Our 2-Month Family RV Trip Across the U.S. and Canada | Daily Travel Journal
- Dana Shik
- Jun 12
- 45 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Over nearly two months, our family of six (plus our dog) traveled more than 5,000 miles (over 8,000 km) through 8 American states and 2 Canadian provinces in our 36-foot motorhome while both working full-time. We visited 9 national parks, explored small towns and big cities, cooked almost every meal in our RV, and documented the entire journey day by day. Whether you're planning a similar road trip or just curious what extended RV travel really looks like, you'll find our daily experiences, favorite stops, campground reviews, practical tips, and destination guides all in one place.
Our Trip At a Glance
🚍5,139 Miles Traveled
🛣️9 National Parks Visited
🗺️8 States Visited: IN-WI-MN-SD-[NB]-WY-MT-ND-IL
🗺️2 Canadian Provinces Visited: BC-AB
🍽️ Nearly every meal cooked in our RV
💼 Two full-time remote jobs while traveling
🐻 Wildlife sightings, hikes, campgrounds, and family adventures
Explore the Trip Guides
Destination Guides
Travel Life Guides
More destination guides from this trip are coming soon, including Banff, Glacier, Drumheller, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and more!
Navigate and Explore Our Adventures Highlights!
Home - Thursday, June 11th
We are leaving on our journey tomorrow morning to start our 2-month family RV trip and can't believe we're actually there! For months I've been planning this trip while recovering from a complicated knee fracture that still hasn't fully healed, so there is definitely some uncertainty ahead. But after all the planning, packing, and anticipation, we're finally ready to hit the road.
Over the next two months we'll be traveling through 8 states and 2 Canadian provinces in our RV, working remotely, homeschooling summer-style, exploring national parks, and cooking our way across North America.
We'll be sharing updates here every day (with plenty of photos, of course), so follow along as our summer adventure begins! 🏕️🚐
Home to Indiana - Friday, June 12th
Day 1 is officially underway. After a very long morning in our home (Ohio), with many "did we pack XXX??" moments, we finally hit the road and started our summer adventure of nearly 2 months. We're driving our 36ft bus and towed SUV to our first destination - a campground resort in Fair Oaks, Indiana. It's about 4.5 hours drive distance, mostly on highways, which has been fairly calm and manageable so far, and I'm writing this about three hours into the trip. Feeding four hungry kids on travel day is always part of the challenge, and since we haven't had a chance to cook yet, lunch will be simple: pita pockets I packed from home with peanut butter or vegan ricotta and vegetables.
Not everything went according to plan. One sudden stop sent our beloved coffee machine crashing to the floor, and we haven't even started yet 😳 but I know we should focus on being thankful our family is staying safe on this journey. Check out our travel journal for pictures and more live updates as our road winds!
Indiana - Saturday, June 13th
Day 2 has started for us at the Oaklake RV Resort in Indiana, a lovely campground with abundant outdoor family games and activities including pickleball, basketball, volleyball, gaga pit and a great playground! We spent a great deal of our day at the beach and in the water. They have a large inflatable water course that's part obstacle course and part jumping pillow, and it kept the kids busy for hours.
With big plans ahead of us, including Badlands, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks before we reach the Canadian Rockies, we get to check off a few states we've never visited before, including Wisconsin and Minnesota. We're learning to appreciate the smaller adventures in between, too.
We stayed at Oak Lake RV resort, IN (our rating 7/10; downside - bathrooms and overall maintenance; upsides - activities)
Indiana-Wisconsin - Sunday, June 14th
Day 3 feels like the trip is starting to settle into a rhythm.
We left Indiana late this morning after waking up to rain and deciding we'd rather spend driving time on a Sunday than on a work day as we initially planned for tomorrow. Most of today has been spent on the road, with a quick stop at a rest area where we cooked lunch, stretched our legs, and gave our dog a chance to burn off some energy before getting back in the RV.
One thing we've noticed today is how quickly the weather changed as we headed north. Just a day ago we were dealing with summer heat, and now the temperatures are noticeably cooler as we make our way into Wisconsin.
We're about two hours away from our next stop: a KOA in Oakdale, Wisconsin. We've stayed at quite a few KOAs over the years, which have become some of our favorite campgrounds because they consistently offer the mix of convenience, amenities, and kid-friendly activities we're looking for.
This is also our first time visiting Wisconsin, one of several new states we'll be crossing off our list this summer. The national parks and mountain scenery are still ahead of us, but for now we're enjoying the simple milestones: a new state, cooler air, and another few hundred miles behind us.
Wisconsin - Monday, June 15th
Day 4 of our journey started in Wisconsin, a state we've never been to! and it began as an early work day.
One of the biggest question marks before this trip was how we'd manage two full-time remote jobs while traveling with four kids, and now we're finally getting our answer. It's definitely not as simple as working from home, but so far we're making it work.
We're still in the "getting there" part of the trip, where most days are about moving closer to the places we've been planning for months. The flexible schedule helps a lot, and we're slowly figuring out what pace works for us.
We've really enjoyed the KOA in Oakdale. The campground is beautiful, the kids have had plenty to do, and it's been a nice place to stop for a few days before getting back on the road. Tomorrow we'll head into Minnesota, another new state for us. After that, South Dakota is finally coming up. We'll be staying at Jellystone in Sioux Falls, visiting the Mammoth Site for a family paleontology excavation, and returning to Badlands National Park, which we loved on a previous trip.
The more exciting destinations are around the corner, with some major parks in our soon-to-accomplish bucket list.
We stayed at KOA Oakdale, WI (our rating 9/10; downsides - close to a highway (you can clearly hear the traffic); upsides - excellent amenities & activities, very well maintained).
Jackson, Minnesota - Tuesday/Wednesday, June 16-17th
Days 5 and 6 weren't exactly the kind of days that make it into travel brochures, but that's honestly what most long RV trips look like.
We covered another 252 miles on our way west, crossed Minnesota off our list of states we've visited, caught up on work, did laundry, and handled all the little chores that somehow keep multiplying when six people are living in a bus. The kids helped out where they could, which was appreciated, especially on days when both of us were trying to keep up with work deadlines.
Between all of that, there was still time for scooter rides, sprint races, and a lot of pool time. Nothing particularly dramatic happened, but those simple moments are becoming some of our favorite parts of the trip. When you're traveling for this long, not every day is about a national park or a major attraction.
Tomorrow we'll head to Jellystone in Sioux Falls. We're looking forward to settling in for a few days, exploring the area, and finally getting to some of the activities we've been planning for months.
We stayed at KOA Jackson, MN (our rating 10/10; downsides - none we found!; upsides - quiet, excellent activities!).
Sioux Falls - Thursday/Friday, June 18-19th
On day 7, we crossed the border into South Dakota, which we already visited last year, and felt we haven't seen enough. We're spending this long weekend at Jellystone Sioux Falls, and are keeping a nice mix of campground activities (and there are lots of those at Jellystone!) with some of the wonderful attractions around town.
