Just wanna tell y'all, as someone who lives in Kentucky, I visit Gatlinburg, TN often. Listen, if you two take a trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, you will get the ultimate, authentic, southern experience. Gatlinburg is magical and a great place to take your little one! Very family friendly.
@@evanhughes1510 So true. I think Texas will be a disappointment and if it's scenery they want, it in no way compares with California (one exception being the Big Bend NP which they aren't going to).
I loved visiting Muir Woods with my little brother and our grandparents, when we were kids… I am now 78 years-old and that experience is a treasured memory…as my grandparents are long gone…and my brother was KIA in South Viet Nam, on Thursday, July 10, 1969… I miss you EVERY DAY, Doug…💔
My brother and I were traveling south from Washington state into Oregon, and we got lost onto a highway headed east. After we drove a ways, we admitted that this was not the route we wanted and pulled off into a large parking lot. Both of us pulled out a road atlas and phones and started arguing the way to go. I got frustrated with him and dropped my map on my lap and looked out the windshield, and discovered the most striking view of Multnomah Falls. All plans were put on hold, and we went exploring for the next 4 hours. Wherever I travel in the northwest, I make time to visit, even if it's out of my way.😊
This is more of hiking but pure road trip hands down the Pacific Coast Highway drive from San Diego up to Seattle is the best drive in the country. You can hit San Diego, LA, Big Sur, San Francisco, Redwood National Park, Cannon Beach, Olympic National Park and Seattle all in a row.
Oh, yeah! The coast highway (Route 1) is absolutely stunning. With incredible views of the ocean crashing upon sheer cliffs, the redwoods, and some iconic bridges, and lots of fun little towns along the way. One problem right now is that because of the big storms that have hit the past couple of years, not all of the route is open. Some of the roads have been washed out, or damaged by landslides. When it's open, it's definitely one of the most beautiful drives around.
@@shoop91lee good idea. I would maybe go to Seattle, well normally, I stay away from it now, but go on down to Olympia and start 101 from there, which I do when I travel see my relatives on the Peninsula and actually will probably do at the end of the month.
I live in Southern Oregon right near Crater Lake and it's definitely a stop you would wanna make because it's one of those things that you just can't fathom the size of this thing until you're standing on the rim looking across it and it's just unreal how big it is. And the thing that will really blow your mind is to remember that Crater Lake is called mount mazama and it was a volcano and when it exploded it blew the entire top off of the mountain and when you see how big that is that is almost unimaginable as far as scale what that had to have been like
My favorite road trip in the USA is the Pacific Coast Highway, especially traveling North to South, That way you're closest to the ocean and have a slightly better view of the incredible scenery. Additionally, If you happen to have a baby with you, it can be conveniently done in a car. Just pick what section you want to drive and stop wherever you choose along the way.
People say Angel's Landing (that scary view with the guy dangling his feet off the cliff - 2:36 ) has the most beautiful view in all of the United States. You should watch a video on it
Most romantic trip I have ever had was the Lake Superior circle tour in the UP of Michigan. 16 waterfalls, lots of undeveloped forest. And of course Gitchee Gumee. It was third week of Sept and cold with a big harvest moon. There was no one else in the campground. We pitched our tent just far enough from the Lake to avoid the tide. We read The Song of Hiawatha to each other by the light of the moon by a campfire on the shore. We finished our route at the observatory in the Porcupine Mountains overlooking them in full blazing color. Glorious!
I live in Connecticut and New England is gorgeous in the Autumn. The first week of October we spend in Vermont with the dogs and do hiking trails. Definitely need to reserve a place to stay way ahead of time. Folks from all over the country and world love to do their Autumn leaf peeping in New England. You can enjoy the mountains and ocean in New England. There are easy walking trails to do with a baby. My daughter was 6 months old for her first nature trail vacation. Baby backpacks work out great. Just remember, a 3 hour drive is considered a short casual drive in the USA! Lots of nature and country in New England but you have Boston which is a cool city to visit. I need to add that his #11 of Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee is doable with a baby and very pretty. I did a trip through that area and really enjoyed it.
Set up your reservations a year in advance. Last-minute doesn't work anymore. Don't over-plan. Traveling long distances and staying for one day will leave you frazzled. 1) Salt Lake City, 2) Drive to Kemmerer, WY, for Fossil Butte Nat. Monument, 3) Pinedale, WY, for the Mountain Man Museum, 4) Jackson, WY, (motels are too expensive here) and Grand Teton Nat. Park, (try Colter Bay or places around Moran, like the tents and cabins) 5) Two days in the Tetons and try to eat at Dornan's at Moose, WY, 6) Yellowstone (try to get one night at Old Faithful at the Old Faithful Lodge Cabins. Otherwise, try to stay in Mammoth, Gardiner, or the Motel 8 in Cooke City, MT,. Cooke City is a good place to see Lamar Valley with lots of bison and a chance to see wolves , 7) the Beartooth Highway is a spectacular high mountain drive (closest to Cooke City), 8) Cody is not too bad, but it is an hour's drive east of Yellowstone. Rodeo every summer night and a world class museum. You're welcome to spend a night or two with us in Cody, 9) you can go east of Cody and drive over the Bighorn Mountains (the Medicine Wheel is a nice hike), 10) Northeast is the Bighorn Battlefield (Custer's Last Stand) that's worth almost half a day, 11) Devil's Tower Nat. Monument, 12) Deadwood, South Dakota, 13) Badlands, Nat. Park, 14) Mount Rushmore (Don't miss the night ceremony - Hill City over Keystone unless you want to experience some expensive, touristy stuff) 15) Custer State Park and Wind Cave in a day, 16) Hill City and the Mammoth Site. 17) Down to Denver and fly out. Bring Archie back in a few years and take him digging for dinosaurs in Montana, South Dakota, or Wyoming.
I would say if you have a problem with heights, don't do the Beartooth Highway. I went over it from Cody on a motorcycle and I was terrified. I don't do well at all with heights and though the views were amazing, I couldn't really spend much time looking because all I could see were the many thousands of feet of drop off. I also saw something I know people can do but had never seen before and I thought the guy was nuts, a pickup pulling an RV trailer pulling a boat on that road.
Monument Valley was used as the setting for dozens of Western movies. If you do visit Durango, Colorado, take the time to ride the Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge spur up the Animus Canyon to Silverton. It's awesome! My PROC class at MCC&E School, 29 Palms held our graduation party in Joshua Tree National Park. Beautiful!
As an Arizona native, I LOVE going to Slide Rock in Sedona in the summertime. Since the water flowing through Oak Creek Canyon is the snow melt from the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff area, the cold water is a nice relief from the blazing desert summer heat! It can also be a nice relief from the Sun (Sedona average summer temps in July/August are normally between 90 - 94 F (32 - 37 C)) It's a big enough park where even litter Mr. Archie could wander around and play in some of the pools. Be sure to bring an old pair of jean shorts because you're guaranteed to burn a hole in the them going through the water slides. Also bring a pair of water socks or other grippy sandals because you will slip & fall at least once! So don't feel too bad giggling at other people when they fall (unless they're really truly hurt) because they're giggling when you inevitably fall too. If you're looking for just a quite afternoon meandering around just kicking it, I highly recommend Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott AZ. Lots of little mom & pop thrift stores or selling handmade knick knacks. It's easy to spend and afternoon here just wandering aimlessly. Plus they have a huge courtyard in front of the courthouse at the center of town where people take picnics then lounge around with their kids and pets. There's quite a few hiking trails in the area as well since it's close to the Mogollon (Pronouced Mog-E-On) Rim. The Rim is the dividing point for AZ between the desert in the south and the high country in the north
I live and work in North Carolina but manage an ongoing project in Arizona...2,000 miles from me. I've been out there 4 times in the last 2 years and have driven through Sedona twice because once wasn't enough. It is utterly SPECTACULAR.
My favorite road trips are : 1. US 101 along the West Coast from Bellingham, Washington to Seattle, across Puget Sound by ferry, then over to the coast and follow 101 through Oregon and California to San Diego. 2. Fall foliage in New England. 3. Cannon Beach, Oregon, to Portland, then through the Columbia Gorge to Hood River, then to the Snake River's Hell's Canyon on the border between Oregon and Idaho, then north to Walla Walla and U.S. Highway 12 to Missoula MT, then northward to Glacier Park. 4. Blue Ridge Parkway (Appalachian Mtns.)
Don’t go to Joshua tree NP if it means sacrificing going to San Diego, or the pacific coast highway. While in LA, make sure to go to Griffith Observatory in Griffith park, which has an amazing view of Los Angeles. Also, drive on famous sunset Blvd. In San Diego, visit Cabrillo national monument, La Jolla cove, drive up to mt. Soledad, drive across the Coronado bridge, go to mission beach, and ocean beach.
