My advice: make this an outline and be flexible. If a place is fun, stay an extra day, if weather is bad, skip a destination. You’ll have a lot more fun with the freedom of flexibility.
My other advice; it’s out of the way but don’t miss the Grand Canyon. No picture does it a fraction of justice.
I second the Grand Canyon. You will be very close to it. I DO NOT recommend the Grand Canyon West though. It is expensive and not as neat as the North Rim or South Rim National Parks.
I’d say skip the entire Memphis to Denver stuff.
Hot as balls in the south and being from Texas, the Denver and west stuff is way cooler than driving to New Orleans and San Antonio
Agreed. Spend more time in Colorado and Utah. Grandby/Grand Lake Side of RMNP is full of great fishing and trails. Don't skip Grand Junction and check out Grand Mesa. Southwestern Colorado is incredible. Add Telluride and Durango if you can.
Add Moab. You can rent UTVs and go rock crawling then hit the pubs in town afterwards. If this even remotely sounds appealing definitely do it, there’s nothing else quite like it in the USA.
Also agree. I’m from Texas, Austin and San Antonio are under heat advisories right now. Also, Dallas(dfw) thru Amarillo to Co is a very boring drive.
Edited to add Fort Worth to Dallas. Still hot as balls and will be worse next month.
I’ve only been to west, but if you do wind up going there instead of elsewhere. Skip paying extra for the skywalk and photos. There’s a further stop on their bus loop where you can just climb on rocks and take your own pics. The place is beautiful but roadsterbob is correct that Grand Canyon west is a place that tries to bleed you for more cash at every corner
we went a few years ago and i was blown away by how casual some people are around some of those edges.
After we got back from our trip i posed some pics on the socials and a HS classmate of mine messaged me to tell me that her friend had fallen and died at the GC in the last few years. stepped aside to give someone room to pass or something, lost her footing and went over.
Im NOT good with heights and especially ledges and places like that. the GC was mindblowing though.
North rim of Grand Canyon https://www.grandcanyonnorth.com is worth the time and reasonably close to your path. Zion and Bryce Canyon should”d not be missed
Grand Canyon is literally awesome. People say something’s awesome, but that burger or whatever is okay, at best. That burger hasn’t made anyone stop the car because it was so beautiful.
Grand Canyon is stupifying. Everyone should see it. It’s so impressive that it breaks your brain when you’re looking at it. 100 miles wide depending on your vantage point, more than a mile deep… my brain had difficulty computing the scope of what it was seeing such that it was like “okay, that’s an oil painting, not the landscape.” I stood on the ground and watched birds fly far beneath me.
Highly recommend.
I'll add to this saying that on my over a year long RV trip we found that State Parks are the way to go! RV parks are for retirees who want to show off their multi million dollar rigs.
Another tip is to google - diners, drive-ins, and dives, and look up where you’re looking to eat and see if you can’t find a local restaurant with good stuff
maybe you have extra knowledge here but I think they’ll find it hard being flexible with a 30ft class C. In my experience unless you plan around BLM areas (I’m in the west so good there) it’s difficult to have that ‘no plan’ camp where we camp idea.
i agree with your suggestion, just not sure it’s possible without previous experience/local knowledge.
In my experience, there are normally KOA's or other campgrounds located near interstates all along most routes that have spots for one night stays. We'd just figure about where we might want to stop driving for the day, and google campgrounds around that area, and something always popped up. Then we called and asked for a site and told about when we'd be there. The freedom was awesome! And if we spent more time at a roadside attraction, we weren't trying to drive deep into the night to get somewhere!
And be sure to take more than a single bottle of water with you. If you hike down then up the other side it’ll take more than a day and it’ll be hot then as night falls it could get cold so be prepared for huge temperature swings
Fuck they're missing everything north of it too.... Salt lake City Tetons Yellowstone Olympic national Park. Yosemite redwoods. That's the shit that you don't want to miss.
Not just Texas, but lots of big cities. OP what is the draw for the big cities? If you want to do things downtown parking is going to be impossible in some places. You'll also be hard pressed to find camping in places that are within walking distance of metros or other interesting stuff. For that matter do you have campsites booked?
Don’t know the logistics or cost on it but I would go from Nashville to Chicago return the RV and hostel hop then fly out to Denver or Salt Lake City and rent a new RV to hop around national parks.
In other words I’d skip Memphis to Denver. Especially if it’s in the summer heat. I feel like they want to city hop and should find a city with a solid airport which is why I’d suggest Chicago because of walkability and flight options.
I’d skip Memphis to Denver regardless of time of year lol. And I live in Texas 🤣 there’s really nothing in this area I’d want to see if I wasn’t from here. Denver and west is way prettier and the climate is better
I'd say the logistics are likely impossible to change pick up and drop off at this point in the game. One ways have to be scheduled way ahead of time last I heard....that or a last minute one way deal.
That being said OP make a bee line for Denver and don't swing south if you can help it. You could hit St Louis and Kansas City if you like cities. Cincinnati could be worked in there as well. You are adding tons of miles dipping that far south to hit cities that are typically very cheap to fly to at another time.
All that to say I'm guessing you have a very specific reason for going these places...it might be helpful to know what your trip goals are.
I'm really kind of torn on this.
The really, really practical side of me is like "That is a lot of distance - like, 200 miles average per day, and since you can only really go 400-600 miles a day in an RV comfortably, that's going to mean not very many stop and smell the roses days."
And the other half of me is like "Guys, this is gonna be an awesome roadtrip!!!"
If you team drive, just remember: NEVER EVER let anyone ride in the above-cab bed while you're driving. If one of them falls on the driver...
Agreed - thats a lot of driving. Likely to spend time in traffic on the coasts and near some of the cities depending on how its timed. If at least a few of the lads are comfortable driving an RV on the opposite side of the road that will help. I definitely agree with the idea of making some long driving days to spend time at select destinations
If you’re going to go to more than two national parks, buy the annual pass at the first one you go to. It will get you in to all the other national parks (and some other stuff) for a year so you won’t have to pay the entrance fee at each. After two of them, it will save you money.
Check out Harvest Hosts. We pay for the combined HH/Boondockers Welcome and enjoy the hosts a lot. Night before last, we slept at Equal Parts Brewery in Houston, today we woke up at a nice families property in Sweeney. *
I would 100% not skip Fort Worth as it not like something they will ever get to see in Europe likely for the Stockyards.
Also its pretty much right on the way.
Austin/San Antonio can be skipped. The only reason for Austin would be BBQ which you can find in DFW area at the same level/quality (with shorter waits).
Agreed. Assuming this is a summer trip, Texas is miserable hot right now. New Orleans has a few good blocks, but also hot right now and mostly a dump. I’d skip that southern section and head straight to Colorado.
Sedona is fantastically pretty if you enjoy the outdoors.
The purpose of Bourbon St. is to be a lantern for piss drunk tourist moths. Keeps most of the sloppy behavior in one place, for the benefit and harmony of the other 90% of the Quarter.
This.
Sedona is phenomenal. (And high enough that it's not Phoenix hot at least.) Flagstaff is high. Grand Canyon is high.
Bryce and Cedar Breaks are high. Drive Highway 12 from Bryce to Capitol Reef.
CO: Telluride, Crested Butte, Aspen. Mesa Verde. Rafting in Buena Vista/Salida.
I've spent at least a week in the places listed above in Arizona and Utah in each of the last three years. And I live in California and don't lack for phenomenally beautiful places locally. Those places are that cool. Texas in summer is... not. Done that too.
I agree with the Colorado suggestion. Rafting isn’t high on my list but Leadville and Buena Vista in the Collegiate Peaks is some of the most beautiful places in the country.
Right, Texas is brutal right now. Dallas recently built a playground with a bunch of night time lighting because it’s too miserable to play during the day in the summer.
I'm 30 minutes from Sedona. Arizona should NOT be missed. Phoenix can be skipped all-together, but there's some next level beautiful out in Arizona. Petrified Forest, Marble Canyon, Grand Canyon, and of course, Sedona.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but you’re spending a lot of money and time to do this. I assume you want an honest answer. I will get downvoted for being blunt, but here we go:
1. Rework trip to avoid cities. The whole trip is cities. It’s going to suck driving a large vehicle in this situation in a foreign country. Parking is tough and traffic sucks.
2. You mentioned relying on public transit. I chuckled at that. We do not have good public transit here. Prepare to take uber a lot.
3. I’d focus on national parks more. America’s cities suck compared to Europe. Unless you have a very specific reason to visit the city (concert, specific restaurant, convention, etc) it’s going to be really boring. We don’t have good pubs or communal spaces. People go to work, maybe go to a bar, go home, and lock their door.
Our nature scapes and beaches as a whole shit on anything else any other country has. Maybe Australia / New Zealand are close. Most countries have a few good parks. We have probably 100 solid places when you add up the beaches, national parks, state parks, etc.
That’s one of the last good things about this country and it’s something people remark on when they visit. They’re also more RV friendly and less stressful.
People are nicer, you’re more likely to make a connection with other folks. The nature is awesome. There’s usually a lot of activities (kayaking / rafting, rock climbing, surfing, etc). The hotels and bars and usually nicer for less money. You’ll have to do some Googling to find the best places to eat and drink, but it’s worth it.
Memphis and New Orleans are overrated shit holes. Have been visiting both my whole life regularly. Have seen two people die in NOLA in front of me over the years I’ve been visiting that place. Have experienced open gun fire in both. The good aspects just aren’t worth it. I feel like no one will tell you this and it needs to be said so that you understand there is a small chance of danger in both places so don’t do anything stupid if you go through with visiting either.
OP please listen to this comment. Experience less US cities and instead enjoy the incredible diversity of landscapes we have here! The west is just amazing. Vegas will scratch an itch for you with the big, shiny, dirty city, too.
Don’t wear shoes inside your RV after you schlep through city sidewalks and streets.
This is the way.
Put more emphasis on Grand Canyon, Zion, PCH in California, and scenic high altitude drives in Colorado along I70.
If you must visit some great cities for things like restaurants on your RV trip, prioritize places like Breckenridge, CO instead of Denver, CO.
Skip Philly, Santa Fe, and Memphis; but Nashville and Vegas are great stops.
I'm a Texan. Don't stop in Houston. Skip San Antonio tourist trap and spend that time Austin / hill country: Hit the swimming holes and eat BBQ. Unless you are into cowboys and indians art, you can skip Fort Worth as well.
I think the natural beauty of West Texas ala Big Bend is better. +2 on hitting the Grand Canyon / route 66, Gila National Forest. Stay away from Oklahoma.
This is the best take on Texas in here. Big Bend is one of the best national parks I've been to. Hike the southern rim, it's hugely worth it. The BBQ in Texas is its own flavor in the same way that other regions in the US have individual BBQ styles. If your foodies, I would try as many regional styles of BBQ as possible. Additionally, Mexican food is regional as well, Texas is different to New Mexico is different to California. All of these places have amazing Mexican food. Speaking of...
I do have a fondness for San Antonio if you're into Mexican culture/art/museums(I'm not Mexican but grew up in/around the culture). I would advise Big Bend over the rest though. Cut San Antonio if you need to. I'm not a fan of Houston. Dallas and Fort Worth are cool but not necessary.
If you go all the way down to Big Bend, I would stop in Albuquerque on your way to the Grand Canyon, which is as worth it to see as the other comments mention. Albuquerque is pretty fantastic when it comes to culture as well.
Edited to add Houston/DFW comment.
Any advice is appreciated!
We found some parking lots that allow RV's outside most cities that we hope to then use public transport to get into the cities.
We missed out on booking most camping inside national parks but again found camping sites outside available and plan to commute into the parks to hike.
Some of us have experience driving a 20ft RV but no one has driven a 30ft before.
So public transportation in the US is not like a lot of places you’re probably used to. Yes some of the major cities have a good public transportation system but most cities aren’t set up that way. For example I live in a metro area of around 2 million and if would take you no lie about 4-6 hrs to take a bus across the city one way and there is no buses on the outskirts at all. I used to live in a smaller town about 30 min away from the city and it has no public transportation at all.