On our first day at Jellystone (and 7th day of the trip), while exploring the park, our 7yo fell off his scooter and badly injured his arm (likely fracture). This makes it the second time we've had severe injuries on trips but the strange thing is that of all the challenging hikes and activities we've done, those injuries occurred at random, while walking on the street or riding a (regular) scooter.. this time at least, it's manageable!
On our second day in this beautiful area, we visited the butterfly exhibition at the aquarium, had a wonderful vegan lunch at a local Mediterranean restaurant, and went to stroll through the famous and beautiful Sioux falls at Falls Park.
Sioux falls is home to one of the few major waterfalls in the Great Plains, where the big Sioux river drops nearly 100 feet over pink quartzite rock that's more than a billion years old(!). We truly had an amazing time and were all at awe of the falls' powerful sights.
Sioux Falls - Saturday, June 20th
Our 9th day of the trip was our last day at Jellystone in Sioux Falls, SD, so we took our time enjoying the many activities on site. We spent a good chunk of the day doing arts and crafts, gem mining, and mini golf, while the kids also made good use of the bouncy house and jumping pillow.
Later in the afternoon, we headed downtown to explore SculptureWalk and the Arc of Dreams, the iconic pedestrian bridge spanning the Big Sioux River. The bridge is a work of art in its own right, and together with the dozens of sculptures scattered throughout downtown, it turned a simple walk through the city into an experience. Walking through downtown was no small task for me. Covering that distance with a crutch wasn't exactly easy, but I was determined not to miss it, and it was all well worth the effort.
The highlight of the day was the outdoor glow party back at the campground. By evening, the event area was packed with families, music, dancing, games, and more glowing accessories than I knew existed. The kids had an absolute blast and stayed until the very end, making it a memorable way to finish our stay in Sioux Falls before heading to our next destination, Badlands National Park.
Sioux Falls - Badlands NP, SD - Sunday/Monday, June 21st-22nd
On the morning of our 10th day of the trip, we left Sioux Falls, and drove over 5 hours to Badlands national park, which is all the way in the west of South Dakota. While it was a rainy day, the drive was straightforward, over 250 miles on road I-90 W, and we were mostly glad we didn't plan another day at Jellystone, or our stay there would have been a little wasted time, since no outdoor activities were possible.
We arrived at Badlands/ White River KOA at 4pm, and went out to explore. We already stayed here last year, and loved the campground for its amenities, its playground & pool, and most of all, for its proximity to the national park. After a very long drive, we all needed to stretch out and be outside, but we saved the hiking for the next day.
And indeed, on our 11th day of the trip, we went hiking on two beautiful trails - Cliff Shelf Nature Trail, an easy 0.5mi loop, and The Window Trail - a 1.2mi out-and-back moderate trail (due to its elevation gain). On the second trail, since it was not on a boardwalk, we took our time exploring, climbing (the kids of course), taking everything in, and looking for fossils. The end of this one requires climbing a ladder, and walking on a high area that we felt uncomfortable letting our 5 and 8yo walk on, and with my knee that's still in recovery, we split and reconnected after to hike back to the trailhead. Not everyone knows that around 70 million years ago, the Badlands area was a shallow seaway with accumulated sediments of clay, that dried entirely when the Rockies formed (which got this area elevate above sea level), and that's what makes the landscape here so unique, and full of fossils. We even found a fossilized jaw with 3 teeth!!!
We stayed on the trail until later in the afternoon, and visited a couple of overlooks on our way back to the campground.
I think it is safe to say our second experience here did not fail, and we will likely return once more on our next trip out south.
Tomorrow morning our visit here ends, so be sure to come back to read about our adventures further west in Hot Springs and Mammoth Site, which will be our last stop in South Dakota.
We stayed at Jellystone Sioux Falls, SD (our rating 9/10; downsides - some scheduled activities were not carried through; upsides - nice layout, very nice activities).
Hot Springs, SD - Tuesday, June 23rd
On the 12th day of our trip, we said goodbye to Badlands in SD with heavy hearts, and drove about 2 hours to Hot Springs, about the farthest west in SD you can go. Only 40 minutes away from the border with Nebraska and similar to the border with Wyoming, which is where our next destination is. We had to catch up on work when we got to the campground, so we launched the kids off to play a little outside, but not long after, we packed ourselves and drove to a beautiful lake with a sandy beach only 12 minutes away from our camp site, called "breaker's beach". But a minute before we drove there, we had a little drama in the RV - we found out that we somehow got ourselves locked out, with the keys inside. We were grateful our dog was with us (sometimes we leave him 'home', because pets are not allowed on some trails or public areas) and that our insurance allowed us to call a locks man to get us in. Turns out shutting the door makes the latch lock because of gravity, so it was an easy fix, but one heck of an inconvenience! After we got back from the beach we stopped at a supermarket, and then back home. We caught up on cleaning (the kids and the dishes 😊), grocery shopping, cooking, and some more catching up on work.. Now we are very much prepared to a morning at Mammoth Site for an exciting family excavation, for a visit at a Cascade Falls that has a natural clear spring of 67 degrees F year-round (I wonder who of us is going to be brave enough to go in the water when it's not even warm outside!), and we are tempted to visit the border with Nebraska, since we've never been! Stay tuned 😊
We stayed at Badlands/White River KOA (our rating 10/10; downsides - none! upsides - quiet, clean & spacious sites, very close to the NP)
Hot Springs, SD - Wednesday, June 24th
This morning, after knocking off many work tasks (we start so early!), we went to Mammoth Site, for a family dig experience, which was truly fun and educational. Our 5, 7 and 12yo kids were 100% engaged, and focused on recovering delicate, yet huge bones from the dig site. The bones are lab-made replicas, that were created with materials similar enough to re-create the texture, weight and color of a real bone. The guide was a paleontologist, so very knowledgeable, and explained of the findings they get on site, and the actual dig process.
After that, we moved on to visit the actual dig site, where scientists work on recovering as many details as they can on the fossils.
We stayed at Hot Springs/Black Hills KOA (our rating 10/10; downsides - none! upsides - quiet, clean & spacious sites, very close to the NP)
After a good number of hours at Mammoth Site, we left to visit Cascade Falls in Hot Springs, and even dipped our feet in the water. The natural spring is at a 67 degrees F year-round (yes, it was cold!!) and it is clear and beautiful. Last, we could not help ourselves, knowing we are only 25 minutes away from the border with Nebraska, and decided to make the drive and at least cross that border :) We didn't really experience anything in Nebraska, but felt accomplished to physically cross to another state we didn't have in our bucket list for this trip. Our evening at the campground was lovely, with a cooked dinner our 14yo son made (he's such an amazing cook!) of peas, rice, corn on the cob, roasted asparagus, chopped salad, and [vegan] burgers! We'll be visiting the thermal water at Evan's plunge, and Wind Cave NP tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Hot Springs, SD - Thursday/Friday, June 25-26th
On our last day at Hot Springs, we took it easy and spent time at Evan's plunge, a spring-fed over 100 years old pool, with a constant temperature of 87 degrees F. It was a rainy day, so having a fun indoor activity was what everyone needed. There's a younger area that my 5 and 7yo enjoyed for the entire time, and my older boys loved the slides and water volleyball. It was easy to spend half a day there, and a perfect ending to our experiences at Hot Springs. Later at the campground, our 5, 8 and 12yo kids played with other campers, while our oldest practiced piano (we brought it with us on the trip) and hung out with us near the fire pit while playing Boggle outside. It was also laundry day, and an afternoon where we did a 'reset' on our living space in our motorhome, getting ready to the long drive the next day.