I agree. Joshua Tree is interesting but not nearly as drop-dead beautiful as the Pacific Coast Highway, Yosemite, or the adjacent Sequoia National Forest and other possibilities. A favorite of mine if you could drive is the Tioga Road through Yosemite National Park (only open in late spring, summer, early fall). You see pretty much the entire park and skip the crowds in Yosemite Valley.
@@evanhughes1510 Probably is. Especially this year with the heavy snow late in the season. But I mentioned it more for a possible future trip which they could schedule around its availability.
@@evanhughes1510 Yeah, Texas is notoriously the most boring state to drive across in America because it's not only mostly flat and featureless, but endless. How much BBQ'd brisket can you really eat (other states including the entire Southwest have Mexican food as good or better)? I will try to be fair by giving a thumbs up to an evening spent over a leisurely meal outdoors along the River Walk in San Antonio in summer. And I mentioned the Big Bend country is very nice. But then what?
I couldn't recommend Utah's Mighty Five trip more. If you wanna see everything that is typical of "Old West" landscapes, all those National Parks and State Parks scattered throughout can't be beat. Zion National Park alone is worth the trip, and it's pretty close to one of the starting hubs of Saint George, Utah.
🙌💯 Came here to say this!! Zion was my mom’s favorite National Park; Arches is my sister’s. I love Bryce Canyon (and nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument) best, but Canyonlands is gorgeous, and Capitol Reef has a quiet beauty all its own. At a minimum, I hope James and Millie aim to see Zion or Arches. Durango/Mancos/Cortez would be fun to visit, allowing access to Arches, and also to Mesa Verde National Park (super cool to visit.) 💐
I have done the Black Hills and Devils tower. I rate it A+. Utah is great. New Hampshire and Maine any season. Nashville and the Smokey mountains. My personal top four off this list.
A reminder in America when starting some of these, make sure to pack survival gear. A car breaking down or Murphys law happening can be bad .an adequate supply of food and water, and other essentials in a smart move
In the video I think a lot of these road trips are great, but they might be hard pushing a stroller. A trip to the Grand Canyon is worth the planning. Early Spring or late Fall have the least crowds. Fly into Phoenix Arizona from Texas, rent a car, "I recommend Enterprise", and drive north, "I hear a stop in Sedona is worth it", to Flagstaff, then west to Willliams "Gateway to The Grand Canyon" and book a room. From Williams it is a 1.5 hour drive to the Grand Canyon Village or you can take the Grand Canyon Train to and from the village. While in Williams check out the town and Bearizona which is a short drive outside the center of town. From Williams, head west along the longest driveable portion of Route 66 and into Kingman. Here you have a decision to make, to continue to drive north to Las Vegas, or what I recommend, book some seats on Amtrak to California. "You can drive into California, but you'll hate it, the section from Kingman down into Orange County is long, boring and people are hauling ass, trust me I know!" Take the Amtrak train, sit, relax and save money, depending on what day you go tickets can be as low as $40 per person, less than a tank of gas. If you take Amtrak's Southwest Chief from Kingman to the Fullerton Amtrak station, it is straight short (5 miles or 15 minute) Uber, Bus or rental car drive down Harbor Blvd to the Disney Parks in Anaheim. If you have the time and money I recommend exploring both parks: Disneyland and California Disney. From Anaheim, you can rent a car and drive south to San Diego stopping at some of some of the small towns along the way, or what I recommend, take Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner to San Diego and stay for 3 or 4 days. Rent a car there is a lot you can do in the San Diego area, to name a few: Sea Port Village, Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (museums!), Torrey Pines gliderport (paraglider rides), also Legoland is a short drive up the coast. All of these things are pretty easy to do with Archie, a stroller and a diaper bag. Geez I wrote a lot.
East Tennessee resident here...the Appalachian trail runs the Tennessee and North Carolina borders between Asheville, NC and Johnson City, TN. Gatlinburg is fun as well with something for everybody (shopping, skiing, aquarium, Dollywood theme park, Astra Lumina, cabins to stay in, dinner and a show spots and much more! Plus you have a few channel supporters who would love to meet up and show you around!
My sister and I had a steak and egg breakfast at the big Texan in Amarillo. Someone won the steak challenge the week before. It had a 72 ounce steak, baked OTs to, shrimp cocktail, salad, roll. They had to eat it in an hour or less. The winner gets a tee shirt, a free meal. And your picture is put on the wall. We enjoyed what we had. We hoped to go to the Cadillac ranch, but we had to move on to Albuquerque to meet our group for the international balloon festival.
Hi guys! You'll notice that most of these are west of the Mississippi river. While the geography of the east isn't as dramatic as that of the west, there are a lot of cool things to see back east. If you don't have a lot of time, Colorado has a lot to offer in a relatively small area. I'm not from there, but I've been a number of times. I highly recommend it.
Please note that he is actively looking for places to hike. On these same routes, or close by, there are family friendly and/or history buff things to do. If you see an area you like, look into all that is available in that area.
We took our kids to the Moab area when all 3 were babies. We go there at least once a year. We used a baby backpack and hiked all over Arches. We also drive our 4x4 and explored off-road with them. We have pictures of them asleep in their car seat, hanging from their 5 point harness. While we are going down a steep trail. Our favorite is watching for she counting all the shooting stars. Utah has many Dark Sky certified areas. You can even see the Milky Way, but at least stars forever!! Then the Unbelievably Beautiful Sunrises!! ❤
I love Joshua Tree. There is so much you can see without even leaving the car. And at night, the star gazing is absolutely incredible. Highly recommend
I did the Utah Big 5 National Parks in 2 weeks and I feel like it still wasn't enough. Lol. We also stopped by some of the state parks they had in between and it's also easy to make stops at other locations like Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon.
To me. As far as big beautiful natural. The West is the place to go. CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON. Absolutely beautiful. A couple of the things he should have mentioned, are the biggest trees, and oldest trees in the world. They're both in California. The Redwoods, and gigantic Sequoias. You can't really understand just how giant they are, unless you're their next to them. They are beautiful, and amazing.
He didn't mention that in Durango, Colorado you can take a steam engine rail trip to Silverton, Colorado which is an old West Mining Town and that within an hour's drive of Durango in Cortez, Colorado is the Cliff Dwellings National Park where you can actually climb down a cliff face to an abandoned Native American cliff dwelling that was abandoned sometime in the 13th or 14 century.
As a parent I found the best years of travel with a little one is before they can walk as they sleep a lot then after they are 7 years! The toddler stage is the hardest ages for trabel!
It would take hours to show all of the great walking trails in the US. In my State of Missouri there are some great hiking trails, one of which is the Katy trail. It was the railroad tracks of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad. You can either walk it or take a bike. Just visiting the caves in Missouri that are open to the public would take a week. Visiting caves in the hot summer and coming into the cool, damp air of the caves are refreshing.
For a family with a toddler, I recommend a rail trip. A great inexpensive way to see the north or south western states. One can see scenery without driving.
I personally love Colorado. The drive from Durango up to Ouray is beautiful. It’s called the million dollar highway. Stop and see Silverton as you go past it. It is over 9000 ft high. Higher than Denver. My family used to live in Texas not far from New Mexico. We could take a day trip to Carlsbad Cavern. It is a beautiful cave. Well worth visiting on you way from Texas to Colorado
Palouse Falls is a favorite place of mine, unfortunately, you have to now pay a fee for the day use, but it's off of an already kind of scenic twisty road, great on a motorcycle, then off on a gravel road to the park. You would also want to allow time to go east to Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho and then climb up out of Lewiston and through the scenic Palouse Country. It's hard to explain, but it's just a beautiful place and if you want to, it's not all that far south of Spokane Washington, which does also have an airport. Multnomah Falls east of Portland is very scenic but not good to go on weekends because it's hard to find a parking spot. You can see people walking on the bridge above, you can get a really great closeup view of the upper falls. The old Columbia River Highway 30 also has a segment there and though you jump on and off Interstate 84 to take it in, it has its own set of scenic views. Another spot on the Washington side of the Columbia farther east to see is Maryhill Park and the mansion/museum there. Just a mile or so east of that is a replica of Stonehenge built as a war memorial for WWI soldiers from that area who were killed.
The one good thing about this video is that the road trips are split up by geographic region. When you come to visit, that is how you should travel. I live in the pacific northwest so culturally Washington and Oregon and even Vancouver, Canada are going to have a similar vibe living next to the water and mountains. That being said each have their own history and unique quirkiness that make them special. I would pick a region like the pacific northwest, the southwest, midwest, new england, the south and so forth to visit. Also be aware that some national parks you have to reserve a entry time to visit to help with overcrowding.
