A few months back I posted a message asking some questions because we were considering renting an RV and hauling our family around the western US for a couple of weeks. I got some great advice here, and we decided to go ahead.
Two weeks, nine states, nine national parks, 3800 miles, and one baseball game later, we're back. As I get time, I'll post my description of the tour here. Until then, here's the itinerary, and the short (at least for me) version of the story.
August 8th - Pick up RV and depart Anoka, MN (just north of Minneapolis), for stops at:
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Cody, Wyoming
Buffalo Bill State Park (near Cody)
Yellowstone National Park
John D Rockefeller Memorial Parkway (OK, so it's just a nice drive between Yellowstone and the Tetons, but it is listed as a distinct unit of the NPS).
Grand Teton National Park
Dinosaur National Monument
Arches National Park
Moab, Utah
Canyonlands National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Royals vs. Athletics, Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Des Moines, Iowa (overnight stay at a KOA).
August 21st, return to Anoka
In short, the trip was a great success. We were at times surprised by what we liked - and what we didn't - but overall everyone enjoyed it. Our rental rig performed well for the most part, with just a few minor glitches. Getting around was easier than expected in most places, and costs were generally lower than anticipated (except, sadly, for gas, which took an untimely spike upward in price right when we left).
The Rig: One 32 foot 2001 Winnebago Brave Class A Motorhome.
We picked a Class A MH because we wanted the big view up front, the more open feel inside, and because we didn't need the over-the-cab bunk and didn't consider setting up the table and sofa beds a burden. The latter was only partially true, but more on that later. We picked this particular rig because it hit the right price point, was small enough to fit most campsites we would visit (but not all), and because it was the only one available that placed the sofa and dinette on opposite sides of the rig. With four kids traveling, we thought being able to sit on either side - depending on where the view was - would be a benefit, and we were right. There was a good deal of shuffling back and forth across the aisle as the things to see appeared on one side or the other. Several of the other RVs we looked at had just a chair and the kitchen on the side opposite the sofa (typically the passenger side), and that would have left three of our four kids with no view.
The Hits:
The RV Itself
Traveling with plenty of elbow room and our own kitchen and bathroom was everything we expected and more. If you've been considering the idea and haven't tried it, I couldn't recommend it more highly.
Cody, WY and Buffalo Bill State Park
We camped on the north shore with great views of the reservoir and loved it there. Everyone had fun shopping in Cody. The rodeo was a big hit, but nobody had more fun than my youngest, Myles (age 6), who got to run around the arena in the Calf Scramble.
The Grand Tetons
The Tetons were universally loved. We camped at Colter Bay (the regular campground - not the RV park) and had a nice view of Mt. Moran right out the front window, did some hiking, and attended a few ranger talks. This was the number one pick of everyone for the first place they would visit again.
Dinosaur National Monument
Everyone enjoyed this stop, despite the fact that the main visitor center had been recently closed due to structural instability. We camped at the Green River campground and took the tram ride the next day. We didn't get within sniffing distance of a bona fide fossil in the quarry, but everyone liked it a lot anyway, and we would all return (especially if they re-open the quarry visitor center).
Kaufmann Stadium
After watching games in the Metrodome for years, we REALLY love outdoor baseball, and Kaufmann Stadium is quite a beautiful place. Also, we got to see an inside the park home run.
The Misses:
Yellowstone
We were all underwhelmed by Yellowstone. It was interesting, and none of us would want to have skipped it, but everyone had enough of the place in about two days.
Mixed Reviews:
Little Bighorn Battlefield
We stayed only an hour or so, and I was completely captivated by the idea of being able to stand in the places I've pictured so often in my mind's eye when reading about the Indian Wars. The kids claimed to have liked it, but frankly seemed a little bored, and my wife was a little too tired and stressed from the drive out to really enjoy our first stop.
Arches
Only one of my sons (Logan, age 9) and I had any interest in Arches. We were only there a few short hours, and that was more than enough for my wife and two of my kids, who only got out of the RV for the short walk to the lower Delicate Arch viewpoint. On the other hand, Logan and I could have stayed for days. He declared himself to be "Lizard Boy" after discovering how much fun it was to scramble around on the rocks.
Canyonlands
The kids and I liked it, but my wife doesn't like hot, dry places much. She though it was quite stunning, and joined us on a couple of hides, but had no interest in staying more than the half day or so that we were there.
Mesa Verde
This was a highlight of my trip. The kids thought it was interesting and fun to tour the Cliff Palace. My wife likes heights and small spaces even less than hot, dry places, and declined the Cliff Palace tour, but did enjoy the museum.
Great Sand Dunes
The kids and I had a blast climbing the dunes. Not so much my wife, who was locked out of the RV with no bathroom, no coat, and not even a chair to sit on because I had stupidly put the keys in my pocket before setting off on my hour-and-a-half long climb. Oops.
Going back to work and chores at home received universally bad reviews.
I'll post more details as time permits, including more in-depth looks at the places we visited and reviews of the campgrounds where we stayed.
