Additional questions! Feedback on our Southwest Roadtrip?

We are attempting to make a roadtrip out of a family event!

The event follows VERY closely to the end of school. In fact, to make it work 3 of my kids will miss the last day of school (which is pretty non-academic and I’m ok with!)

We leave on Thursday night and stay the first night with DHs sister in the greater Phoenix area. The next day (Friday) we’ll drive almost 12 hours to Lubbock TX where we will stay the next couple of nights. The event will take place on Saturday afternoon. We will stay Sunday to for worship activities. We are deciding whether we will stay Monday as well. It will be dependent somewhat on costs and our subsequent activities. There is a science museum in Lubbock my kids might really enjoy.

The next day we will be driving back towards Phoenix. We had thought to stay near Petrified Forest (8 hour drive) or all the way to Phoenix with DHs sister again? Not sure. Anyone have experience with the petrified forest?

Guys, I waited too long and Tusayan is completely booked and entirely out of our price range. How bad would a stay in Williams be instead?

Also, Is there an interesting place to stay between Lubbock and Phoenix? Or a worthwhile hotel?

TIA!!

That morning we will join SIL visiting Bearizona and heading to the Grand Canyon. I got some good advice about where to stay/how to best see the Grand Canyon but I’m a little nervous that we’re already late in the game. We were thinking to spend a night near the GC.

The next day we were thinking of doing the GC touring, then hitting Horseshoe Bend. Then heading home via Las Vegas. My brother lives there. We’d love to see his kids but we would not be staying with them. We can stay in St. George, or anywhere in NV.

The last day we’d be traveling home.

What do you think of our schedule? Would you compress or extend any parts? We wouldn’t have to be home until the following Saturday. Finances are a consideration but we want to pay enough to create positive memories for the kids and make connections with our families. I feel like the last 3 nights/days might be tiring. We have 2 little kids who aren’t great travelers. I’d love any general trips. Also any info on getting good places to stay?

Thank you!!

Oh and what do you guys with big families for hotel stays? We’re perfectly happy to squish into one room but when we put in our kids ages we’re required to get 2 rooms. This makes the trip more expensive for us. But we want to keep the rules. How do we get around this?

12 hour drive on Friday and an 8 hour drive on Monday isn’t great so definitely stay Monday night.
It’s usually a fire code violation to exceed the room’s limits. You need 2 rooms. Plus, your kids just aren’t that little anymore. But, you should investigate Airbnb. You can probably get something legitimately big enough for your family for a decent price. Alternatively look at suite hotels like Embassy Suites, Staybridge Suites, Hyatt House and Homewood Suites. You might be able to officially have 6 in your room and would cost less than 2 rooms. Even if you have to splurge a bigger suite, at least you wouldn’t have to pay all the taxes and fees times 2.


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If you want a hotel vs. an airbnb, suite hotels are the way to go. DS2 and I were just in Phoenix last weekend and the tournament hotel was a suite hotel - all the regular rooms allowed up to 6 in a room legally - bedroom with two queens and a pull-out in the living room. We've had a similar set up with Homewood Suite motel we stayed at on a college visit for a reasonable rate.

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Originally Posted by marinkitty

If you want a hotel vs. an airbnb, suite hotels are the way to go. DS2 and I were just in Phoenix last weekend and the tournament hotel was a suite hotel - all the regular rooms allowed up to 6 in a room legally - bedroom with two queens and a pull-out in the living room. We've had a similar set up with Homewood Suite motel we stayed at on a college visit for a reasonable rate.

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Yes to this! DS1 and I will be in Washington and Oregon for college tours over spring break and we're staying at a Homewood Suites with 2 queen beds, full kitchen, and pull out couch in the living room! It's just the 2 of us but with the university discount it's the exact same price as a regular hotel room!

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Great info about suites!

Do you think perhaps it might be a good idea to cast a net to find suites in the general areas where we want to tour to kind of determine or itinerary?

I’m trying to update on my phone and failing.

I’m looking for a place to stop between Lubbock and Phoenix. And also, We’re essentially out of luck getting lodging in Tusayan. We could afford Williams AZ though. Could that be a good experience?


TIA!!

We visited Petrified Forest/painted Desert parks a couple of summers ago. We stayed over night in Holbrook at a nondescript chain motel. Don't get me wrong, we really enjoyed it, but as far as national parks go, it's kind of... bland. I can't come up with another word. It's beautiful, the science and history is fascinating, but if you're looking for a Grand Canyon or Sedona type of experience, this isn't it. It's more low-key beautiful, not breathtaking beautiful. There's also not much out there, in the neighboring towns.

We loved stopping for a few hours at the meteorite impact site that's between Flagstaff and Winslow along the 40.

ETA I don't know the cost but there is a hotel at Bearizona. It was being built last time we were there.

In St George, there is a Mariott Towneplace Suites that might have the room you need. An air b nb or VRBO is definitely worth looking at but they usually won't take you for 1 night...
Try this website for big hotel rooms sixsuitcasetravel.com

It seems to me that if you want to organize safe and interesting trip, then you need to know in advance more about this country, routes and which hotels have a good reputation for tourists. I usually find this information on tourist portals. There you can find interesting routes or you can periodically go on excursions in a group so that you are more interested. As for the list of things that you need to take, then all this is individual. If you know that you have health problems, be sure to take your medicines with you on the road in order not to use analogues of these medicines in another country. In general, in this article https://www.travelkings.net/top-5-travel-essentials/ you can find 5 things absolutely necessary for each person that should be taken on a trip. Hope this helps you start your list.

Same spam, new thread.


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