Sample Road Trip Itineraries
As we’ve gotten more acquainted with our Delaware to Oklahoma route, we’ve added additional stops. Our kids now insist on stopping at their favorite places year after year! We bring our pop-up camper along and stay mostly in campgrounds or with friends. Here are several different itineraries we’ve used from our home in Delaware to visit family in Oklahoma or South Dakota:
Summer 2006, Delaware to Oklahoma:
Days 1 & 2: Our trip began with a two-night stay in Shenandoah National Park, a perennial favorite.
Day 3: On our way through Virginia, we stopped for a couple of hours to watch a jousting tournament that I’d read about on the internet.
Day 4: During our drive through Tennessee, we stopped for a delicious Father’s Day lunch at an old-fashioned Southern cafeteria in Nashville that I’d read about at www.roadfood.com (the restaurant is unfortunately closed now, but the Roadfood website lists plenty of other options).
Day 5: We took a longer break to explore Memphis, riding the Ducks for a tour around the city and on the river, and enjoying lunch on famous Beale Street. We drove a bit later that day, into Arkansas to arrive at our campground in the evening.
Day 6: We spent a couple of hours digging for diamonds (no luck!) at Crater of Diamonds State Park, cooled off in the pool at the park, and headed down the road for dinner at a great barbeque place (another www.roadfood.com find).
Days 7 & 8: We spent the next two nights at one of our favorite parks, Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas, where we enjoyed hiking, then finally headed to my in-laws house in Oklahoma for our week-long stay.
Summer 2007, Delaware to Oklahoma:
Day 1: Shenandoah National Park, VA
Days 2, 3 & 4: Smoky Mountain National Park, TN
Day 5: Drive across TN; lunch in Nashville
Day 6: Stay with friends in Memphis
Day 7: Visit Graceland in Memphis; drive to Arkansas; dinner at McClaren’s BBQ http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=78
Day 8: Crater of Diamonds State Park, AR; drive to Buffalo River area
Day 9 & 10: Canoe camping along the Buffalo National River, AR
Day 11: Drive to OK
On the way back:
Day 1: Merramec State Park, MO
Day 2: Cave tour at Merramec SP; drive to IN
Day 3: Stop for miniature golf and lunch at Young’s Jersey Dairy Farm, OH
Day 4: Drive home
Summer 2005, Delaware to South Dakota
Day 1: Drive to WV; stay in hotel
Day 2: Stop at The Wilds, OH; drive to IL
Day 3: Stop at Wisconsin Dells – miniature golf and lunch; stay at Big Island State Park, MN
Day 4: Stop at Wall Drug, SD; arrive in Black Hills region of SD
Days 5 – 9: Black Hills, South Dakota
Day 10: Badlands National Park, SD
Day 11: stay at Kilen Woods State Park, MN; stop to see the Jolly Green Giant!
Day 12: stop at Devil’s Lake State Park, WI, to swim in the lake; stay at hotel in IL
Day 13: stop at Starved Rock State Park, IL, to hike; camp at Whitewater State Park, IN
Day 14: stop at Cooper’s Rock State Park, WV, to hike; drive home