My wife and I took a ten day trip that took us 6700 milescaround the country. It covered many parts of this video.We lived in Washingtonso we have seen the Washington and Oregon ones in this video.Custer State park in South Dakota is probably the most amazing place I've been especially our ride along Needles Highway.
Those national parks in UT are spectacular. At Cañon City, I rode the Royal Gorge train. Wow! Spectacular! Yellowstone, though crowded, can be handled if you get up really early so that you're where you want to visit most before anyone else. I visited Joshua Tree N.P. back in the '70s, and those trees make you think you're on one of the planets that the starship Enterprise visited. The thing about this whole video is that it's peppered with places far removed from cities, so there's virtually zero light pollution, and you can thus see tens of thousands of stars, instead of the few hundred, if that, that city dwellers don't see these days.
I used to live in the white mountains. It is indeed gorgeous out there in the fall. My grandmother used to live in Lone Pine, they used to film all the old westerns there. I don't know if they still do but in the 90's they used to have a western parade at one point. The mountains and waterfalls are gorgeous. I wouldn't do Joshua tree, the rocks and hiking isn't the only issue you are going to run into, it is going to be very hot. I grew up around there and it can get hot even in spring especially if you are not used to the heat.
Lived in the Northeast my whole life and it's beyond gorgeous in the fall. We call the tourists who come to see the fall foliage "leaf peepers." Currently living near the Thousand Islands region of New York. Look it up sometime - you won't believe the beauty.
I have been to Joshua Tree National Monument several times when I was younger. Unfortunately, it's cold at night and in the winter or hot on most summer days. There are few places to get out of the weather as well. It's great for young teens and adults who enjoy rock climbing (not just rock-hopping) in the desert. It is beautiful, but not very child-friendly. I suggest Avalon on Catalina Island via boat rather than a long drive to a desert filled with pointy plants and large granite boulders. I am also very surprised that the California Coastal drive on Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 101 from Malibu to Monterey. Just remember that the eastern Pacific Ocean is cold current, coming down from Alaska, so the warmest California beach water will be in San Diego. If you are looking for a smaller-town excursion in the mountains, try Big Bear Lake in the San Bernadino mountains. As for the Texas/Mexico border, I think now is not the time to visit that area, and if you find yourself there, have ALL of your paperwork hidden, but on your person. Colorado is beautiful, and I recently took a road trip from Denver to Los Angeles via the Northern New Mexico and Arizona route. It is beautiful as well, and there are many trading posts along the way for maps, souvenirs, and snacks. I think I still have a few things set aside for you as soon as life gets back to normal. Has your P.O. Box changed at all? If so, let me know on your YT homepage. ❤❤❤
I'm in Northwest Georgia. Relatives come from other states to visit and want to go to Savannah , like it's just around the corner. That's about a 6 hour drive one way from me 🙃
Another easy and not expensive trip from where you will be in TX is New Mexico. A short flight to Albuquerque, rent a car and head an hour north toward Santa Fe and Taos. You can't go wrong with this trip.
I don't know, I think Joshua Tree is really unique. The trees are surreal and look like they are straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! I also second the suggestions for the redwoods in Northern California!
I had to laugh a little when he started talking about Washington. The locations he describes are many hours apart and in totally random directions away from each other. 😂Washington is twice the size of Ireland! It would be like if he started to talking about visiting England and at a rapid pace said something like, "Start off in Cornwall and then get to the cliffs of Dover and hop over to Liverpool and then to London for lunch and finish in Edinburgh for dinner."
The map in the video showed the total drive time as 29 hours. Definitely a long road trip since you figure you want to spend time at each location along the way.
I love South Dakota and want to go in late spring or early fall when it's not so hot. I have been to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally twice and it is in early August when it is hot as hell. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of riders in and around the area. Parking at Mt. Rushmore can be tricky. We got to go on the Needles Highway which is kind of behind Mt. Rushmore in part. The bad thing was, so did thousands of others and because the road is so narrow, it was stop and go with a hot motorcycle between my legs for well over an hour. The Badlands are a fascinating place to see as well, but again, not when it's hot.
I have been blessed by being able to go to several of these places. I live in North Carolina so we often visit the Smokey Mountains. We generally rent a cabin or AirBnB in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. The Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Death Valley and all those places out West are wonderful too. There is a lot of hiking involved so be aware of that and the humidity is very, very low so for me, it was hard to breathe. My mouth and nose stayed dry the whole time we were out there. I realize you will be going to Texas and just so you know, my husband and I love Texas. It is a huge state and if memory serves me, it is almost 770 miles/1244 Kilometers from East to West and 800 miles/1287 kilometers from North to South. My husband was a long haul truck driver and for 4 years I rode with him. We spent a lot of time in Texas.
I live in Seattle and used to do a lot of hiking around the western part of the state. Yes, 7-10 days would be a minimum if you start in Astoria and head north. The Pacific Northwest has a lot to offer. But I also wanted to agree with something you said: many Americans do not have passports because there is so much to see and do without ever leaving the country.
Then in Kentucky you have Mammoth Cave National Park, the Worlds longest single cave system, 426 miles long, they find new access' often continuing to grow it's length.
There are so many sights I've wanted to go see. My husband passed away 6 years ago, and it just wouldn't be the same without him. Enjoy your youth, and do enjoy your ability to travel.
I'd pick Death Valley over Joshua Tree, personally. But be careful about the weather and when you go. My dad was a schoolteacher who moved from Pennsylvania to California in 1962. By the time I was born in 1971, they'd done a lot of their traveling. I got the tail end of these drives from CA to PA to see family every year (because he got the summers off). I think the last of our cross-country trips, I was maybe 7 or 8 and I don't remember much. Just foggy memories. But we'd drive pretty much from coast to coast in 5 days. And then 5 days back. We had the southern route through Texas and the northern route through South Dakota. So much to see. I recommend Carlsbad Caverns, Meteor Crater, the Petrified Forest, Badlands, Zion, Grand Tetons, Yosemite. The only thing slanted about this video is it is geared towards an avid hiker. My parents were NOT that ; and they took me, as a baby (thinking about Archie) and did just fine. You will love it guys. One last thing I'll add, my parents lived all over the country over decades: Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Seattle, Los Angeles. They loved the LA area the most for things to do, etc. But when it came to the most beautiful place they ever lived, they said it was Whidbey Island outside of Seattle. I've always wanted to go there but have never been. I'll get there someday. Before they passed away, my dad told me to drive north out of Death Valley towards Reno sometime. That drive is also on my list. They said it was one of the most scenic drives they had ever taken. Good luck to you both and hope you enjoy what will likely be a life-changing experience.
All beautiful. One comment. When he was talking about the Rain forest in Washington the area he named is pronounced "Hoe" but spelled Hoh. Beautiful drive with some of the biggest trees you will ever see. Been to a few of these over the years. Hope you get to see a few also.
I was born and raised in Louisiana, lived in California (Marin and four other Counties) for over 50 years then moved to Arizona. Come on over and see us. El Mirage, Arizona
As much as you mention Texas a lot, you would do much better starting in Denver, driving up through Estes Park (see the hotel from The Shining) then head up into Wyoming and visit Deadwood, SD and Mt Rushmore and the Black Hills and several nearby parks.
@@evanhughes1510 excellent callout - sadly when I went it was about a week or two after they put the gate down for the season... late October. I have a funny pic of me looking sad by the sign. What I didn't call out (thanks Evan) is that to get to Estes Park, you go through part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (that road in the gorge where you pass over the river now and then) and then right on the edge of Estes Park proper is Rocky Mountain National Park... one of the very best of all of them. Visit Bear Lake at ~10,000 feet and see this amazing lake way up in the mountains. Simply amazing. And if that road Evan mentioned is open, drive it and see some of the best mountain views in the world.
@@evanhughes1510 yeah and the part they really haven't factored in.... the culture shock will be pretty severe. Also, the road rage will be intense... driving in Texas before getting in a LOT of practice elsewhere in the USA (less congested/way less shotguns openly mounted in racks in the vehicles) is unwise to say it mildly. Practice driving at 80 MPH on I-80 in SoDak... not on I-35 in DFW. :D
They always say go east for Autumn Foliage, which is true but someone needs to talk about mid July Eastern Old Growth Hardwood (Deciduous) Forest such as Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest. With over 50 inches of rain per year in often somewhat spread out fashion through the year, It produces a canopy that looks as impregnable with Hardwood Trees as any Tropical Forest, from hundreds (thousands ?), of species. 6 months later the world looks like all the trees have been replanted with their roots on top.