Thursday morning was crazily busy at work for me, but thanks to the time differences and starting ultra-early, we were able to start driving at around noon. We crossed the border to Wyoming (exciting!), and are spending some time in Casper as a buffer to cut down the drive segment, before we 'climb' to Moran, where we'll spend a few exciting days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. So many stunning views are yet to come!
Casper, WY - Saturday/Sunday, June 27-28th
We passed the border to Wyoming on Friday afternoon, and spent the next 2 days at Casper, before our long drive to the north-western area of Wyoming, where Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks are. On such a long journey, and particularly before we arrive at remote destinations for longer periods with little to no amenities (because right after that we are heading north to Glacier NP), we focus on everyday things, such as stocking up on groceries, laundry, and rewinding. We already tackled laundry in Hot Springs, so Casper was a good spot for everything else. It was a weekend, so we caught up on sleeping, spending time together, and stocking up on things we won't have access to as of tomorrow. We couldn't pass on THE recommended trail in Casper, and went to hike the Garden Creek Waterfall loop. I reached the fall, and had to go back down to the car while everyone else climbed the rest of the trail, since it was too demanding for my recovering knee, but they all came back saying how it was the right balance of challenge and fun, and the views were well-worth the climb. It is now Sunday morning, and we are getting ready to begin our long travel day. Last time we visited these stunning national parks was 3 years ago, but the weather was extremely limiting and we felt it was hardly enough, so here we are again! Stay tuned :)
We stayed at Casper KOA Journey (our rating: 6/10 ; downsides - has an RV park [not campground] feel; No scenery, bare-minimum amenities, bathrooms maintenance wasn't great.... Upsides - quiet & spacious and comfortable sites)
Yellowstone NP, WY - Monday, June 29th
We got to Headwaters campground, near Moran, that sits right in between Yellowstone and Grand Teton, on Sunday afternoon, and was dreading the morning - because we saw snow is expected! and it was indeed snowy!! at peak summer!!! We didn't even pack enough warm clothes (who would imagine we'd need them so desperately?!?), so after wrapping up work tasks, we headed out to Yellowstone, but made an expensive stop at a visitors center. Depending on the elevation, it was either snowy or rainy ALL DAY, so we made the most of the situation, and decided to revisit some geysers we've been to 3 years ago in the lower loop (where the caldera is believed to be), knowing that we'll explore a little of the northern loop on our way to Montana on Wednesday. Back in 2023, we came to the same campground, and planned on hiking Grand Teton and Yellowstone. We had only 3 days then to see what we had planned, and it ended up being stormy and foggy, and we missed out on Grand Teton entirely! So we decided to focus on Yellowstone today, and hike Grand Teton tomorrow, when it should be sunny and warmer. The day was much more successful than we anticipated, as we managed to enjoy the rare and out worldly landscape of Yellowstone. As our kids showed a lot of interest in the geology of the park, we talked about how the geysers are formed, what this used to be (an active super-volcano!), and how it is still active, but has a different "face" now, 600,000 years later. We even spotted rare flora in the geothermal soil, and were truly fascinated.
Our day tomorrow is planned at Grand Teton, which we're all very excited about. Hopefully, there will be no bears on any trail. We had enough of those encounters in Alaska!
Grand Teton NP, WY - Tuesday, June 30th
Our day at Grand Teton was meant to be full of easy, yet impactful hikes. I had a vision for how we experienced Alaska in some areas, like Palmer, where the hike would start in point A, and then XX miles later, we're in a secluded jaw-dropping lake. In Alaska the water is often turquoise thanks to the glacial composition, but in Grand Teton, although the water was not as picturesque, the views were still stunning. I know I keep saying 'stunning', but the nature on all its aspects is absolutely marvelous around here!
As I mentioned before, I am recovering from complex knee fractures, and while I'm doing much better at this point, I'm still using a cane to get around, so the plan was to go on easier hikes with minimal elevation. Pavel (my better half) made a mistake and trusted me with picking the trail. I was too "hungry" to go back to hiking the way we used to before my injury, and picked one that hardly made sense with my current abilities. The trail we ended up doing was very steep most of the way, went on for 5 miles (=about 7.5km) and was defined as 'moderate' in AllTrails. It took us about 4 hours out-and-back to conquer it, since construction in part of the loop trail forced hikers to return their steps to reach the trailhead. I was completely defeated by the end of it, and while my family can manage harder hikes too, they were exhausted by the time we got back home. We were glad we visited a few overlooks before we started the hike, or we wouldn't have managed to get a closer peek at the mighty Grand Teton and its entire range. By the time we got back, we had dinner (leftovers from the night before [seitan, mashed potatoes, and peas]), let the kids have a brief screen break, and head to bed early, as we were getting ready for another busy morning at work, followed by a long drive to Montana.
We stayed at Headwaters campground (Our rating: 9/10; downsides - no playground or outdoor activities for campers; upsides - quiet, spacious and comfortable sites, full hookups [rare in federal campgrounds], and most importantly, sits perfectly in the middle between Yellowstone and Grand Teton).
