hot and Not too Cold, but Just Right. The times of the year where, the new leaves are just coming onto the Trees, or the Old leaves are changing Color and falling off. Another thing we have discovered over the years is that our National Parks tend to be Full, Crowded, in the Summer, but not so in the Spring and Fall. (think that might have something to do with Kids not being in School)

Interestingly enough those are the times we do not need to stay inside, with either the A/C on or the Heat on -but can get out and hike and enjoy the beauty of the landscapes that are spread around the USof A.

We have also discovered that in the Summer Colorado, and anywhere you can get into the Mountains/Higher elevation, can get pretty Warm in the Foothills but is just Heaven if you go UP into the Mountains - say 8,000 - 10,000 feet.

So I might have misspoke - I think what I meant to say is - We have found that the times we have Enjoyed the Locations we are IN are the times we can be IN the locations and enjoy that time in the Outdoors.

JMHO,

Busskipper

 

[BrentHG]

Florida, the place we go to warm up in the Winter!

Not Colorado, the Place we Go to Ski in the Winter?

So just by luck we have discovered that the RV really Prefers to be in the two shoulder seasons, Spring and Fall, when the weather is, Not too Hot and Not too Cold, but Just Right. The times of the year where, the new leaves are just coming onto the Trees, or the Old leaves are changing Color and falling off. Another thing we have discovered over the years is that our National Parks tend to be Full, Crowded, in the Summer, but not so in the Spring and Fall. (think that might have something to do with Kids not being in School)

Interestingly enough those are the times we do not need to stay inside, with either the A/C on or the Heat on -but can get out and hike and enjoy the beauty of the landscapes that are spread around the USof A.

We have also discovered that in the Summer Colorado, and anywhere you can get into the Mountains/Higher elevation, can get pretty Warm in the Foothills but is just Heaven if you go UP into the Mountains - say 8,000 - 10,000 feet.

So I might have misspoke - I think what I meant to say is - We have found that the times we have Enjoyed the Locations we are IN are the times we can be IN the locations and enjoy that time in the Outdoors.

JMHO,

Busskipper

I'm sooooo confused.

 

[JRS950]

Brent,
Great sounding trip. My thoughts are you are trying to pack too much distance into a too short of a time frame. You know your travel habits better than I know of them. Just that with all of the available sights, extra time may be warranted. Enjoy the planning and especially the trip itself.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The Adventurer is certainly OK for the job, but it sounds like you want to go in high style and  a DP will certainly help with that.

But you are trying to do far too much in a short time. Traveling by RV is supposed to be leisurely, plus there are numerous sights to enjoy along the way. If 3 months is all you can manage, consider curtailing the route someway. Better to have a quality experience than just breeze through everything and get exhausted as well. Plan another "trip of a lifetime" next year!

 

[Trailer traveler]

...that puts us at Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore) and Yellowstone in early August...

Be aware that Bike Week in Sturgis is August 8-14. The entire area will be very crowded for the entire month of August.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Be aware that Bike Week in Sturgis is August 8-14. The entire area will be very crowded for the entire month of August.

VERY crowded.  Been there, done that.