Cross-country driving to Disneyland 2016

[JimMIA]

We were thinking about a cross country drive this September from Pittsburgh, but I could only get 20 days off from work. So we decided to fly into Vegas. Some of the things on our itinerary are, the Hoover Dam, Bryce Canyon, Horseshoe Bend/Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, 4 Corners, Arches, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, family in Denver, Focus on the Family(Colorado Springs), family in NM, Carlsbad Caverns, Tombstone, family in AZ, Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach and we'll cap it off with 4 full days at DL Resort. I think we'll log well over 4,000 miles.

That's a very ambitious itinerary! It's a LONG way from the Arches area to Grand Teton/Yellowstone, then another big drive to Rapid City, and then a heck of a drive back to Denver.

At Antelope Canyon, be sure to do LOWER Antelope Canyon (upper is just an okay boat ride). If you want to know what it looks like, look at my avatar...and that's a simple cell phone picture! We used Ken's Tours and they were excellent. You probably already know, but Antelope (both upper and lower), Monument Valley, and Four Corners are all Navajo Tribal Parks and not part of the national park system. I believe each were $8 per person last summer.

Have a great trip!

 

[endy]

We were thinking about a cross country drive this September from Pittsburgh, but I could only get 20 days off from work. So we decided to fly into Vegas. Some of the things on our itinerary are, the Hoover Dam, Bryce Canyon, Horseshoe Bend/Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, 4 Corners, Arches, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, family in Denver, Focus on the Family(Colorado Springs), family in NM, Carlsbad Caverns, Tombstone, family in AZ, Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach and we'll cap it off with 4 full days at DL Resort. I think we'll log well over 4,000 miles.

I must say this is way, way, way too ambitious for 20 days. This hardly gives you anytime to really see or enjoy any of these great sites. Since you're visiting family in AZ and going to DL it may be best to drop of Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore. These alone will take 4-5 days .2 to 3 full days for Yellowstone and it's almost a days drive to Mt Rushmore and most of a day to Denver.

If you can you fly into SLC and out of LA this would cut a bit of driving down. Or fly into Denver, visit family, Colorado Springs and head south from there still leaving out Yellowstone.

I love a good road trip and have done a few dozen but you really need down days mixed in with driving days otherwise you'll be to exhausted to enjoy DL.

Have a great trip.

 

[WDWLODGE]

That's a very ambitious itinerary! It's a LONG way from the Arches area to Grand Teton/Yellowstone, then another big drive to Rapid City, and then a heck of a drive back to Denver.

At Antelope Canyon, be sure to do LOWER Antelope Canyon (upper is just an okay boat ride). If you want to know what it looks like, look at my avatar...and that's a simple cell phone picture! We used Ken's Tours and they were excellent.

I must say this is way, way, way too ambitious for 20 days. This hardly gives you anytime to really see or enjoy any of these great sites. Since you're visiting family in AZ and going to DL it may be best to drop of Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore. These alone will take 4-5 days .2 to 3 full days for Yellowstone and it's almost a days drive to Mt Rushmore and most of a day to Denver.

If you can you fly into SLC and out of LA this would cut a bit of driving down. Or fly into Denver, visit family, Colorado Springs and head south from there still leaving out Yellowstone.
Have a great trip.

Thanks for the input guys. We already have the whole trip booked(airfare, hotels, etc.) and planned out. We initially planned on flying in/out of different airports but the relocation fee for the rental car was ridiculous. The longest drive we have is from Yellowstone to Mt. Rushmore (515 miles). Our second longest leg is Mt. Rushmore to Colorado Springs (435 miles) and all other days are under 400 miles. We drive to WDW every year. It is a 1,000 mile trip one way. I typically put in almost a full day at work before we hit the road and then we drive straight through to WDW no problem. Plus I do all the driving, it ends up being about a 22 hour day. We are stopping overnight in Salt Lake City between Arches & Grand Teton. We have 2 nights at The Old Faithful Inn before heading to Mt. Rushmore. We'll see Mt. Rushmore early in the AM before driving to Colorado Springs.

That's a great pic in your avatar, especially since it was taken with a cell phone. I have heard of Ken's Tours and will probably use them. Did you have to reserve your time slot ahead of time or did you just walk up?

Yellowstone/Old Faithful Inn is pretty high on our priority list so that is not an option to cut. We realize we'll only be able to get a small sample of places like Arches/Bryce, etc. but we're OK with it. I am sure it will be tiring but we are a family that likes to go go go. Even after 16+ trips to WDW we are still theme park commandos. I think we've done a better job in recent trips of slowing down but it takes a lot of work for us to do that, lol!