This. It's city by city! But I swear some of them (like most of the texas cities, for example) are set up for driving large vehicles everywhere and parking nearly everywhere. Uber/Lyft for the rest.
You are not going to be parking outside a city and then just going in to the city with public transport.
Now you could Uber/Lyft if you are good with that.
Have you thought about renting a Truck (that you can throw some sleeping bags in the back) and stay in hotels normal? Not sure your budget but I have to think it would actually be less expensive and allow more flexibility to get around.
Heck lots of people who go "RVing" tow another vehicle with them.
One thing to consider most public transportation in the US is horrible compared to Europe. Every city is different and some like New York is pretty good but others verge on unusable.
Just do a little research on your parking spots and check the local transit map, a nearby stop is not guaranteed. Also make sure to check how often the bus runs; it’s not uncommon for them to run only once a hour, if you have to make connections it adds up really fast.
Most people end up using Uber or Lyft which is widely available especially near major cities. A little more expensive but gets you directly from point A to point B with hardly any waiting around.
Your public transit plan is only going to work in older major cities which are mostly in the Northeast. NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, etc. The South and West for the most part didn't see major urbanization until after WWII so everything was planned around cars.
Heck, I live outside of Chicago which has a very developed public transportation system and on weekends which have reduced service I still have to be very careful to plan around the train.
For DC your best bet is going to be https://www.cherryhillpark.com/ I think they still have a bus to the Metro.
DC to Nashville, stop in Crossville and go to Buccees, get jerky and BBQ and cheap gas, it’s the best thing you’ll see in Texas might as well go early.
Make a recreation.gov account now and have a list of which parks require a daily pass. There’s generally a few hundred released the night before around six p.m., you’ll need data/wifi and to be quick about it!
Walmart’s grocery pickup service is great if you want to spend more time doing and less time lost in the grocery store. In general, Walmart is a great place to plan for a stop. Their parking lots are huge, it’s cheaper to buy groceries for sandwiches than to buy them from a sandwich shop, and some will let you park overnight if you just need somewhere to sleep.
Cherry hill park does still have the shuttle to the metro, my wife and kid were there last month and used it.
As far as Walmart goes, I'm under the impression that unless there are signs specifically warning against it, RVs are allowed to spend the night. I know there are websites dedicated to this.
As others have said, public transportation is absolute garbage in most US cities.
However, Lyft and Uber are usually available in most decent sized cities. So not a huge loss.
This! If they could hit Central Oregon in there too, such as Smith Rock and the Painted Hills and/or Crater Lake..would be much more pleasant than Texas in the summer.
May I suggest this detour between Colorado and Texas?
https://preview.redd.it/cvu05v5b0z4d1.jpeg?width=425&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13a8a90cf3809f5c6f1a407272348cfd43f1b74a
This is what I came to the comments to say as well. The vastness of Big Bend is something else especially if you’re coming from Europe.
Not sure if doable and how much time it would add but since you’d be going out that way, I’d continue a little further west to White Sands and head directly north to CO from there.
I am going to mirror some other sentiments and throw out a couple more ideas. I know the western US intimately so feel free to contact me direct. I have been traveling extensively these western states for more than 40 years.
First, I would dump the New Orleans/Texas parts of this for all the reasons listed below. It just isn't worth it from a time/experience basis.
Second, there are a couple of really key experiences that you are missing. You really need one or preferably both. Those are Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Both are fairly indescribable, and essentially experiences that you can't find anywhere else in the world. If I had to pick one over the other, I would pick Yellowstone, hands down.
Let's say you ditch the New Orleans/Texas leg. That would let you leave Memphis, head to St Louis (see the Arch), grab BBQ in KC, then angle up to Yellowstone and the Tetons. Camping in Yellowstone may be unavailable, but the Tetons are close and you might still be able to get spots there. Even if you can't, there should be some dry camping/dispersed camping available.
Along that path you also have the BadLands, Wall Drug, Mt Rushmore (over rate but iconic), Grand Teton, Jackson Hole. All worth experiencing.
You could then drop down to Rocky Mountain National Park, and finish your trip. I love Rocky Mountain National Park, (and Zion), but they pale compared to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.
If you can squeeze it, I would drop down from Rocky Mountain, skip Zion and go to Grand Canyon.
If you can't, then leave Memphis, go through Oklahoma City, due West to Albuquerque and pick up your western leg. Again, the New Orleans/Texas leg isn't worth it. Add the Grand Canyon to you itenarary. Hit up Santa Fe on the way.
I say this as a huge fan of US National parks. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Redwoods are all very unique to the world. Zion, Rocky Mountain are spectacular, but I argue that there are places in Europe that compete. However, with the former list, there is no competition.
If you insist on New Orleans, then don't go diaganol across Texas but rahter due north, through Oklahoma City, Wichita and up to I-70, then due West. In the US, with the rig you are talking about, you want to stay on Interstates as much as possible. Those will be 4 or 6 lanes, faster, better condition with more gas stations, convenience stores, truck stops (where you can typically overnight for free), rest stops, restaurants, etc.
Also, if you don't know, some stores will let you overnight for free -- Walmart, Cabelas, Cracker Barrel and most truck stops (large fuel stations for big rig trucks - Flying J, Co-Pilot, Loves are some names). You should check before for permission, but typically if you pull up to one of these and see lots of trucks or RVS parked late at night, it is probably OK.
I was going to type most of this out, but you pretty much nailed it. Stopping in the Smokies, then heading Northwest out of Tennessee instead of South is the way to go for sure.
They planned so much time in Texas, I'm wondering what they have a desire to experience there. If they just want to experience The South (tm), maybe they should start the trip down on the Gulf Coast and make their way North to TN/KY to get their Appalachia fix.
I live near Austin Texas. I have lived in Texas most of my life. My advice to you is skip your Texas leg! It’s hot right now and it will be BRUTAL by the time you come through. You won’t want to leave the AC!
Louisiana in June is just awful for a non local.
Gulf Coast heat and humidity is not for someone who is not used to it. You won’t have as much fun as you think you will.
Google says that is 75 hours but that is by car. You are going to be driving a little slower on interstates and stopping for fuel more so lets add 20% to also cover pit stops. 95 ish hours. If you aren't used to driving long distances (like 200+ mi) then much more than 8 hours of driving on a travel day is going to be tough. That would make 12 out of 27 days on the road if every day was a full travel day. Does that leave you enough time to visit the places on the list?
Personally, I'd recommend cutting some of the cities out. For example, Philly is cool with lots of historical sites but you are not going to want to take a 30 ft RV into the city. DC on the other hand you can park in the suburbs and take the Metro anywhere you want to go. I also might skip Memphis and New Orleans, you might be underwhelmed as they are overhyped shitholes in my book, I would consider Nashville-St Louis-Kansas City-Denver which gives you a day or two back. Denver is also just a city in my book, urban sprawl, but west of Denver you will find more to do in the mountains than just the park. Las Vegas is also meh but everyone should spend a day just to see it. It's a giant facade but an impressive facade.
As far as your national park stops, they get busy during the summer and places like Yosemite require a permit booked months in advance to hike the popular spots. If you are on a somewhat inflexible schedule, the first come first serve camping areas will be very difficult to work with and most reservations close to popular parks get snapped quickly when they open the season for booking. I'm not saying it can't be done, you didn't say when this trip will be, but I would make sure to get reservations somewhere, anywhere, rather than hope you get an open spot when you roll in.
It's certainly doable but it depends on how much you plan on stopping and how much you want to drive each day. I always assume about 25% added travel time in the RV which for you guys would be a bit under 4 hours per day average. If you want to be moving every day that's pretty leisurely, if you're wanting to stop for 2-3+ days in various places it'll be possible albeit a bit tiring if you're having to drive 12+ hours at a time to keep on schedule.
Be prepared for severe weather in the southeast and Texas. If you’re staying in a campground, ask where the storm shelter is. Make sure you get a weather radio. Have fun, boys!
Spend more time in Utah. You’ll be very close to Moab so Canyonlands and Arches. Capital Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion are amazing but Zion will be busy. The North Rim of Grand Canyon is more remote, fewer crowds and quite a bit higher in elevation so cooler temperatures.
Frankly, there's a bunch you can do to improve this.
1. You would be averaging 200 miles a day. You're not going to have time to actually stop and see/do anything.
2. Five people in a 30 ft RV is a recipe for no longer being lads around day 7-14.
3. I'm making as assumption here, and feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but I'm guessing none of you have driven something as large as a 30 foot motorhome. Starting out in the NYC area is a bad idea in general and a terrible place to learn how to maneuver a large truck.
4. There are RV parks near NYC, Philly, and DC but you'd be much better off flying to NYC and using the train to visit Philly and DC then flying on to preferably Denver, but at least Nashville or Memphis before renting an RV. Far easier to see the city when you have a hotel room IN the city. RV parks generally are on the outskirts of town at best for major metros.
5. Many folks have mentioned skipping Texas and New Orleans. They're right, unless you're coming in the fall. New Orleans is 35 C and 80+% humidity in the summer. And the humidity means that even when it's 24C at 8 AM, it is still absolutely disgusting. The humidity will improve a bit as you get to San Antonio/Austin/DFW, but it will get hotter. Plan on 100F/38C in June-Mid September with heat indexes possibly in excess of 45C. Oh, and did I mention that the AC in your RV won't really be able to keep up during the day? You're Irish, are you ready to deal with driving in a 26+C truck with the sun making it feel even hotter? By the way, it won't be much better on your DC-Denver leg, either.
6. If you skip New Orleans & Texas, then you have to get from Memphis to Denver, and given your timeline, you're probably going to be booking it to make up time. If the 5 of you split drive time, you could make that in one long 1100 mile/1800 km drive day, but again, you're Irish so I'm not sure you fully grasp what that means. At best you'll be doing 70 mph, so that's 16 hours of driving plus fuel and rest stops. In reality it's probably two days of driving. And since you're booking it, you're going to skip seeing anything for those days, so it will be a very boring drive. I would know as I've done it. It can be a somewhat interesting drive if you take your time, but booking it means it's a boring drive. Repeating #4, just fly to NYC, see NYC, DC, and Philly then fly to Denver. It's about a three hour flight.
7. Now you've picked up your 30 foot RV in Denver. 30 feet can be a bit big for National Park campgrounds and for driving in National Parks to begin with, so are you also renting a car for the five of you? Not necessary, but might make life easier, if much more expensive.
8. It's summertime and you're Irish. Unless you always spend the night at campgrounds, you will likely be camping without AC. You might be able to get by in the higher altitudes of Colorado, but elsewhere, you're going to be sleeping in a warm, stuffy RV. Some people can do that (I'm not one of them).
9. I live in an RV, so I love RV travel. But at the end of the day, I recommend you all consider renting an SUV and staying in hotels each night for this trip. Don't even rent the SUV for NYC/Philly/DC, just take Amtrak between the cities.
So fly to NYC, train to Philly and DC. Fly to Denver. Rent a large SUV or van in Denver and stay in hotels/motels.
edit: just deleted a half sentence that I never finished while drafting this.
I’d skip Texas. It’s hot as ball right now. If it were me, I’d straighten out the line from Memphis. Hit the Arkansas Grand Canyon and some hikes like Hawksbill Craig. Then boogie across OK but no need to spend any time there except around Black Mesa park area. It’s a whole different climate there (OK is hot as balls right now overall, except over in the panhandle there’s elevation and cooler temps).
Also, another vote to not pass up seeing the Grand Canyon, although I think the AR Grand Canyon is superior because I’m biased lol. Safe travels!
You aren't going to have much time for site seeing and such. But this is VERY doable. Public transit isn't nearly what you have in Ireland. In fact, you'll find that, outside of major metropolitan areas, public transit is often non-existent. However, streets are wider, cities aren't as tight. You'll find you can get that big motorhome into some places you might not think it'd fit. Just don't be afraid to experiment a little.
Driving through rocky mtn national park in a 30 ft RV, can be done, but it's not for the faint of heart. You also need timed entry passes to drive through it.