Butte, MT to Glacier - Wednesday/Thursday, July 1st-2nd
On Tuesday morning, we left the Moran area for the second time (this was our second visit to these parks), and started a long drive to Butte, in Montana. Our route took us up north through West Yellowstone, but we never crossed to Idaho. The road was winding and narrow, with little to no shoulders, and on top of that, on the edge of a very tall cliff, which made the driving experience very challenging (shout out to my amazing partner who fearlessly conquered this difficult drive and kept us all safe!). We passed the border into Montana early afternoon, and drove through beautiful views of many water bodies and everchanging landscape. We are using a special navigation system that's tailored to RVs, and it usually does really well, but yesterday we needed a gas station, and it somehow derailed us from our route, so we ended up driving an hour longer than anticipated (which was already long enough to begin with!). We may have made the mistake in programming the route wrong, but we'd like to think it's the software's fault :) We eventually got to a KOA at Butte later in the afternoon, and thanks to the very long summer days, and sunset happening only at around 9:30pm, our kids had the opportunity to unwind at the playground and take a little energy out after a long driving day. We caught up on laundry at the campground and groceries Walmart, getting ready to be fully prepared to celebrate a long 4th of July weekend at Glacier NP! We are leaving to West Glacier today, so stay tuned :)
West Glacier NP - Friday, July 3rd
We were truly excited about exploring Glacier national park for the first time - this was one of the few national parks we've never been to before that were planned for this trip (as this was our second visit to Badlands in SD, & Grand Teton and Yellowstone in WY). We begun our day by driving the scenic going to the sun road. This is an hours-long mostly narrow/no-shoulders/on-the-edge-of-a-cliff route, that is rewarding like no other we've been to! Jaw-dropping views that pictures cannot capture. The route lets you pull over many times along the way, to witness more in details the plethora of waterfalls, rivers, snowy-peaked mountains and potential wildlife we were eager to see. We wanted to hike a couple of trails along the route, but the little parking that was available was entirely packed, so we finally stopped at a trail that offers 3 lengths to walk through, leading to a stunning lake and to waterfalls, if you take a longer walk - we wanted to get to the waterfalls, but the NP service blocked that way with a warning about increased bear activity, forbidding hikers to go on it. The lake was rewarding enough though, and despite the intense winds, we all had a hard time leaving.
On our hour and half back home, we stopped at a little charming town to eat in a sweet spot with 2 food trucks and an outdoor dining area. The vibe was fantastic and it was a fun way to finish our day. We have big plans for tomorrow's 250 independence years celebrations, so stay tuned!
West Glacier NP - Saturday, July 4th
Our second day in Glacier was dedicated to the southern end of Lake McDonald. We hiked the 2-mile Rocky Point Trail, which winds through a quiet forest before opening up to several rocky viewpoints over the lake. At nearly 10 miles long and reaching depths of about 470 feet, Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park, and its incredibly clear water makes it easy to see the colorful pebbles below the surface. Our kids finished it by skipping stones and swimming in the lake. The water was freezing-cold, but the experience of swimming in a secluded gorgeous lake was worth it.
After several days of hiking, we were all ready for a slower afternoon. We found a small outdoor activity center with motorized bumper boats that sprayed water, mini golf, a 3D maze, and a go-kart track, and it was exactly the change of pace we needed. By evening, we drove to Whitefish, a vibrant city about 30 minutes from our campground, where everyone seemed to be gathering along Whitefish Lake for the Fourth of July celebration, but because many downtown streets were closed, everyone parked outside the center and took shuttle buses into town. The whole lakeshore was buzzing with people. Boats of every size gathered just offshore, food stands and live music filled the park, and everyone were waiting for the fireworks.
Then something unexpected happened. The fireworks were scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m., but at 9:30 the sky suddenly lit up. A few minutes later, the organizers apologized over the loudspeakers for accidentally launching the show an hour early.. But even after the official display ended, fireworks continued from boats and homes around the lake, so wherever you looked there were bursts of color lighting up the sky. It honestly felt like we were standing in the middle of a 360-degree fireworks show.
Getting back turned into an adventure of its own. The shuttle lines were long, traffic barely moved once everyone started leaving, and by the time we reached our car, we still had over 30 minutes of a drive back to the campground. The roads were completely dark, and we finally pulled into our campsite well after midnight. It was a long day, but one we'll remember for a very long time.
We stayed at Moose Creek RV Park; (Our rating 10/10; downsides - very pricey [but so are other campgrounds in the area] and not all sites have fire rings; upsides - fantastic amenities (inclunding dog-walker service, sauna [!!], and a great play area!), quiet, spacious and beautiful sites.
East Glacier NP - Sunday, July 5th
On Sunday morning we drove nearly 2 hours to a remote lake called Two Medicine in East Glacier, boarded a 100yo boat for a 30 minutes "ride" to a winding trail that led us to Two Medicine Falls. The area is full of history and charm, and the hike did not disappoint. One thing I didn't realize before coming here is that Two Medicine was actually one of Glacier's original tourism hubs. Before the Going-to-the-Sun Road existed, visitors would arrive by train, stay at the historic Two Medicine Chalet, and explore the valley by horseback or aboard the same wooden tour boats that are still operating today. Long before that, though, this valley was a sacred place for the Blackfeet people, who came here for ceremonies and vision quests, making it a place with a history that goes far beyond the national park itself. This experience was a wonderful way to culminate our exploration at Glacier NP. If you ever make it to Two Medicine, be sure to allocate at least half a day. We got back to the campground later in the afternoon, and our evening was all about errands before starting our drive to Canada on Monday morning. As of tomorrow and until July 22nd, we will be exploring British Columbia and Alberta provinces in Canada, with our first stop in Banff NP, so stay tuned :)
Crossing to Canada - Monday, July 6th
As in any work day during this trip, we started our (super-early) morning with... work :) But nonetheless, we started our long journey to Banff national park in Canada as early as we could, and either worked on the drive (while the other person is driving) or caught up in the afternoon after we arrived. We made a couple of stops on the way to take a work call, and to print our documents - as it turns out, crossing the border by a motorhome needs to be done with attention to certain details. We had to have vaccination records for our dog Ziggy, registration and insurance for both the motorhome and the towed car, and of course, passports. We also read that they might ask to eliminate any unmarked produce (if there's no tote for example) so we prepared well for any scenario, but at the end, it all went so smoothly and we crossed the border to Canada in less than 2 minutes! The drive started in British Columbia, and it took several more hours before we finally landed in Banff. No doubt, the road there was gorgeous. Somewhere mid-way we stopped at a farmer's market to restock on fruits and vegetables, and munched on many (many!) cherries and blueberries for the rest of the drive 😍
We arrived at the beautiful and the very well-maintained soft/hard-sided campground at Lake Louise sometime in the later afternoon, and let the kids and Ziggy out to stretch their legs and spirits. After dinner, we crashed for a good long night sleep, to recharge before we explore Banff tomorrow.
Yoho NP, British Columbia, Canada - Tuesday, July 7th
When we built our plans for our visit to Canada, we had a bucket of things we wanted to see and explore, but aside from when we needed a bus ride somewhere, we kept things fluid. So given some work constraints and the fact we were all still exhausted from yesterday's drive, last night we decided to drive back to British Columbia and visit Emerald Lake and Takakkaw falls in Yoho National Park. The views were out of this world, and every picture we took felt like a postcard. The one major downside to our experience was that it felt overwhelmingly crowded with tourists. Unlike our experience in Glacier NP, this area is heavily visited during June-August, and we are here at the peak of the season, trying to catch a sight or experience in a quieter mode. I imagine that if you leave early enough things are calmer, but our work constraints, plus our sleep-loving kids make it impossible to start our days early enough, so we're working with what reality dictates, and making the most of it. Thankfully, we managed to book a site in the soft-sided Lake Louise campground - which is right in the heart of the major attractions, such as Moraine lake, Lake Louise, and O'hara, and this makes it easier to reach our destinations even when we leave later in the morning. Other advantages for our stay here at this campground include a beautiful site, free firewood (a pack costs on avg $6 in the U.S.!) and very affordable camp prices (since its a federal campground). Things we wish were different are the train that travels very close a few times a day, and is heard very loudly here.