@@evanhughes1510 I guess I’m saying they should stick to the California coast and as far north as their time allows. It’s a straight run, with more to see and do per mile than other parts of the country. Visually spectacular, and I think more convenient for taking a baby.
Overall, it's a nice selection. We're off to do New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado again (in a travel trailer) in a couple of weeks, and we can't wait to get out of the March gloom and into some desert sunshine. As others have said, Maine and New England makes for a great trip too. And a Great Lakes road trip through the Wisconsin, the UP of Michigan (and west Michigan dune country) along with Wisconsin and stops in Milwaukee and Chicago makes for a fantastic trip. Consider adding Minneapolis, Detroit or even Toronto. National Parks (often called National Lakeshores) there include Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Apostle Islands, and Boundary Waters. Also Isle Royale if you're up for the boat trip across Lk Superior. Ontario has some spectacular national and provincial parks along the northern shores of Superior and Huron as well.
I loved this one! Living in Southern California (San Diego), I've done all or most of the 5 western ones. #1 (the Utah Big 5) was probably my favorite road trip. Those parks are incredible. #2 (Northern Arizona) is another one that I've seen most of on several trips. #4 (Colorado) is just full of mountain scenery (and several steam trains, most of which I've ridden). #5 (Yellowstone/Tetons) - I've only seen the southern part of this one... Yellowstone and the Tetons. And, of course, #6 Southern California (my neighborhood, so of course I've been to pretty much all of these)... In fact, I did a trip up the Eastern Sierras (Bishop, Lone Pine, Alabama Hills, many of the lake loops, and the Bristlecone Pine forest) this past October.
It might sound cliché to say so, but it really is true that pictures of the Grand Canyon are completely inadequate to describe how amazing it is. It's rare you ever are in a place where you can see something so far away, let alone with something so beautiful taking up all the space between.
Ok, I live in SoCal out in the Riverside area. Even for me to go to JT I plan it as a day trip, so yes, it can be beautiful and amazing, but there are likely other places you should visit that I would put ahead of JT this trip. Some things to think of: use Google Maps and turn on traffic. Then find the area you want to visit and use the average traffic for a specified day and time… then check the estimated driving times. This might help guide you on how long it would take to get places… oh, and don’t forget to add traveling with baby time. There will be feeding, changing, and just I am done with this car thing, get me out of here time. Point is in most areas around the us you can use that to help you plan a trip. Since I haven’t gone and looked up where you will be down this way, I won’t attempt to make any other suggestions yet. Have Fun!
We've gone to the Black Hills in South Dakota a couple of times with little kids and I'd have to say it's probably the most accessible with the baby. There's a lot to do but just try to do it in May/June as July/August is very busy with Independence Day and Sturgis being big draws.
This video is more about road trips for hiking versus driving. Look up scenic drives in the USA and plan a trip that way. With a baby, I recommend rural-suburban to urban areas so your close to pharmacies, hospitals and urgent care
A different kind of beauty. JT doesn't require hours sitting in traffic the way Malibu does. I think JT and the Mojave are much better reps for the grandeur, uniqueness, and variety of American landscapes. But Central Coast is pretty in a prosaic way.
I'm surprised that I've actually done a few of these. A few I haven't done, and I've done a few that are not on here. Some that I have done have been so long ago that more touristy things have been added according to this video. For me personally, while I was in the state of South Dakota, I did go to Mount Rushmore, but only did a few of the activities. I like western culture, so I also went to see the city of Deadwood, which is where Wild Bill Hickock spent his last days and is buried there. But be warned that is also a tourist trap town. While in Colorado, I went to Durango and rode the narrow gauge railway to Silverton and back. That is a fun touristy thing to do that is family friendly. It goes through the San Juan mountains that were mentioned in this video, but you wind through the mountains and see some beautiful scenery. The small town of Silverton is like stepping back in time. It's also surrounded all around by mountains. Yellowstone National Park, as mentioned here in the video is definitely a must see, even if it is filled with tourists. To see Ol' Faithful, you go inside a building with a large glass window facing the geyser. Very family friendly place. Most of the park you do drive through, and there are pull offs in some of the areas. I would also like to go back and spend more time in Cody, which is a town based on William Fredrick Cody, a.k.a. Buffalo Bill. Again, this would appeal to my like of western culture. Keep in mind that not only is the US a vast land mass, we all have our own likes and dislikes, and there's no right or wrong here. The beauty nowadays is that with Google Maps, one has a better way of planning an itinerary since they tell how long each drive will take in hours and minutes. Then you can correlate that with opening and closing hours of wherever you plan to visit to see what works and what doesn't.
Check the milage and the time needed to go places! The US is huge. I would search places of interest near where you plan to go for sure. If you are going to be in Texas, check the surrounding states before you try to visit places 3 states away.
Heck yeah my town made it on this list! Prescott Arizona - Watson lake..❤❤ Slid rock isn't as fun as it used to be. Way to may people and dirty. Sedona is a must. Beautiful place. Also the grand canyon.
See Slide Rock in the Spring. You can't swim, but it's empty and beautiful. It's a perfect stop on the way from Sedona to Flagstaff (via Oak Creek Canyon which is the way you *should* go).
Sure . . . Go a road trip. You may not do much of one but it might be fun. Natural Caverns in Texas is worth a look but for me there are much better caves.
In Austin here, the San Antonio to Austin drive is all freeway and full of roadside completed businesses. Not very scenic unless you like concrete and signs. Along the way is a Buc-cee's that you've seen on the channel. Drop me a note if you need any tips for the area.
These are beautiful but many of them will be unrealistic with a baby or small child. I think Oregon, Appalachia, or New England in the fall. If you go to Mount Rushmore take a helicopter tour too.
It depends on what you like to do, Utah also has sand dunes you can ride side by side 4wheelers, lakes to go boating (Lake Powell is popular), or skiing up north.
While you’re in Texas try some Texas Barbecue in Austin. It’s THE food to eat in Texas. I’ve spent half of my 67 years there and I consider it the iconic food of Texas.
This is the first travel video that mentions State Parks, those areas that have not been named "national" parks. What's the difference? Mostly who pays for the upkeep and reaps the entrance fees. The geography of the US is so varied one could go to any state and there would be something to see and enjoy. Many state parks become national parks with increased traffic and costs.
If you're coming to Ca. I'd personally fly into Oregon rent a nice car or van if you want to see the the West Coast drive from Portland down the coast camp and stay in little mom and pop motels along the coast all the way to La...or stop at Long Beach...or your choice.
I'm not sure what your itinerary is but if you can hit Yosemite do it. It's the most beautiful place I've ever been. When I drove through Tunnel View for the first time I teared up.
Arches and Canyonlands is AMAZING! Proposed to my wife in Arches.
Just wanna tell y'all, as someone who lives in Kentucky, I visit Gatlinburg, TN often. Listen, if you two take a trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, you will get the ultimate, authentic, southern experience. Gatlinburg is magical and a great place to take your little one! Very family friendly.
I'd do Muir Woods in San Francisco if you're not going to any national parks. Basically a mini-version of Redwood National Park
@@evanhughes1510 So true. I think Texas will be a disappointment and if it's scenery they want, it in no way compares with California (one exception being the Big Bend NP which they aren't going to).
I loved visiting Muir Woods with my little brother and our grandparents, when we were kids…
I am now 78 years-old and that experience is a treasured memory…as my grandparents are long gone…and my brother was KIA in South Viet Nam, on Thursday, July 10, 1969…
I miss you EVERY DAY, Doug…💔
Been there it was kinda disappointing tbh
@@hllboi817 Maybe you went on a bad day? Muir Woods is stunning
Muir Woods is beautiful but it's way too crowded now -- drive a bit farther to up to Armstrong State Park.
My brother and I were traveling south from Washington state into Oregon, and we got lost onto a highway headed east. After we drove a ways, we admitted that this was not the route we wanted and pulled off into a large parking lot. Both of us pulled out a road atlas and phones and started arguing the way to go. I got frustrated with him and dropped my map on my lap and looked out the windshield, and discovered the most striking view of Multnomah Falls. All plans were put on hold, and we went exploring for the next 4 hours. Wherever I travel in the northwest, I make time to visit, even if it's out of my way.😊
This is more of hiking but pure road trip hands down the Pacific Coast Highway drive from San Diego up to Seattle is the best drive in the country. You can hit San Diego, LA, Big Sur, San Francisco, Redwood National Park, Cannon Beach, Olympic National Park and Seattle all in a row.