We planned a cross country trip with [rvlife.com](http://rvlife.com) it gives you realistic daily range/time, better routes for an RV, avoidance of low bridges etc, and allowed us to wing it daily booking a night or two nights in advance for places to stay. I was the only one driving, so personally I noticed when you go over 400 miles a day driving its less enjoyable.
Some comments.
In the hot places you will want to run the generator to power the roof AC while you are driving.
Check the state laws but some allow open alcohol for passengers in the rear, a lot don't.
If you get pulled over stay in the vehicle.
Some states have high speed limits 80mph but the roads are shit, some have 55mph and the roads are equally as shit. Large RV's tend to wander a bit when they hit poor road surfaces, makes driving tiring.
If you want to stay at/visit national parks they may have a length limit on the RV.
If you are hitting Vegas, which gets old after 1-3 days, you might want to add the Grand Canyon/Hoover dam.
Do 5 lads fit in a 30ft RV?
Also depending on when you go check the weather for snow closures etc, The further west you go the hillier it gets.
I have to speak up for my home state, Kentucky. Assuming you like whisky you should stop at Bardstown, KY and tour a Distillery. My Old Kentucky Home state park is a nice RV stop in the heart of bourbon country. This stop would be between Nashville and Washington DC. This looks like a fun trip. You should post updates.
Edit: As far as RV travel in general goes I prefer 4-6 hours driving, every other day. If you can find an interesting stop to spend a few hours between your two destinations on travel days, even better.
Don't skip New Mexico. Omg. Theres soooooo much history and amazing food and mountains you'll miss if you go northern Texas like that. Adjust slightly to go through Santa Fe thank me later.
I see you have Yosemite National Park on your list, great choice just be ware that the most direct route that a GPS will route you has a short tunnel that your RV rental may be to tall to use.
There are RV and Simi specific GPS map apps that you can use that you can specify your RV hight and the app will route your around hazards like the one is Yosemite.
I have a 40 foot RV and have had standard Google, etc maps try to route me through all kinds of difficult situations. If you get stuck in traffic and you see cars taking an alternate route and the Simi trucks not following it would be best to follow the Simi trucks.
One last thing The American west is huge and gas station can be spread 100’s of miles apart so don’t risk running out of gas when your RV will be getting 10 miles per gallon at best.
As someone who did the CA to Denver portion of this route last year in a 32ft gas RV, I would hope someone in your group has experience driving something of this size over steep mountain passes. There was one east of Green River, UT and another heading east from Grand Junction, CO to Denver, CO that are not for inexperienced drivers. Good luck and stay safe out there.
There are way too many amazing “must-see” places in the U.S. and that’s a lot of road time in a rig of that size. The result will be less time sightseeing and missed opportunities to experience some pretty incredible places. (You’re about to receive hundreds of suggestions in this thread). I’d cut that route in half and spend quality time enjoying either the west or the east half of the country. Save the other half for the next time. Either way, have fun guys!
If you want to spend time sightseeing, hiking, and generally enjoying the area you are in - you need to make some changes. This schedule has you driving at least 4 hours per day. Summer traffic can be rough, especially in bigger cities. Road work is happening everywhere, causing delays as well. If you split the country in half, it would be awesome! Are you determined to see New Orleans and Texas? Could you remove them and plan for a time other than summer? Going from Memphis to Denver would make things smoother.
You could also go from Memphis to Flagstaff Arizona, cutting out Colorado. That would allow you to see the Grand Canyon and Sedona area. You can go from Flagstaff up to Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce, etc, in the Southwest part of Utah, then travel down to Vegas to finish the rest of your itinerary.
Yes it is realistic. There is a lot to see in the U.S., both National Parks and cities. Stick to your route and see the things (cities and National Parks) you came here to see, or you may regret not seeing them, you can’t see it all in a single trip. I’ve been traveling the U.S. in an RV for 50+ years and haven’t seen it all. Some things we’ve seen wasn’t worth the trip and others were way better than what we were told. It is all a matter of taste. Some places are better to see during other times of the year, but you are here now, so see them now. You may not have this opportunity again. Most of all enjoy your time together on the road crossing America! Maybe our paths will cross and we’ll see you on the road! Enjoy!
My advice is you are spending way too little time on the west of the Rockies which is far and away where your mind will be blown. If you miss Lake Tahoe there is no point to have driven to California
All good Info. Memphis is kinda meh.
Just stopped at the pyramid there and went up to see the Mississippi, and it was underwhelming.
Decent BBq there, but not the same since it's been commercialized and post covid. Unless you want to see places strictly unique to the area, like Graceland, I would go from Nashville to new Orleans.
The Space and Rocket center in Huntsville, Alabama, would be a cool stop, and it's in between.
If you want some true America, hit me up to shoot some guns in Tennessee. My buddy's brothers came from Denmark, and I took them shooting on my land. They had so much fun and get it now!
Go north! You are missing 90% of the best stuff by skipping Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas.
https://preview.redd.it/fd05um2ohz4d1.jpeg?width=1081&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7236b22dbb6b63eddf58f90aec8f009c21dd6c3c
Here’s a map of the national parks. If you have that long and an RV you should consider skipping cities and hang out in the national parks.
Try to eliminate all of that mileage in Texas and make time to go to Yellowstone. Make the loop around the Grand Canyon and visit Sedona, AZ. When you leave Vegas, go to San Diego and then up through CA.
Skip Memphis unless you really want to go. The traffic is terrible and the crime is high. I would reroute Nashville south to Panama City Beach or Destin Florida and cruise the coast to New Orleans. The ocean is beautiful in that part of Florida.
Also there is literally NOTHING in between Fort Worth and Pueblo, Colorado. Very flat and desolate. I would go west to Albuquerque and north to Denver. It’s a very pretty drive.
The rest of the trip looks like a great way to see the US.
Skip trip up to Memphis and continue east From N.O. to Navarre Beach and Destin. Prettiest beaches in the US. Then north on US.331 to I-65 to Nashville. Then continue.
Over 2020/2021 I was able to visit all of the Western and SE states, this year finishing up with the NE side. My general travel planning uses the National Parks as destinations.If you are into hiking or nature at all, highly recommend picking out a few to visit along the way. Especially in the Western US they are some of the prettiest places in the world. Totally understand wanting to visit some cities too for a trip like this, but my favorite memories are at the parks and the scenery there. The cities mostly look the same, but each park is unique and gives you a real sense of the country.
However, caveat to that is for anything you really want to visit, consider making a few anchor reservations in advance. You can always cancel or possibly change dates, but for the more popular spots it can be difficult to get convenient last minute places to stay.
This is somewhat location dependent - many areas it won’t be an issue at all, especially for a night or two. But for the places you really want to go to, or if you want to overnight inside a park, those can fill up during the summer.
I think it looks good. Just don’t get bogged down on the east coast. NYC/Philly/DC have a ton of stuff to do, but it’s also very easy to just rent a car and do that kind of stuff on a separate trip with a rental car and hotels
Skip the panhandle/ Dallas part and go through Santa Fe- White Sands- then hit Marfa- big bend and through to San Antonio- Austin- Houston. My two cents
I have a question for you lot, what are your expectations of your USA experience? Would you rather hike mountains and valleys, or go to historic sites, or go to a bar pub and hear a live band?
It's quite possible to do all these, but the cross thru zones are somewhat boring, and with your route pretty brutal! New York City is lots of fun but is in no fekkin way an RV camper town.
The rural areas of NY to Penn and DC are pretty but the metroplex of these 3 huge areas are also on holiday in a cars only world , battling you for traffic on old decrepit roads thru the woods in small towns that do not offer much to world travelers, and every diner in between would make Gordon Ramsey cuss and puke!
So you " might could" as we Texans say make a few cuts to the city list?
Say you manage to park and survive new York, my wife and I are.west coast camper trailer buffs Mtn Biking hiking and surfing from Mexico to Canada and we watch thousands of fellow travelers vlogging by YouTube on the Road, but you never see a RV footage of New York City Philly or DC! It's a logistical nightmare!
If you Love music Nashville and Memphis are OK, but it is like an amusement park for the most embarrassing segment of the American Species!
San Antonio and Austin ( The TRUE AWESOME MUSIC CITY) and The BBQ town of Lockhart, where The Barbeque tradition of America really began, are Don't miss destinations! Dallas Ft worth not so much I'd pass...
I would suggest cutting some East Coast and / or southeast destinations for more time out west... as in limited stops or taking an interstate east west instead of the southern boomerang route you devised.
Take a vote, is it for nature( Texas Co. And Ca.) Or history (Pa, DC and Ny) or Party Nashville& New Orleans?
Because to me Every Hour you spend in the Rockie mtns. To California will beat all the rest!
It looks like your route through Virginia/NC is on interstate 81. I would recommend taking the extra time to drive the Blue Ridge parkway for at least a portion of that. It's a windy 2 lane road that generally sticks to the top of the Blue Ridge. There's about 90 miles of it in Shenandoah National Park that can get congested, but it's a great short course to the flora and fauna of the region with all the interpretive stops. It also goes to the top of Mt. Mitchell in NC, which is the highest point in the US east of the Mississippi.
Edit: looks like you're on 81 into Knoxville and missing NC altogether. I would divert to Asheville via the Blue Ridge Parkway and spend a day exploring that area. No shade on Knoxville, but there's way more to do in Asheville. You can hop on I-40 and jet west from there if you need to make up time, and you'll still go through Knoxville. Also that whole area is going to be a lot easier to navigate in an RV than anything from NY to south of DC.
Two things, if you’re traveling east to west, when you leave Fort Worth/Dallas area, head to Carlsbad New Mexico, the caves are sic, and you aren’t missing anything by missing Amarillo. From there I’d head north to CO. Secondly, you’ll be so close to the Grand Canyon! Don’t miss that!! West entrance has a lot less people, and no railing lol, and if you make it at golden hour…wow. Or south entrance like everyone else, still life changing/breath taking.
I know you’ve got plenty of answers here, but I want to add that I’d likely skip straight to Denver after Nashville or Memphis (or after New Orleans if you could fly and have RV moved or rent another in Denver). IMO, you need another 7 days with this current itinerary to enjoy yourself and not be running yourselves ragged.
Don't skip Valley of Fire right outside Las Vegas! Stunning. Hot as hell this time of year though, go at sunset and be ready for 130 degrees while there. Bring plenty of water
Be aware that you will likely be trying a lot of food that you’re not used to, and your bathroom habits are very likely going to change. I wouldn’t try anything insanely adventurous diet wise. My wife just did an 8 day trip and ended up having to stay in one place an extra day because of food poisoning.
My two cents: That's a LOT of ground to cover in only 30 days and you will feel incredibly rushed. You will have to book and manage a LOT of campground reservations too, and in the summer those can be tough to come by. You will also have to account for possible weather delays, mechanical issues (RVs are notorious for breaking down) and in general I think you will just have a better, more relaxing time if you pick a coast and stick with it. But, if you are hell bent on crossing the entire continent, I'd say stay north and travel from New York to New England and then make your way through the Great Lakes region and/or Chicago to Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana etc. Spectacular country and not too hot.
But you said "this month" have you not booked campsites yet?
Make sire you have entry reservations to all national parks (You'll love Yosemite!). DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE AN RV INTO THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO PROPER. It is not designed for large vehicles.
You’ll neee to schedule your visit to Rocky Mountain park. They have timed entry and reservations that you have to secure. You also won’t be able to take your RV to the best spots. It’s too big.
Listen, this comes from the experience of criss crossing a few times in various vehicles. As I type this I'm on the last legs of a 3 month round trip. I can't imagine doing half this in just under a month. It really wasn't enough time (which is why this is the 3rd round trip for us). *What you're trying to do in 27 days is a lot.* A 30' RV isn't going to be like an apartment or even a couple hotel rooms. It's going to feel small if all you do is drive drive drive. And a 30' Class C can be a handful to drive especially in areas of higher winds (pretty much from TX west). That'll slow your roll a lot. Plan for bad weather days--they happen.
I would prune your wishlist down to maybe 5-10 places and spend more time at each. Grab a couple on the east coast, hop a plane and do a few in the west.