Tomorrow we're planning on riding the Banff gondola, exploring the summit boardwalk and the Sulphur mountain boardwalk, with a couple of beautiful lakes for dessert. We heard of the hot springs they have here, but given how packed everything here, we will leave that to Miette in Jasper, our next destination!
Banff NP, AB, Canada - Wednesday, July 8th
We had an unusual busy work morning, and our kids surprisingly slept until unusually late, so we ended up leaving home much later in the morning. We considered our options and finally decided to pass on the gondola, primarily since for our entire crew it would have cost about 300 CAD (~220 USD), and we felt that the gain would not be worth it (plus, Chat GPT said it won't be worth the expense given the types of experiences we've had so far, and we tend to listen to his advice 😉). We were all run down too, and were looking to spend our day in a low-energy, laid-back activities, so we drove nearly an hour to get to Two-Jack Lake, which was absolutely beautiful and also has a beach, which was truly all we needed. Our kids were courageous enough to go into the water, and made friends who camped there. Another nice spot nearby is Minnewanka Lake, that didn't differ much from the other lake, so we took a sneak peek on our way back. One of the biggest advantages of extended travel is that we get to set our pace, not rush, take things slower if needed and keep everything flexible. That approach allowed us to change plans for the day, because with 4 kids and 2 full time jobs, things happen, even if nothing major. Later in the afternoon we visited Banff city - which has a charming center. We had dinner there in an amazing Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant "Nourish Bistro", that's rated number 1 in happy cow (a website that lists vegan dining options practically everywhere) and we get why! We got back to our campground for a campfire and s'mores. Today balanced more active days we often have, and we were glad we didn't succumb to the many attractions we could have visited, and slowed down. Balance is the key :)
Banff NP & Canmore, AB, Canada - Thursday, July 9th
On our last day at Banff NP, we had a trip scheduled to visit the famous Lake Louise. Since we were camping at the soft-sided Lake-Louise campground, we were only 10 minutes away from the lake, but we've read that parking is very limited, which forces most visitors to use shuttles, either by Canada Parks or using a commercial service. Although we booked the ride, we left early to see if with a disability placard parking near the lake is allowed (as I'm still recovering from a knee injury). This was based on our earlier experience near Emerald lake in Yoho NP, and we were right to assume it'll be similar in this case. Throughout the trip so far, we've visited some impressive lakes, but we all agreed Lake Louise was the most beautiful one yet. We went on a short 1.5mi trail near the lake, and were glad we do not need to depend on rides to leave as soon as we were ready to move on. One fantastic thing about the national parks in Canada is that they allow to bring dogs on their trails, as opposed to those in the States, so we brought Ziggy along with us to all of our daily excursions. As we experienced before, here too the site was heavily packed with tourists, and we were eager to spend the rest of our day away from touristic crowds. Plus, we felt this would be a good time to switch gears to a more urban experience. We decided to drive to Canmore (and dined at Nourish Bistro again on our way there!), as we found out there's a farmer's market that's been held on Thursdays for the past 25 years (!). It turned out to be a fun and laid back experience, with live music, crafts booths and of course, lots of local and fresh produce. We wrapped up with a wall climbing session at the adjacent recreation center, and drove an hour back to our campground for a quiet evening, to catch up on work, and prepare everything for our trip to Jasper in the morning.
Jasper NP, AB, Canada - Friday/Saturday, July 10th-11th
About 45 minutes out of Banff we tried to make a stop at Peyto and Box lakes, but the parking space was slim and very unforgiving for a large RV, and we inevitably had to keep driving. The drive from Banff to Jasper is about 2.5 hours for a motorhome, and full of stunning views of mountains and glaciers, but as soon as we arrived at Jasper we realized how much impact the 2024 wildfire had on the area, which essentially burnt and wiped out most of the trees. Later we found out a number of iconic trails were closed long term because of the wildfire damages, and the one we did go on, the valley of 5 lakes, that's a 3.5mi loop trail, felt like it used to be so much more impressive when the nature there was intact. Our campground was too heavily impacted, which left the campsites exposed among burnt trees. While the views were saddening, we were surprisingly greeted with an entire herd of elks, that roamed the grassy patches and surrounded our motorhome! We even got a glimpse of a baby elk running to their mom to be fed. The weather here has been unpredicted and tricky for outdoor exploration (the forecast keeps changing), and the indoor options are scarce, so we're planning outings at the last minute, but we have until Tuesday to experience Jasper, and we're hoping to leave after we've crossed a good number of bucket-list-must-see.
Jasper NP, AB, Canada - Sunday-Monday, July 12th-13th
On Sunday morning we left our campground for Athabasca falls which is not the tallest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies, but it's one of the most powerful because the Athabasca River has carved deep potholes and narrow limestone canyons over thousands of years. The waterfall was so powerful and loud, that we were all absolutely mesmerized by simply standing there near it. Later that day, we visited Anette lake that offers an easy loop trail. Our younger ones enjoyed the sweet playground near the lake for a good hour. Near Annette lake the road takes you close to Edith lake, which is a larger yet similar lake, but we didn't make a stop there, as there are simply too many lakes and we had to pick. We concluded the day with vegan pizza at the 'Jasper Pizza Place' downtown, and a quick visit to the visitor center.
Monday was a busier day, that began with work (how else!) followed by a unique and fantastic visit to Miette Hot Springs. It is located in a secluded area in the middle of nowhere, which we loved, because you must intentionally drive a long distance to get there, so it was not crowded at all! The springs are at 104 degrees F, and there was a cold pool to get a relief from the heat. After Miette, we stopped at Emerald pond, and witnessed a stunning turquoise water and so much wildlife! Including a family of mountain goats and gorgeous damselflies.
We made a lunch & rest stop at our campground and later in the evening we left to visit Pyramid Lake and Island. What a wonderful spot! You could take a boat cruise on the lake, but we didn't find it necessary (it's also pretty pricey) and instead visited independently to enjoy the sunset and the scenery. The island is small and is connected with a wooden bridge I found to be romantic and fitting. There were loons callings sounds across the lake and tiny fish jumping in the shallow water, which we loved listening to and watching. On the island, there is a giant dead tree trunk and roots, which I imagine was left purposely and at least for our kids served as a creative & unique jungle gym :)
There are also beautiful wooden benches placed in front of the lake for visitors to enjoy, but the best part was that mostly a few locals were there, and nearly no tourists. I am not sure if this was pure luck or the time of day we got there (I bet it's the latter), but we were fortunate for a truly amazing experience.
