The Interstate Highway System: A Guide for Drivers

The Interstate Highway system has often times been referred to as the greatest public system that exists. In 1956, President Eisenhower approved the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which has provided a constant stream of construction jobs and an interconnected road system between virtually all of the continental states. The US Interstate government construction funds were allotted through the year 1996. This is the length of time for the construction of all 42, 795 miles of highway to be complete.

The Interstate Highway system has improved the social economics of the US. The system has created and sustained employment for huge number of Americans. It has allowed normal everyday Americans to purchase goods and services through the convenience of the easy to travel roads. The system has opened up the gateway for easy transport of freight carrying goods and services to locations all over the US. This has also in turn caused Americans to become dependent on the system. The highway system has taken the place of rail transportation and this has caused large amounts of congestion and environmental issues.

The numbering configuration for the interstate highways began with the two digit numbers. Here are some key things to remember:

1. Any interstate with a number 0—10 is considered a two digit number according to this system

2. Any interstates that end in a 0 or multiples of 5 are major interstate highways that run across the majority of the country.

3. The even numbered routes are east to west with the highest numbers in the east and the odd number routes are north to south, with higher numbers in the north.

4. The three digit routes were adopted later and generally form a loop around the main interstates, which are the two digit interstates.

The three most famous interstate highways in the US include the iconic Route 66 or otherwise known as interstate highway 66, US 1, and US Interstate 30 or Lincoln’s Highway. The Adopt a Highway program was introduced to promote the sponsorship of a highway litter removal service to keep the roads clean and free of debris. 

• Eisenhower Interstate Highway System
• California Interstate System Caltrans
• The Center for Transportation and The Environment: Converge Timeline
• Information on the Structure of the Interstate System
• Colorado Department of Transportation
• History of Delaware Department of Transportation
• Information About the Three Digit Highway Configuration
• The Role of the Idaho System on the Entire Highway System
• Kansas Celebrates Fifty Years of Interstate Highway System
• An Interstate Highway Guide Including Hidden Highways
• Pioneers of the Interstate System
• How Highways are Planned
• A Comprehensive Listing of All the Exits on the Interstate Highway System
• History of the Missouri Highway System
• A Comparison of Nebraska’s Interstate 80 From the Past to Today
• A Report on the Return on Investment of the Interstate Highways System
• Fast Facts About the North Carolina transportation System
• Great Exhibition on the US Highway System and American Culture
• Smithsonian Institution Featuring an Exhibition of the Interstate Highway with Time and Setting
• Oregon State Interstate History
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Anniversary of the Highways System Recalls Eisenhower’s Role as a Catalyst
• Coverage of the I-90 Highway on its Forty Year Anniversary
• Roads to the Future: A complete History of the Transportation System
• Guide to Highways in Hawaii
• Brief History of the Interstate Highway System
• An Analysis of the Public Highway Systems
• An Overview of the Highway Systems
• Interstate Highway Codes
• Creating the Interstate System
• The Numbering System on Interstate Highways
• Adopt a Highway System
• Information on the Michigan Adopt A Highway System and Affects
• Engineering of the Interstate Highways
• The Development of the US Highway System
• Impact of the US Highway Interstate System
• National Interstate and Defense Highways Act
• Essay on How Interstates Transformed American’s Lives
• National Interstate Road Guide
• Information about the Famous Route 66
• An Exploration on Route 66
• Studies From the Ground Up of the Highway System
• Interstate Highway System Panorama of the Future
• Original National Defense and Highways Act
• Interstate Highways Issues and Options
• The First Interstate Highway
• Design and Standard of the Interstate Highway Systems
• Capitol Hill Exhibition of Interstate highway Creation
• Historic Preservation of US Interstate Highway System

 

Ultimate Guide to Touring all 30 MLB stadiums in an RV

Summer road trips and baseball go together like an RV and the road. If you’ve got at least six weeks where you can travel the open highway, why not hit all 30 major league ballparks, take in the games and bask in the local nightlife while sampling the local cuisine? Start anytime between opening day in April and season’s end in September. Plan your routes, budget and pack the RV for a road trip that will provide a lifetime of memories.

Check Schedules, Buy Tickets
Peruse the major league baseball web site to get up-to-date information on schedules, stadium seating and ticket pricing. Click on each of the 30 baseball icons to go straight to each ballclub’s ticket center and schedules. You can even order from your smart phone and have the ticket delivered straight to your email. Eight clubs currently deliver tickets to your mobile device: the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants and the Washington Nationals. The average ticket price is nearly $27, so when you budget, make sure you round it up to $30 to give you a cushion for sudden price hikes. You can either buy all your tickets ahead of time or buy as you go. It may be risky buying ahead of time as road trips are notorious for unexpected time delays for RV maintenance or extra time in a town that you enjoy. 

Club-By-Club Baseball Ticket Information

Major League Baseball Fields

Plan Your Route

Now that you have your tickets, it’s time to plan your routes to each stadium so you’re not backtracking., wasting gas and precious time. Find ball fields clustered in one area, hit all of those before going on to the next region. Most of the ballparks are on the east coast. They get sparser as you head into the Midwest. Once you hit the west coast you have to decide whether to end in Washington State or Southern California. Either way, prepare to put around 13-14,000 miles on your RV, minimum.

Locations of the 30 MLB Ballparks

Road Trip Planner

National and American League Field Guides

Give Me Your Money

Money seems to fly out of your pocket when you’re on a road trip, especially an extended one like a national baseball RV tour. Careful budgeting is key to making your vacation a safer, less worrisome trip. Over-budget, not under-budget, and you will have a small cushion for emergencies and those unexpected side trips that make RV’ing so memorable. Eating at ballparks is very expensive, unless you get a $1 hotdog at a Phillies game. Gas fluctuates wildly these days. Plan on gas being more expensive near exits no matter what region you’re in. Note that there’s over 5200 miles of toll roads in the United States and prices vary widely.
Gas Buddy: Local Gas Prices and Locations

Road Trip Fuel Cost Calculator

Side Trips
On your off days, unless you want to simply laze around in your RV, take time to explore your locale. This need not cost an arm and a leg if you budget carefully. Walks through pretty parks, window shopping downtown, stopping for some city flavor, and chatting up the locals all make for interesting side trips. Planning for more expensive excursions to museums, planetariums, amusement parks and zoos requires research beforehand to determine pricing and hours. If you’re tired of sleeping in your RV, you might find a hotel with a hot tub or an indoor swimming pool and catch your favorite shows while lounging around in a hotel room for a night or two.

National Tourist Information

Campgrounds and RV Parks

Remembering Where You’ve Been
When you’re planning your trip, run to the store and grab two or three multi-pocket storage folders with at least 30 pockets total. Label each pocket with a ballpark. After you visit each destination, throw the ticket stubs, souvenirs and photos into the pocket for a neatly organized catalogue of where you’ve been. For the computer or mobile device savvy traveler, create a blog or website that you can update with each stadium’s adventures. Don’t forget to keep the pictures of you eating that chili dog that just dripped down your shirt! The more candid your photos are, the more fun the memories.

 

Top 5 RV Must-Haves

The trip is planned and everyone is excited! Well…almost everyone. A cross-country trip in an RV may sound like an adventure for some, but being out of touch with friends can be a major problem, not to mention having to put up with that annoying little brother or sister for hours at a time. For those who may not really want to hang out with the family, here is a list of the top 5 RV must-haves to ignore your family and survive the week without going crazy.

Gaming System

• Whether it is a Gameboy or PSP, bring the portable gaming device.

Bring enough games to keep busy for a couple of hours at a time. Make sure to pack the charging cable too. And it is a good idea to bring extras of any small attachments that may go missing. Games are a great way to have some fun while trapped in the RV with the rest of the family. If possible, bring games that annoying siblings might enjoy and let them play once in a while to keep them happy, and out of your way. This is also a great way to make it look like you are spending time with them without actually having to do anything.

iPad or eBook Reader

• Paper books are great, but for a long trip there is no way to bring enough.

An eBook reader solves this problem as it will hold hundreds of books. Plus, new ones can be added along the way! Parents love to see kids read and won’t nag as much about playing with the rest of the family when the eBook reader is being used. There are also games available for many of these devices. Some readers, such as the iPad, can be used to connect to the internet. This connection provides access to Netflix as well as social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Keeping in touch when WiFi is available is no problem. As with all the other devices, be sure to bring the charging cord.

Cell Phone

• A cell phone is a must have to keep in touch with everyone who is actually having fun.

Make sure the phone has an unlimited texting program. This is a great way to keep in touch, but don’t overdo it as parents may take the phone away to encourage teens to talk to the rest of the family. There is also the problem of service. There are many places between major cities where there is no cell service, so have an alternative option ready to keep busy.

Music

• An MP3 player with headphones is a must.

Load up some great songs and tune out the rest of the world whenever needed. Most players are small enough to fit into a pocket and bring along for the family hike or whatever else the parents have planned for the day. Don’t turn the music up too loud though. The parents may decide to take it away to preserve long term hearing.