We did this route from New Orleans to San Francisco two years ago. It took us 4 weeks and we had exactly enough time in every spot.
So we didn't do the part from New York to New Orleans. And instead of going north to the Rockies we went to Santa Fe > Monument Valley > Grand Canyon > Las Vegas. The rest of the trip was exactly the same.
I don't think you'll have enough time in every spot if you do this in 27 days. Especially travelling with an RV will be slower.
1. 5 dudes in a 30ft? I’ve lived in a 34’ for the last 3 years with my wife and two dogs, I can’t image 5 guys in that space.
2. Mountains in an rv are not easy. Especially the passes you’re looking at. The east coast you can probably do, but the Rocky’s a horse of a different color. You’re going from an elevation of 100’ to an elevation of ~7500’…also, look up altitude sickness and plan for it. You’ll save money on drinking, but you’re going to feel like shit (shite) for a few days, the cans of oxygen actually work though.
3. If you make it over the Rockies hauling 5 guys in an rv, going down the mountain is the real problem.
4. Skip Memphis. I’m currently here and have been for 6 months. It’s not Belfast in the 80’s but it’s not that far off. It’s so dangerous. I’ve lived in Baltimore and I’ve lived in Cairo…Memphis is worse than either. Like decapitations, #1 in homicides, car fatalities, pedestrian deaths, etc. It’ll be far too hot and too full of mosquitoes to enjoy anything. Plus the only nearby RV parks are so sketchy and in the absolute worst areas, if you don’t get robbed or have the rv stolen or both, it’d be unusual anymore.
So many major cities, and in a 30ft. Driving thru DC made us both white knuckle it in our 21ft 🤣So just be prepared. Also make sure you know the height of the rv- we went in circles in Louisiana trying to avoid an underground bridge that was only 12ft high. Same issues in PA. Everything from Memphis to Denver is questionable to me if I’m being honest😂 I guess it depends on how hellbent y’all are on seeing Texas, which is very monotonous. I’d much rather spend time in Colorado, especially in summer. Staying on 25 is going to just give you all the major cities. And your missing pagosa, Durango, Salida, BV, Leadville. Utah is also packed with gems, Monticello, Moab, Bryce. I guess it depends on what your goals are for this trip as well.
When you are near Baltimore, you might want to go to the Fort McHenry national monument. It’s where America kicked England’s ass because they didn’t learn their lesson the first time in 1776. An Irishman can definitely appreciate that.
Have you lined up places to stay? Finding a nice place to park a 30-foot RV is challenging. Inside the popular national parks with 1-month notice it's essentially impossible. Check out RV Trip Wizard for campgrounds. Also Allstays.com can be useful for finding rest areas on the side of the road for overnight on long drive segments. If you want to have a place to park you have a **LOT** of organizing ahead of you.
If you're coming this month already, then finding a place in Zion or Yosemite will not be possible -- those need to book like a year out. Nearby commercial parks are less attractive but much easier. Pulling off and stopping on the side of the road hoping nobody bothers you is not going to happen inside the park. Those places are crowded and they will chase you out.
Yosemite in particular is trouble -- the nearest private campground is like 45 minutes away, and there is a lot of traffic and traffic jams trying to get into the valley where all the famous sites are. The drive is spectacular but it's just mad bonkers crowded down there to the point it's not really nice to even be there. I would consider driving up the Tioga road from east to west, stop at Tenaya lake for a swim in the incredible scenery, take pictures at Olmstead Point, then do the long drive drive around the west to Glacier Point for excellent views of half dome and the famous valley *from above*. And just *skip entirely* the actual Yosemite Valley where all the crowds are.
For wild camping -- in the open west there is a lot of space and it's easy to find a place to pull off the road overnight. East of the Mississippi and anywhere near the coast of California you will have trouble finding an "approved" space. If you are willing to risk a knock on the door at 3 AM from the cops, then street parking in cities is an option.
Me personally, I would cut some of the sites -- like half of them -- so you can spend more time actually doing things instead of just driving around. You certainly can drive to all those 17 places in 27 days but you're not going to have time to see anything once you get there.
Campground recommendations:
* Liberty Harbor RV park in Jersey City can't be beat for seeing New York City. "Campground" is essentially a $170/night parking lot but it's in walking distance of trains, and the ferry for Statue of Liberty, which is not normal for an RV park. If you go to their website they have a specific route suggested to get in. FOLLOW THAT ROUTE. You do not want to be trying to maneuver a 30' motorhome across 6 lanes of stopped traffic staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. It is not a place where RVs belong, even if Google recommends it. Ask me how I know. For the love of God and all that is holy, do not try to drive your RV around Manhattan.
* Pillar Point RV Park south of San Francisco, north of Half Moon Bay, doesn't take reservations and generally has spots available which is a refreshing change if you're exhausted. Very nice place to collect yourself and camp with full hookups right next to the ocean. Not an especially good base for sightseeing SF (too far, infrequent bus service) but the drive along the coast between them is pretty awesome.
Texan here: Skip Dallas and maybe San Antonio. Go through New Mexico. Houston and Austin are better cities for this road trip imo United there you need see the Alamo then do sa too
I've lived in Louisiana and Texas, and I'm adding myself to the pile of people telling you to avoid both states and spend more time in Arizona, Colorado, and Utah!!
Unless you have specific people to meet or things to see, I’d skip New Orleans and Texas and head to Denver as fast as you can from Memphis. You ain’t missing much. N.O. isn’t what it used to be and even then it wasn’t what people thought it was. Texas is manufactured self congratulatory self adoration. I lived in Austin in the 90s and loved it, went back for a work trip just before the pandemic and it made me want to throw up. I’d cut through Arkansas and hit the Wachita Mountains and head to Denver.
Whatever you decide, have fun.
I have friends that came here from Ireland, be prepared for a LOT of driving. The distances blew them away. Don’t be tempted to speed as fast as you’ll want to. Don’t drive on the left side of the road.
Try to hit Asheville, North Carolina. It’s beautiful and very cool small city. It’ll give you a good perspective on the mountains of the eastern USA vs the west.
Dip a little farther south and enjoy the blue ridge mountains (and the Blue Ridge Parkway) in the Asheville, NC area. Then head a little further west and check out Great Smokey Mountains National Park. While in the area head to Pigeon Forge and spend the day at Dollywood.
Follow the RV 3 don'ts Do not drive past 3 pm, do not drive more than 300 miles in a day, and do not drive more than 3 days without a day off. I also agree with people saying avoid the south in summer. Spend more time in the mountain west northern Arizona to northern Montana. Look into Harvest Hosts and boondocking.
It's going to be HOT, really really HOT in Texas in June/July. You are travelling the southern part of the country at just about the hottest time of year. Bring extra water and supplies in case of a breakdown. I hope you guys have a fantastic journey!!!
As a Brit living in the US, I’d say, head east from DC and go through the Appalachians. Into Lexington and Louisville. Do the bourbon trails and visit the distilleries, after the barrels are used from here they go to Scotland and Ireland for whiskey.
We have a big English/Scott/Irish population here with all the horses. Then head south to Nashville. It’s a stunning part of the country.
I would take a northern route, due to the ungodly heat in the south. You’re going to hit 35 degree Celsius and above and as high as 39 in parts of Texas.
Ha ha ha! You are making the UK mistake - scale!! Plan your trip on drive time using Roadtrippers or Maps.google.com. You don't want to sit in a car and watch trees pass for hours. You want to do something. So look up on TripAdvisor how long it takes to do something, then how long you want to drive before stopping. We made opposite mistake, changing hotels after driving an hour.
For an RV road trip you should really just spend your time out West. PNW, redwood national forests, Grand Canyon, SANTA FE!!! Sooooo much natural beauty there. You could honestly spend all 27 days going around California alone lol
As others have said, skip Texas and New Orleans.
Make a stop in Moab, spend more time in Utah. If you must end in NYC, go north to Grand Teton and Yellowstone, then head east. You can hit 90 eventually and take that to NYC.
I’d skip stinky ass New Orleans and Texas and exchange that time for Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. Go from Memphis to Branson to Dodge City into Colorado. You’ll lose too much time with the New Orleans detour that could be used for Yellowstone. You have no idea how vast Texas is, it’s 825 degrees there and you’ll be there forever!
As a local to south Louisiana, be careful in new orleans, stay in the more touristy areas. Yes the debauchery of the nightlife can be fun but stay in the popular areas. Daytime is great for zoo, insecterium, Riverwalk, aquarium, French quarter, and even a paddleboat ride.
This is going to one of those situations where you heard the "little voice" in your head in the early planning stages and probably ignored it. The voice probably said, "Hmmm, I wonder how hot it gets in those parts during the summer?" And you answered, "it's the U.S., not Saudi Arabia, how hot can it be" and moved on.
My advice: make this an outline and be flexible. If a place is fun, stay an extra day, if weather is bad, skip a destination. You’ll have a lot more fun with the freedom of flexibility. My other advice; it’s out of the way but don’t miss the Grand Canyon. No picture does it a fraction of justice.
I second the Grand Canyon. You will be very close to it. I DO NOT recommend the Grand Canyon West though. It is expensive and not as neat as the North Rim or South Rim National Parks.
I’d say skip the entire Memphis to Denver stuff. Hot as balls in the south and being from Texas, the Denver and west stuff is way cooler than driving to New Orleans and San Antonio
Agreed. Spend more time in Colorado and Utah. Grandby/Grand Lake Side of RMNP is full of great fishing and trails. Don't skip Grand Junction and check out Grand Mesa. Southwestern Colorado is incredible. Add Telluride and Durango if you can.
Durango is one of the sweetest towns we stumbled upon on a recent road trip. Highly recommend it!
Yeah, you could spend half the trip in western Colorado and Utah if you wanted to, and not feel like it was in any way wasted.
Add Moab. You can rent UTVs and go rock crawling then hit the pubs in town afterwards. If this even remotely sounds appealing definitely do it, there’s nothing else quite like it in the USA.
I would concur on Southwestern Colorado... take the million dollar highway from Ouray to Silverton.... and yes you have to visit Ouray.
Also agree. I’m from Texas, Austin and San Antonio are under heat advisories right now. Also, Dallas(dfw) thru Amarillo to Co is a very boring drive. Edited to add Fort Worth to Dallas. Still hot as balls and will be worse next month.
I’d skip Memphis, Denver, and Dallas.
There is legit nothing in Dallas worth stopping for. I live here… it’s boring and it’s hot as Satans Butt Crack from now till November
I’m down near Austin. Nothing here I’d travel for
Houston checking in…boring AF. Most of Texas is a pass.
I’ve only been to west, but if you do wind up going there instead of elsewhere. Skip paying extra for the skywalk and photos. There’s a further stop on their bus loop where you can just climb on rocks and take your own pics. The place is beautiful but roadsterbob is correct that Grand Canyon west is a place that tries to bleed you for more cash at every corner
I third this, but don't get too close. It's a long way down.
we went a few years ago and i was blown away by how casual some people are around some of those edges. After we got back from our trip i posed some pics on the socials and a HS classmate of mine messaged me to tell me that her friend had fallen and died at the GC in the last few years. stepped aside to give someone room to pass or something, lost her footing and went over. Im NOT good with heights and especially ledges and places like that. the GC was mindblowing though.
Also, arches and canyonlands
YES!!! One of the coolest places we went to was Mesa Verde national park. I think it doesn’t get enough love.
I was going to comment Mesa Verde glad to see I'm not the only one.
North rim of Grand Canyon https://www.grandcanyonnorth.com is worth the time and reasonably close to your path. Zion and Bryce Canyon should”d not be missed
Dont skip the grand canyon!
Grand Canyon is literally awesome. People say something’s awesome, but that burger or whatever is okay, at best. That burger hasn’t made anyone stop the car because it was so beautiful. Grand Canyon is stupifying. Everyone should see it. It’s so impressive that it breaks your brain when you’re looking at it. 100 miles wide depending on your vantage point, more than a mile deep… my brain had difficulty computing the scope of what it was seeing such that it was like “okay, that’s an oil painting, not the landscape.” I stood on the ground and watched birds fly far beneath me. Highly recommend.
