Click here for stops #1 – #7 on the Drive Across America.
#8: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum is a memorial on the site of the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. The museum and the surrounding memorial were both informative and moving. We were all very impressed with the entire experience. The surrounding downtown Oklahoma City area is also interesting to explore. We only had a short time in Oklahoma City, but enjoyed a fantastic sunset across the Midwest plains. Stayed 1 night.
#9: Albuquerque, New Mexico via Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas
On our drive to Albuquerque, we stopped at a unique roadside attraction just outside Amarillo, Texas – Cadillac Ranch. Cadillac Ranch is a series of old Cadillac’s sticking out of the ground in the middle of a cornfield off of I-40. It was created in the 1970’s as an expression of art, and we left our mark behind in the form of spray paint on the Cadillac furthest to the east. Because we knew we would be back to Albuquerque, we did not spend much time exploring here, but plan to next month on another road trip. Stayed 1 night.
#10: Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
We spent 2 days exploring Mesa Verde National Park. The first day we explored the Chapin Mesa – visiting the museum and exploring the pit house, pueblo and cliff dwelling remains of the Mesa Top Loop. We enjoyed lunch with a view of Spruce Tree House dwelling. We also took tours of Balcony House and Cliff Palace – two of the most impressive cliff dwellings in the park. Our tours included climbing a 32-foot wooden ladder on the side of the cliff face and crawling through a 2-foot-wide tunnel to get to the other side. Stayed 3 nights.
On our second day, we visited the visitor center at the base of the mesa and then explored the Weatherhill mesa. We took a ranger guided tour to Long House cliff dwelling and then did a self-guided tour of Step House cliff dwelling. On our way down the mesa, we visited Park Point- the highest point in the park with views of 4 states on a clear day!
#11: Monument Valley, Utah via Four Corners
During our spectacular drive to Monument Valley (top photo on page 1), we stopped at Four Corners (top photo above) where our family stood in 4 different states at one time – Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona! At Monument Valley we drove the 17-mile dirt road through the Monument Valley Tribal Park and visited the Visitor’s Center. We also hiked to a natural arch near our campground and enjoyed the beautiful night sky! Stayed 2 nights.
#12: Page, Arizona
Outside Page we hiked to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook – an area in Glen Canyon where the Colorado River makes a 270 degree turn. We also toured the Glen Canyon Dam where we enjoyed views of Lake Powell and then we toured Lower Antelope Slot Canyon (photo above). Stayed 1 night.
#13: Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park is one of our favorite national parks! We have visited many times, but this time we hiked the Lower and Upper Emerald Pool Trails and the Riverside Trail to the start of the Narrows. We also enjoyed a delicious dinner on the balcony of the Zion Lodge and a gorgeous evening on the lawn in front of the Lodge where deer families came to eat their evening meal on the grass. Stayed 1 night.
#14: Las Vegas, Nevada
End of the road (for now)! We love Las Vegas and how family friendly the city is!
Click here for stops #1 – #7 on the Drive Across America.
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Haley is a married mom of two preschoolers and a golden retriever. She is a lover of traveling, baking, exploring, beaching, running, and Bible studying…but not necessarily in that order. She recently did something she never imagined she would ever do; her family purchased a camper, traveled the country, and lived in it for several months. Haley prayed a lot and learned a lot. Now she’s sharing all the fun they’ve had traveling the country!
Haley’s adorable daughter was also featured in this fun craft post:
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