Portable DVD Player

• Bring an extra DVD player and some age-appropriate movies to keep everyone happy.

There is nothing worse than having to watch the same movie that the 6 year old wants to watch again and again. This is also a must even if an iPad is brought as wireless and internet access may not be available everywhere. Bring enough movies to watch a different one each day if possible. Make sure the headphones that work for the MP3 player also work in the DVD player so there isn’t a problem with hearing the movie. This is a great way to relax after a hard day of RV fun.

Other Tips

All of these electronic devices are great and will make the trip bearable, but don’t forget the charging attachments. There is nothing worse than losing power three days into the trip and the rechargers are not often interchangeable. Put all of these extra wires into a small bag so they are together and easy to get at. If possible, bring headphones that block out the surrounding noise instead of standard headphones that don’t. Bring a backpack that zips closed to keep all of these important items close and safe from siblings.

These top 5 RV must haves to ignore the family will help make the trip more bearable, but don’t overuse them. Spend some time interacting with the parents and the rest of the family to keep them happy or they may decide to make it an electronics-free ride.

 

RV Across America – A National Park Guide

Summer is the ideal time to plan a sightseeing trip. With increasing gas prices and a tighter family budget, it is important to pack as much fun into a family vacation as possible without breaking the bank. You might be surprised to learn that an RV trip to a National park is an affordable option and a great way to see the amazing natural resources America is proud to preserve.

A National park is a section of land owned by the government. National parks protect the region and ecosystems from most development and make these parks available for recreational use. There is an amazing variety of National parks stretched across America. North to South, from Arcadia National Park in Maine through the Everglades National Park at Florida’s southernmost tip, East to west from the Great Smokey Mountains to the Channel Islands, there is sure to be an adventure waiting to be discovered.

Arcadia National Park

• Arcadia National Park is home to Cadillac Mountain, which is the first spot to see sunrise in the U.S. at certain times of the year.
• Native Americans known as “People of the Dawnland” or Wabanaki have lived within the Arcadia Park area of Maine for at least 12 thousand years.
• Arcadia Park’s 45 miles of historic carriage roads feature 17 stone bridges all with their own unique characteristics. Enjoy seeing as many as you can while traveling the Arcadia’s beautiful carriage roads on bike or enjoying a guided tour in a horse drawn carriage.
• Enjoy a ranger-led tour to the west side of Mount Dessert Island to see the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Arches National Park

• There are over two thousand red sandstone arches within the park ranging in size from three feet to the impressive 290-foot span of the Landscape Arch.
• The Windows section of the park has a concentration of arches and formations easily seen from the road or a short walk. Formations of interest here include the Balanced Rock, Cove of Caves, Doubled Arch, and the Garden of Eden.
• Unstable salt deposits are responsible for the bucking and shifting of the upper sandstone layers. This shifting forms the ravines and irregular ridges seen throughout the park.
• The Fiery Furnace is an area with a series of ridges where many people have become lost. For safety reasons this area is now only explored as part of a ranger-guided group.

Big Bend National Park

• Due to its remote location, Big Bend National Park is one of the least visited National Parks in the U.S.
• Big Bend offers the advantage of three parks in one with opportunities to explore river, mountain, and desert environments.
• Several of the more than 175 species of butterflies documented in Big Bend park are only found within the park and west Texas.
• The middle of Rio Grande is an international border between Texas and Mexico. Getting onto land on the Mexican bank is illegal and can result in jail time.
• Originally, livestock moved in and out of the mountains along what is now the High Chinos hiking trails.

Biscayne National Park

• Biscayne Bay accounts for ninety-five percent of this park being water.
• The Maritime Heritage Trail, known as the Shipwreck Trail, is the only underwater trail in the nation.
• Beginning in May 2011, range-guided snorkel tours will be available to selected sites along the trail.
• The mangrove trees within Biscayne National Park are a protected eco-system that supports a vast variety of wildlife and plants.
• Glass bottom boat tours and snorkeling offer a close up look at coral reefs. Coral is a living creature and an ever-changing part of Biscayne Bay.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

• Black Canyon offers a challenging climb to only the most experienced rock climbers.
• Located within the park, the Painted Wall is the highest cliff in Colorado. At 2250 feet, the Painted wall is one thousand feet taller than the Empire State building.
• At one point, the Black Canyon narrows to only 40 feet across the river.
• The rapids in the Gunnison River are extremely dangerous within Black Canyon. Even the most experienced kayakers attempt the rapids here at their own risks.
• The total length of the Black Canyon is 53 miles with only 14 miles located within the National Park. The rest of the canyon extends into the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area and the Curecanti National Recreation Area.

Bryce Canyon National Park

• Bryce Canyon is a giant series of amphitheaters carved out by nature on the eastern side of Paunsaugunt Plateau.
• Wind, ice, water and time worked to form colorful structures called hoodoos in the colorful red, orange, and white rock of the lake and riverbed.
• Populations of approximately two hundred Utah prairie dogs now make their home in Bryce Canyon National Park. The Utah prairie dog has a range restricted to only the southwestern quarter of Utah and is on the endangered species list.
• A rare wildflower first discovered at Inspiration Point, the Bryce Canyon Paintbrush is native only to southwestern Utah.

Canyonlands National Park

• The Green and Colorado Rivers divide Canyonlands National Park into three districts.
• The Island in the Sky mesa offers panoramic views of one hundred miles or more in all directions.
• Newspaper Rock in the Needles district of the park is a two hundred square foot rock covered in ancient Indian rock carvings known as petroglyphs. The full meaning of the carvings remains unknown.
• Horseshoe Canyon at the far end of Bryce Canyon is the site of the Great Gallery. An ancient panel measuring two hundred feet long by fifteen feet wide that contains twenty life-size figures drawn during the Desert Archaic culture nearly ten thousand years ago.

Capitol Reef National Park

• A series of rock formations resembling buildings in the nation’s capital gives the park the first part of its name. Reef is a term early settlers used to describe an insurmountable barrier or mountain pass.
• The Waterpocket Fold is a huge wrinkle in the earth that has allowed the elements to expose the colorful layers of sandstone, lime and other rock.
• Waterpockets are basins formed by water erosion in exposed sandstone layers.
• Capitol Reef National Park has historic orchids containing over two thousand fruit and nut tree. Visitors can pick fruit and nuts in season for a small fee.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

• The largest chamber in Carlsbad Cavern is the Big Room, also known as the Hall of Giants.
• In addition to Carlsbad Cavern, there are at least one hundred smaller caves located within the park.
• Slaughter Canyon Cave and Spider Cave are open to the public for ranger-guided tours only.
• The limestone composes so much of Carlsbad Cavern it even holds fossilized plants and animals from a time when this southeastern area of New Mexico was a coastline.
• Carlsbad Cavern is home to as many as one million Mexican Freetail bats from May through October when they migrate to winter quarters in south Mexico. Thousands of visitors gather to watch the massive swarms of bats exit the cave each evening.

Channel Islands National Park

• Access to Channel Islands National Park is accessible only by boat trip or commercial flights in small aircrafts.
• Less than 250 thousand visitors per year visit this group of islands. The control of low impact visitation protects the fragile balance of island ecosystems.
• Channel Islands National Park includes five islands of the California Channel Islands.
• The only reptile found on Santa Cruz Island is the endangered island night lizard. Once they establish a territory, they remain within a three-meter area their entire life.
• The Anacapa Lighthouse, which went into operation in 1932, was the last lighthouse built off the west coast.

Congaree National Park

• Congaree is the world’s largest area of old-growth floodplain forest remaining anywhere.
• In 2003, Congaree Swamp National Monument became South Carolina’s only national park.
• One of the best ways to explore the park is by taking advantage of free ranger-guided canoe tours on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Hikers can take advantage of 20 miles of hiking trails or a 2.5-mile boardwalk loop.
• Natural lakes within Congaree National Park used to be bends in the Congaree River. These natural-formed lakes are called Oxbows.

Crater Lake National Park

• Established in May 1902, Crater Lake is the sixth-oldest U.S. National Park.
• Crater Lake has no streams in or out of it. The lake empties through evaporation and water seeping below the surface. Melting snow and rains are the only way the lake has of refilling yet it remains the third deepest lake in the world.
• Crater Lake gets an average snowfall per year of over 44 feet!
• Native American legends tell of the formation of Crater Lake after a battle between two chiefs destroyed Mt. Mazama. In legend, Skell of the Above World destroyed Mt. Mazama home of Llao of the Below World.
• Crater Lake is not accessible by vehicle. Visitors must hike in from the Rim.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• First known as Virginia Kendall Park, the area later gained some protection as Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in 1974 before becoming the only National Park in Ohio in 2000.
• Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail is the major trail connecting places of interest within the park and intersecting the towpath.
•  In early September thousands of Monarch butterflies feed in Cuyahoga Valley before continuing their migration to forest in Mexico two thousand miles away.
• Native Americans called the primary waterway within the park Cuyahoga meaning crooked river.

