Road Trips 2024

[audreyh1]

Had to plan and book this one well in advance because we are staying several nights in Grand Canyon NP on the south rim next April. Never seen it except from the air.

Before that we’ll spend almost a week in Sedona. Never been there either.

Planning to drive a big loop via West Texas - a short Tucson visit on the way in and a short Albuquerque visit on the way back.

I have to brush up on my night sky photography skills because I plan on taking night photos at these locations, dragging out equipment I haven’t used in many years.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Only thing locked in is Austin the weekend of the eclipse in April and likely Albuquerque before or after -hoping to meet up with someone there so waiting for them to commit to some dates. Will probably have stops in AL, AK, OK, and possibly MS too but might decide to try to loop through AZ and UT instead but think I might make them part of another trip.

 

[VanWinkle]

We are planning a road trip to Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Fall City, Washington, and then on to a cruise out of Seattle to Alaska.

 

[Ronstar]

W're doing an Illinois to Vermont, turn right to Florida, turn right to Louisiana, turn right to Illinois trip starting in 2023 that could end in 2024.

 

[audreyh1]

We are planning a road trip to Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Fall City, Washington, and then on to a cruise out of Seattle to Alaska.

The area near Mount Rushmore has lots to offer especially Custer State Park and some funky road spirals on the way to nearby Mount Rushmore.

Yellowstone - you have to stop in Grand Teton NP first. Amazing scenery, lakes, and mountains. Although if you are approaching Yellowstone from the north that’s not practical.

 

[Dtail]

Just came back from a 16 day trip to Turkey and Dubai. It was a walking tour with wake up at 4/5am every day, but lots of good stuff we saw.

 

[Car-Guy]

Had to plan and book this one well in advance because we are staying several nights in Grand Canyon NP on the south rim next April. Never seen it except from the air.

Before that we’ll spend almost a week in Sedona. Never been there either.

Planning to drive a big loop via West Texas - a short Tucson visit on the way in and a short Albuquerque visit on the way back.

I have to brush up on my night sky photography skills because I plan on taking night photos at these locations, dragging out equipment I haven’t used in many years.

You are going to love the Grand Canyon. There will probably still be snow on the ground in April and pretty cool. Bring your jackets. Not sure if the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest are on your big loop plans but they are worth at least a quick look. Of course Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend NP are big attractions in that part of the country but I'm sure you know that living where you do. The McDonald Observatory is in the "area too" but IMO, not much to see. NOTE: Charging stations are probably pretty sparse (if any) in the Big Bend area.

 

[audreyh1]

You are going to love the Grand Canyon. There will probably still be snow on the ground in April and pretty cool. Bring your jackets. Not sure if the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest are on your big loop plans but they are worth at least a quick look. Of course Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend NP are big attractions in that part of the country but I'm sure you know that living where you do. The McDonald Observatory is in the "area too" but IMO, not much to see. NOTE: Charging stations are probably pretty sparse (if any) in the Big Bend area.

Been to Big Bend and those other nearish places many times. They are still a long way from AZ. They are building a supercharger in Terlingua which will take care of Big Bend for us before too long. We enjoy West Texas including the Davis Mountains and McDonald Observatory which has really nice summer star parties and is along a very scenic drive.

Late April - but yes plan on bringing warm clothes. Trying to miss the summer crowds.

 

[Car-Guy]

Speaking of West Texas, I wonder if they are they still growing the Wind Farms out that way? IIRC there were a lot of them just off I-10 heading towards Ft Stockton and that was years ago... Some serious money being poured into those farms. I also recall some huge solar farms near the Davis mts. But that was years ago too. I think I'll make another trip out that way before long. I'd like to see Big Bend again. Lot's of fun for off road 4 wheeling.

 

[Kings over Queens]

Sounds like great road trips. I should introduce Audrey to my daughter who lives in Denver. She's 23 and hitting as many national parks as possible. We were just out there and she dragged us up to Dream Lake, 2.2 mile round trip at just under 10k elevation. We also went to Garden of the Gods. I love it out there.

We're planning a trip to Cincy and Atlanta and back to NJ with perhaps a stop if Savanah. Not sure if it's a drive trip however. Probably, but not sure. We're doing all of the baseball stadiums.

 

[COcheesehead]

It’s color season here in Western Colorado. This photo is Keebler Pass between Crested Butte and Paonia. Tomorrow we are headed to Deb’s Meadow east of Ridgway - they filmed part of True Grit there. Colors should be near peak.

 

[Kings over Queens]

We enjoyed 5 days of sunlight, blue skies and low humidity.

Get back to NJ and within 20 minutes my aches were back and my nose stuffed with congestion.

