Late last year, right around the time my wife and I learned we were going to be having a baby join the family, we all had the idea of taking a new family vacation to somewhere unique.
The first post on my Instagram when we let family and friends know we were expecting.
The rest of the family getting in on the baby announcement fun.
My brother-in-law and I are particular fans of camping trips, but my wife and her mother, not so much. So we had the thought of maybe taking a camper on an RV Road Trip to Mount Rushmore, which has been on everyone's bucket list for a while. Taking a camper would allow for a little more comfort, and also eliminate the need for staying in hotels and having to find transportation constantly. I was all for this because I love Road Trips. Being able to see the country in a much more purposeful way as opposed to just flying has always been so much more of genuinely moving experience for me. I’m a firm believer in the notion that “Travel Broadens the Mind”. Also, it would give me a chance to get in some photos of some of the best countryside this country has to offer.
Map of the route to Mount Rushmore and back down through Four Corners and Monument Valley.
The trip was amazing. I would highly recommend it. And if you do here are a couple pointers:
Don’t try to do the whole route. Do a couple days in each spot, one trip at a time. The worst thing about the trip was getting back on the road for an average of 6-8 hours each day just to sleep in the campsite and start all over again the next day. Very exhausting.
Maybe make sure if your second-trimester wife REALLY actually wants to go. My poor wife stuck it out like a trooper, but the camper isn’t as comfortable of a ride as one would think. In fact, its probably the bounciest ride you’ll ever take.
Stay at KOA camper campgrounds! These were by far the best places to stay with hot clean showers, and full hookups for the RV’s. Plus most of them offer some kind of breakfast thats usually very affordable.
Look at all the camper rentals, not just Cruise America. It was a good camper for sure 👍, but it felt a little like we were driving in the cheapest one money could buy. I get it, companies need to be able to make a profit while still offering as many services as they can. Just wish it had a few more features for the price 🤷🏻♂️.
The next series of posts will be the images I captured along that trip, and the places we were able to see. Definitely a family vacation I won’t soon forget! :)