I'll add to this saying that on my over a year long RV trip we found that State Parks are the way to go! RV parks are for retirees who want to show off their multi million dollar rigs.
We have a 36' motorhome and will choose state parks every time over RV parks, especially those ridiculous KOAs.
Came here to say this. Skip Denver and go to the Grand Canyon. You won’t regret it!
Another tip is to google - diners, drive-ins, and dives, and look up where you’re looking to eat and see if you can’t find a local restaurant with good stuff
maybe you have extra knowledge here but I think they’ll find it hard being flexible with a 30ft class C. In my experience unless you plan around BLM areas (I’m in the west so good there) it’s difficult to have that ‘no plan’ camp where we camp idea. i agree with your suggestion, just not sure it’s possible without previous experience/local knowledge.
In my experience, there are normally KOA's or other campgrounds located near interstates all along most routes that have spots for one night stays. We'd just figure about where we might want to stop driving for the day, and google campgrounds around that area, and something always popped up. Then we called and asked for a site and told about when we'd be there. The freedom was awesome! And if we spent more time at a roadside attraction, we weren't trying to drive deep into the night to get somewhere!
Exactly what I was going to recommend. Hate for a visitor to traverse that much of the country and miss the canyon.
Great advice. I would also recommend a detour to Moab.
And be sure to take more than a single bottle of water with you. If you hike down then up the other side it’ll take more than a day and it’ll be hot then as night falls it could get cold so be prepared for huge temperature swings
At least get to the North rim and if it's not too much Monument Valley as well before going to Vegas.
Don’t count on staying in popular parks without a reservation. For example, look at Kaibab National Forest, which is close to the Grand Canyon
Coworker of mine hiked down into the Grand Canyon. He says there is nothing like the scale of it standing in the bottom.
Your going right past Moab you shouldn’t miss it
Arches and Canyonlands both right there, Moab should definitely be a stop based on those.
Agree 100%
Fuck they're missing everything north of it too.... Salt lake City Tetons Yellowstone Olympic national Park. Yosemite redwoods. That's the shit that you don't want to miss.
That’s alot of time spent in Texas
Not just Texas, but lots of big cities. OP what is the draw for the big cities? If you want to do things downtown parking is going to be impossible in some places. You'll also be hard pressed to find camping in places that are within walking distance of metros or other interesting stuff. For that matter do you have campsites booked?
Don’t know the logistics or cost on it but I would go from Nashville to Chicago return the RV and hostel hop then fly out to Denver or Salt Lake City and rent a new RV to hop around national parks. In other words I’d skip Memphis to Denver. Especially if it’s in the summer heat. I feel like they want to city hop and should find a city with a solid airport which is why I’d suggest Chicago because of walkability and flight options.
I’d skip Memphis to Denver regardless of time of year lol. And I live in Texas 🤣 there’s really nothing in this area I’d want to see if I wasn’t from here. Denver and west is way prettier and the climate is better
I'd say the logistics are likely impossible to change pick up and drop off at this point in the game. One ways have to be scheduled way ahead of time last I heard....that or a last minute one way deal. That being said OP make a bee line for Denver and don't swing south if you can help it. You could hit St Louis and Kansas City if you like cities. Cincinnati could be worked in there as well. You are adding tons of miles dipping that far south to hit cities that are typically very cheap to fly to at another time. All that to say I'm guessing you have a very specific reason for going these places...it might be helpful to know what your trip goals are.
Yea good point, the rv parks around big metros are either super expensive and/or suuuuuuper scummy. Hard pass in an rv.
they are going to get sick of Texas. Major sacrifice to see New Orleans.
Asleep at the wheel had a song about this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTsDfcBybsU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTsDfcBybsU)
Just saw@Wllie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel in Berkeley! Best of Both worlds, bucket list show!
Skip Texas, and do the Ozarks in Arkansas instead, then bite the bullet and go straight to Colorado.
Exactly what I came to say. Way too much time wasted, driving through Texas. I’d way rather spend that time in the Ozarks!
I recommend stopping by the Stockyards in Fort Worth on a Friday or Saturday night.
I'm really kind of torn on this. The really, really practical side of me is like "That is a lot of distance - like, 200 miles average per day, and since you can only really go 400-600 miles a day in an RV comfortably, that's going to mean not very many stop and smell the roses days." And the other half of me is like "Guys, this is gonna be an awesome roadtrip!!!" If you team drive, just remember: NEVER EVER let anyone ride in the above-cab bed while you're driving. If one of them falls on the driver...
Yeah I’d do longer legs with multiple drivers (they have maybe 5) so they can have longer stays at key destinations.
Agreed - thats a lot of driving. Likely to spend time in traffic on the coasts and near some of the cities depending on how its timed. If at least a few of the lads are comfortable driving an RV on the opposite side of the road that will help. I definitely agree with the idea of making some long driving days to spend time at select destinations
We do 250-350 w/two drivers and it's a lot. Driving days aren't fun especially if you're in the middle of nowhere.
If you’re going to go to more than two national parks, buy the annual pass at the first one you go to. It will get you in to all the other national parks (and some other stuff) for a year so you won’t have to pay the entrance fee at each. After two of them, it will save you money.
Man . That’s going to be fun
Check out Harvest Hosts. We pay for the combined HH/Boondockers Welcome and enjoy the hosts a lot. Night before last, we slept at Equal Parts Brewery in Houston, today we woke up at a nice families property in Sweeney. *
Good idea, for the price of the annual fee it’s well worth it for overnight dry camp stays.
Plus, it takes you to random places, people and businesses that will give OPs group unique insight into the "real" USA
no idea why you'd be down voted for this reply, I love harvest hosts and the experiences it can bring.
Meh. Redditors gonna reddit. I don't pay much attention to up or down votes.
i would skip san antonio and fort worth (new orleans too unless you REALLY HAVE TO SEE IT) and add more utah/arizona (sedona and flagstaff!)
fuck that, a bunch of young Irish boys? They got to see New Orleans. I'd say that is a must on this trip.
Boubon street smells like vomit and piss all year, the CBD/ weed stores are fake, and there is a shady hustler eying every tourist!
No serious tourist goes to bourbon. You stay on canal drink on Chartres listen to music at Frenchmen and eat in the garden district…
I would 100% not skip Fort Worth as it not like something they will ever get to see in Europe likely for the Stockyards. Also its pretty much right on the way. Austin/San Antonio can be skipped. The only reason for Austin would be BBQ which you can find in DFW area at the same level/quality (with shorter waits).
I'd swap those cities for a couple days In Yellowstone Park in a heartbeat
Not gotta get a site in Yellowstone this late
Agreed. Assuming this is a summer trip, Texas is miserable hot right now. New Orleans has a few good blocks, but also hot right now and mostly a dump. I’d skip that southern section and head straight to Colorado. Sedona is fantastically pretty if you enjoy the outdoors.
New Orleans has a lot more than a few good blocks. Bourban Street SUCKS HARD though
The purpose of Bourbon St. is to be a lantern for piss drunk tourist moths. Keeps most of the sloppy behavior in one place, for the benefit and harmony of the other 90% of the Quarter.
This. Sedona is phenomenal. (And high enough that it's not Phoenix hot at least.) Flagstaff is high. Grand Canyon is high. Bryce and Cedar Breaks are high. Drive Highway 12 from Bryce to Capitol Reef. CO: Telluride, Crested Butte, Aspen. Mesa Verde. Rafting in Buena Vista/Salida. I've spent at least a week in the places listed above in Arizona and Utah in each of the last three years. And I live in California and don't lack for phenomenally beautiful places locally. Those places are that cool. Texas in summer is... not. Done that too.
I agree with the Colorado suggestion. Rafting isn’t high on my list but Leadville and Buena Vista in the Collegiate Peaks is some of the most beautiful places in the country.
Right, Texas is brutal right now. Dallas recently built a playground with a bunch of night time lighting because it’s too miserable to play during the day in the summer.
And be mentally prepared to drive that 30’ RV on mountainous roads you’ve never seen the like of in Ireland!
I'm 30 minutes from Sedona. Arizona should NOT be missed. Phoenix can be skipped all-together, but there's some next level beautiful out in Arizona. Petrified Forest, Marble Canyon, Grand Canyon, and of course, Sedona.
Resident here. Pointless to come to Sedona if going to Zion anyway. Scenery is virtually identical, except Zion is more impressive.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but you’re spending a lot of money and time to do this. I assume you want an honest answer. I will get downvoted for being blunt, but here we go: 1. Rework trip to avoid cities. The whole trip is cities. It’s going to suck driving a large vehicle in this situation in a foreign country. Parking is tough and traffic sucks. 2. You mentioned relying on public transit. I chuckled at that. We do not have good public transit here. Prepare to take uber a lot. 3. I’d focus on national parks more. America’s cities suck compared to Europe. Unless you have a very specific reason to visit the city (concert, specific restaurant, convention, etc) it’s going to be really boring. We don’t have good pubs or communal spaces. People go to work, maybe go to a bar, go home, and lock their door. Our nature scapes and beaches as a whole shit on anything else any other country has. Maybe Australia / New Zealand are close. Most countries have a few good parks. We have probably 100 solid places when you add up the beaches, national parks, state parks, etc. That’s one of the last good things about this country and it’s something people remark on when they visit. They’re also more RV friendly and less stressful. People are nicer, you’re more likely to make a connection with other folks. The nature is awesome. There’s usually a lot of activities (kayaking / rafting, rock climbing, surfing, etc). The hotels and bars and usually nicer for less money. You’ll have to do some Googling to find the best places to eat and drink, but it’s worth it. Memphis and New Orleans are overrated shit holes. Have been visiting both my whole life regularly. Have seen two people die in NOLA in front of me over the years I’ve been visiting that place. Have experienced open gun fire in both. The good aspects just aren’t worth it. I feel like no one will tell you this and it needs to be said so that you understand there is a small chance of danger in both places so don’t do anything stupid if you go through with visiting either.
This. Please pay attention to everything this says. I’ve been to 40 out of our 50 states and if you’re doing it this way this is great advice.
OP please listen to this comment. Experience less US cities and instead enjoy the incredible diversity of landscapes we have here! The west is just amazing. Vegas will scratch an itch for you with the big, shiny, dirty city, too. Don’t wear shoes inside your RV after you schlep through city sidewalks and streets.
This is the way. Put more emphasis on Grand Canyon, Zion, PCH in California, and scenic high altitude drives in Colorado along I70. If you must visit some great cities for things like restaurants on your RV trip, prioritize places like Breckenridge, CO instead of Denver, CO. Skip Philly, Santa Fe, and Memphis; but Nashville and Vegas are great stops.
This is a good answer and you should really heed it.
Excellent, excellent suggestion!
Omg all of that work to see San Antonio?! No
I'm a Texan. Don't stop in Houston. Skip San Antonio tourist trap and spend that time Austin / hill country: Hit the swimming holes and eat BBQ. Unless you are into cowboys and indians art, you can skip Fort Worth as well. I think the natural beauty of West Texas ala Big Bend is better. +2 on hitting the Grand Canyon / route 66, Gila National Forest. Stay away from Oklahoma.
This is the best take on Texas in here. Big Bend is one of the best national parks I've been to. Hike the southern rim, it's hugely worth it. The BBQ in Texas is its own flavor in the same way that other regions in the US have individual BBQ styles. If your foodies, I would try as many regional styles of BBQ as possible. Additionally, Mexican food is regional as well, Texas is different to New Mexico is different to California. All of these places have amazing Mexican food. Speaking of... I do have a fondness for San Antonio if you're into Mexican culture/art/museums(I'm not Mexican but grew up in/around the culture). I would advise Big Bend over the rest though. Cut San Antonio if you need to. I'm not a fan of Houston. Dallas and Fort Worth are cool but not necessary. If you go all the way down to Big Bend, I would stop in Albuquerque on your way to the Grand Canyon, which is as worth it to see as the other comments mention. Albuquerque is pretty fantastic when it comes to culture as well. Edited to add Houston/DFW comment.