Oh, yeah! The coast highway (Route 1) is absolutely stunning. With incredible views of the ocean crashing upon sheer cliffs, the redwoods, and some iconic bridges, and lots of fun little towns along the way. One problem right now is that because of the big storms that have hit the past couple of years, not all of the route is open. Some of the roads have been washed out, or damaged by landslides. When it's open, it's definitely one of the most beautiful drives around.
I completely agree, but I would say go Seattle and travel south. That way the ocean is on your side of the road.
@@shoop91lee good point and then the weather gets nicer as your trip goes on too 👌
@@shoop91lee good idea. I would maybe go to Seattle, well normally, I stay away from it now, but go on down to Olympia and start 101 from there, which I do when I travel see my relatives on the Peninsula and actually will probably do at the end of the month.
I live in Southern Oregon right near Crater Lake and it's definitely a stop you would wanna make because it's one of those things that you just can't fathom the size of this thing until you're standing on the rim looking across it and it's just unreal how big it is. And the thing that will really blow your mind is to remember that Crater Lake is called mount mazama and it was a volcano and when it exploded it blew the entire top off of the mountain and when you see how big that is that is almost unimaginable as far as scale what that had to have been like
Just what's going on with crater lake and the feds now?
Plus, you can arrange a road trip going around Crater Lake and going down to Klamath Falls or out to Medford or east to Central Oregon or whatever.
My favorite road trip in the USA is the Pacific Coast Highway, especially traveling North to South, That way you're closest to the ocean and have a slightly better view of the incredible scenery. Additionally, If you happen to have a baby with you, it can be conveniently done in a car. Just pick what section you want to drive and stop wherever you choose along the way.
People say Angel's Landing (that scary view with the guy dangling his feet off the cliff - 2:36 ) has the most beautiful view in all of the United States. You should watch a video on it
Most romantic trip I have ever had was the Lake Superior circle tour in the UP of Michigan. 16 waterfalls, lots of undeveloped forest. And of course Gitchee Gumee. It was third week of Sept and cold with a big harvest moon. There was no one else in the campground. We pitched our tent just far enough from the Lake to avoid the tide. We read The Song of Hiawatha to each other by the light of the moon by a campfire on the shore.
We finished our route at the observatory in the Porcupine Mountains overlooking them in full blazing color. Glorious!
I live in Connecticut and New England is gorgeous in the Autumn. The first week of October we spend in Vermont with the dogs and do hiking trails. Definitely need to reserve a place to stay way ahead of time. Folks from all over the country and world love to do their Autumn leaf peeping in New England. You can enjoy the mountains and ocean in New England. There are easy walking trails to do with a baby. My daughter was 6 months old for her first nature trail vacation. Baby backpacks work out great. Just remember, a 3 hour drive is considered a short casual drive in the USA! Lots of nature and country in New England but you have Boston which is a cool city to visit.
I need to add that his #11 of Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee is doable with a baby and very pretty. I did a trip through that area and really enjoyed it.
South Dakota was awesome!!! We went when I was a kid. We saw Mount Rushmore, Corn Palace, Badlands National Park, and Black Hills.
Set up your reservations a year in advance. Last-minute doesn't work anymore. Don't over-plan. Traveling long distances and staying for one day will leave you frazzled. 1) Salt Lake City, 2) Drive to Kemmerer, WY, for Fossil Butte Nat. Monument, 3) Pinedale, WY, for the Mountain Man Museum, 4) Jackson, WY, (motels are too expensive here) and Grand Teton Nat. Park, (try Colter Bay or places around Moran, like the tents and cabins) 5) Two days in the Tetons and try to eat at Dornan's at Moose, WY, 6) Yellowstone (try to get one night at Old Faithful at the Old Faithful Lodge Cabins. Otherwise, try to stay in Mammoth, Gardiner, or the Motel 8 in Cooke City, MT,. Cooke City is a good place to see Lamar Valley with lots of bison and a chance to see wolves , 7) the Beartooth Highway is a spectacular high mountain drive (closest to Cooke City), 8) Cody is not too bad, but it is an hour's drive east of Yellowstone. Rodeo every summer night and a world class museum. You're welcome to spend a night or two with us in Cody, 9) you can go east of Cody and drive over the Bighorn Mountains (the Medicine Wheel is a nice hike), 10) Northeast is the Bighorn Battlefield (Custer's Last Stand) that's worth almost half a day, 11) Devil's Tower Nat. Monument, 12) Deadwood, South Dakota, 13) Badlands, Nat. Park, 14) Mount Rushmore (Don't miss the night ceremony - Hill City over Keystone unless you want to experience some expensive, touristy stuff) 15) Custer State Park and Wind Cave in a day, 16) Hill City and the Mammoth Site. 17) Down to Denver and fly out. Bring Archie back in a few years and take him digging for dinosaurs in Montana, South Dakota, or Wyoming.
And book early.
The parks get full in peak season early and I
Mean by 10 am
You can’t get in.
I would say if you have a problem with heights, don't do the Beartooth Highway. I went over it from Cody on a motorcycle and I was terrified. I don't do well at all with heights and though the views were amazing, I couldn't really spend much time looking because all I could see were the many thousands of feet of drop off. I also saw something I know people can do but had never seen before and I thought the guy was nuts, a pickup pulling an RV trailer pulling a boat on that road.
Monument Valley was used as the setting for dozens of Western movies. If you do visit Durango, Colorado, take the time to ride the Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge spur up the Animus Canyon to Silverton. It's awesome! My PROC class at MCC&E School, 29 Palms held our graduation party in Joshua Tree National Park. Beautiful!
As an Arizona native, I LOVE going to Slide Rock in Sedona in the summertime. Since the water flowing through Oak Creek Canyon is the snow melt from the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff area, the cold water is a nice relief from the blazing desert summer heat! It can also be a nice relief from the Sun (Sedona average summer temps in July/August are normally between 90 - 94 F (32 - 37 C)) It's a big enough park where even litter Mr. Archie could wander around and play in some of the pools. Be sure to bring an old pair of jean shorts because you're guaranteed to burn a hole in the them going through the water slides. Also bring a pair of water socks or other grippy sandals because you will slip & fall at least once! So don't feel too bad giggling at other people when they fall (unless they're really truly hurt) because they're giggling when you inevitably fall too.
If you're looking for just a quite afternoon meandering around just kicking it, I highly recommend Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott AZ. Lots of little mom & pop thrift stores or selling handmade knick knacks. It's easy to spend and afternoon here just wandering aimlessly. Plus they have a huge courtyard in front of the courthouse at the center of town where people take picnics then lounge around with their kids and pets. There's quite a few hiking trails in the area as well since it's close to the Mogollon (Pronouced Mog-E-On) Rim. The Rim is the dividing point for AZ between the desert in the south and the high country in the north
That video is more towards hiking than road tripping.
Was gonna say the same thing lol
By the way, I really do recommend the Utah video he does.
I live and work in North Carolina but manage an ongoing project in Arizona...2,000 miles from me. I've been out there 4 times in the last 2 years and have driven through Sedona twice because once wasn't enough. It is utterly SPECTACULAR.
My favorite road trips are : 1. US 101 along the West Coast from Bellingham, Washington to Seattle, across Puget Sound by ferry, then over to the coast and follow 101 through Oregon and California to San Diego. 2. Fall foliage in New England. 3. Cannon Beach, Oregon, to Portland, then through the Columbia Gorge to Hood River, then to the Snake River's Hell's Canyon on the border between Oregon and Idaho, then north to Walla Walla and U.S. Highway 12 to Missoula MT, then northward to Glacier Park. 4. Blue Ridge Parkway (Appalachian Mtns.)
There is more to see in the National Parks than you can see in a lifetime. I have not hiked in a long time, but so much other stuff to do too
Don’t go to Joshua tree NP if it means sacrificing going to San Diego, or the pacific coast highway. While in LA, make sure to go to Griffith Observatory in Griffith park, which has an amazing view of Los Angeles. Also, drive on famous sunset Blvd.
In San Diego, visit Cabrillo national monument, La Jolla cove, drive up to mt. Soledad, drive across the Coronado bridge, go to mission beach, and ocean beach.
Griffith Observatory is beautiful
I agree. Joshua Tree is interesting but not nearly as drop-dead beautiful as the Pacific Coast Highway, Yosemite, or the adjacent Sequoia National Forest and other possibilities. A favorite of mine if you could drive is the Tioga Road through Yosemite National Park (only open in late spring, summer, early fall). You see pretty much the entire park and skip the crowds in Yosemite Valley.
@@evanhughes1510 Probably is. Especially this year with the heavy snow late in the season. But I mentioned it more for a possible future trip which they could schedule around its availability.
