first long trip with 6month old..where to overnight?

ironj · 06-26-2013, 08:27 PM

ok, so we will be leaving on our first long trip with our newborn daughter on Monday up to bayfield rv park in Colorado......

its a pretty decent drive, and NORMALLY when we go skiing in Durango I just leave early and blast all the way there in one whack....

now that we have the lil one, im sure we will need to make more stops and also its gonna be quite warm all the way there.....

so question is, we are thinking of just stopping in santa fe overnight.....instead of driving all the way through...well...actually with the wife its just better that way to keep everyone happy...LOL...

the debate is if we should just hit the wally and spend the night or should we find somewhere with a/c hookups to stay ...its gonna be july the 2nd so I know its kinda late ..and someone said to use the KOA, but I need a place where I don't gotta un hook the camper just to re hook it all up in the morning again....?

any of you more experienced travelers have experience with sites in santa fe or suggestions with making a ~550 mile trip with a 5month old??? im new to traveling this far with the lil one..??

thanks

ironj · 06-26-2013, 08:28 PM

oh and I have a generator so I can run the a/c and microwave anywhere.....?...I just don't want to have to UNHOOK the camper and rehook it when we leave.....just wanna stop pop out the slides, sleep , run slides back in and bolt the heck out....LOL

sideout1961 · 06-26-2013, 08:50 PM

You should still check with KOA campgrounds. The pull through sites in the ones I've seen are pretty level and shouldn't have to unhook.

Scott Colegrove · 06-26-2013, 08:56 PM

if the generator is not a hassle I would just stop in either a walmart or at a nice rest area and make things as easy on the family as possible. We have stayed in a lot of rest areas with the generator. KOA's can work well too, you shouldn't have to drop the trailer, get a pull through.

ironj · 06-26-2013, 08:57 PM

Yes..ill check n see what id available there...honestly I have NEVER used a koa...and iv never 'overnighted' anywherr on a drive with a small child...they are considerably more needy than me who just needs a cold beer lol

Palm Breeze · 07-02-2013, 05:37 AM

My closest experience to that is when we (me, DD, and her father) drove from Southern Calif., to Central Pennsylvania when DD was just turning 2 years old. She was walking, so we needed stops for her to get down and run around, but you will probably need to make frequent stops for feedings and diaper changes. That might require stopping at many more rest stops than usual.

It might run you two a little ragged answering such frequent baby needs, so you will probably be happier stoping someplace that doesn't skimp TOO much on the luxuries, like a shower and meals without worrying about filling the gray tank. Since you have the generator and if you have big tanks, that may satisfy you and the baby's mommy to stop anywhere. But you may also benefit a lot from peaceful surroundings overnight, more than a parking lot would have.

Just my thoughts. I don't know the tolerances of you and baby's mommy or whether your trailer with generator will be all you need to regenerate yourselves. You do have good foresight to consider that this trip will be different.

MC9 · 07-02-2013, 06:39 AM

I have stayed at the Sams Club in Sante Fe. It is on the way.

bakken · 07-02-2013, 06:50 AM

If they have a KOA, book it. The sites are plenty long enough to leave your tow vehicle hooked up.
Do you really want to stay somewhere with no security with the little one?

djmac1964 · 07-02-2013, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironj

honestly I have NEVER used a koal

We stayed at a KOA for the first time a couple weeks ago, on our trip back from FL. If they are all like the one we stopped at in SC, I would highly recommend it. They were very accommodating. We had a site big eoungh to fit the truck & trlr, so we didn't have to unhook. we were escorted back to our site, and the attendant helped ground guide me into our site (after dark), and he even delivered the pizza we ordered during check in. Pizza, a couple cold beers, bed, and back on the road in the morning.

**ependydad** · 07-02-2013, 10:12 AM

We traveled from Maryland to Florida (925 miles) this past December when son was about 6 months old. We left at 11pm - my wife, and 2 kids slept until about 8am. We stopped for breakfast for a good hour and a half or so. Drove on until lunch time and again, stopped for a good 30-45 minutes, if not a whole hour. We switched who was driving and I passenger'd for a while. Switched back and then ended up in the Orlando area at 6pm.

Obviously, there were gas and potty stops for the rest of us. We simply did diaper changes and whatnot then. I don't recall, but I certainly believe that there was the occasional "extra" stop to deal with a smelly load.

Truthfully, if your lil one is good in the car, they're likely the least of your worries.

We were lucky that my in-laws caught up with us at breakfast. So, when I passengered, I was able to go over to my father-in-law's car and rest there. I didn't sleep, but it was good to get away from having to work with the kids (in the truck, my daughter can't easily reach my son like she can in our car).

BUT- if you don't want to do this. KOAs and a lot of campgrounds have pull-thru sites that you shouldn't have to stop at. Especially if they're near highway routes. Even if it's a back-in, you may not need to unhitch. When you call the campground, be honest with your plans- they'll help you get a site that works.