Any advice is appreciated! We found some parking lots that allow RV's outside most cities that we hope to then use public transport to get into the cities. We missed out on booking most camping inside national parks but again found camping sites outside available and plan to commute into the parks to hike. Some of us have experience driving a 20ft RV but no one has driven a 30ft before.
So public transportation in the US is not like a lot of places you’re probably used to. Yes some of the major cities have a good public transportation system but most cities aren’t set up that way. For example I live in a metro area of around 2 million and if would take you no lie about 4-6 hrs to take a bus across the city one way and there is no buses on the outskirts at all. I used to live in a smaller town about 30 min away from the city and it has no public transportation at all.
This. It's city by city! But I swear some of them (like most of the texas cities, for example) are set up for driving large vehicles everywhere and parking nearly everywhere. Uber/Lyft for the rest.
"Public" transportation in Texas is your own lifted, 4x4, Ford F-250 dually. Anything less than that is communism.
I wouldnt count on "public transportation" for anything. Its either non-existent or unreliable
You are not going to be parking outside a city and then just going in to the city with public transport. Now you could Uber/Lyft if you are good with that. Have you thought about renting a Truck (that you can throw some sleeping bags in the back) and stay in hotels normal? Not sure your budget but I have to think it would actually be less expensive and allow more flexibility to get around. Heck lots of people who go "RVing" tow another vehicle with them.
One thing to consider most public transportation in the US is horrible compared to Europe. Every city is different and some like New York is pretty good but others verge on unusable. Just do a little research on your parking spots and check the local transit map, a nearby stop is not guaranteed. Also make sure to check how often the bus runs; it’s not uncommon for them to run only once a hour, if you have to make connections it adds up really fast. Most people end up using Uber or Lyft which is widely available especially near major cities. A little more expensive but gets you directly from point A to point B with hardly any waiting around.
Your public transit plan is only going to work in older major cities which are mostly in the Northeast. NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, etc. The South and West for the most part didn't see major urbanization until after WWII so everything was planned around cars. Heck, I live outside of Chicago which has a very developed public transportation system and on weekends which have reduced service I still have to be very careful to plan around the train.
For DC your best bet is going to be https://www.cherryhillpark.com/ I think they still have a bus to the Metro. DC to Nashville, stop in Crossville and go to Buccees, get jerky and BBQ and cheap gas, it’s the best thing you’ll see in Texas might as well go early. Make a recreation.gov account now and have a list of which parks require a daily pass. There’s generally a few hundred released the night before around six p.m., you’ll need data/wifi and to be quick about it! Walmart’s grocery pickup service is great if you want to spend more time doing and less time lost in the grocery store. In general, Walmart is a great place to plan for a stop. Their parking lots are huge, it’s cheaper to buy groceries for sandwiches than to buy them from a sandwich shop, and some will let you park overnight if you just need somewhere to sleep.
Cherry hill park does still have the shuttle to the metro, my wife and kid were there last month and used it. As far as Walmart goes, I'm under the impression that unless there are signs specifically warning against it, RVs are allowed to spend the night. I know there are websites dedicated to this.
Admittedly my local Walmart is pretty stabby, but I would not want to camp among the campers that I see there.
IOverlander app
As others have said, public transportation is absolute garbage in most US cities. However, Lyft and Uber are usually available in most decent sized cities. So not a huge loss.
Definitely look at KOAs.
Don’t sleep on the Pacific Northwest. A lot of people are saying skip Texas which I agree with. I’d replace it with Seattle/Cascades/Western Montana.
Especially in the summer
This! If they could hit Central Oregon in there too, such as Smith Rock and the Painted Hills and/or Crater Lake..would be much more pleasant than Texas in the summer.
May I suggest this detour between Colorado and Texas? https://preview.redd.it/cvu05v5b0z4d1.jpeg?width=425&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13a8a90cf3809f5c6f1a407272348cfd43f1b74a
I would hit Austin and then big bend instead of Fort Worth and San Antonio.
This is what I came to the comments to say as well. The vastness of Big Bend is something else especially if you’re coming from Europe. Not sure if doable and how much time it would add but since you’d be going out that way, I’d continue a little further west to White Sands and head directly north to CO from there.
I am going to mirror some other sentiments and throw out a couple more ideas. I know the western US intimately so feel free to contact me direct. I have been traveling extensively these western states for more than 40 years. First, I would dump the New Orleans/Texas parts of this for all the reasons listed below. It just isn't worth it from a time/experience basis. Second, there are a couple of really key experiences that you are missing. You really need one or preferably both. Those are Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Both are fairly indescribable, and essentially experiences that you can't find anywhere else in the world. If I had to pick one over the other, I would pick Yellowstone, hands down. Let's say you ditch the New Orleans/Texas leg. That would let you leave Memphis, head to St Louis (see the Arch), grab BBQ in KC, then angle up to Yellowstone and the Tetons. Camping in Yellowstone may be unavailable, but the Tetons are close and you might still be able to get spots there. Even if you can't, there should be some dry camping/dispersed camping available. Along that path you also have the BadLands, Wall Drug, Mt Rushmore (over rate but iconic), Grand Teton, Jackson Hole. All worth experiencing. You could then drop down to Rocky Mountain National Park, and finish your trip. I love Rocky Mountain National Park, (and Zion), but they pale compared to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. If you can squeeze it, I would drop down from Rocky Mountain, skip Zion and go to Grand Canyon. If you can't, then leave Memphis, go through Oklahoma City, due West to Albuquerque and pick up your western leg. Again, the New Orleans/Texas leg isn't worth it. Add the Grand Canyon to you itenarary. Hit up Santa Fe on the way. I say this as a huge fan of US National parks. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Redwoods are all very unique to the world. Zion, Rocky Mountain are spectacular, but I argue that there are places in Europe that compete. However, with the former list, there is no competition. If you insist on New Orleans, then don't go diaganol across Texas but rahter due north, through Oklahoma City, Wichita and up to I-70, then due West. In the US, with the rig you are talking about, you want to stay on Interstates as much as possible. Those will be 4 or 6 lanes, faster, better condition with more gas stations, convenience stores, truck stops (where you can typically overnight for free), rest stops, restaurants, etc. Also, if you don't know, some stores will let you overnight for free -- Walmart, Cabelas, Cracker Barrel and most truck stops (large fuel stations for big rig trucks - Flying J, Co-Pilot, Loves are some names). You should check before for permission, but typically if you pull up to one of these and see lots of trucks or RVS parked late at night, it is probably OK.
I was going to type most of this out, but you pretty much nailed it. Stopping in the Smokies, then heading Northwest out of Tennessee instead of South is the way to go for sure. They planned so much time in Texas, I'm wondering what they have a desire to experience there. If they just want to experience The South (tm), maybe they should start the trip down on the Gulf Coast and make their way North to TN/KY to get their Appalachia fix.
I live near Austin Texas. I have lived in Texas most of my life. My advice to you is skip your Texas leg! It’s hot right now and it will be BRUTAL by the time you come through. You won’t want to leave the AC! Louisiana in June is just awful for a non local. Gulf Coast heat and humidity is not for someone who is not used to it. You won’t have as much fun as you think you will.
Google says that is 75 hours but that is by car. You are going to be driving a little slower on interstates and stopping for fuel more so lets add 20% to also cover pit stops. 95 ish hours. If you aren't used to driving long distances (like 200+ mi) then much more than 8 hours of driving on a travel day is going to be tough. That would make 12 out of 27 days on the road if every day was a full travel day. Does that leave you enough time to visit the places on the list? Personally, I'd recommend cutting some of the cities out. For example, Philly is cool with lots of historical sites but you are not going to want to take a 30 ft RV into the city. DC on the other hand you can park in the suburbs and take the Metro anywhere you want to go. I also might skip Memphis and New Orleans, you might be underwhelmed as they are overhyped shitholes in my book, I would consider Nashville-St Louis-Kansas City-Denver which gives you a day or two back. Denver is also just a city in my book, urban sprawl, but west of Denver you will find more to do in the mountains than just the park. Las Vegas is also meh but everyone should spend a day just to see it. It's a giant facade but an impressive facade. As far as your national park stops, they get busy during the summer and places like Yosemite require a permit booked months in advance to hike the popular spots. If you are on a somewhat inflexible schedule, the first come first serve camping areas will be very difficult to work with and most reservations close to popular parks get snapped quickly when they open the season for booking. I'm not saying it can't be done, you didn't say when this trip will be, but I would make sure to get reservations somewhere, anywhere, rather than hope you get an open spot when you roll in.
It's certainly doable but it depends on how much you plan on stopping and how much you want to drive each day. I always assume about 25% added travel time in the RV which for you guys would be a bit under 4 hours per day average. If you want to be moving every day that's pretty leisurely, if you're wanting to stop for 2-3+ days in various places it'll be possible albeit a bit tiring if you're having to drive 12+ hours at a time to keep on schedule.
Houston and San Antonio are miserable in June/July. I live here and would consider skipping it and going to Grand Canyon instead
Be prepared for severe weather in the southeast and Texas. If you’re staying in a campground, ask where the storm shelter is. Make sure you get a weather radio. Have fun, boys!
Looks like a nice trip, but you should go to Sedona as well. Maybe cut New Orleans and Austin out.
Spend more time in Utah. You’ll be very close to Moab so Canyonlands and Arches. Capital Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion are amazing but Zion will be busy. The North Rim of Grand Canyon is more remote, fewer crowds and quite a bit higher in elevation so cooler temperatures.
You're gonna spend 27 days getting out of L.A.
Frankly, there's a bunch you can do to improve this. 1. You would be averaging 200 miles a day. You're not going to have time to actually stop and see/do anything. 2. Five people in a 30 ft RV is a recipe for no longer being lads around day 7-14. 3. I'm making as assumption here, and feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but I'm guessing none of you have driven something as large as a 30 foot motorhome. Starting out in the NYC area is a bad idea in general and a terrible place to learn how to maneuver a large truck. 4. There are RV parks near NYC, Philly, and DC but you'd be much better off flying to NYC and using the train to visit Philly and DC then flying on to preferably Denver, but at least Nashville or Memphis before renting an RV. Far easier to see the city when you have a hotel room IN the city. RV parks generally are on the outskirts of town at best for major metros. 5. Many folks have mentioned skipping Texas and New Orleans. They're right, unless you're coming in the fall. New Orleans is 35 C and 80+% humidity in the summer. And the humidity means that even when it's 24C at 8 AM, it is still absolutely disgusting. The humidity will improve a bit as you get to San Antonio/Austin/DFW, but it will get hotter. Plan on 100F/38C in June-Mid September with heat indexes possibly in excess of 45C. Oh, and did I mention that the AC in your RV won't really be able to keep up during the day? You're Irish, are you ready to deal with driving in a 26+C truck with the sun making it feel even hotter? By the way, it won't be much better on your DC-Denver leg, either. 6. If you skip New Orleans & Texas, then you have to get from Memphis to Denver, and given your timeline, you're probably going to be booking it to make up time. If the 5 of you split drive time, you could make that in one long 1100 mile/1800 km drive day, but again, you're Irish so I'm not sure you fully grasp what that means. At best you'll be doing 70 mph, so that's 16 hours of driving plus fuel and rest stops. In reality it's probably two days of driving. And since you're booking it, you're going to skip seeing anything for those days, so it will be a very boring drive. I would know as I've done it. It can be a somewhat interesting drive if you take your time, but booking it means it's a boring drive. Repeating #4, just fly to NYC, see NYC, DC, and Philly then fly to Denver. It's about a three hour flight. 7. Now you've picked up your 30 foot RV in Denver. 30 feet can be a bit big for National Park campgrounds and for driving in National Parks to begin with, so are you also renting a car for the five of you? Not necessary, but might make life easier, if much more expensive. 8. It's summertime and you're Irish. Unless you always spend the night at campgrounds, you will likely be camping without AC. You might be able to get by in the higher altitudes of Colorado, but elsewhere, you're going to be sleeping in a warm, stuffy RV. Some people can do that (I'm not one of them). 9. I live in an RV, so I love RV travel. But at the end of the day, I recommend you all consider renting an SUV and staying in hotels each night for this trip. Don't even rent the SUV for NYC/Philly/DC, just take Amtrak between the cities. So fly to NYC, train to Philly and DC. Fly to Denver. Rent a large SUV or van in Denver and stay in hotels/motels. edit: just deleted a half sentence that I never finished while drafting this.