Jasper to Elk Island, AB, Canada - Tuesday-Wednesday, July 14th-15th
On the morning of our fifth day at Jasper, we got on the road to drive to Elk Island. Originally we planned to stay at Jasper for an additional day, and while there's an abundance of unique and gorgeous views around this National Park, and we loved our campground, we felt we experienced and explored a good array of things, and that logistically, that day was best to go through the great driving distance that awaited us. Part of the trip means keeping things flexible, which we religiously adhere to, mentally and technically :)
We got to our campground in Tofield, not too far from Edmonton in Alberta later in the afternoon on Tuesday. The campground is beautiful, and our campsite is located near a pond, with an expansive private shaded grassy area, with a fire pit and a picnic table, so our kids spent time between the outdoor games and playground on the campground, and our private temporary 'backyard'. After nearly 3 weeks of countless hikes, long outdoor experiences and mountain scenery, and at the end of a long drive day, we all needed a little mental/physical break.
On Wednesday morning, we both had to catch up on work, and our kids caught up on hobbies (playing instruments, Lego, art and what not!). Later, we took a break to visit the heated pool at the campground, which was a much-needed relief from the heat, and later in the afternoon we went on an exploration excursion in downtown Edmonton, which to our surprise has multiple plant-based restaurants and bakeries (we definitely bought too many doughnuts and cookies), but the biggest unplanned surprise was that in Edmonton exists the Canadian version of 'Mall of America', West Edmonton Mall, which as we found out, is owned by the same company. So naturally, we had to visit it, with over 800 stores(!!!) and an unbelievable array of activities, such as an indoor waterpark with a zipline over the wave pool, an indoor amusement park, an ice rink, bowling and mini golf, and even a replica of Columbus's ship! There are so many other activities - too many for me to list here, but the overall experience was jaw-dropping. I imagine you can spend entire days in this place, but we'll have to settle for the short visit we had last night, and wait for when we're in MN again on our way home, to visit Mall of America, as we're planning on visiting Elk Island National Park. These were a couple of recharge days, but we're absolutely ready to get back into Nature Mode, and we're looking forward to our next stop too, the Canadian Badlands, Drumheller.
Elk Island, AB, Canada - Thursday, July 16th
On our 2nd day at Elk Island, we had 3 things on our bucket list planned for that day, including kayaking and canoeing in Astotin lake, visiting the Bison loop road and hiking the beaver pond trail. The bison loop road was closed due to a storm that occurred the night before that created one large pothole (according to the ranger we spoke with). Instead, we drove near the park from the outside, and managed to view small Bison herds (good enough!). We did get to visit the lake and went on canoes & kayaks, and even brought our dog Ziggy on board, as we were told in the park this was safe. Only later on we realized that what seemed to be massive amount of algae accumulated on the water near the shore is in fact a bacteria that is harmful and irritating to humans and may be fatal to animals. We were glad that at least in retrospect none of our kids or our dog came in contact with the bacteria. We were just a little surprised that no one at the park forbidden guests from boarding the canoes which were extremely flimsy and were easily flipped over (the person who worked there shared a guest flipped his canoe this week because it was windy!). The heat was a lot to take, and after a short visit to the playground near the lake, we passed on the trail, and drove out of the park and back to Edmonton, to have a late lunch at a fully plant-based restaurant. The culinary experience was truly indulgent! We even caught a movie in a close-by theatre before we headed back to the campground. Overall, fun yet a tad scary day!
Drumheller, AB, Canada - Friday-Saturday, July 17th-18th
We had a little technical drama on Thursday afternoon - we realized that the Starlink's router got soaked in the storm the night before and while somehow we luckily still had internet on Thursday for work, it started going on and off until the internet entirely shut down on Friday morning. Since the campground we stayed in near Edmonton did not offer wifi, we left early on Friday to Drumheller, where we are staying at a KOA (and are loving every bit of it!) which always offers free wifi. But that only gave us some leeway until we figure out how to work when Monday comes... I ended up driving close to Calgary, nearly an hour and a half each direction, to get to a store that sells Starlink, and inevitably had to purchase an entire new set! (although our satellite was perfectly fine). We figured that it's a good investment, to have replacement parts, given that we travel often, and work from the road, which makes available internet such a vital component. At least we were able to solve this conundrum, and enjoy the weekend! Drumheller feels like it is a few millions of years before Badlands in SD, because there's still a significant stream running through Drumheller, and there's still plenty of vegetation all over this area, as opposed to the dry desert-like experience at the Badlands in SD. I think I can safely say that one of our top 3 favorite U.S. national parks is the Badlands in South Dakota, with the unique rock formations, unique wildlife (we ALWAYS see various snakes!), and opportunity for fossil hunting like no other! So we were naturally so excited about Drumheller, and so far, no disappointment. We spent our day at the royal Tyrell museum, which offers activities for different ages, and a huge museum with unique and impressive original and cast specimens. After we participated in a dig and casting experiences, we were able to cover most exhibit halls, until our younger one started to run down on energy, and we all needed a good meal and a break, plus, the museum was extremely packed with people, which added a layer to the exhaustion. After a much-needed break at the museum's cafeteria, we drove back to the campground, and spent the afternoon at the pool & playground. It got chilly in the evening which was the perfect set up for a fire pit and a game of 'imposter'.
We cannot believe that in exactly 2 weeks from now we will be returning home, after nearly 2 months of travel. We are focusing on making the most of the time we have left to explore and adventure together🏔️❤️
Drumheller - Sunday, July 19th
On our 2nd day of exploration at Drumheller, we went to see the Hoodoos - naturally carved sandstone pillars that resemble giant mushrooms, formed over millions of years as hard rock "caps" protected the softer stone beneath from being washed away by rain. Our kids love anything that is worth climbing, so we spent a good hour there until it slightly exhausted some energy from them 😉 We took a quick visit to the largest and tallest dinosaur in the world, which visitors can actually climb and take a view from the top, out of its mouth, and near it, we spent part of our afternoon at splash pads where our kids enjoyed the opportunity to cool-off a little. We ended our evening with another fire pit and a round of 'imposter' and got ready to leave to our next stop the morning after. While Drumheller encompasses unique sights, most of the area is not meant for hiking, and in retrospect, we would have stayed a little less than how we planned it, but thankfully, KOA came to the rescue, and provided plenty of in-between fun and relaxing moments.
Dinosaur Provincial Park, AB, Canada - Mon-Tues, July 20th-21st
We started early morning catching up with work, and the kids got to spend some time on the jumping pillow and playground before we drove off. The drive from Drumheller wasn't too long, and we rolled into our new and exciting stop, Dinosaur provincial park, early in the afternoon on Monday. This is our 3rd time camping with Parks Canada, and by far the best one yet. Beyond the fact that the park is well-maintained and the amenities are fantastic, the campground sits WITHIN the park itself - we can literally walk to so many trailheads, and the view is wonderful too!
