one year in America

Seat24A wrote:Since you mentioned NPs and RVs, I would recommend the ones in Utah - Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Canyonlands. The scenery is incredible and there are plenty of campsites (not just the big ones in the parks, but also some state ones off the beaten track). We went in early October and the weather was still good, but much less crowds.

The Grand Canyon and Yosemite NPs are "must see" places, but also check out some of the less visited parks like Joshua Tree and Sequoia/Kings Canyon.

This is exactly my opinion. Zion is one of my all time favourite parks, as is Joshua Tree. The others mentioned are all fantastic and highly recommended from me as well.

If you're going to more than a couple of national parks, be sure to get an annual pass (http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm). It's $80 and allows 2 signees. I'm not sure how it works if both signees are driving separate vehicles and entering at the same time. Most parks charge an entry fee in the neighbourhood of $17 just to drive in. The pass is also good for discounted camping in BLM operated sites and quickly makes up its value. We went to City of Rocks (Idaho), Arches, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Yosemite in one trip last summer and would have well exceeded $80 in park entrance fees alone. The pass will still be good for our next trip to Zion, Bryce, Antelope Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Arches later this summer when we're back from Europe.

Wow, this thread is epic already.

Once place that hasn't gotten mentioned (I think) is Carlsbad Caverns and the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas. If you have a year I'd say hit the Albuquerque, New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Fiesta then jaunt over to Carlsbad and stay a couple nights camping in the Guadalupe Mountains Park.

Also, the Rocky Mountains during the summer... say in Breckenridge/Copper Mountain area, SO PRETTY. I would spend a week at the state parks in Colorado in the Rockies and just explore.

The Grand Canyon is amazing as well and does well paired with Las Vegas.

Another fantastic area is the Redwoods in Northern California. Redwoods National Park litterally lets you walk around giant redwoods that put me in my place every time.

If you have time, the Pacific Nortthwest is just beautiful and great for culture... take a trip into British Columbia and see Vancouver/Victoria from Seattle and see some of the truly beautiful and unique area that the other portion of the states doesn't offer.

Enjoy!

I agree that all of the National Parks mentioned are worth a visit. Since you mentioned an interest in history, I would say you need to visit all the great lodges built during the Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps in many of the national parks mentioned. I would also include Denali National Park, Katmai National Park, Kenai Fiords National Park, Glacier Bay National Park and others in Alaska if you make it that far north. The National Park $80.00 annual pass fee would be well worth the money.

Permit me to wade in based on three USA, RV cross countrys.
For history you can't beat Boston. (RV Camping in Plymouth and Cape Cod, commute by rail to the city) Freedom Trail, Paul Revere House.

On one trip in September we went South from Boston to New York City, camping at Liberty Harbor RV Park in NJ with easy trans to NYC.
South to Pennsylvania, Revolutionary War history, Washington Crossing, Delaware, Philadelphia, Liberty Bell, and Amish country in Lancaster. (RV Camping Lancaster Co)
We continued south to Washington DC, great museums, and then to Virginia. Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg are within 20 miles of one another. First settlement in US Jamestown, 1607, Colonial history.

On that trip we were headed for Mexico so we turned west and south from Virginia and headed via Memphis (Elvis) Nashville, and to New Orleans, a must see for the music, food, and history.
On another trip in June we headed from the East Coast to the Erie Canal for biking and then Niagara Falls. We continued west to Chicago (Museums, food, history) and then to the Badlands Loop Road of South Dakota and to Sturgis for the August motorcycle rally. Within a half day drive you have Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore, and Deadwood. We camped in Spearfish Canyon.
West to Buffalo, the Bighorns, incredible scenery, Powder River Pass, and then Yellowstone.

The August buffalo rut in Yellowstone was underway and we had many buffalo sightings, also wolf, elk, and grizzly. Tons of good RV camping in Yellowstone.
A short drive south offers Teton NP, great scenery and wildlife, several RV parks.
We went south to Moab Utah for hiking and mountain biking, dramatic scenery in Arches NP and Canyonlands. Low priced camping on the Potash road on the Colorado River in Moab.
That trip included the Grand Canyon which is a must see. Plenty of RV and tent camping available on the North Rim. Zion and Brice Canyons were on a loop to Las Vegas through the Valley of Fire SP. We visited in Tucson AZ, lots of history, Tombstone, Tubac, mission churches. From Tucson we went to White Sands New Mexico, Chaco Canyon, Taos, and Santa Fe.