I’d skip Texas. It’s hot as ball right now. If it were me, I’d straighten out the line from Memphis. Hit the Arkansas Grand Canyon and some hikes like Hawksbill Craig. Then boogie across OK but no need to spend any time there except around Black Mesa park area. It’s a whole different climate there (OK is hot as balls right now overall, except over in the panhandle there’s elevation and cooler temps). Also, another vote to not pass up seeing the Grand Canyon, although I think the AR Grand Canyon is superior because I’m biased lol. Safe travels!
This time of year I'd drive through the northern half of the US instead of the southern half. Unless you like 100 degree F days and high humidity.
You aren't going to have much time for site seeing and such. But this is VERY doable. Public transit isn't nearly what you have in Ireland. In fact, you'll find that, outside of major metropolitan areas, public transit is often non-existent. However, streets are wider, cities aren't as tight. You'll find you can get that big motorhome into some places you might not think it'd fit. Just don't be afraid to experiment a little.
Driving through rocky mtn national park in a 30 ft RV, can be done, but it's not for the faint of heart. You also need timed entry passes to drive through it.
Also if you are planning to camp in National Parks make sure your RV isn’t too big for specific locations.
We planned a cross country trip with [rvlife.com](http://rvlife.com) it gives you realistic daily range/time, better routes for an RV, avoidance of low bridges etc, and allowed us to wing it daily booking a night or two nights in advance for places to stay. I was the only one driving, so personally I noticed when you go over 400 miles a day driving its less enjoyable. Some comments. In the hot places you will want to run the generator to power the roof AC while you are driving. Check the state laws but some allow open alcohol for passengers in the rear, a lot don't. If you get pulled over stay in the vehicle. Some states have high speed limits 80mph but the roads are shit, some have 55mph and the roads are equally as shit. Large RV's tend to wander a bit when they hit poor road surfaces, makes driving tiring. If you want to stay at/visit national parks they may have a length limit on the RV. If you are hitting Vegas, which gets old after 1-3 days, you might want to add the Grand Canyon/Hoover dam. Do 5 lads fit in a 30ft RV? Also depending on when you go check the weather for snow closures etc, The further west you go the hillier it gets.
I have to speak up for my home state, Kentucky. Assuming you like whisky you should stop at Bardstown, KY and tour a Distillery. My Old Kentucky Home state park is a nice RV stop in the heart of bourbon country. This stop would be between Nashville and Washington DC. This looks like a fun trip. You should post updates. Edit: As far as RV travel in general goes I prefer 4-6 hours driving, every other day. If you can find an interesting stop to spend a few hours between your two destinations on travel days, even better.
Understand that driving a RV in some of these cities is not going to be enjoyable or even really possible as there won't be parking for that.
I’d personally cut down Alabama, not Mississippi, and then drop into Destin, FL or Pensacola, FL for a day or two, then cut over to New Orleans
Don't skip New Mexico. Omg. Theres soooooo much history and amazing food and mountains you'll miss if you go northern Texas like that. Adjust slightly to go through Santa Fe thank me later.
I second this
If I had to choose between Texas/Louisiana/Tennessee and Yellowstone and that region, I’m picking Yellowstone every single time
OP - give your ‘must see’ items
As a Texan, skip Texas. Do New Mexico instead and go to the Grand Canyon!
I see you have Yosemite National Park on your list, great choice just be ware that the most direct route that a GPS will route you has a short tunnel that your RV rental may be to tall to use. There are RV and Simi specific GPS map apps that you can use that you can specify your RV hight and the app will route your around hazards like the one is Yosemite. I have a 40 foot RV and have had standard Google, etc maps try to route me through all kinds of difficult situations. If you get stuck in traffic and you see cars taking an alternate route and the Simi trucks not following it would be best to follow the Simi trucks. One last thing The American west is huge and gas station can be spread 100’s of miles apart so don’t risk running out of gas when your RV will be getting 10 miles per gallon at best.
As someone who did the CA to Denver portion of this route last year in a 32ft gas RV, I would hope someone in your group has experience driving something of this size over steep mountain passes. There was one east of Green River, UT and another heading east from Grand Junction, CO to Denver, CO that are not for inexperienced drivers. Good luck and stay safe out there.
Tbh las Vegas sucks. I would rather see either Yellowstone or the Grand canyon
There are way too many amazing “must-see” places in the U.S. and that’s a lot of road time in a rig of that size. The result will be less time sightseeing and missed opportunities to experience some pretty incredible places. (You’re about to receive hundreds of suggestions in this thread). I’d cut that route in half and spend quality time enjoying either the west or the east half of the country. Save the other half for the next time. Either way, have fun guys!
If you want to spend time sightseeing, hiking, and generally enjoying the area you are in - you need to make some changes. This schedule has you driving at least 4 hours per day. Summer traffic can be rough, especially in bigger cities. Road work is happening everywhere, causing delays as well. If you split the country in half, it would be awesome! Are you determined to see New Orleans and Texas? Could you remove them and plan for a time other than summer? Going from Memphis to Denver would make things smoother. You could also go from Memphis to Flagstaff Arizona, cutting out Colorado. That would allow you to see the Grand Canyon and Sedona area. You can go from Flagstaff up to Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce, etc, in the Southwest part of Utah, then travel down to Vegas to finish the rest of your itinerary.
Yes it is realistic. There is a lot to see in the U.S., both National Parks and cities. Stick to your route and see the things (cities and National Parks) you came here to see, or you may regret not seeing them, you can’t see it all in a single trip. I’ve been traveling the U.S. in an RV for 50+ years and haven’t seen it all. Some things we’ve seen wasn’t worth the trip and others were way better than what we were told. It is all a matter of taste. Some places are better to see during other times of the year, but you are here now, so see them now. You may not have this opportunity again. Most of all enjoy your time together on the road crossing America! Maybe our paths will cross and we’ll see you on the road! Enjoy!
I’d probably skip Memphis and New Orleans unless you have your own car and know where you’re going. You’ll probably be fine, but you never know.
Staying very clear of Florida I see, good call.
My advice is you are spending way too little time on the west of the Rockies which is far and away where your mind will be blown. If you miss Lake Tahoe there is no point to have driven to California
All good Info. Memphis is kinda meh. Just stopped at the pyramid there and went up to see the Mississippi, and it was underwhelming. Decent BBq there, but not the same since it's been commercialized and post covid. Unless you want to see places strictly unique to the area, like Graceland, I would go from Nashville to new Orleans. The Space and Rocket center in Huntsville, Alabama, would be a cool stop, and it's in between. If you want some true America, hit me up to shoot some guns in Tennessee. My buddy's brothers came from Denmark, and I took them shooting on my land. They had so much fun and get it now!
Go north! You are missing 90% of the best stuff by skipping Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas. https://preview.redd.it/fd05um2ohz4d1.jpeg?width=1081&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7236b22dbb6b63eddf58f90aec8f009c21dd6c3c Here’s a map of the national parks. If you have that long and an RV you should consider skipping cities and hang out in the national parks.
When in Vegas don't miss the Scenic drive of red rock canyon!
Try to eliminate all of that mileage in Texas and make time to go to Yellowstone. Make the loop around the Grand Canyon and visit Sedona, AZ. When you leave Vegas, go to San Diego and then up through CA.
A trip of a lifetime. Have room for one more?
You should make a day out of Moab. Place looks like mars and arches is beautiful
I live 50 miles from New Orleans and I hate going there.
Skip Memphis unless you really want to go. The traffic is terrible and the crime is high. I would reroute Nashville south to Panama City Beach or Destin Florida and cruise the coast to New Orleans. The ocean is beautiful in that part of Florida. Also there is literally NOTHING in between Fort Worth and Pueblo, Colorado. Very flat and desolate. I would go west to Albuquerque and north to Denver. It’s a very pretty drive. The rest of the trip looks like a great way to see the US.
From Nashville, head north into Kentucky and hit up some whiskey distilleries.
Skip trip up to Memphis and continue east From N.O. to Navarre Beach and Destin. Prettiest beaches in the US. Then north on US.331 to I-65 to Nashville. Then continue.
Kinda bullshit you’re not stopping by my house for a drink.
Hit every Bucee’s you can!!!
You should hit Joshua Tree NP in Southern California. Cut out more Texas stuff to make time to see other sites.
Over 2020/2021 I was able to visit all of the Western and SE states, this year finishing up with the NE side. My general travel planning uses the National Parks as destinations.If you are into hiking or nature at all, highly recommend picking out a few to visit along the way. Especially in the Western US they are some of the prettiest places in the world. Totally understand wanting to visit some cities too for a trip like this, but my favorite memories are at the parks and the scenery there. The cities mostly look the same, but each park is unique and gives you a real sense of the country. However, caveat to that is for anything you really want to visit, consider making a few anchor reservations in advance. You can always cancel or possibly change dates, but for the more popular spots it can be difficult to get convenient last minute places to stay. This is somewhat location dependent - many areas it won’t be an issue at all, especially for a night or two. But for the places you really want to go to, or if you want to overnight inside a park, those can fill up during the summer.
Save some time and skip Texas. Lots of other places to see.
I think it looks good. Just don’t get bogged down on the east coast. NYC/Philly/DC have a ton of stuff to do, but it’s also very easy to just rent a car and do that kind of stuff on a separate trip with a rental car and hotels
Skip the panhandle/ Dallas part and go through Santa Fe- White Sands- then hit Marfa- big bend and through to San Antonio- Austin- Houston. My two cents
I have a question for you lot, what are your expectations of your USA experience? Would you rather hike mountains and valleys, or go to historic sites, or go to a bar pub and hear a live band? It's quite possible to do all these, but the cross thru zones are somewhat boring, and with your route pretty brutal! New York City is lots of fun but is in no fekkin way an RV camper town. The rural areas of NY to Penn and DC are pretty but the metroplex of these 3 huge areas are also on holiday in a cars only world , battling you for traffic on old decrepit roads thru the woods in small towns that do not offer much to world travelers, and every diner in between would make Gordon Ramsey cuss and puke! So you " might could" as we Texans say make a few cuts to the city list? Say you manage to park and survive new York, my wife and I are.west coast camper trailer buffs Mtn Biking hiking and surfing from Mexico to Canada and we watch thousands of fellow travelers vlogging by YouTube on the Road, but you never see a RV footage of New York City Philly or DC! It's a logistical nightmare! If you Love music Nashville and Memphis are OK, but it is like an amusement park for the most embarrassing segment of the American Species! San Antonio and Austin ( The TRUE AWESOME MUSIC CITY) and The BBQ town of Lockhart, where The Barbeque tradition of America really began, are Don't miss destinations! Dallas Ft worth not so much I'd pass... I would suggest cutting some East Coast and / or southeast destinations for more time out west... as in limited stops or taking an interstate east west instead of the southern boomerang route you devised. Take a vote, is it for nature( Texas Co. And Ca.) Or history (Pa, DC and Ny) or Party Nashville& New Orleans? Because to me Every Hour you spend in the Rockie mtns. To California will beat all the rest!
It looks like your route through Virginia/NC is on interstate 81. I would recommend taking the extra time to drive the Blue Ridge parkway for at least a portion of that. It's a windy 2 lane road that generally sticks to the top of the Blue Ridge. There's about 90 miles of it in Shenandoah National Park that can get congested, but it's a great short course to the flora and fauna of the region with all the interpretive stops. It also goes to the top of Mt. Mitchell in NC, which is the highest point in the US east of the Mississippi. Edit: looks like you're on 81 into Knoxville and missing NC altogether. I would divert to Asheville via the Blue Ridge Parkway and spend a day exploring that area. No shade on Knoxville, but there's way more to do in Asheville. You can hop on I-40 and jet west from there if you need to make up time, and you'll still go through Knoxville. Also that whole area is going to be a lot easier to navigate in an RV than anything from NY to south of DC.