As it turns out, the Dinosaur Provincial Park, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1979, and is home to one of the richest dinosaur fossil sites in the world! This is absolutely mind-blowing, and we feel so lucky to have the opportunity to be here in the presence of such abundance of ancient history.
Although we usually take it slow on travel days, and adjust first before we start conquering trails, we couldn't resist and went on a brief excursion shortly after we camped. The first trail we hiked offers on-site specimen exhibits - I'm a little obsessed with everything that has to do with archeology, and in particular paleontology, but I think this trail is worth every step we made, and then some!
On our second day, as soon as we could wrap up work, we went on the Badlands trail, and despite the many warnings of black widows, scorpions and rattlesnakes, we were perfectly safe and intrigued by the views in this park. Although many visitors are camped close, we were mostly alone on both trails we hiked, which we were thankful for (its always so nice to enjoy nature without background noise!), and since in Canada pets can come along trails, we brought our dog Ziggy with us, who appreciated the opportunity to explore new smells and views...
We ended our second day with a guided tour "Fossil Safari". A guide walked the group to a protected preserve, where real dinosaur fossils were flashed out of sandstone, and active dig sites were nearby. It was fascinating for our entire crew and not too long to lose our focus. The only 2 downsides of this area are the hot weather and mosquitos everywhere, but there's only so much we can ask of Parks Canada :)
Dinosaur Provincial Park, AB, Canada - Wednesday, July 22nd
We originally planned to stay at Dinosaur provincial park for 2 nights, but a combination of reasons got us to change our plans downstream from here. We realized our departure was planned for Wednesday, which was a very busy work morning for both of us, with meetings and deadlines, and we realized the great experiences this park offers. We could have gotten everything done in less than 2 days, but preferred to keep things more flexible and calm, so we'd have time for everything. So we extended our stay for another night, were able to go on those hikes on Tuesday instead of driving to our next destination early morning, and took the time on Wednesday to enjoy campground life for a bit. We had neighbors with kids, that our kids loved playing with, and we were close to the playground, which made entertainment very accessible for our younger ones, and our teenager caught up on sleeping late, and playing instruments. Later in the afternoon, when the heat was less harsh, we went on a brief excursion, and explored the Coulee trail in the park. We had a fun campfire and dinner back at the campground, and enough time to get everything ready for our departure on the morning after.
Back from Canada, Havre, MT - Thursday, July 23rd
We crossed the border back to the States today, and it was a bitter-sweet moment, as we spent nearly 3 weeks in Canada, and carried a full bucket of memories with us, but we were also happy to go back to a familiar place, though still far from home. We arrived in Montana early afternoon, after a little over 4 hours of driving plus 2 stops, and had a pleasant afternoon at the campground. We found out that our new temporary neighbors apparently are driving to Ohio as well (just minutes from where we live) to visit family. What a small world!
When we extended our stay in Canada, we essentially pushed out our return to the States by one day, which only meant we needed to adjust our next couple of stops. When we sat down to plan how our week is going to look like (make sure the driving plans are reasonable, and that we don't need to switch campgrounds originally booked), we found out that for the next 4 days, temperatures are hitting 109 degrees F (or 43 degrees C). Our motorhome is strong with fantastic insulation and 2 powerful AC units, but we were planning to visit Theodor Roosevelt NP in North Dakota, and the Buffalo Gap campground does not even offer electric sites, which meant we would have to get by without AC for 2 nights... this changed our plans quite a bit, and we ended up switching things around, canceling that stay at the NP and eventually skipping our last planned national park 😢 We were disappointed, but knew we had no choice - we still remember our experience back in California, when we visited Joshua Tree NP in June with a rental Class C, and even though we had an electric site, the temperature indoors did not go below 90 degrees F (32 C), because the AC was struggling to fight the extreme heat outside, and either way, we weren't going to a park to stay inside, and no one (sane at least) hikes when it is that hot outside. Our route might be a little different now, but we're still looking forward to a few last experiences together, before we land back home in just 9 more days!
Glasgow, MT - Friday, July 24th
Moving every day between campgrounds (and states) is difficult in many ways - the driving is exhausting, the patience our kids must practice, and the logistics during and in-between. Originally, our plan was to have a full 2-months trip across North America, but our oldest 2 boys play instruments in multiple bands and also have summer athletic programs they signed up to, that we simply had to cut our trip short, and come back a week earlier. We didn't want to compromise the fun or rush through the destination stops, so we made a judgment call to go through the necessary technical distance in the last 10 days or so to get home in time, marking 3 major longer stops on our way we could not pass on (but we'll see how that will turn out with the impossible weather!). So after we had to say goodbye to the beautiful Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada, we began our journey back. We drove over 600 miles so far (approximately 12 hours of driving a 36ft motorhome and a towed SUV) in 3 days, and are facing about 1300 more miles before get home. Meanwhile, we are making the most of our time and making memories even in the most unexpected ways. Our campground in Glasgow (MT) was unexpectedly so fun - we stayed at a campground that's affiliated with a hotel (and is also adjacent to it), so we could use their facilities. The temperature was at around 97 degrees F (36 C) and their big indoor pool (+amazing jacuzzi!) was exactly what we all needed. We got here early afternoon, and even had time to cook creatively, which is always part of the fun (for those of us who likes to cook 😉 - and btw, these two dishes below in the pictures were entirely made up and cooked by my ultra-talented 15yo!). We are moving south tomorrow, and are already getting to North Dakota (still 2 hours difference from the east coast though!) which is only 2 days away from visiting Mall of America in MN :)
Theodor Roosevelt NP [South Heart, ND] - Saturday, July 25th
We left Montana today, and drove about 5 hours (including a quick lunch break) until we arrived at South Heart in North Dakota. This is our first visit in this state, and it will remain a very memorable one, thanks to a lovely visit to the Theodor Roosevelt national park, but I'll start from the beginning - we knew the temperatures are insanely high in this area, which makes hiking nearly dangerous, so we switched plans and instead of staying at a campground in the park (Buffalo Gap) without any hookups, we booked an RV park just outside the NP, so we can keep our home cool and safe. As soon as we arrived at the park, we took the car and went on an hours-long excursion to explore the park through all the viewpoint stops. We expected beautiful Badlands landscape, but what we did not realize was how much wildlife we will encounter, and this was absolutely mind-blowing! From enormous fields of prairie dog 'towns', to wild horses, coyotes and massive roaming herds of bison - we saw them all! I think this is the first time we saw so much wildlife activity packed in one park during our entire summer, and it was truly exciting for all of us! This park concluded our summer bucket list of 9 national parks (Badlands [SD], Yellowstone & Grand Teton [WY], Glacier [MT], Banff, Elk Island & Jasper [AB, Canada], Yoho [BC, Canada], and finally, Theodor Roosevelt [ND]. This also completes our summer bucket list of states and Canadian provinces to visit, and we are marking 1-week before we get back home, but the experiences and our story don't end here! We are driving further into North Dakota tomorrow, on our way east to cross Minnesota again, where we'll visit Mall of America to explore their amazing & unique activities. We'll then have 3 days of packed plans for our visit in Wisconsin, so stay tuned :)
Jamestown, ND to Monticello, MN - Sunday-Monday, July 26th-27th
Yesterday we left our last planned nature stop of this two-month trip, after a day of exploration at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It was incredibly hot, but after so many driving days, we really needed that final dose of nature before continuing east.