Denali National Park and Preserve

• Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, is 20,320 feet high making it the highest mountain in North America.
• Denali National Park covers over six million acres in the interior of Alaska
• Both black bears and grizzlies inhabit Denali though most bears seen along the roadways are grizzlies.
• In the summer of 2005, a park ranger discovered a fossilized footprint of a dinosaur identified as Cretaceous Theropod in Denali National Park.

Dry Tortugas National Park

• Sea life, coral reefs, and legends of sunken treasures draw 80 thousand visitors a year to Dry Tortugas National Park.
• Though construction of Fort Jefferson took place over 30 years, construction was never completely finished.
• There are no natural sources of fresh water available on the Dry Tortugas islands.
• Tortugas is a name meaning turtles dating back to 1513 when Ponce de León caught 160 sea turtles there. Dry is reference to the lack of fresh water on the islands.

Everglades National Park

• Everglades National Park protects a fragile ecosystem within the southernmost section of the everglades.
• The National Park Service within the Everglades has identified nine interdependent and distinct ecosystems.
• One million visitors a year make their way to the Everglades to visit the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S.
• The Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the West Indian manatee are a few of the many endangered species protected within Everglades National Park.
• Within the everglades, orchids grow on host trees.

Glacier National Park

• In 1901, George Bird Grinnell described the area now known as Glacier National park as the ‘Crown of the Continent.’
• Due to the vast wilderness and beauty found in Glacier National Park, numerous Hollywood movies are filmed here.
• The Blackfeet tribe gave the ecosystem within Glacier National Park a name meaning ‘Backbone of the World.’
• Over seven hundred miles of trails within National Glacier Park make it easy to take a hike.
• Glacier National Park and its sister park, Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) form the International Peace Park.

Grand Canyon National Park

• The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the oldest National Parks in the U.S.
• Most of the five million visitors a year stop along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to view the gorge and surrounding sites.
• Human artifacts from the Paleo-Indian period nearly 12 thousand years ago have been found in the Grand Canyon.
• The Desert View Watchtower offers breath taking views of the painted desert as well as the North Rim of the canyon over ten miles away.

Grand Teton National Park

• While members of the Hayden exposition claimed to have reached the summit of Teton in1872, the first documented summit is credited to John Shive, William Owen, Franklin Spalding, and Frank Petersen in 1898.
• Today guides follow over 90 routes to the summit.
• A large fault capable of earthquakes of 7.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale lies at the base of the Teton Range.
• These earthquakes are responsible for forming the Teton Range.
• Uinta ground squirrels found in Grand Teton Park are sometimes mistaken for prairie dogs. These animals hibernate up to eight months of the year leaving their burrows in April and returning below ground in July.

Great Basin National Park

• The Great Basin region lies between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains.
• Bristlecone pine trees found at Wheeler Peak are five thousand years old.
• Ranger-guided tours of Lehman Caves provides the opportunity to see the beauty of this marble cave decorated with stalagmites, stalactites, and more than three hundred rare formations.
• Rocky Mountain big horn sheep make their home in South Snake Range.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

• Believed to be 12 thousand years old, the dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park are the tallest sand dunes in North America.
• Soil and sand are blown from the Rio Grande and deposited at the edge of the valley. The dunes continue to grow and change daily.
• There are no designated trails for hikers in the thirty square mile dune field. Feel free to explore!
• Hikers have a choice of trail throughout the park that will lead them through grasslands to mountain terrain.
• American Indian tribes peeled bark from Ponderosa pine for food and medicine. There are still one hundred of these trees standing in the Great Dunes Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• With 850 miles of unpaved road and trails throughout the park, it is no surprise that hiking is the main attraction.
• Seventy miles of the Appalachian Trail runs through Great Smokey Mountain National Park.
• Unlike most National Parks, there is no entrance fee to the Great Smokey Mountains.
• Mount Le Conte is one of the most popular destinations for hikers.
• Mount Le Conte Lodge, near the summit, is the only private lodge within the park and is only accessible on by hiking in on the trail.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

• Many of the trails in Guadalupe are open to horseback riding if you bring your own horse and supplies.
• The Pinery Trail is a short hike to the ruins of Butterfield Overland Mail stage station.
• Bird watches can look to spot forty species of birds that nest in the McKittrick Canyon.
• Three species of horned lizards make their home in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. They are the Mountain Short-horned Lizard, Texas Horned Lizard, and the Roundtail Horned Lizard.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

• Established in 1916 as Hawaii National Park, the name changed in 2000 to reflect the Hawaiian spelling.
• K?lauea and Mauna Loa are the world’s two most massive volcanoes.
• K?lauea is traditionally considered home to the Pele. In 1790, a group of warriors, women, and children offering gifts to the goddess who died in a volcanic eruption. Their footprints are still visible in the lava.
• While K?lauea has been in almost continual eruption since Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984.
• The two types of Hawaiian lava, Pahoehoe and a`a differ only on the surface. Chemically alike Pahoehoe is smoother where a`a is rough and jagged.

Hot Springs National Park

• Hot Springs National Park is the only national park located in an urban area.
• Portions of the national park encompass parts of downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• Therapeutic Spring baths have been used to treat arthritis and other conditions for hundreds of years.
• Hot Springs is the oldest of the national parks and the smallest.

Isle Royale National Park

• Isle Royale is the only place where Moose and wolves coexist without bears.
• Michigan contains fourteen different wilderness areas, of which
• Isle Royale National Park is the largest of fourteen different wilderness areas in Michigan.
• A glacier receding about 10 thousand years ago formed Lake Superior and left Isle Royal separated    from the mainland.

Joshua Tree National Park

• The prominent numbers of Joshua trees give this park its name.
• Joshua Tree National Park covers slightly more area than the state of Rhode Island.
• The San Andreas Fault follows the southern side of Joshua Tree Park and is seen from Keys View.
• The Sonoran and Mojave deserts meet in Joshua Tree National Park with vegetation and scenes commonly found in both.

Katmai National Park and Preserve

• Though Katmai was declared a national monument in 1918 to preserve the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, those smokes are now gone leaving an ash field.
• There remain fourteen active volcanoes in the park, the most recent being Fourpeaked Volcano after being dormant for at least 10 thousand years.
• Brook Falls is a popular spot for visitors and brown bears during salmon season.
• Katmai must be accessed via air taxi or boat.

Kenai Fjords National Park

• Kenai Fjords National Park is one of three National Parks in Alaska that can be reached by car.
• Fjords are narrow inlets bordered by steep sides or cliffs that are created by the passage of glaciers.
• There are thirty-eight glaciers in Harding Icefield located within Kenai Fjords National Park.
• It takes the four hundred to eight hundred annual inches of snow on Harding Icefield thirty to fifty years to compress into glacial ice.

Kings Canyon National Park

• Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park are run jointly by the National Park service.
• General Grant Grove is home to giant Sequoia trees that continue into Sequoia National Park.
• The General Grant tree is 1,650 years old and the second largest tree in the world.
• The park’s namesake Kings Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the U.S. formed by glaciers thousands of years ago.

Kobuk Valley National Park

• Kobuk Valley is the least visited of all U.S. National parks. In 2007, there were only 847 visitors.
• Kobuk is 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle and along the caribou migration routes.
• Onion Portage is a historic landmark where people gathered on the Kobuk River to harvest caribou during the yearly migrations. Native Alaskan residents continue coming to this spot on the river each Fall and harvest caribou where ancestors stood 9000 years ago.
• Strange but true-Even though the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes are located 40 miles above the Arctic Circle, it is not unusual for summer temperatures there to soar to 100 degrees!

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

• Lake Clark National Park is home to two active volcanoes. (Redoubt and Iliamna)
• The Dena’ina Athabascan people and their ancestors inhabited the Lake Clark region. They still follow many of the traditional ways for preserving meats and salmon.
• Prehistoric and historic Dena’ina Athabascan houses are preserved within the park.
• Though snowmobiles are commonly used to travel around Lake Clark, as recently as the 1960s dog sleds were the usual transportation in the winter.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

• Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument were designated in 1907and became the Lassen Volcanic National Park in 1916.
• Hydrothermal features of burping mud, boiling water pools, and steaming ground caused by underground lava heating water beneath the surface indicated active volcanoes.
• Bumpass Hell is the largest area of thermal activity in the park. The area can be observed after hiking to a boardwalk observation area.
• Snow algae looks like a red tinged on top of snow at the park. Researchers are investigating the possibility that this unusual alga may have cancer-fighting potential.

Mammoth Cave National Park

• There have been no Wooly Mammoth fossils found in this region. The name is descriptive of the mammoth size of the existing cave.
• Mammoth Caves extensive 390 miles of passageways makes it the longest cave system in the world.
• In addition to the cave, the park has over seventy miles of backcountry trails open to hikers, biking and horseback.
• River enthusiasts will enjoy over thirty miles of river fun on the Green and Nolin rivers. 