@@evanhughes1510 Yeah, Texas is notoriously the most boring state to drive across in America because it's not only mostly flat and featureless, but endless. How much BBQ'd brisket can you really eat (other states including the entire Southwest have Mexican food as good or better)? I will try to be fair by giving a thumbs up to an evening spent over a leisurely meal outdoors along the River Walk in San Antonio in summer. And I mentioned the Big Bend country is very nice. But then what?
I'll second the recommendations for San Diego (my home town), all of those are frequent stops for me. Was just at La Jolla Cove last week.
I couldn't recommend Utah's Mighty Five trip more. If you wanna see everything that is typical of "Old West" landscapes, all those National Parks and State Parks scattered throughout can't be beat. Zion National Park alone is worth the trip, and it's pretty close to one of the starting hubs of Saint George, Utah.
🙌💯 Came here to say this!!
Zion was my mom’s favorite National Park; Arches is my sister’s. I love Bryce Canyon (and nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument) best, but Canyonlands is gorgeous, and Capitol Reef has a quiet beauty all its own. At a minimum, I hope James and Millie aim to see Zion or Arches. Durango/Mancos/Cortez would be fun to visit, allowing access to Arches, and also to Mesa Verde National Park (super cool to visit.) 💐
I took the Wind Cave tour when I was a kid, and it was pretty awesome.
I have done the Black Hills and Devils tower. I rate it A+. Utah is great. New Hampshire and Maine any season. Nashville and the Smokey mountains. My personal top four off this list.
He is right about southern Nevada places being underrated. It's very beautiful and a fun time.
A reminder in America when starting some of these, make sure to pack survival gear. A car breaking down or Murphys law happening can be bad .an adequate supply of food and water, and other essentials in a smart move
In the video I think a lot of these road trips are great, but they might be hard pushing a stroller. A trip to the Grand Canyon is worth the planning. Early Spring or late Fall have the least crowds. Fly into Phoenix Arizona from Texas, rent a car, "I recommend Enterprise", and drive north, "I hear a stop in Sedona is worth it", to Flagstaff, then west to Willliams "Gateway to The Grand Canyon" and book a room. From Williams it is a 1.5 hour drive to the Grand Canyon Village or you can take the Grand Canyon Train to and from the village. While in Williams check out the town and Bearizona which is a short drive outside the center of town. From Williams, head west along the longest driveable portion of Route 66 and into Kingman. Here you have a decision to make, to continue to drive north to Las Vegas, or what I recommend, book some seats on Amtrak to California. "You can drive into California, but you'll hate it, the section from Kingman down into Orange County is long, boring and people are hauling ass, trust me I know!" Take the Amtrak train, sit, relax and save money, depending on what day you go tickets can be as low as $40 per person, less than a tank of gas.
If you take Amtrak's Southwest Chief from Kingman to the Fullerton Amtrak station, it is straight short (5 miles or 15 minute) Uber, Bus or rental car drive down Harbor Blvd to the Disney Parks in Anaheim. If you have the time and money I recommend exploring both parks: Disneyland and California Disney.
From Anaheim, you can rent a car and drive south to San Diego stopping at some of some of the small towns along the way, or what I recommend, take Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner to San Diego and stay for 3 or 4 days. Rent a car there is a lot you can do in the San Diego area, to name a few: Sea Port Village, Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (museums!), Torrey Pines gliderport (paraglider rides), also Legoland is a short drive up the coast. All of these things are pretty easy to do with Archie, a stroller and a diaper bag. Geez I wrote a lot.
East Tennessee resident here...the Appalachian trail runs the Tennessee and North Carolina borders between Asheville, NC and Johnson City, TN. Gatlinburg is fun as well with something for everybody (shopping, skiing, aquarium, Dollywood theme park, Astra Lumina, cabins to stay in, dinner and a show spots and much more! Plus you have a few channel supporters who would love to meet up and show you around!
Homestly, I wouldn't waste my time with Joshua Tree National Park. There's so many more things to see than a valley of cacti.
My sister and I had a steak and egg breakfast at the big Texan in Amarillo. Someone won the steak challenge the week before. It had a 72 ounce steak, baked OTs to, shrimp cocktail, salad, roll. They had to eat it in an hour or less. The winner gets a tee shirt, a free meal. And your picture is put on the wall. We enjoyed what we had. We hoped to go to the Cadillac ranch, but we had to move on to Albuquerque to meet our group for the international balloon festival.
Hi guys! You'll notice that most of these are west of the Mississippi river. While the geography of the east isn't as dramatic as that of the west, there are a lot of cool things to see back east.
If you don't have a lot of time, Colorado has a lot to offer in a relatively small area. I'm not from there, but I've been a number of times. I highly recommend it.
Please note that he is actively looking for places to hike. On these same routes, or close by, there are family friendly and/or history buff things to do. If you see an area you like, look into all that is available in that area.
We took our kids to the Moab area when all 3 were babies. We go there at least once a year. We used a baby backpack and hiked all over Arches. We also drive our 4x4 and explored off-road with them. We have pictures of them asleep in their car seat, hanging from their 5 point harness. While we are going down a steep trail. Our favorite is watching for she counting all the shooting stars. Utah has many Dark Sky certified areas. You can even see the Milky Way, but at least stars forever!! Then the Unbelievably Beautiful Sunrises!! ❤
I love Joshua Tree. There is so much you can see without even leaving the car. And at night, the star gazing is absolutely incredible. Highly recommend
Every state has state parks too. It’s not all about the national parks
Crater national park is amazing
I did the Utah Big 5 National Parks in 2 weeks and I feel like it still wasn't enough. Lol. We also stopped by some of the state parks they had in between and it's also easy to make stops at other locations like Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon.
Never is enough.
To me.
As far as big beautiful natural.
The West is the place to go. CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON. Absolutely beautiful. A couple of the things he should have mentioned, are the biggest trees, and oldest trees in the world. They're both in California. The Redwoods, and gigantic Sequoias. You can't really understand just how giant they are, unless you're their next to them. They are beautiful, and amazing.
Black Hills South Dakota (Mt. Rushmore / Keystone area) is one of my favorite areas!
Mine too, and he left out the Badlands which is only about an hour east of the hills.
He didn't mention that in Durango, Colorado you can take a steam engine rail trip to Silverton, Colorado which is an old West Mining Town and that within an hour's drive of Durango in Cortez, Colorado is the Cliff Dwellings National Park where you can actually climb down a cliff face to an abandoned Native American cliff dwelling that was abandoned sometime in the 13th or 14 century.
Actually that scene was from when Forrest Gump was running across the country a full lap because.. why not!! 😊
there is something about yalls vids that just click enjoy so much thanks
As a parent I found the best years of travel with a little one is before they can walk as they sleep a lot then after they are 7 years! The toddler stage is the hardest ages for trabel!
Regarding autumn in New England I really like the Kankamagus (not sure of the spelling) Highway in New Hampshire the first week of October.
def gotta do a road trip tour, there is so much out there in between that u can only see on a road trip
It would take hours to show all of the great walking trails in the US. In my State of Missouri there are some great hiking trails, one of which is the Katy trail. It was the railroad tracks of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad. You can either walk it or take a bike. Just visiting the caves in Missouri that are open to the public would take a week. Visiting caves in the hot summer and coming into the cool, damp air of the caves are refreshing.
For a family with a toddler, I recommend a rail trip. A great inexpensive way to see the north or south western states. One can see scenery without driving.
I personally love Colorado. The drive from Durango up to Ouray is beautiful. It’s called the million dollar highway. Stop and see Silverton as you go past it. It is over 9000 ft high. Higher than Denver. My family used to live in Texas not far from New Mexico. We could take a day trip to Carlsbad Cavern. It is a beautiful cave. Well worth visiting on you way from Texas to Colorado
Palouse Falls is a favorite place of mine, unfortunately, you have to now pay a fee for the day use, but it's off of an already kind of scenic twisty road, great on a motorcycle, then off on a gravel road to the park. You would also want to allow time to go east to Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho and then climb up out of Lewiston and through the scenic Palouse Country. It's hard to explain, but it's just a beautiful place and if you want to, it's not all that far south of Spokane Washington, which does also have an airport. Multnomah Falls east of Portland is very scenic but not good to go on weekends because it's hard to find a parking spot. You can see people walking on the bridge above, you can get a really great closeup view of the upper falls. The old Columbia River Highway 30 also has a segment there and though you jump on and off Interstate 84 to take it in, it has its own set of scenic views. Another spot on the Washington side of the Columbia farther east to see is Maryhill Park and the mansion/museum there. Just a mile or so east of that is a replica of Stonehenge built as a war memorial for WWI soldiers from that area who were killed.