From there, we drove about four hours to Jamestown, North Dakota, where the temperatures climbed to around 102°F (40°C). We spent most of the afternoon hiding inside the RV, although "inside" wasn't exactly cool once it was time to make dinner and the AC was already working overtime.
Today we covered another five hours and made it to Bertram Chain of Lakes in Monticello, Minnesota. The campground here is gorgeous, and it's been fun watching the scenery change over the past few days - from Montana's mountains and rugged landscapes to endless prairie, farmland, and now Minnesota's lakes and forests. Crossing the continent by road really lets you see those transitions in a way flying never could, and this is one of my favorite parts of road trips.
The conversation at dinner was probably my favorite part of the day. The kids admitted they're already sad the trip is coming to an end, and they unanimously said they'd happily be homeschooled if it meant we could just keep traveling like this which probably says more about the trip than any carefully planned recap could.
Tomorrow is a completely different adventure. We're dropping our dog off at daycare for the first time this trip, which means we'll get an entire day at Mall of America with zero "we should probably head back" clock-watching. After weeks of hiking trails, campgrounds, and national parks, I think we're all pretty excited to trade hiking shoes for roller coasters, other indoor adventures, shopping, and air conditioning for a day.
Monticello, MN to Wisconsin Dells, WI - Tuesday-Wednesday, July 28th-29th
Monticello is a small city we chose to spend 2 nights at, because it cut our driving in half between ND and WI, which is often a consideration on extended travel. Other motivating factors were its proximity to Mall of America, which after 7 long weeks of nature-heavy activities, felt like a welcome break, and the beautiful, spacious and quiet campground at Bertram Chain of Lakes.
To spend the day at MoA, we picked a highly-praised local daycare for our dog, so he has company and fun all day. We divided our time between Adventure Bay, the climbing zone, the coasters, and the shopping area, and before heading home, we made a quick stop at Whole Foods to grab a few vegan favorites we missed for nearly 2 months.
As much as we love national parks, we realized this stop came at exactly the right time. After weeks of hiking, driving scenic roads, and exploring one outdoor destination after another, spending an entire day indoors doing something completely different felt surprisingly refreshing. The kids had been looking forward to Mall of America for weeks, and seeing them bounce from one attraction to the next made the stop well worth it.
We got back home exhausted like after no trail we've been on! On Wednesday morning, we left our beautiful campground and began driving to our last destination of this summer-long trip - Wisconsin Dells. This too is an attraction-based experience, that we felt is a fitting finale to our two-month RV journey.
Our route home had been intentionally designed this way. We started the summer immersed almost entirely in nature, and after nearly two months of mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife, and endless hiking trails, a couple of days focused purely on family fun felt like the right balance. It gave us a chance to slow down, enjoy a different kind of adventure, and squeeze a little more excitement out of a trip we'll remember for years.
In between working, adventuring, and creating amazing family memories, I managed to publish 2 destination guides from this adventure: Jasper National Park, AB, Canada and Hot Springs, South Dakota.
If these are on your bucket list of places to explore, I hope you'll find these guides helpful and inspiring!
Wisconsin Dells, WI - Thursday-Friday, July 30th-31st
The past couple of days have been all about giving our hiking shoes a break.
We spent our first full day in Wisconsin Dells at Noah's Ark, the largest waterpark in the U.S., and somehow stayed from opening until closing. Between the slides, wave pools, lazy river, and countless other attractions, we barely stopped moving all day. We were so glad we seized the day for water activities, because our second full day here was rainy, and the temperatures dropped so fast!
Because of the weather, and also because 1 day at a water park was enough :) we switched gears today and spent several hours at the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory. I wasn't expecting us to stay nearly that long, but every room seemed to have another hands-on experiment or optical illusion that pulled us in. Finding an attraction that genuinely keeps a 5-, 8-, 12-, and 15-year-old equally entertained isn't easy, but this one somehow managed it. We wrapped it up with dinner at one of the area's surprisingly vegan-friendly Italian restaurants, where everyone happily demolished pizza and pasta before calling it a day.
Now we're down to the final stretch. In two days we'll be home, with about 500 miles left to cover, which we'll split with a quick overnight stop at a Love's. The end of one trip always seems to turn into the beginning of planning the next, and while it'll be time to unpack, and catch up on life, we're already looking ahead to our next adventures - Cuyahoga Valley National Park next month, a month exploring the South in December, and just like that, the travel calendar is already starting to fill up again❤️🏔️🌟 The countdown to our next summer's 2-month RV adventure has officially begun - just nine months to go (time flies when you plan trips!).
Don't forget to follow our Instagram page for stories and exciting travel & plant-based cooking updates!
Our way home in Cincinnati, Ohio - Saturday-Sunday, August 1st-2nd
While we usually travel many times a year as a family, this trip was a first-of-its-kind extended period away from home for all of us. A family of 6 and a dog, spending nearly 2 months contained in a small space, driving a 36ft bus and towing a car through thousands of miles, while working full-time and exploring new places together. This is not for the faint of hearts, and it required a lot of meticulous planning. We knew the key is balance between pursuing adventures and downtime for all of us to catch up on rest, work and play, and when we got closer to the end of this journey, we sat down with our kids and asked for their honest feedback, and what surprised us was how unanimous they all responded – they all felt so happy on this trip, and would easily see themselves travel this way for at least a year. They even asked me if you could take a year of homeschooling and return thereafter.
We had thoughts in the past about traveling full-time. We both work remotely, so technically, it is feasible, but for our kids this would mean homeschooling, and while our younger 3 kids (12, 8 and 5) were enthusiastic about the idea of full-time travel, for our 15yo it was a big no-no. He was happy with extended travel during school breaks, but was never open to traveling full-time and leaving his life behind, and we fully get it. That’s where we were truly surprised, and took his feedback as reassurance that we planned this well, and that the balance was overall there.
We are not full-time travelers. We like having a homebase and love the excitement towards a new trip, short or long. We love adventuring as a family, and we seize opportunities to travel in our motorhome as much as possible to make memories with our kids while they’re still little. Next summer we're planning an even longer trip (still thinking about our route - any suggestions?), but until then, we'll make the most of every opportunity to hit the road - long weekends, a month-long winter break trip (we're planning to spend the entire month of December in the south, so follow our next big planned adventure!), and other opportunities we can fit into our flexible calendar.
If you've been following along, thanks for coming along for the ride! We'll see you on the next adventure 🌟
Amazing!!!