 Mesa Verde National Park

• Mesa Verde means green table in the Spanish language.
• The park preserves the ancient homes of cliff-dwelling people once known by the Navajo name, Anasazi, translated ‘ancient ones’.
• Kivas are ceremonial rooms used for healing and religious purposes.
• Some Pueblo people today are descendants of the Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloans) that once made their homes in the cliffs of Mesa Verde.

Mount Rainier National Park

• Native Americans called the mountain Tahoma or Tacobet. Captain George Vancouver renamed it in 1792 after Rear Admiral Peter Rainier of the British Navy.
• From alpine meadows filled with wildflowers to icy glaciers and challenging mountain trails this park has it all.
• Mount Rainer National Park is 97 percent wilderness.
• Paradise is the most popular spot for visitors to the park. The Welcome Center is here along with breathtaking views of the mountains.

North Cascades National Park

• Located in the northern portion of the Cascade Range, the park is part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex that includes the Ross Lake National Recreation Area and the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
• Mountains on the west side collect more snow than can melt every year leading to glacier formations.
• Five Research Natural Areas are located within North Cascades National Park.
• Four hundred miles of trails provide breath-taking access to the Stephen Mather Wilderness that accounts for 93% of the park.

Olympic National Park

• Olympic National Park includes four regions. The eastern region includes Pacific coastline with the other three sections include alpine areas, the temperate rainforest, and drier forests to the east.
• The Ozette Coastal Loop is an easy elevated boardwalk trail offers beautiful views of the beach and coastal forest.
• Limited trails within the park are wheelchair accessible but be aware that most of the interior of the park is wilderness.
• The Elwha River restoration project in Olympic National Park will take three to four years and is the second largest restoration project within the National Park System.

Petrified Forest National Park

• Within the park, at least nine various species of fossilized trees have been identified.
• The petrified wood within the park is composes almost entirely of quartz.
• In addition to the petrified trees, there have also been over 200 fossils of other plants and animals discovered in the area.
• Some of the petroglyphs (ancient stone carvings) within the park served as early calendars tracking seasons or events.

Redwood National Park

• In 1850, the Redwood Forest covered two million acres.
• When the Redwood National Park was created in 1968, close to 90% of old growth redwoods had been    cut down.
• One redwood tree has the ability to produce 10 million seeds.
• Some redwoods live to be 2 thousand years old.

Rocky Mountain National Park

• Many visitors come to observe the large wildlife population that includes elk, big horn sheep, mule deer, and moose.
• Some four hundred prehistoric and six hundred historic archeological sites are located within Rocky Mountain National Park.
• The Continental Divide natural divides the park into east and west sections.
• The Ute and Arapaho Indians originally used the Ute Trail, within the Rocky Mountains, as a way through the mountains.

Saguaro National Park

• Saguaro is a large prickly cactus that is native to the region.
• The park service takes a census of the Saguaro cactus each year.
• There are 1.6 million saguaro cacti growing in the Sonoran desert.
• The endangered Lesser Long-nosed bat lives in the region during migration and the park is also home to the Mexican Spotted owl that is on the threatened species list.

Sequoia National Park

• Eighty four percent of Sequoia National Park and adjacent Kings Canyon National Park is designated wilderness accessible by foot or horseback.
• There are no roads crossing the Sierra Nevada within Sequoia National Park.
• The park has 240 known caves and potentially numerous others.
• Since 2003 there have been at least 17 new caves discovered.

Shenandoah National Park

• Skyline drive is a 105-mile scenic route the runs the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park.
• With over two million visitors each year, the Skyline Drive has been designated a National Scenic Byway.
• Some over the oldest exposed rock in the park date back more than one billion years.
• Shenandoah National Park is home to nine major waterfalls.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

• Theodore Roosevelt National Park honors President Roosevelt’s conservation efforts.
• President Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch is one of three units within the park.
• Approximately four hundred buffalo make their home in the park. At two thousand pounds, an average male bull is easily the largest mammal in North America.
• Golden eagles make their nests in cliffs along the Badlands and remain in the park year round.

Virgin Islands National Park

• Virgin Islands National Park includes nearly sixty percent of the island of St. John in the United States Virgin Islands as well as a small section of neighboring St. Thomas Island.
• Most visitors to the park come to enjoy the sandy beaches, coral reefs, scuba diving, and snorkeling.
• The area known as Trunk Bay within Virgin Islands National Park is consistently voted among the top ten beaches worldwide.
• The underwater snorkel trail at Trunk Bay is beginner friendly for anyone wanting to explore the beauty of snorkeling.

Voyageurs National Park

• Voyageurs were French-Canadian fur traders who first traveled and traded in the area.
• Ranger-guided tours of the park in a 26-foot North Canoe are available during summer months.
• In winter months, the surface of the parks lake freeze up to two feet thick.
• The four main lakes within the park are Namakan Lake, Sand Point Lake, and Rainy Lake that straddles the border between Canada and the U.S., and Kabetogama Lake.

Wind Cave National Park

• The Lakota People were the first to speak of what is now called Wind Cave. They considered it a sacred site.
• Atmospheric pressure changes are responsible for the unique wind flow. If pressure is higher outside, wind enters the cave. With higher pressure inside the cave, wind rushes out.
• Rare cave formations known as boxwork and frostwork are found inside Wind Cave.
• Wind Cave is also home to a herd of free-roaming American Bison.

Yosemite National Park

• Though Yosemite Valley is only a small one percent of the total park, most visitors never venture further than this section.
• Yosemite Falls is the highest falls in North America and the sixth highest falls in the entire world.
• Yosemite Falls gets most of its water from snow melts and is often dry by the end of the summer.
• Seven Native American tribes are descended from people who once lived in the Yosemite area.

Zion National Park

• Tarantulas are easily among the biggest spiders in the southeast and they make their home in Zion National Park. Since they are nocturnal sighting one of these hairy creatures is rare.
• Kolob Arch, the largest freestanding arch in Zion National Park and one of the largest in the world is only accessible by hiking into the backcountry.
• The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel was created to provide a direct route to the Bryce and Grand Canyons from Zion National Park. At the time of its construction, it was the longest tunnel of this kind in the U.S.
• The park’s long geological history is revealed in the large expanses of bare rock found within rock towers, sandstone canyons and mesas.

 

RV USA: A Kid’s Guide to US Symbols & American Landmarks

U.S. symbols, historic landmarks, and all other things quintessentially American inspire patriotism and a sense of pride for our great nation. For a kid, there is no better vacation than a family road trip across the US to experience all that America has to offer. Exploring America is a great way for kids to learn about American history and to put them up close and personal with U.S. symbols and historic landmarks. This is a great way to combine a vacation with a fun and educational experience that puts a lot of emphasis on American history and a sense of our country’s origins. This is also a fantastic family bonding experience, a way to get in touch with American patriotism, and something to see, do, and learn instead of just sitting at home during summer vacation. The following article takes a look at some famous U.S. symbols and American landmarks and might just inspire you to head out on the open road with your family!

American Symbols

While America as a country may only be 235 years old, its majestic and captivating symbols have already gained worldwide status as symbols that stand for freedom and liberty. Some symbols like the bald eagle, the flag and the U.S. national anthem are recognized around the world. The bald eagle does not only look strong with its curved beak and its sharp eyes, but it is also the national bird of the U.S. America’s Founding Fathers were excited about comparing their new country to the Roman Republic, which also used eagle imagery in a significant way. The American Flag has 50 stars that stand for the U.S.’s 50 states, while the Flag’s 13 stripes stand for the 13 colonies that defied the British Crown. The Star-Spangled Banner is the U.S.’s national anthem, and its words come from Francis Scott Key’s 1814 poem that described the bombing of Fort McHenry by the Brits. During a road trip, parents can find no better place than to put kids in direct touch with the Star-Spangled Banner than by taking them to a baseball game.

• Kids’ American Symbols Page

• All About the Bald Eagle

• Electronic Tour of the Statue of Liberty

• All About the U.S. Flag

• Patriotic Symbols for Kids

• Teaching Kids About Patriotic Symbols

• American Symbols Lesson Plan (PDF)

• Cyberhunt: Statue of Liberty

• Pledge of Allegiance for Kids (PDF)

• Betsy Ross Flag Cutout

• All About the Star-Spangled Banner

• Star-Spangled Banner for Kids

• All About American Symbols

American People

A big part of America’s history has also been the famous and exceptional Americans who have contributed to making the country’s history rich and memorable. Famous American people have been as integral to the history of America as its famous symbols and landmarks. One of the best places to start with famous Americans is the list of famous presidents, some of whom have had a huge impact on the course of the country and really changed its direction. Abraham Lincoln—whom kids can easily identify by his beard—was the first Republican president, and he is credited (as is the Republican Party) with ending slavery through his leadership in the Civil War. Other famous American people are not necessarily people per se, but more like personifications or symbols of America. In the case of Uncle Sam, for instance, Uncle Sam is not a real person, but is represented in pictures as an old, stern man who personifies the U.S. government; Uncle Sam has been used to recruit for the military.

