I need some help planning my trip to the Grand Canyon. I would like to go this year during the kids spring vacation. I will only have 2 weeks. So planning well is imperative. Any help or suggestions? I will be leaving from Long Island via the George Washington Bridge. Any suggestions on which route to take , or which camp grounds to stay at? Points of interest to see . I would like to educate my son and daughter ages 9 and 12 on our Great Country. Please any and all help would be very appreciated. Thanks

I-80 to I-287 to I-78 to I-81 to I-40 (Knoxville). Take SR 840 around Nashville (Interstate tends to be a mess there). This route avoids the tolls and congestion on I-95, and minimizes the mountain grades

I've done the I-287/I-78/I-81 several times on my way to Suffern, NY and my relatives in NJ and PA.

On I-81, Natural Bridge KOA is OK. There's a nice park (Ft. Chiswell RV Park) at Max Meadows, both in VA. Avoid Dixie Caverns RV Park, because it's tight and small.

Mary Ray has been to the Grand Canyon in the past couple of years, so she's familiar with I-40 west of Memphis.

BTW, I moved this thread for better exposure...

Thanks Rrusty I'm shure this will be helpful in my planning. Anyone else feel free to add your advice. Thanks

I seem to recall that the "South Rim" had more activity around it than the "North Rim". The trip west is part of the experience, and along the way you can also stop in at Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest, or maybe Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, depending on what route west you choose.

I40 will bring you along many of the cities of the "Route 66" song...
Matt

Great thanks Matt this is the kind of info I'm looking for, you can't beat Barthmobile for its resources.
Once again thanks

I will be taking notes. I hope to be heading that way next winter I think. I visited the Grand Canyon in 85 south Rim was the side we took, Petrified Forest was cool. It was so long ago I don't remember the drive much. We were on a cross country mission to deliver a car from San Francisco to Detroit area.

My students used to tease me about being old and I told them not to mess with me… when I was a kid I chased big dinosaurs with a stick and the Grand Canyon was just a ditch.

The north rim is about 1000 ft. higher than the south rim and shuts down for the winter as it gets a lot more snow. Opening date varies depending on how the winter was.

Went to South Rim this past September. Great trip and beautiful scenery. Make your way to St. Louis and get on interstate 44. Follow I-44 to Oklahoma City where it turns into interstate I-40. Take I-40 to Flagstaff Az. Flagstaff is a good place to park the RV and drive to the Canyon in your car the next day. Williams, Az is also a good place visit and stay. Both Williams and Flagstaff are close to Sedona, Az which is has breath taking scenery.

Dave R! Postive reinforcement gets me going! If you are in the Grand Canyon area, relative to us in the snowy Northeast, you are then in the neighborhood of "Four Corners" and "Mesa Verde". My photo is from the time we stopped in "Mesa Verde". Good area for kids to learn...

happy motoring!
Matt

Thanks Fred & Cindy and you too Matt,I'm taking notes, this is all good stuff.
MATT,do you recall any of the camp grounds you stayed at,I'm looking for advice which ones that are good and which ones to avoid.
Thanks to everyone please kept the information coming.

My brother and I were there a year ago in June, we used I 40 all the way to Williams,AZ.
Go to the right on SR 64 which will merge into US 180 and will take you straight into the park. There are two campgrounds within the Grand canyon complex. One is no hookups but has restrooms and the other has hookups. We stayed at the no hookups (we were in a Dodge van). There are also hotels etc. that are available. Once you get into the park there is good shuttle service (it was free when we were there).

If you or someone that is travelling with you is old enough then you should apply for the Senior Pass.
http://store.usgs.gov/pass/general.html

This pass allowed me free entrance into the park and half off on the campground. Well worth the 10 dollar fee.

Have fun, we did.

Thanks Mary,My family is really looking forward to this trip and do to the limited time (2 weeks),Planning is critical.

quote:

Make your way to St. Louis and get on interstate 44. Follow I-44 to Oklahoma City where it turns into interstate I-40.

The only drawbacks to that are it takes either I-70 across the wretched PA Turnpike, or I-68 across the mountains to I-79, then I-64 through Charleston, WV - neither is pleasant.

Getting on I-44 at STL is certainly easier than I-70 (Who designed that interchange, anyway? ). I've made the trip many, many times through STL, and it's never been pleasant. At least I-64/I-70 in IL has been repaved...my final route is to go I-255 to I-270, then west.

We've been talking about this trip with the kids too. I'll second stopping in Sedona. Sherrie and I were there a few years ago and it's really cool.