The one good thing about this video is that the road trips are split up by geographic region. When you come to visit, that is how you should travel. I live in the pacific northwest so culturally Washington and Oregon and even Vancouver, Canada are going to have a similar vibe living next to the water and mountains. That being said each have their own history and unique quirkiness that make them special. I would pick a region like the pacific northwest, the southwest, midwest, new england, the south and so forth to visit. Also be aware that some national parks you have to reserve a entry time to visit to help with overcrowding.
enjoy your trip to USA guys, be sure to check out restaurants and grocery stores.
My wife and I took a ten day trip that took us 6700 milescaround the country. It covered many parts of this video.We lived in Washingtonso we have seen the Washington and Oregon ones in this video.Custer State park in South Dakota is probably the most amazing place I've been especially our ride along Needles Highway.
Those national parks in UT are spectacular.
At Cañon City, I rode the Royal Gorge train. Wow! Spectacular!
Yellowstone, though crowded, can be handled if you get up really early so that you're where you want to visit most before anyone else.
I visited Joshua Tree N.P. back in the '70s, and those trees make you think you're on one of the planets that the starship Enterprise visited.
The thing about this whole video is that it's peppered with places far removed from cities, so there's virtually zero light pollution, and you can thus see tens of thousands of stars, instead of the few hundred, if that, that city dwellers don't see these days.
I used to live in the white mountains. It is indeed gorgeous out there in the fall. My grandmother used to live in Lone Pine, they used to film all the old westerns there. I don't know if they still do but in the 90's they used to have a western parade at one point. The mountains and waterfalls are gorgeous. I wouldn't do Joshua tree, the rocks and hiking isn't the only issue you are going to run into, it is going to be very hot. I grew up around there and it can get hot even in spring especially if you are not used to the heat.
Lived in the Northeast my whole life and it's beyond gorgeous in the fall. We call the tourists who come to see the fall foliage "leaf peepers." Currently living near the Thousand Islands region of New York. Look it up sometime - you won't believe the beauty.
The one road trip I recommend is on the longest road in the US Highway 6, which goes from Newport Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts. 3,361 miles long
That's Rt 20. Ends at Kenmore Sq. They could walk over the Mass Pike and catch a Red Sox game.
@johnpasquale7095 Yes, that's what I meant. I'm not sure why I said 6.
I have been to Joshua Tree National Monument several times when I was younger. Unfortunately, it's cold at night and in the winter or hot on most summer days. There are few places to get out of the weather as well. It's great for young teens and adults who enjoy rock climbing (not just rock-hopping) in the desert. It is beautiful, but not very child-friendly. I suggest Avalon on Catalina Island via boat rather than a long drive to a desert filled with pointy plants and large granite boulders. I am also very surprised that the California Coastal drive on Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 101 from Malibu to Monterey. Just remember that the eastern Pacific Ocean is cold current, coming down from Alaska, so the warmest California beach water will be in San Diego. If you are looking for a smaller-town excursion in the mountains, try Big Bear Lake in the San Bernadino mountains.
As for the Texas/Mexico border, I think now is not the time to visit that area, and if you find yourself there, have ALL of your paperwork hidden, but on your person.
Colorado is beautiful, and I recently took a road trip from Denver to Los Angeles via the Northern New Mexico and Arizona route. It is beautiful as well, and there are many trading posts along the way for maps, souvenirs, and snacks. I think I still have a few things set aside for you as soon as life gets back to normal. Has your P.O. Box changed at all? If so, let me know on your YT homepage. ❤❤❤
I'm in Northwest Georgia. Relatives come from other states to visit and want to go to Savannah , like it's just around the corner. That's about a 6 hour drive one way from me 🙃
Another easy and not expensive trip from where you will be in TX is New Mexico. A short flight to Albuquerque, rent a car and head an hour north toward Santa Fe and Taos. You can't go wrong with this trip.
I don't know, I think Joshua Tree is really unique. The trees are surreal and look like they are straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! I also second the suggestions for the redwoods in Northern California!
I had to laugh a little when he started talking about Washington. The locations he describes are many hours apart and in totally random directions away from each other. 😂Washington is twice the size of Ireland! It would be like if he started to talking about visiting England and at a rapid pace said something like, "Start off in Cornwall and then get to the cliffs of Dover and hop over to Liverpool and then to London for lunch and finish in Edinburgh for dinner."
The map in the video showed the total drive time as 29 hours. Definitely a long road trip since you figure you want to spend time at each location along the way.
I love South Dakota and want to go in late spring or early fall when it's not so hot. I have been to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally twice and it is in early August when it is hot as hell. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of riders in and around the area. Parking at Mt. Rushmore can be tricky. We got to go on the Needles Highway which is kind of behind Mt. Rushmore in part. The bad thing was, so did thousands of others and because the road is so narrow, it was stop and go with a hot motorcycle between my legs for well over an hour. The Badlands are a fascinating place to see as well, but again, not when it's hot.
I have been blessed by being able to go to several of these places. I live in North Carolina so we often visit the Smokey Mountains. We generally rent a cabin or AirBnB in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. The Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Death Valley and all those places out West are wonderful too. There is a lot of hiking involved so be aware of that and the humidity is very, very low so for me, it was hard to breathe. My mouth and nose stayed dry the whole time we were out there. I realize you will be going to Texas and just so you know, my husband and I love Texas. It is a huge state and if memory serves me, it is almost 770 miles/1244 Kilometers from East to West and 800 miles/1287 kilometers from North to South. My husband was a long haul truck driver and for 4 years I rode with him. We spent a lot of time in Texas.
I live in Seattle and used to do a lot of hiking around the western part of the state. Yes, 7-10 days would be a minimum if you start in Astoria and head north. The Pacific Northwest has a lot to offer. But I also wanted to agree with something you said: many Americans do not have passports because there is so much to see and do without ever leaving the country.
Then in Kentucky you have Mammoth Cave National Park, the Worlds longest single cave system, 426 miles long, they find new access' often continuing to grow it's length.
There are so many sights I've wanted to go see. My husband passed away 6 years ago, and it just wouldn't be the same without him. Enjoy your youth, and do enjoy your ability to travel.
I'd pick Death Valley over Joshua Tree, personally. But be careful about the weather and when you go. My dad was a schoolteacher who moved from Pennsylvania to California in 1962. By the time I was born in 1971, they'd done a lot of their traveling. I got the tail end of these drives from CA to PA to see family every year (because he got the summers off). I think the last of our cross-country trips, I was maybe 7 or 8 and I don't remember much. Just foggy memories. But we'd drive pretty much from coast to coast in 5 days. And then 5 days back. We had the southern route through Texas and the northern route through South Dakota. So much to see. I recommend Carlsbad Caverns, Meteor Crater, the Petrified Forest, Badlands, Zion, Grand Tetons, Yosemite. The only thing slanted about this video is it is geared towards an avid hiker. My parents were NOT that ; and they took me, as a baby (thinking about Archie) and did just fine. You will love it guys. One last thing I'll add, my parents lived all over the country over decades: Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Seattle, Los Angeles. They loved the LA area the most for things to do, etc. But when it came to the most beautiful place they ever lived, they said it was Whidbey Island outside of Seattle. I've always wanted to go there but have never been. I'll get there someday. Before they passed away, my dad told me to drive north out of Death Valley towards Reno sometime. That drive is also on my list. They said it was one of the most scenic drives they had ever taken. Good luck to you both and hope you enjoy what will likely be a life-changing experience.
Good suggestions except hard pass on Death Valley. I was glad to get out.
Key word is Hike get in plenty of Cardio and many listed are higher altitude 4000 to 9000 feet elevation.
All beautiful. One comment. When he was talking about the Rain forest in Washington the area he named is pronounced "Hoe" but spelled Hoh. Beautiful drive with some of the biggest trees you will ever see. Been to a few of these over the years. Hope you get to see a few also.
I was born and raised in Louisiana, lived in California (Marin and four other Counties) for over 50 years then moved to Arizona. Come on over and see us.
El Mirage, Arizona
As much as you mention Texas a lot, you would do much better starting in Denver, driving up through Estes Park (see the hotel from The Shining) then head up into Wyoming and visit Deadwood, SD and Mt Rushmore and the Black Hills and several nearby parks.
@@evanhughes1510 excellent callout - sadly when I went it was about a week or two after they put the gate down for the season... late October. I have a funny pic of me looking sad by the sign.
What I didn't call out (thanks Evan) is that to get to Estes Park, you go through part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (that road in the gorge where you pass over the river now and then) and then right on the edge of Estes Park proper is Rocky Mountain National Park... one of the very best of all of them. Visit Bear Lake at ~10,000 feet and see this amazing lake way up in the mountains. Simply amazing.