• All About Famous Americans

• Reports on Famous Americans by Little Kids

• Famous Americans for Kids

• Biographies of some Famous Americans

• Being President for a Day

• George Washington Facts

• President and First Lady Portraits

• Jackie Robinson Lesson Plan

• Kids’ Encyclopedia of Famous American Women

• Clara Barton Information

• Henrietta Chamberlain King Bio

• All About Ulysses S. Grant

• Who was Harriet Tubman?

American Places and Landmark

In a country with a huge surface area like America has (3.79 million square miles), there will be a lot of space for a whole bunch of neat landmarks. Famous and impressive American landmarks appear all over the country and in many states, which makes a road trip the perfect way to see all neat sights. Take Mount Rushmore (actually Mount Rushmore National Memorial), which is found as far north as South Dakota, is not only a world-famous tourist attraction, but it also is an ideal way to combine a history lesson with an impressive sight to see. The mountain features a sculpture of four U.S. presidents carved right into the granite rock face: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson. Of course, the most famous landmark has to be the White House, which is located in Washington, D.C., and it is the seat of power for the whole country, if not for the entire free world. Another appealing U.S. landmark to view during a road trip is the famous Golden Gate Bridge out in the West Coast city of San Francisco, which is one of the longest suspension bridges in the U.S. and has been called one of the most photographed bridges on the planet.

• Lincoln Lob Cabin Website

• U.S. Landmarks Resource Page

• Grand Canyon for Children

• St. Louis Gateway Arch Website

• U.S. Landmarks for Kids

• List of U.S. Landmarks

• Children’s Guide to American Landmarks

• All About the Lincoln Memorial

• The Alamo Remembered for Kids

• What to do at the Golden Gate Bridge

• Videos on U.S. Landmarks

• Coloring Pages for American Landmarks

• U.S. Landmarks Kids under 15 should see

• Cooperstown for Kids Website

 

RV and Camping Skills: Wilderness Survival Tips Every Outdoorsman Should Know

Survival skills are known as techniques an individual might rely on in a perilous circumstance, such as in the case of a natural disaster, to save either himself or herself or others. Survival skills are techniques that are intended to furnish the fundamental skills necessary to maintain human life. Some of these factors that maintain human life are habitat, shelter, water, food, the ability to think straight, the ability to navigate properly, the ability to signal for aid, and the ability to prevent any life threatening interactions with poisonous plants and animals. Survival skills are oftentimes fundamental abilities that people have employed for thousands of years. In that way, wilderness survival skills are really nothing but a way to reenact history.

There are a number of reasons to learn and practice wilderness survival skills. It is a common misconception to believe that survival skills are only learned exclusively for survival purposes. Certain people choose to learn wilderness survival skills in order to better appreciate and unite with nature. For instance, some people who learn survival skills may use their knowledge to simply stay outdoors in nature for longer periods of time, where they can flourish in nature longer than a person without these wilderness survival skills.

It is truly important that someone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors is knowledgeable about being able to provide for himself or herself with regards to shelter, water and food. It may be necessary to learn how to build a shelter because some unforeseen emergency may arise that forces a person to spend time longer in the outdoors than normally expected. Similarly, where to find water and food is a necessary concern because situations may turn unpredictable in the wilderness. A person can only last up to five days without water and up to a few weeks without food, provided that they drink water regularly, so he or she has to make sure to know where to find both in the wild.

For safety’s sake, anyone venturing into the outdoors for even short periods of time should know something about survival skills. It is better to be safe rather than sorry. Knowing even something as fundamental as basic first-aid can mean the difference between death and survival. The following will provide a comprehensive resource on essential wilderness survival tips and advice.

Food and Water

• Making Drinking Water Safer

• Basic Skills to find Food and Water

• How to Find Water Outdoors

• How to Find Food Outdoors

• Poisonous Plants

• Traps and Snares

• Plants to eat while in the Wilderness

• Vegetation that is Edible

• Tips, Tactics, and Techniques for Trappers

• Use of Snares

Fire Making

• Video on Starting a Fire

• Starting a Fire Advice

• Video: Starting a Fire with only some Sticks

• How to Build a Fire Outdoors

• Instructional Video on Building a Fire Outdoors

• The Outdoors and Fire Building

• How to Make Fire

• Making Fire with a Hand Drill

• Making Fire with a Bow Drill

• Primitive Fire Making

Predators

• Dealing with Bobcats in the Outdoors

• Encountering Bobcats in the Wild

• Suggestions on Avoiding Wild Animals

• Instructions for Meeting a Bear in the Wild

• Precautions in Case a Bear Attacks

• Tips to Defend Against a Cougar Attack

• Be Bare Aware

• How to Avoid Grizzly Bears

• How to Avoid or Survive an Encounter with a Mountain Lion

First Aid

• Basic Survival Medicine
  

• Need for First Aid Outdoors

• First Aid in a Wilderness Setting

• Treating Shock

• Wilderness Survival: First Aid and Health

Shelter

• Making a Shelter in the Wild

• How to Build a Shelter

• How to Create a Shelter in the Wild

• Information on Wilderness Shelters

• Building a Shelter in the Outdoors

• Survival Shelter

• Survival in the Wilderness

• Constructing a Wilderness Survival Shelter

Navigation

• Orienteering in the Woods

• Navigating with less than a Compass

• How to Navigate

• How to use a Compass (PDF)

• Compass Basics

• How to Use a Compass

• Finding Directions Without a Compass

• Navigation Using Sticks, Stones and the Stars.

Additional Survival Skills

• Field and Stream: Survival Web Page

• Getting From Lost to Found

• Survival Advice (PDF)

• Camping and Backpacking Hygiene and Health Tips

• Outdoor Travel Safety Guide (PDF)

• Anatomy of a First Aid Kit

• Woods and Camping Safety for the Whole Family

• Do-it-Yourself Survival Kit

 

Yellowstone National: Park Your RV

History

The Yellowstone region of North America has a long and illustrious history of human in-habitation before it became a national park. In fact, for approximately 11,000 years before an American would step foot on the land, aboriginal Americans fished, hunted, and called this land home. In 1805, during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, white explorers met the Nez Perce, Crow, and Shoshone tribes, and though they were told of the Yellowstone region to the south, they did not explore it.

The area that would eventually become the park has a literally mythical background. The first white explorer to visit the land, having seen its geothermic properties (geysers, hot springs, and petrified trees) returned home referring to the region as a place of “fire and brimstone,” a claim which most believed was a result of delirium suffered from the expedition and from battles he fought against the Native Americans in the area. Eventually, more reports of (at the time) unbelievable geothermic activity were being relayed east, yet still people considered them myth.

It was not until over sixty years later that a detailed expedition was made during the Cook-Folsom-Peterson Expedition of 1869. By 1871, the area was set aside by Congress as “a pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people,” and became the first national park in the United States.

Visiting

About 2 million tourists have visited Yellowstone National Park for the past fifty years, making it one of the most frequently visited regions of the country. While the amount and type of business which is allowed into the park is highly regulated, the popularity of the area has made it so that the person looking to be surrounded both by breathtaking scenery and the amenities of home can have his needs met, as well as someone more interested in living off the land. There are nine hotels, and many smaller cabins run by the concessionaires at the park, offering varying degrees of luxury as befits the guest’s budget and tastes.

The park makes it relatively easy to access the various natural and man-made landmarks within the park, though road construction has been an ongoing reality for years. Still, there are over 300 miles of paved road within the park, and though it is best to have your own transportation to use these roads, it is easy to set up a tour with one of the tour companies. If you plan on using the roads for the vast majority of your trip, be prepared for delays, as anything from natural wildlife, to people stopping or slowing to photograph the scenery, to the ongoing road repairs, can cause traffic jams for miles.

Recreation

This region of North America, from the Grand Teton National Park, to surrounding National Forests and north through Yellowstone, features more than 2,000 campsites in all manner of geography. Most are accessible by car and do not require a permit to use, though they can be difficult to reserve. Many others, however, though equally difficult to reserve, are only accessible on foot or horseback and permits are required to camp here. Pet owners are welcome at the park, but the pet must be kept on a leash at all times when outdoors and these visitors must camp near the “front country” campsites. 

Though hunting is allowed during hunting season in the neighboring forests, it is not allowed at any time within the park. Fishing, however, is allowed and encouraged so long as the fisherman has acquired a Yellowstone Park fishing license. Fish cannot be kept and most waters are restricted to fly-fishing as the only means of fishing. The vast majority of waters do not allow boating, but Yellowstone Lake does have a marina.