Until then, happy trails.
Joe
Two weeks, nine states, nine national parks, 3800 miles, and one baseball game later, we're back. As I get time, I'll post my description of the tour here. Until then, here's the itinerary, and the short (at least for me) version of the story.
August 8th - Pick up RV and depart Anoka, MN (just north of Minneapolis), for stops at:
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Cody, Wyoming
Buffalo Bill State Park (near Cody)
Yellowstone National Park
John D Rockefeller Memorial Parkway (OK, so it's just a nice drive between Yellowstone and the Tetons, but it is listed as a distinct unit of the NPS).
Grand Teton National Park
Dinosaur National Monument
Arches National Park
Moab, Utah
Canyonlands National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Royals vs. Athletics, Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Des Moines, Iowa (overnight stay at a KOA).
August 21st, return to Anoka
In short, the trip was a great success. We were at times surprised by what we liked - and what we didn't - but overall everyone enjoyed it. Our rental rig performed well for the most part, with just a few minor glitches. Getting around was easier than expected in most places, and costs were generally lower than anticipated (except, sadly, for gas, which took an untimely spike upward in price right when we left).
The Rig: One 32 foot 2001 Winnebago Brave Class A Motorhome.
We picked a Class A MH because we wanted the big view up front, the more open feel inside, and because we didn't need the over-the-cab bunk and didn't consider setting up the table and sofa beds a burden. The latter was only partially true, but more on that later. We picked this particular rig because it hit the right price point, was small enough to fit most campsites we would visit (but not all), and because it was the only one available that placed the sofa and dinette on opposite sides of the rig. With four kids traveling, we thought being able to sit on either side - depending on where the view was - would be a benefit, and we were right. There was a good deal of shuffling back and forth across the aisle as the things to see appeared on one side or the other. Several of the other RVs we looked at had just a chair and the kitchen on the side opposite the sofa (typically the passenger side), and that would have left three of our four kids with no view.
The Hits:
The RV Itself
Traveling with plenty of elbow room and our own kitchen and bathroom was everything we expected and more. If you've been considering the idea and haven't tried it, I couldn't recommend it more highly.
Cody, WY and Buffalo Bill State Park
We camped on the north shore with great views of the reservoir and loved it there. Everyone had fun shopping in Cody. The rodeo was a big hit, but nobody had more fun than my youngest, Myles (age 6), who got to run around the arena in the Calf Scramble.
The Grand Tetons
The Tetons were universally loved. We camped at Colter Bay (the regular campground - not the RV park) and had a nice view of Mt. Moran right out the front window, did some hiking, and attended a few ranger talks. This was the number one pick of everyone for the first place they would visit again.
Dinosaur National Monument
Everyone enjoyed this stop, despite the fact that the main visitor center had been recently closed due to structural instability. We camped at the Green River campground and took the tram ride the next day. We didn't get within sniffing distance of a bona fide fossil in the quarry, but everyone liked it a lot anyway, and we would all return (especially if they re-open the quarry visitor center).
Kaufmann Stadium
After watching games in the Metrodome for years, we REALLY love outdoor baseball, and Kaufmann Stadium is quite a beautiful place. Also, we got to see an inside the park home run.
The Misses:
Yellowstone
We were all underwhelmed by Yellowstone. It was interesting, and none of us would want to have skipped it, but everyone had enough of the place in about two days.
Mixed Reviews:
Little Bighorn Battlefield
We stayed only an hour or so, and I was completely captivated by the idea of being able to stand in the places I've pictured so often in my mind's eye when reading about the Indian Wars. The kids claimed to have liked it, but frankly seemed a little bored, and my wife was a little too tired and stressed from the drive out to really enjoy our first stop.
Arches
Only one of my sons (Logan, age 9) and I had any interest in Arches. We were only there a few short hours, and that was more than enough for my wife and two of my kids, who only got out of the RV for the short walk to the lower Delicate Arch viewpoint. On the other hand, Logan and I could have stayed for days. He declared himself to be "Lizard Boy" after discovering how much fun it was to scramble around on the rocks.
Canyonlands
The kids and I liked it, but my wife doesn't like hot, dry places much. She though it was quite stunning, and joined us on a couple of hides, but had no interest in staying more than the half day or so that we were there.
Mesa Verde
This was a highlight of my trip. The kids thought it was interesting and fun to tour the Cliff Palace. My wife likes heights and small spaces even less than hot, dry places, and declined the Cliff Palace tour, but did enjoy the museum.
Great Sand Dunes
The kids and I had a blast climbing the dunes. Not so much my wife, who was locked out of the RV with no bathroom, no coat, and not even a chair to sit on because I had stupidly put the keys in my pocket before setting off on my hour-and-a-half long climb. Oops.
Going back to work and chores at home received universally bad reviews.
I'll post more details as time permits, including more in-depth looks at the places we visited and reviews of the campgrounds where we stayed.
Until then, happy trails.
Joe