And if that road Evan mentioned is open, drive it and see some of the best mountain views in the world.
@@evanhughes1510 yeah and the part they really haven't factored in.... the culture shock will be pretty severe. Also, the road rage will be intense... driving in Texas before getting in a LOT of practice elsewhere in the USA (less congested/way less shotguns openly mounted in racks in the vehicles) is unwise to say it mildly. Practice driving at 80 MPH on I-80 in SoDak... not on I-35 in DFW. :D
They always say go east for Autumn Foliage, which is true but someone needs to talk about mid July Eastern Old Growth Hardwood (Deciduous) Forest such as Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest. With over 50 inches of rain per year in often somewhat spread out fashion through the year, It produces a canopy that looks as impregnable with Hardwood Trees as any Tropical Forest, from hundreds (thousands ?), of species. 6 months later the world looks like all the trees have been replanted with their roots on top.
I vote for the Pacific Northwest. Mile for mile, you’ll see the most in your limited time.
@@evanhughes1510 I guess I’m saying they should stick to the California coast and as far north as their time allows. It’s a straight run, with more to see and do per mile than other parts of the country.
Visually spectacular, and I think more convenient for taking a baby.
You can do Arches with Archie. You can stay in Moab.
Overall, it's a nice selection. We're off to do New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado again (in a travel trailer) in a couple of weeks, and we can't wait to get out of the March gloom and into some desert sunshine. As others have said, Maine and New England makes for a great trip too. And a Great Lakes road trip through the Wisconsin, the UP of Michigan (and west Michigan dune country) along with Wisconsin and stops in Milwaukee and Chicago makes for a fantastic trip. Consider adding Minneapolis, Detroit or even Toronto. National Parks (often called National Lakeshores) there include Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Apostle Islands, and Boundary Waters. Also Isle Royale if you're up for the boat trip across Lk Superior. Ontario has some spectacular national and provincial parks along the northern shores of Superior and Huron as well.
I love Mesa Verde in Colorado. It is amazing.
I loved this one! Living in Southern California (San Diego), I've done all or most of the 5 western ones. #1 (the Utah Big 5) was probably my favorite road trip. Those parks are incredible. #2 (Northern Arizona) is another one that I've seen most of on several trips. #4 (Colorado) is just full of mountain scenery (and several steam trains, most of which I've ridden). #5 (Yellowstone/Tetons) - I've only seen the southern part of this one... Yellowstone and the Tetons. And, of course, #6 Southern California (my neighborhood, so of course I've been to pretty much all of these)... In fact, I did a trip up the Eastern Sierras (Bishop, Lone Pine, Alabama Hills, many of the lake loops, and the Bristlecone Pine forest) this past October.
It might sound cliché to say so, but it really is true that pictures of the Grand Canyon are completely inadequate to describe how amazing it is. It's rare you ever are in a place where you can see something so far away, let alone with something so beautiful taking up all the space between.
Ok, I live in SoCal out in the Riverside area. Even for me to go to JT I plan it as a day trip, so yes, it can be beautiful and amazing, but there are likely other places you should visit that I would put ahead of JT this trip.
Some things to think of: use Google Maps and turn on traffic. Then find the area you want to visit and use the average traffic for a specified day and time… then check the estimated driving times. This might help guide you on how long it would take to get places… oh, and don’t forget to add traveling with baby time. There will be feeding, changing, and just I am done with this car thing, get me out of here time. Point is in most areas around the us you can use that to help you plan a trip.
Since I haven’t gone and looked up where you will be down this way, I won’t attempt to make any other suggestions yet.
Have Fun!
We've gone to the Black Hills in South Dakota a couple of times with little kids and I'd have to say it's probably the most accessible with the baby. There's a lot to do but just try to do it in May/June as July/August is very busy with Independence Day and Sturgis being big draws.
This video is more about road trips for hiking versus driving. Look up scenic drives in the USA and plan a trip that way. With a baby, I recommend rural-suburban to urban areas so your close to pharmacies, hospitals and urgent care
His picks were beautiful, but HEAVILY weighted for someone who's thing is hiking and rock climbing :)
Whoever made this video seems biased towards desert landscapes.
Sequoia National Park is a must-see, and so is Yosemite.
Yep!
That’s where he stopped running!
I don't think Joshua Tree is worth it tbh. I'd instead drive along the Pacific Coast Highway towards Malibu. Much prettier
A different kind of beauty. JT doesn't require hours sitting in traffic the way Malibu does. I think JT and the Mojave are much better reps for the grandeur, uniqueness, and variety of American landscapes. But Central Coast is pretty in a prosaic way.
I'm surprised that I've actually done a few of these. A few I haven't done, and I've done a few that are not on here. Some that I have done have been so long ago that more touristy things have been added according to this video. For me personally, while I was in the state of South Dakota, I did go to Mount Rushmore, but only did a few of the activities. I like western culture, so I also went to see the city of Deadwood, which is where Wild Bill Hickock spent his last days and is buried there. But be warned that is also a tourist trap town.
While in Colorado, I went to Durango and rode the narrow gauge railway to Silverton and back. That is a fun touristy thing to do that is family friendly. It goes through the San Juan mountains that were mentioned in this video, but you wind through the mountains and see some beautiful scenery. The small town of Silverton is like stepping back in time. It's also surrounded all around by mountains.
Yellowstone National Park, as mentioned here in the video is definitely a must see, even if it is filled with tourists. To see Ol' Faithful, you go inside a building with a large glass window facing the geyser. Very family friendly place. Most of the park you do drive through, and there are pull offs in some of the areas. I would also like to go back and spend more time in Cody, which is a town based on William Fredrick Cody, a.k.a. Buffalo Bill. Again, this would appeal to my like of western culture.
Keep in mind that not only is the US a vast land mass, we all have our own likes and dislikes, and there's no right or wrong here. The beauty nowadays is that with Google Maps, one has a better way of planning an itinerary since they tell how long each drive will take in hours and minutes. Then you can correlate that with opening and closing hours of wherever you plan to visit to see what works and what doesn't.
Check the milage and the time needed to go places! The US is huge. I would search places of interest near where you plan to go for sure. If you are going to be in Texas, check the surrounding states before you try to visit places 3 states away.
Heck yeah my town made it on this list! Prescott Arizona - Watson lake..❤❤
Slid rock isn't as fun as it used to be. Way to may people and dirty.
Sedona is a must. Beautiful place.
Also the grand canyon.
See Slide Rock in the Spring. You can't swim, but it's empty and beautiful. It's a perfect stop on the way from Sedona to Flagstaff (via Oak Creek Canyon which is the way you *should* go).
carlsbad caverns in New Mexico is amazing.
Sure . . . Go a road trip. You may not do much of one but it might be fun. Natural Caverns in Texas is worth a look but for me there are much better caves.
In Austin here, the San Antonio to Austin drive is all freeway and full of roadside completed businesses. Not very scenic unless you like concrete and signs. Along the way is a Buc-cee's that you've seen on the channel. Drop me a note if you need any tips for the area.
Agreed. Rural Nevada along Hwy 93 is beautiful. I know because I live here.
San Antonio to Austin is an hour and a half. That's like a road trip to the grocery store.
These are beautiful but many of them will be unrealistic with a baby or small child. I think Oregon, Appalachia, or New England in the fall. If you go to Mount Rushmore take a helicopter tour too.
It depends on what you like to do, Utah also has sand dunes you can ride side by side 4wheelers, lakes to go boating (Lake Powell is popular), or skiing up north.
While you’re in Texas try some Texas Barbecue in Austin. It’s THE food to eat in Texas. I’ve spent half of my 67 years there and I consider it the iconic food of Texas.
This is the first travel video that mentions State Parks, those areas that have not been named "national" parks. What's the difference? Mostly who pays for the upkeep and reaps the entrance fees. The geography of the US is so varied one could go to any state and there would be something to see and enjoy. Many state parks become national parks with increased traffic and costs.
If you're coming to Ca. I'd personally fly into Oregon rent a nice car or van if you want to see the the West Coast drive from Portland down the coast camp and stay in little mom and pop motels along the coast all the way to La...or stop at Long Beach...or your choice.
Road trips tend to require roads something we in Michigan aspire to
The Great Lakes should get an honorable mention, number 12 at least ; )
I'm not sure what your itinerary is but if you can hit Yosemite do it. It's the most beautiful place I've ever been. When I drove through Tunnel View for the first time I teared up.
There's an old saying: "No matter how far you drive in Texas, you're always 200 miles from Amarillo" 😁
@@evanhughes1510 Are you trying to fact check humor? Really?