Yellowstone National Park’s Official Website
Woods and Camping Safety for the Family
Winter RV Camping Safety
Hit the Road! RV Camping Safety Tips
Hiking Safety Guide
How to Choose a Camp
Cole Weather Camping and Hypothermia
What to Bring – Camping Lists
Camping Recipes
Kids and Healthy Lifestyles: How Camps Can Help
Making the Most of Our National Parks
Family Ideas for National Park Visits
History of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park’s Government Website
Yellowstone’s Hot Springs, Geysers, etc.
Montana Virtual Visitor
Yellowstone Park Foundation
Camping at Yellowstone National Park
Backcountry Camping in Yellowstone National Park
Support Your National Parks
What to Do If You Encounter a Bear
Yellowstone Teton Territory – Scenic Drives
Remaking the Fishing in Yellowstone National Park
Protect Yellowstone’s Native Fisheries
Yellowstone Association – Visiting Guide
Yellowstone with Kids – Winter Visits

 

RV Travel: Make Road Trips Kid-Friendly and Educational

Traveling with children can be frustrating for adults and kids alike. Parents can do their share in making the time in a car, RV, hotel room, or on a plane go by much faster by planning ahead and providing fun activities for their children: map reading, geography, spelling, manners lessons, word games, etc. There are great ways for kids to partake in educational activities without feeling as though they are in school. Consider the following links for occupying kids time while traveling.

State of Nebraska: Car Activities

This site includes downloadable coloring pages and a large selection of games including highway alphabet soup, back road bingo, the rainbow game, sign finder, cow counter, maze, word search, connect the dots, license plate roundup, city sightings, picture find, and word jumble, all perfect and perfectly themed for the road.

National Atlas: Map Maker

Using this site will allow children and parents alike to be able to create their own maps online, featuring display items including agriculture, biology, boundaries, climate, environment, geology, people, references, and history. There is so much to play with and learn from.

University of Missouri: eThemes: Grammar: Spelling

Here is a comprehensive source for kid-friendly online content, focusing on spelling, grammar, and educational activities.

California Department of Transportation: Kids Page

This page is a great resource with games including find the potholes, Caltrans ‘roadeo’, trivia quiz, bridge designing, travel bingo, an activity book, and educational material on infrastructure.

FedStats: Mapstats for Kids

Links and graphics perfect for educating children on maps and statistics by using games, colors for painting maps, and fun strategy activities: the network challenge, market manager, and data to graphics.

Library of Congress: Everyday Mysteries

This site features fun science facts including random animal trivia, perfect for an educational and interesting drive.

Williamson County Schools: Oak View Elementary: Spelling Games

This site features a perfect kid-friendly game for road trips and flights alike.

U.S. Census Bureau: Fact Finder Kids’ Corner

Kides can easily get information on the U.S. Census and all 50 states with this fun quiz. It also includes quick facts, and information on the U.S. Census in simple words that kids can understand.

U.S. Government Printing Office: Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids

A fun and informative guide to the U.S. made specifically for children including basic map reading from North America.

U.S. Department of State for Youth: Where In the World is the Secretary?

Similar to the Carmen San Diego show, this interactive map follows Secretary Clinton as she travels throughout the world. It allows traveling children the opportunity to track their own travels on the map with markers.

Central Intelligence Agency: Kids’ Page

This area of the CIA’s website allows children to play games, use coloring books, and go on code breaking missions. There is world exploration software, and games called aerial analysis challenge and photo challenge.

Penn State University: Take the stress out of family road trips

Another article on fun road trips specifically geared for families of children. With tips such as providing bubbles, puppets, projects and journals, these age appropriate ideas should be a great resource for families on long journeys.

Bank Street College’s Guide to Literacy for volunteers and tutors: Writing Activities

Parents can try out these simple and fun activities. All they need is to give their kids a pencil and a pad of paper. With a little direction and proper encouragement, kids should be distracted for a long time.

North Carolina State University: Activity Guide Ages 5 to 8: Manners Matter

This guide is the perfect outline for parents to discuss manners using age appropriate social lingo with their children. If the kids are a little older, there are tabs for ages 9-12 and 13-19, as well.

Stanford University: Traveling with Children… Things to Remember: Developmental Considerations

Here is a generous resource, with a fantastic reminder checklist for all parents prior to any travel with children.

Walden University: Teaching Kids Manners

Perfect for parents to review when hoping to teach age appropriate manners and etiquette to their children. This site provides a great read for a long trip.

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh: Traveling with Children

Here is another great resource for parents to review before, during, and after a trip with kids.

Penn State University: Building Strong Families: Traveling with Kids

This is an article with different travel tips for parents provided by the Better Kid Care Program.

Baby Center: Road Trip Survival Guide

This article gives tips on traveling with children from infancy to 3 ½ years of age.

eHOW: How to Travel with Children

This gives tips on traveling with kids by car and by airplane.

 

31 Strangest Places to Sleep

Road warriors are accustomed to hunkering down in some unusual places. Wal-Mart parking lot? No problem. In a random guy’s driveway? Even better. We can get forty winks anywhere, anytime.

But have you ever stayed in one of these wacky, outrageous, and totally strange locales? From odd RVs and weird RV parks to the just plain uncomfortable, our list of the 31 strangest places to sleep makes dozing off on a park bench seem perfectly normal.

1. Inside the Amphibious RV
   
   Source: http://babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/archive/2008/06/30/now-that-s-what-i-call-an-rv.aspx

   You’ve been asking for years: “When are they going to make an RV that floats?” For 1.2 million dollars, you can take to the high seas in your Amphibious RV, where you can fish all day from your couch.

2. With 20 Strangers
   
   Source: http://everypictures.blogspot.com/2009/12/art-of-extreme-sleeping.html

   Want to sleep strange? Curl up in this tour bus – it’s like a frat house on wheels. We recommend not being the first person to pass out.

3. Inside this Crazy Camper
   
   Source: http://www.campingroadtrip.com/weird-rvs

   Settle down for a nice nap in this camper. It might be bumpy, but getting your friend to pull you along while you snooze in the back is worth the rough ride. We hate to see what happens if he gets rear-ended.

4. At the Trailer Park Taj Mahal
   
   Source: http://www.everyjoe.com/uncovertheinternet/funny-photo-trailer-park-taj-mahal/

   It’s the third wonder of the RV world (right behind Kadie the Cow and Corn Palace. The RV Taj Mahal stands five Winnebagos high and features 8 satellite dishes, 32 lawn chairs and a flock of plastic pink flamingos. Running water coming soon.

5. At the Flintstone Campground
   
   Source: http://www.yelp.com/biz/flintstones-bedrock-city-williams

   Yabba-Dabba-Doo! Rock out like Fred and Wilma at the Bedrock Campgrounds in Williams, Arizona.

6. In Slab City, On-Top of Salvation Mountain
   
   Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonstarbuck/2416150679/

   Salvation Mountain in California is a strangely beautiful (albeit garish) tribute to Jesus. It’s said to be one of the only RV campgrounds left that are completely free.

   Leonard Knight, the eccentric creator of Salvation Mountain, will happily give you a tour.

   Claim to fame: This strange place to sleep was featured in the 2007 film Into the Wild.

7. In the Buff at the Pines, a Nudist RV Park
   
   Source: http://www.thepinesrvp.com

   Think you’ve seen everything on your travels? Think again. Sleep in the buff in a pine bluff at the Pines RV Park. Don’t worry about closing those blinds. Naked is normal!

8. Next to Yogi Bear in Jellystone Park
   
   Source: http://www.campjellystone.com/

   Bring your RV and camp with Yogi and Bobo! Surprisingly, Jellystone Park locations stretch across the country, making them the second largest campground franchise in the United States.

9. In a WalMart Parking Lot
   
   Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wandering-yxy/252237295/in/pool-1231130@N21

   Sleeping in the Wal-Mart parking lot is a rite of passage for road warriors. But it’s definitely strange to those who have never RVed before.

   Tip: Most Wal-Mart stores welcome RV overnight parking, and many have security. It is good etiquette to ask the store manager for permission, and don’t rollout the awning or put out lawn furniture: low key is the key. http://www.cruising-america.com/rv.html

10. Where Lord of the Rings was Filmed
    
    Source: http://www.top10.co.nz/parks/franz-josef-holiday-park.html

    You won’t be catching ZZZs with Frodo, but you can sleep in the shadow of where Lord of the Rings was filmed, at the Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park on South Island, New Zealand

    That’s not the only unusual thing about this RV Park. It’s surrounded by glaciers, kiwis, kayaking spots and near the highest peak in New Zealand.

11. Siberia
    
    Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12535240@N05/3998639880/

    Pokrovskoye, Siberia the hometown of Grigori Rasputin. In Siberia you can camp anywhere on the side of the road, but there is apparently lots of trash, and sometimes isn’t very safe. So lock your RV door!

12. With Ghosts
    
    Source: http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_6381.shtml

    Sportsman’s RV Park in Libby, Montana is haunted. “It is said that many aimless souls lost their lives waiting for work at the site, camping in the woods when they could not afford a stay at the Inn. There is also a tale that every spring, thunderstorms bring about the shadowy figure of a ghost that wears a hooded poncho as he floats above the ground.” Boo!