We didn't get much color up in Estes...some of the Aspens were showing a little, but mostly everything was still green.

 

[Midpack]

Rhode Island in July. Hilton Head in October.

 

[Nomad4hire]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

 

[2017ish]

Had to plan and book this one well in advance because we are staying several nights in Grand Canyon NP on the south rim next April. Never seen it except from the air.

...

We enjoyed looping through the SW several years ago. One of our longer road trips, as we included Yosemite as well as Big Bend, Utah, and rafting the Canyon...

Booking in and around some of the N.P.s definitely takes spur of the moment off the table. We booked pretty much exactly a year in advance to get lodgings in Glacier next August--and following some hiking up with a mainly bicycling "Backroads" trip in that same N.P. with some friends. (

After that, we are still up in the air... BC wine country, Oregon/Washington N.P.s, then probably San Fran/Yosemite with the kids and grandkids who live out there. After that, we'll drive some route back home, with stops along the way.

 

[audreyh1]

Sounds like great road trips. I should introduce Audrey to my daughter who lives in Denver. She's 23 and hitting as many national parks as possible. We were just out there and she dragged us up to Dream Lake, 2.2 mile round trip at just under 10k elevation. We also went to Garden of the Gods. I love it out there.

We're planning a trip to Cincy and Atlanta and back to NJ with perhaps a stop if Savanah. Not sure if it's a drive trip however. Probably, but not sure. We're doing all of the baseball stadiums.

We got back from a 4 week southwest CO road trip a few weeks ago. Last stop was Garden of the Gods. Highly enjoyable.

And year before that we drove up and spent time up in Estes Park including the hike around Bear Lake and then up to Dream Lake.

Stunning areas both of them!

So yes Colorado is a regular destination for us when we need to get out of the heat!

 

[Ronstar]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

We take my F-150 Crew cab pickup. And stay in hotels or Airbnb's.

 

[COcheesehead]

Do you all use a RV or passenger vehicle for your road trips? We had a travel trailer but since sold it and are trying to line of a west coast trip for spring but NOT using a recreational vehicle just our SUV.

We’re credit card tourists. My wife made me burn all the camping gear years ago.

 

[audreyh1]

3 road trips so far this year. Snapped this sunrise in Glacier NP a couple of weeks ago.

Thinking about only taking my iPhone and leaving the dslr at home for our upcoming east coast trip.

We'll be doing our annual Illinois to Arizona trip in Feb/March, hopefully going to The Wave.

Nice!

Can you post that in the 2023 thread? The part about trips so far?

This thread is for 2024 Road Trip plans.

 

[audreyh1]

2023 Road Trips thread is here: https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/road-trips-2023-a-117246.html

I started this 2024 Road Trips thread because I had already committed to a 2024 trip.

 

[Ronstar]

Nice!

Can you post that in the 2023 thread? The part about trips so far?

This thread is for 2024 Road Trip plans.

So sorry for the mishap. Deleted

 

[audreyh1]

So sorry for the mishap. Deleted

Sorry about that. I was just trying to keep threads straight but probably shouldn’t have bothered.

Your Glacier NP photo is just stunning!

 

[2017ish]

I didn't post this earlier, since we are flying to and from... Anyway, we have a 53 day drive/hike/wine trip for New Zealand beginning in late Feb. Still putting the itinerary together, but have the air purchased and the rental car (and ferry between the two main islands) booked.

That'll be much less driving than the Northwest US/Canada trip that we'll do later in the year, but we are looking forward to experiencing a new anglophone country in a nice, slow manner.

 

[RunningBum]

Big February ski trip by car. Driving from VA to Aspen CO to ski with my son for a week in Snowmass. Onto UT for another week, and finishing in WY for a third. Then making my way back to VA, stopping to see family for a couple days along the way.

I have the Mountain Collective ski pass which gives me two days at various ski resorts. I'm a bit nervous about winter weather but I'll watch weather reports and stay where I'm at an extra day or two if I have to, and make sure I have plenty of warm clothes, food and drink in case I do get stranded.

 

[2017ish]

Big February ski trip by car. Driving from VA to Aspen CO to ski with my son for a week in Snowmass. Onto UT for another week, and finishing in WY for a third. Then making my way back to VA, stopping to see family for a couple days along the way.

I have the Mountain Collective ski pass which gives me two days at various ski resorts. I'm a bit nervous about winter weather but I'll watch weather reports and stay where I'm at an extra day or two if I have to, and make sure I have plenty of warm clothes, food and drink in case I do get stranded.

Sounds like a great trip. Good to have some flexibility for the weather, so that you can stay in place and enjoy looking at the beauty of any nasty winter storm!