I wouldn't stop at a Walmart without a generator in the summer. Just can't do it. But, you say you have one- so that's a viable option. Do the math for how much of 8-10 hours of generator usage would cost in fuel vs. just stopping at a campground. There's less of an easy place to take the kid out and let them get some fresh air at a Walmart parking lot. How light of sleepers they are would be a concern of mine, as well.

ironj · 07-03-2013, 12:43 AM

ok so thanks for all the replies....i am here in santa fe, at private campground laying in my bed watching tv, lil one sleeping in the bunkhouse....

it actually was not a bad trip at all....honestly she slept most of the way so i only had to stop about 4 times....and i think 2 of those were for me to pee and get allsups burritos...LOL

im in a pull through site with truck still hooked up....so that is nice.......

honestly i think i would have been just as content at wal mart or sams lot as someone else had mentioned....its actually cold here, so i probably wouldnt have even needed the genny except to maybe recharge batteries, or MAYBE run the microwave.....i know it may be more secure here at the camp ground, but i feel safe in my trailer...i am...umm...."fairly profficient" in the self defence arena and always travel armed......

but i digress.....i think the campsite was acually more work, because the pull through site had full hookups...so wife wanted the sewer , water, elect, and cable hooked up........which is really no big deal, but its still more work for ME none the less...lol

to be completely honest, the most difficult part of this whole trip has been dealing with my inlaws ...the consistantly get upset when they dont get whet they want, and they have a tendancy to just want to show up and hang out at my trailer un invited.....dont get me wrong i love em, but im on vacation and i just want to relax and unwind for a litle bit....not babysit..

well see tomorrow brings !!!! lol.....

thanks again guys

rattleNsmoke · 07-03-2013, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djmac1964

We stayed at a KOA for the first time a couple weeks ago, on our trip back from FL. If they are all like the one we stopped at in SC, I would highly recommend it. They were very accommodating.

djmac, was this the Yamasee KOA in SC? We stayed there as an overnighter on our way from Port St. Lucie to the Outer Banks NC. Very helpful folks there and a bar in the office!

clancythecamper · 07-03-2013, 05:45 AM

but i digress.....i think the campsite was acually more work, because the pull through site had full hookups...so wife wanted the sewer , water, elect, and cable hooked up........which is really no big deal, but its still more work for ME none the less...lol

oh no you didn't!!!....... LOL, as a camping mom, I would have been happy to trade that for what I did!!!!!!

Enjoy your trip ~ when the inlaws show up just smile, visit for a few, then "take the baby for a walk"

tee hee, it always worked for me...... Hope you have a great weekend and a safe trip~

djmac1964 · 07-03-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

djmac, was this the Yamasee KOA in SC? We stayed there as an overnighter on our way from Port St. Lucie to the Outer Banks NC. Very helpful folks there and a bar in the office!

I believe it might have been. It was exit 33 off of I95, turn down the road behind the waffle house. I believe they called it Points South KOA.

And yes, they did have a wine/coffee bar in the office.

rattleNsmoke · 07-03-2013, 12:56 PM

Ayup, that was it...Points South KOA. I liked that wooden sign outside the office regarding Gen Rob't E. Lee and his troops, etc. Pretty cool.

**ependydad** · 07-03-2013, 01:06 PM

My wife shocked me on our last overnight stop- she didn't even want to level side to side. She eyeballed it and said it was close enough! (Truth be told- it's was amazingly level and would have only required one layer of blocks.)

We debated hooking up water or not (since we run with some water in our tank). We ultimately did because I wanted a shower in the morning.

We did unhook because we wanted to go see the Flight 93 Memorial since we were near it. Otherwise, we likely would have stayed hitched up, too (and again, only a tiny bit unlevel).

ironj · 07-14-2013, 10:12 PM

to add to this i would like to say that on the return trip we didnt bother with a site, and just used the lot at the walmart in Bernilillo New Mexico...honestly, it was a better view than the camp site!! gorgeous mountains in the back and the lot was level enough so i didint need to mess with nothing....ran down stabilizers, rand out slides, plugged in genny {it was 90 and i have a 7mo old with me} ......walked in the wally to restock some drinks, then over to the dions pizza across the lot for dinner......ran the antenna up, watched the news , ate and went to bed......had about 1/3 tank of fresh so was ok there.....always dump and flush the tanks to my satisfaction when i get home anyway...honestly was the easiest night out EVER!!

actually i think the walmart lot was better in some ways....i went in and confirmed with the manager and he was super nice and welcomed us and even had the security service patrol where we were parked extra during the night. plus it was a 24hr walmart super center, so only a short walk for anything i could possibly need or want.....also a burger king, a mcdonalds and a dions all within eyesite....lol

now i know this aint "camping" technically but it sure is nice when im driving home, tired and just wanna stop and recharge for the night.....

anyway, just wanted to throw that tidbit out there.....pullthrough site (had to level, and hook up water and sewer and power to feel like i got my 30$ worth outta it....LOL

thanks for all the advice and suggestions guys

jeremy

Sharon455 · 08-16-2013, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironj

to add to this i would like to say that on the return trip we didnt bother with a site, and just used the lot at the walmart in Bernilillo New Mexico...honestly, it was a better view than the camp site!! gorgeous mountains in the back ...

jeremy

I lived in Bernalillo a lifetime ago, graduated from the high school and attended college in Albuquerque. There weren't any Walmarts back then, all we had was a small mercantile and a long drive into the city if we needed more. Passed through in 2007 and barely recognized it. People who lived there in the 70's were pretty friendly, I'm glad to hear that hasn't changed.

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