13. Where the Buffalo Roam
    
    Source: http://goss-travels.blogspot.com/2009/09/antelope-island-balloon-and-kite.html

    Antelope Island, in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. It’s an island. With buffalo. In Great Salt Lake. The chances that you’ll wake up to a beast that’s almost the size of your RV makes this one wild locale and worthy of our sleep strange list.

14. At the Feet of a Giant
    
    Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/493287872/

    Take a rest under the protective eyes of Jolly Green Giant. Boondock for 48 hours at the Blue Earth, Minnesota fairgrounds. Wake up refreshed and craving green beans.

15. At Turn 4: The Daytona 500
    
    Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=2346804

    People wait their entire lives to hitch up at turn four of The Great American Race. Bring the earplugs – stockcars whiz by turn four at over 150 miles per hour for 200 laps.

16. Have Nightmares at Camp Crystal Lake
    
    Source: http://revealthescience.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-never-too-late.html

    Established in Starke, Florida since 1948, Camp Crystal Lake is known for its canoeing, rope climbing and camp counselor slaughtering from a machete-wheedling maniac. One would think being associated with the camp from the Friday the 13th horror franchise might hurt business, but camp directors say attendance only falls a few brief weekends a year.

17. In the middle of the desert
    
    Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/slworking/2443912516/

    Strange things happen out in the desert in the middle of the night. You’re practically guaranteed one weird experience, whether it’s a UFO landing on your rooftop or meeting the Mafia.

18. Place with the Strangest Name
    
    Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/biscuitsmlp/3874402195/

    Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales. Fall asleep counting letters and counting sheep in the town with the longest place name in Europe. You’ll live to tell the tale. But you will never be able to pronounce the name.

19. On the Edge of the Grand Canyon
    
    Source: http://www.rvtravel.com/blog/weirdrvs/2007_04_01_archive.html

    Fantastic views; not awesome parking. Bring a deck of cards because you’re not doing much else when you make it to the top of this Wile E. Coyote cliff.

20. In a Capsule
    
    Source: http://kshore.com/news/news.php?id=134

    And you thought sleeping in an RV was cramped! Wait until you try the Sleep Boxes in the Dubai Airport. These 12′ x 9′ x 15′ walk-in coffins offer WiFi, an LCD TV and nearly enough headroom to stand.

21. In a Capsule, on Water
    
    Source: http://capsulehotel.info/images.html#

    Think you’ll doze delightfully in a capsule? How does sleeping in an oil rig survival pod float your boat? This hotel in The Hague is not for the claustrophobic-aquaphobic.

22. Sleep Sacred
    
    Source: http://www.oldchurch.eu/

    You may have fallen asleep in church before (be honest!), but that doesn’t count. Touted as an “uplifting experience,” the Old Church of Urquhart in Scotland is one sacred place to dream.

23. Doze Off on the Door to Hell
    
    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derweze

    Bunker down on top of the “door to hell” in Uzbekistan. You won’t need a blanket.

24. On the Side of a Truck Car
    
    Don’t they look comfy?
25. While Hunting
    
    Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yBXULl54GC8/SQFPHwGuLFI/AAAAAAAABC0/_76T3bSNX0E/s400/funny-deer-picture-sleeping-hunter-outdoors-smart-animal-stealing-food.jpg

    You should decide early on if “hunting” means actively looking for animals to shoot. Or catching a wink while an animal preys on your lunch.

26. On a RickShaw
    
    Source: http://www.sleepingchinese.com/

    It’s not an RV. But a rickshaw makes a good napping place.

27. On a SeeSaw
    
    Source: http://www.sleepingchinese.com/

    There’s nothing like a good nap after a hard day’s play.

28. Inside a Beagle
    
    Source: www.UnusualHotelsoftheWorld.com

    You’ve heard of the beagle that snoozes on top of the dog house. But did you know you can conk out inside of a giant beagle?

29. Inside a Tauntaun
    
    Source: www.ThinkGeek.com

    Check out the light saber zipper! Slice open your favorite creature from Hoth and crawl into the intestines imprint liner.. Now you can finally find out how bad they smell… on the inside.

30. Inside a Submarine
    
    Source: http://www.carolhipperson.com/Chapter10RadiomanBonusPhotos.html

    Sack out inside a submarine. It’s pitch black. Pretty cold. Probably boring .The perfect place to sleep!

31. While CliffHanging
    
    Source: http://www.piotrwojcicki.pl/

    Don’t toss. Or turn. Just stay completely still.

 

Adventure Calls: 117 Things to Add to Your RV bucket list

Hail, ye fellow Road Warriors! Adventure is calling – but where to go first? Whether hitting the pavement as a first-timer or as an asphalt veteran, it’s time to get inspired by this big and beautiful country we live in. Check off these 117 must-see locales while you’re cruising in your “road house” before you kick the bucket.

1. Experience the first rays of sun before anyone else in America. In the fall, drive or hike up Cadillac Mountain on Maine’s Mt. Desert Island.
   • Travel Tip: Stay and enjoy Acadia National Park at the Mt. Desert Narrows Campground, whose sister campground, Narrows Too, is Big Rig friendly.

1. Determine which coastal New England town hosts the best crab cakes.
2. Ride the oldest working carousel in the country. Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
   • Travel Tip: Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground is the only campground on the island.
3. Buy a lobster off a lobstering boat in a coastal marina.
4. Cruise the winding roads of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire when autumn is in full swing.

1. Drive down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. Deck out the RV in patriotic decorations: flags, streamers, ribbons. Play the national anthem as loud as you can. Wave to children.
   • Travel Tip: The closest RV Park/Campground to Washington D.C. is Cherry Hill Park. College Park, Maryland.
2. Spend a peaceful evening listening to the loons in the Adirondacks.

1. Eat a pizza in Mystic, Connecticut.
2. Take a picture next to each of Saratoga Springs’ 34 horse statues. Saratoga Springs, New York.
   • Travel Tip: Whispering Pines Campsites & RV Park is picturesque and minutes away from Saratoga Springs.
3. Have a paper airplane throwing contest on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in honor of the Kitty Hawk.
4. Cook a gourmet meal in your RV.
5. Get drenched at Niagara Falls.

1. Go whale watching off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
2. Pick blueberries in the eastern-most town in the United States: Lubec, Maine.
3. Drive over the highest vehicular bridge in the Americas: New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. Don’t look down!

1. Discover why New Jersey is called the Garden State. Drive through southern New Jersey and along the Appalachian Trail.
2. Roll the dice in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

1. Meander down Ashley River Road through Charleston, South Carolina.
2. Collect some blue grass in Kentucky. Press it in a journal or book.
3. Invite Mickey and Minnie to dinner in your RV. Or at least get their autographs.
   • Travel Tip: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom.
4. Look for a green light at the end of a dock where The Great Gatsby was filmed. Rosecliff Mansion, Newport, Rhode Island.

1. Camp on the beach. Edisto Island, South Carolina.
2. Time your West Virginia road trip to coincide with a meteor shower. Drive until there are no lights and stay up all night.
3. Savannah, Georgia is voted Top 50 Most Romantic Cities in America. Go there. Go on a date.
   • Travel Tip: Stay for a night or two in Fort McAllister Historic Park – Richmond Hill Campground.

1. Take a winter Vermont trip! Ski the bunny hills (or double black diamond runs) at Stowe, indulge in free ice cream samples at the Ben & Jerry’s factory near Waterbury, walk down Church Street Marketplace in Burlington.
2. Time your stay on Chesapeake’s Eastern Shore with the migration of the birds south for the winter. Many pass right through the Atlantic Flyaway.
   • Travel Tip: Chesapeake View Campground is the perfect place to put up your feet after a long day of bird watching.
3. Try spelunking – or just going for a walk – in Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. Central Kentucky.

1. Touch the one-of-a-kind rock formations in Tishomingo State Park driving along scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, in Tishomingo County, Mississippi.
2. Sell some trinkets in the World’s Longest Yard Sale – the 127 Corridor Sale – in early August. 654 miles, starting in West Unity, Ohio and ending in Gadsden, Alabama.
3. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia to North Carolina.

1. Park your rig at the 411 Drive-In for a night of old-fashioned movie fun. Leesburg, Alabama.
2. Vote on your favorite float for Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
   • Travel Tip: Looking for a place to stay? Try Riverboat Travel Park, only a few miles from the French Quarter.
3. Eat a peach while touring the Martin Luther King Jr. historic site. Atlanta, Georgia.
4. Count the wildlife you see in the Everglades. Be wary of alligators.
5. Take a picture on the observation tower at Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
   • Travel Tip: There is no entry fee to the park – one of the only National Parks in the country without one.