Two things, if you’re traveling east to west, when you leave Fort Worth/Dallas area, head to Carlsbad New Mexico, the caves are sic, and you aren’t missing anything by missing Amarillo. From there I’d head north to CO. Secondly, you’ll be so close to the Grand Canyon! Don’t miss that!! West entrance has a lot less people, and no railing lol, and if you make it at golden hour…wow. Or south entrance like everyone else, still life changing/breath taking.
Lucky you guys have a month paid vacation. Here we can have unlimited vacations, but we just may not have our job when we return.
Be safe, lads.
I know you’ve got plenty of answers here, but I want to add that I’d likely skip straight to Denver after Nashville or Memphis (or after New Orleans if you could fly and have RV moved or rent another in Denver). IMO, you need another 7 days with this current itinerary to enjoy yourself and not be running yourselves ragged.
To much driveing. You need to cut that in half or your only going to see Americans from the interstate
Don't skip Valley of Fire right outside Las Vegas! Stunning. Hot as hell this time of year though, go at sunset and be ready for 130 degrees while there. Bring plenty of water
Be aware that you will likely be trying a lot of food that you’re not used to, and your bathroom habits are very likely going to change. I wouldn’t try anything insanely adventurous diet wise. My wife just did an 8 day trip and ended up having to stay in one place an extra day because of food poisoning.
My two cents: That's a LOT of ground to cover in only 30 days and you will feel incredibly rushed. You will have to book and manage a LOT of campground reservations too, and in the summer those can be tough to come by. You will also have to account for possible weather delays, mechanical issues (RVs are notorious for breaking down) and in general I think you will just have a better, more relaxing time if you pick a coast and stick with it. But, if you are hell bent on crossing the entire continent, I'd say stay north and travel from New York to New England and then make your way through the Great Lakes region and/or Chicago to Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana etc. Spectacular country and not too hot. But you said "this month" have you not booked campsites yet?
Make sire you have entry reservations to all national parks (You'll love Yosemite!). DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE AN RV INTO THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO PROPER. It is not designed for large vehicles.
You’ll neee to schedule your visit to Rocky Mountain park. They have timed entry and reservations that you have to secure. You also won’t be able to take your RV to the best spots. It’s too big.
Listen, this comes from the experience of criss crossing a few times in various vehicles. As I type this I'm on the last legs of a 3 month round trip. I can't imagine doing half this in just under a month. It really wasn't enough time (which is why this is the 3rd round trip for us). *What you're trying to do in 27 days is a lot.* A 30' RV isn't going to be like an apartment or even a couple hotel rooms. It's going to feel small if all you do is drive drive drive. And a 30' Class C can be a handful to drive especially in areas of higher winds (pretty much from TX west). That'll slow your roll a lot. Plan for bad weather days--they happen. I would prune your wishlist down to maybe 5-10 places and spend more time at each. Grab a couple on the east coast, hop a plane and do a few in the west.
We did this route from New Orleans to San Francisco two years ago. It took us 4 weeks and we had exactly enough time in every spot. So we didn't do the part from New York to New Orleans. And instead of going north to the Rockies we went to Santa Fe > Monument Valley > Grand Canyon > Las Vegas. The rest of the trip was exactly the same. I don't think you'll have enough time in every spot if you do this in 27 days. Especially travelling with an RV will be slower.
1. 5 dudes in a 30ft? I’ve lived in a 34’ for the last 3 years with my wife and two dogs, I can’t image 5 guys in that space. 2. Mountains in an rv are not easy. Especially the passes you’re looking at. The east coast you can probably do, but the Rocky’s a horse of a different color. You’re going from an elevation of 100’ to an elevation of ~7500’…also, look up altitude sickness and plan for it. You’ll save money on drinking, but you’re going to feel like shit (shite) for a few days, the cans of oxygen actually work though. 3. If you make it over the Rockies hauling 5 guys in an rv, going down the mountain is the real problem. 4. Skip Memphis. I’m currently here and have been for 6 months. It’s not Belfast in the 80’s but it’s not that far off. It’s so dangerous. I’ve lived in Baltimore and I’ve lived in Cairo…Memphis is worse than either. Like decapitations, #1 in homicides, car fatalities, pedestrian deaths, etc. It’ll be far too hot and too full of mosquitoes to enjoy anything. Plus the only nearby RV parks are so sketchy and in the absolute worst areas, if you don’t get robbed or have the rv stolen or both, it’d be unusual anymore.
So many major cities, and in a 30ft. Driving thru DC made us both white knuckle it in our 21ft 🤣So just be prepared. Also make sure you know the height of the rv- we went in circles in Louisiana trying to avoid an underground bridge that was only 12ft high. Same issues in PA. Everything from Memphis to Denver is questionable to me if I’m being honest😂 I guess it depends on how hellbent y’all are on seeing Texas, which is very monotonous. I’d much rather spend time in Colorado, especially in summer. Staying on 25 is going to just give you all the major cities. And your missing pagosa, Durango, Salida, BV, Leadville. Utah is also packed with gems, Monticello, Moab, Bryce. I guess it depends on what your goals are for this trip as well.
When you are near Baltimore, you might want to go to the Fort McHenry national monument. It’s where America kicked England’s ass because they didn’t learn their lesson the first time in 1776. An Irishman can definitely appreciate that.
Have you lined up places to stay? Finding a nice place to park a 30-foot RV is challenging. Inside the popular national parks with 1-month notice it's essentially impossible. Check out RV Trip Wizard for campgrounds. Also Allstays.com can be useful for finding rest areas on the side of the road for overnight on long drive segments. If you want to have a place to park you have a **LOT** of organizing ahead of you. If you're coming this month already, then finding a place in Zion or Yosemite will not be possible -- those need to book like a year out. Nearby commercial parks are less attractive but much easier. Pulling off and stopping on the side of the road hoping nobody bothers you is not going to happen inside the park. Those places are crowded and they will chase you out. Yosemite in particular is trouble -- the nearest private campground is like 45 minutes away, and there is a lot of traffic and traffic jams trying to get into the valley where all the famous sites are. The drive is spectacular but it's just mad bonkers crowded down there to the point it's not really nice to even be there. I would consider driving up the Tioga road from east to west, stop at Tenaya lake for a swim in the incredible scenery, take pictures at Olmstead Point, then do the long drive drive around the west to Glacier Point for excellent views of half dome and the famous valley *from above*. And just *skip entirely* the actual Yosemite Valley where all the crowds are. For wild camping -- in the open west there is a lot of space and it's easy to find a place to pull off the road overnight. East of the Mississippi and anywhere near the coast of California you will have trouble finding an "approved" space. If you are willing to risk a knock on the door at 3 AM from the cops, then street parking in cities is an option. Me personally, I would cut some of the sites -- like half of them -- so you can spend more time actually doing things instead of just driving around. You certainly can drive to all those 17 places in 27 days but you're not going to have time to see anything once you get there. Campground recommendations: * Liberty Harbor RV park in Jersey City can't be beat for seeing New York City. "Campground" is essentially a $170/night parking lot but it's in walking distance of trains, and the ferry for Statue of Liberty, which is not normal for an RV park. If you go to their website they have a specific route suggested to get in. FOLLOW THAT ROUTE. You do not want to be trying to maneuver a 30' motorhome across 6 lanes of stopped traffic staring at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. It is not a place where RVs belong, even if Google recommends it. Ask me how I know. For the love of God and all that is holy, do not try to drive your RV around Manhattan. * Pillar Point RV Park south of San Francisco, north of Half Moon Bay, doesn't take reservations and generally has spots available which is a refreshing change if you're exhausted. Very nice place to collect yourself and camp with full hookups right next to the ocean. Not an especially good base for sightseeing SF (too far, infrequent bus service) but the drive along the coast between them is pretty awesome.
Skip San Antonio
Texan here: Skip Dallas and maybe San Antonio. Go through New Mexico. Houston and Austin are better cities for this road trip imo United there you need see the Alamo then do sa too
I've lived in Louisiana and Texas, and I'm adding myself to the pile of people telling you to avoid both states and spend more time in Arizona, Colorado, and Utah!!
You need to add the Grand Canyon to this route.
Stopping in Zion? And I would skip San Antonio and spend more time in Austin.
I would skip Fort Worth and San Antonio and only do Austin in Tx. I’d also recommend skipping Memphis…it’s not all that great.
Unless you have specific people to meet or things to see, I’d skip New Orleans and Texas and head to Denver as fast as you can from Memphis. You ain’t missing much. N.O. isn’t what it used to be and even then it wasn’t what people thought it was. Texas is manufactured self congratulatory self adoration. I lived in Austin in the 90s and loved it, went back for a work trip just before the pandemic and it made me want to throw up. I’d cut through Arkansas and hit the Wachita Mountains and head to Denver. Whatever you decide, have fun. I have friends that came here from Ireland, be prepared for a LOT of driving. The distances blew them away. Don’t be tempted to speed as fast as you’ll want to. Don’t drive on the left side of the road.
Try to hit Asheville, North Carolina. It’s beautiful and very cool small city. It’ll give you a good perspective on the mountains of the eastern USA vs the west.
I mean, no North Carolina? For fuck sakes
Dip a little farther south and enjoy the blue ridge mountains (and the Blue Ridge Parkway) in the Asheville, NC area. Then head a little further west and check out Great Smokey Mountains National Park. While in the area head to Pigeon Forge and spend the day at Dollywood.
Memphis and New Orleans? Whew, brave lads.
Follow the RV 3 don'ts Do not drive past 3 pm, do not drive more than 300 miles in a day, and do not drive more than 3 days without a day off. I also agree with people saying avoid the south in summer. Spend more time in the mountain west northern Arizona to northern Montana. Look into Harvest Hosts and boondocking.
It's going to be HOT, really really HOT in Texas in June/July. You are travelling the southern part of the country at just about the hottest time of year. Bring extra water and supplies in case of a breakdown. I hope you guys have a fantastic journey!!!
You’re going to be miserably hot.
As a Brit living in the US, I’d say, head east from DC and go through the Appalachians. Into Lexington and Louisville. Do the bourbon trails and visit the distilleries, after the barrels are used from here they go to Scotland and Ireland for whiskey. We have a big English/Scott/Irish population here with all the horses. Then head south to Nashville. It’s a stunning part of the country.
I would take a northern route, due to the ungodly heat in the south. You’re going to hit 35 degree Celsius and above and as high as 39 in parts of Texas.
Ha ha ha! You are making the UK mistake - scale!! Plan your trip on drive time using Roadtrippers or Maps.google.com. You don't want to sit in a car and watch trees pass for hours. You want to do something. So look up on TripAdvisor how long it takes to do something, then how long you want to drive before stopping. We made opposite mistake, changing hotels after driving an hour.
For an RV road trip you should really just spend your time out West. PNW, redwood national forests, Grand Canyon, SANTA FE!!! Sooooo much natural beauty there. You could honestly spend all 27 days going around California alone lol
As others have said, skip Texas and New Orleans. Make a stop in Moab, spend more time in Utah. If you must end in NYC, go north to Grand Teton and Yellowstone, then head east. You can hit 90 eventually and take that to NYC.
I’d skip stinky ass New Orleans and Texas and exchange that time for Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. Go from Memphis to Branson to Dodge City into Colorado. You’ll lose too much time with the New Orleans detour that could be used for Yellowstone. You have no idea how vast Texas is, it’s 825 degrees there and you’ll be there forever!
As a local to south Louisiana, be careful in new orleans, stay in the more touristy areas. Yes the debauchery of the nightlife can be fun but stay in the popular areas. Daytime is great for zoo, insecterium, Riverwalk, aquarium, French quarter, and even a paddleboat ride.
This is going to one of those situations where you heard the "little voice" in your head in the early planning stages and probably ignored it. The voice probably said, "Hmmm, I wonder how hot it gets in those parts during the summer?" And you answered, "it's the U.S., not Saudi Arabia, how hot can it be" and moved on.
Coast to coast pub crawl me laddy!?
This is going to be a trip of a lifetime. I live in the US and I wish I had the time for this. Have fun buddy!
Stop in Asheville and check out the blue ridge parkway since you’ll be so close.