 

[JimMIA]

I have heard of Ken's Tours and will probably use them. Did you have to reserve your time slot ahead of time or did you just walk up?

You can make reservations, and I would advise that you do so. You want to do the tour mid-day because that's when the light is better, so that's why I suggest reservations.

Also, they offer two tours -- the regular tour is $20 and lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. My daughter and I took the regular tour, and it was fine. The photographer's tour ($42) lasts 2 full hours and is limited to 10 persons, I think. The photographer's tour also requires an SLR or large format camera, AND a tripod for each photographer. IF you're interested in the photographers tour, definitely make reservations or you could get shut out. You can make reservations online at http://lowerantelope.com/

In addition to the above fees, there is an $8 per person charge to enter the tribal park -- and they ONLY take cash for that fee. (Same fee for Monument Valley and Four Corners, and also cash only) Ken's takes credit cards.

 

[endy]

You are going to have one fun vacation seeing most of the great sites.

I've been to Yellowstone 3 times and it is truly amazing. Would love to stay at Old Faithful.

Have a great trip.

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

I was not impressed with 4 corners. Bunch of concrete and little wooden rooms with crafts. people pushing in front of you so they can stand on the 4 states and then they would not move when their picture had been taken. Not at all what I expected.

 

[jkluttrell]

That's a very ambitious itinerary! It's a LONG way from the Arches area to Grand Teton/Yellowstone, then another big drive to Rapid City, and then a heck of a drive back to Denver.

At Antelope Canyon, be sure to do LOWER Antelope Canyon (upper is just an okay boat ride). If you want to know what it looks like, look at my avatar...and that's a simple cell phone picture! We used Ken's Tours and they were excellent. You probably already know, but Antelope (both upper and lower), Monument Valley, and Four Corners are all Navajo Tribal Parks and not part of the national park system. I believe each were $8 per person last summer.

Have a great trip!

I know this is an old thread but it came up through a search. Thank you for this input. I am looking into a road trip out west and these are all on my list. I cannot figure out the difference between the upper and lower canyons, it is nice to finally see which one someone recommends. I have also looked at the Ken's tours and the lower canyon is very reasonably priced.

I know the 4 corners is just a stop, take a picture just to say you did kinda thing but what about monument valley? I am looking at a tour but there seem to be so many tour groups out there. I would love to stay at the View hotel, it looks lovely!

 

[Hootch]

We did the Four Corners a few years ago. It is certainly a tourist spot. There are some Pueblo ruins in Aztec, NM which are fairly interesting.

http://www.aztecnm.com/

 

[WDWLODGE]

I know this is an old thread but it came up through a search. Thank you for this input. I am looking into a road trip out west and these are all on my list. I cannot figure out the difference between the upper and lower canyons, it is nice to finally see which one someone recommends. I have also looked at the Ken's tours and the lower canyon is very reasonably priced.

I know the 4 corners is just a stop, take a picture just to say you did kinda thing but what about monument valley? I am looking at a tour but there seem to be so many tour groups out there. I would love to stay at the View hotel, it looks lovely!

We absolutely loved the Lower Antelope Canyon Tour. We did end up going with Ken's Tours. I will tell you this, I thought parking was $8 per car, but it was $8 per person, so that was $32 for us. There is another tour company about a 100 yards from Ken's. Our tour guide, who was fantastic told us that it was owned by Ken's sister. We spent just over an hour at 4 Corners we obviously got some pics and then we shopped at the market that was located on site. We only go to do a drive-by of Monument Valley, so I can't speak of any tours. My wife's aunt said she did a horseback tour years ago that was great.

 

[jkluttrell]

We absolutely loved the Lower Antelope Canyon Tour. We did end up going with Ken's Tours. I will tell you this, I thought parking was $8 per car, but it was $8 per person, so that was $32 for us. There is another tour company about a 100 yards from Ken's. Our tour guide, who was fantastic told us that it was owned by Ken's sister. We spent just over an hour at 4 Corners we obviously got some pics and then we shopped at the market that was located on site. We only go to do a drive-by of Monument Valley, so I can't speak of any tours. My wife's aunt said she did a horseback tour years ago that was great.

Thank you for your input!
Were you able to get close enough to Monument valley to take some decent pictures and see the site, that is really all I care about. We will have a rental car though so we can't drive 'off road' at all.