1. Glue some rhinestones to the soles of your shoes and tour Graceland. Memphis, Tennessee.
2. Blast “Coat of Many Colors” and cruise through Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, home of Dollywood.
3. Get lucky in Kentucky. Bet on a horse at Churchill Downs. Louisville, Kentucky.
4. Take a picture by the Southermost Point Buoy. Key West, Florida.
   • Travel Tip: Word of mouth is that, while hard to find at night, El Mar RV Resort is the most cost effective in this expensive region.
5. Chase a tornado in Kansas. Or err on the side of caution and visit a local weather center.
6. Ditch the RV and take a buggy ride through Amish Country. Shreve, Ohio.
   • Travel Tip: Think about staying at Whispering Hills RV Park. It’s a good thought, isn’t it?
7. Wash your hair in the water fall at Ash Cave. Hocking Hills, Ohio.

1. Bring the beer and burgers! Tailgate a Buckeye football game. Columbus, Ohio.
   • Travel Tip: The Schottenstein Center in the Buckeye lots is a great spot for Ohio State Tailgating.
2. Hibernate under the stars at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore, Michigan.
3. Voyage through Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota.
4. Be devilish! Skinny dip in Devils Lake. Baraboo, Wisconsin.

1. Ride down the Magnificent Mile. Blast your favorite song and wave to all the shoppers. On your way out of the city, cruise down Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, Illinois.
2. There’s no place like home! Wear sparkly red shoes and click your heels three times in Kansas.
3. Park your RV for a day. Bike to the ferry terminal at Mackinac Island, Michigan, where no cars are allowed.
   • Travel Tip: Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping is close by and is a favorite amongst travelers.
4. Take a tour of Abe Lincoln’s house. Observe the size of his home compared to your RV. Springfield, Illinois.
5. Stroll through the Garden of Gods at dawn in Shawnee National Forest. Southern Illinois.
   • Travel Tip: Oak Point is a campground located right in the Shawnee National Forest

1. Run the bases at the Field of Dreams. Dyersville, Iowa.
2. Drive your RV under the St. Louis Arch and beep your horn. As much as you would like.
3. Get all dolled up and see a Country show in Branson, Missouri.
4. One hump or two? Trek through the West Texas Sand Dunes in Monahans Sandhills State Park on a camel. Watch out, they spit.
5. Eat a hamburger under the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle. Collinsville, Illinois.
6. Dance barefoot in a sunflower field in the Sunflower State (Kansas).

1. Snap your RV’s photo in front of Carhenge. Create your own miniature Carhenge out of toy cars. Alliance, Nebraska.
2. Spelunk at Wind Cave National Park. Hot Springs, South Dakota.
3. Hang your shoes on the shoe tree off US 50 in Nevada.
4. Read lines from Mark Twain’s Huck Finn. Follow the Mississippi from North to South in your car for one day and see how far you can get.
5. Get your kicks on Route 66! Drive the historic route from Oklahoma to New Mexico.

1. Go batty! View the World’s Largest Urban Bat Colony. Wear a hat. Austin, Texas.
2. See the buffalo roam by taking the Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway in South Dakota.
3. Meet an extraterrestrial. Visit Roswell and Corona, New Mexico.
4. Remember the Alamo? Attend an Alamo reenactment. San Antonio, Texas.

1. Get lost. Find an unmarked road on your map and follow it for a few hours.
2. Eat dinner with our Forefathers. Park your RV within sight of Mt. Rushmore and nosh on your favorite American cuisine.
   • Travel Tip: Hill City is a convenient place to park, plug in and see everything.

1. Be bad! Drive your RV 5-miles over the speed limit through the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway.
2. Go crazy! Gallop a horse up to the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
3. Stock up on supplies at Wall Drug. Wall, South Dakota.
4. Have a photo shoot at Cadillac Ranch. Amarillo, Texas.

1. Cruise the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, windows down, and don’t stop until you spot an Elvis.
   • Travel Tip: The Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort is nearly as decadent as The Strip itself!
2. For one whole day, avoid the interstate and take the back roads in North Dakota.
3. Take your little house on the Prairie. Go on a pilgrimage from Missouri to South Dakota and stop at least 3 of the 8 Wilder Destinations – Independence, Kansas (Little House on the Prairie), Walnut Grove, Minnesota (On the Banks of Plum Creek) and De Smet, South Dakota. Don’t miss the Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri, built by Wilder and her husband and where Wilder wrote the Little House books.
4. Pretend you’re a cowboy or cowgirl for a day. Camp out in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming.
   • Travel Tip: Big Horn Mountains Campground claims to be the closet campground to the Big Horn Mountains.

1. Ride the Million Dollar Highway in western Colorado.
2. Salute the brave American pooches and their handlers at the West Coast War Dog Memorial outside of the March Field Air Force Base. Riverside, California.
3. Pack some extra sweaters and head up to Fairbanks come winter. Witness the Northern Lights in all their glory.
4. Experience the sights and sounds of a concert at the Gorge in George, Washington.

1. Visit the Seven Feathers RV Resort, said to be one of the finest RV resorts in the United State.
   • Travel Tip: Free WiFi, indoor swimming pool and spa, designer patios, and a casino resort complex all reside at the Seven Feathers.
2. Embrace unobstructed views of ocean sunsets at the Doran Beach Regional Park just north of San Francisco, California.
3. Ride the Alaska Ferry into Haines Hitch-Up RV Park and view the breathtaking scenery of the Last Frontier. Haines, Alaska.
4. Take a ride down on of the most beautiful highways in the world – Highway 1. Visit the Hearst Castle. San Simeon, California.

1. Enjoy the abundant wildflowers when you make your spring visit to Sequoia National Park. Near Visalia, California.
2. Get blow away by the Old Faithful Geyser of California, which erupts every 45 minutes. Calistoga, CA.
3. Go wine tasting through the vineyards of Walla Walla, Washington.
4. See one of Arizona’s most remote and most beautiful state parks. Alamo Lake State Park, western Arizona.
   • Travel Tip: At the dead end of a 40-mile desert road, you’ll find of the most coveted spots for warm water fishing and green desert plant life.

1. Visit one of the largest galleries of vintage coin operated mechanical music makers, strength testers and fortune testers at the Musée Mecanique. San Francisco, California.
2. Go water skiing on Lake Coeur d’Alene at the ultra modern Coeur d’Alene RV Resort. Post Falls, Idaho.
3. Camp just outside of Disneyland at the Anaheim Harbor RV Park and walk to the Magic Kingdom just in time for the opening ceremony on Main Street U.S.A. Anaheim, California.
4. Take a boat trip down the Snake River through Hell’s Canyon. Baker City, Oregon.

1. Camp at the historic United States fort in Fort Flagler State Park. Near Port Townsend, Washington.
2. Stop by the National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military in front of the USS Midway in San Diego, CA.
3. View the largest ocean of volcanic lava flows in the continental United States at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Arco, Idaho.
   • Travel Tip: There are no hookups or showers on site, but you can find large campsites 18 miles east of the preserve.
4. Take a ride down a natural water chute at Slide Rock State Park. Sedona, Arizona.
5. Experience the awe-inspiring fury of Yosemite Falls at the Yosemite National Park in east-central California.
   • Travel Tip: Make your reservations well in advance. While it is possible to camp at Yosemite National Park without a reservation, it’s best to make a reservation up to 6 months in advance with the National Park Service.

1. Eat a breakfast burrito with “Christmas” chili at Tia Sofia’s. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
2. Enjoy the Apple Blossom Festival in a Bavarian getaway. Leavenworth, Washington.
3. Take a picture of the painted badlands from the Kachina Point Lookout. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.

1. Sip on wine in the hidden Oregon vineyards of Rogue Valley.
   • Travel Tip: Take a side trip to Crater Lake an hour east or coastal redwood forest two hours west.
2. Trek through the self-guided Lava Flow Nature Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Coconino County, Arizona.
3. Go biking around the rolling coastline of the San Juan Islands, Washington.
4. Join a snowball fight in July. Mount Rainier, Washington.

1. Hike the Alpine Ridge Trail in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Northern Colorado.
2. Go tubing down the Yampa River. Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
3. Learn the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite when you visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Near Carlsbad, New Mexico.

1. Hunt for prehistoric fossils at the Dinosaur National Monument. Moffat County, Utah.
2. Drive by the world’s largest thermometer. Baker, California.
3. Say hello to the giant Apatosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex off I-10. Cabazon, California.

1. Get stuck in the Le Brea Tar Pits. Los Angeles, California.
2. Take a stop at Dinosaur Town, complete with volcano toilets. Granger, Washington.
3. Venture into the Wild West when you pass through a historic (and haunted) ghost town. Garnet, Montana.

1. Witness the Cathedral of the Bomb at Historic Nuclear Reactor B. Hanford, Washington.
2. Retrace the steps of two famous explorers when you travel to the coast on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
3. Venture through the only temperate rainforest in the world. Olympic National Park, Washington.
   • Travel Tip: Elwah Dam RV Park was rated “Best RV Park by a Dam Site” in 2003.
4. Take a dip in the Boiling River – Yellowstone National Park’s most popular natural soaking area. Near Gardiner, Montana.

Once you check off this bucket list, start another one. See you on the road!