Expert Advice

National Park Road Tripping With Kids (And Hilton Grand Vacations)

Lots of adventure, and Hilton Grand Vacations, made this epic road trip one for the books

Gavin P.
A car with bikes on the road through Southern Utah

One year ago, we started planning an epic American road trip. A month-long camping trip across the United States. With kids. Our goal was simple — visit as many national parks in the West as possible.

But what reward could we dangle in front of the kids to spend a month camping with their parents?

The pool at Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, a resort in Las Vegas 

One weekend, the answer came to us while planning our route, reviewing available booking windows and calculating the time frame we’d need to make it a reality. The line between Utah and Montana was a corridor that encompassed the national parks on our road trip bucket list.

We could start the trip at our Hilton Grand Vacations property in Las Vegas — Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club — and finish at Sunrise Lodge, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, in Park City, Utah.

My boys and I drove from Alabama to Las Vegas in late June, spending a fun-filled five days on the road towing the travel trailer. We met my wife and daughter at the Elara after they flew in.

The boys and I were so happy to see the blue glow of the Elara, and it was hard to ignore the call of the pool after five hot days of driving. The comfort of the Suite was a welcome luxury after the thin mattresses and cramped spaces of the camping trailer.

After a few days of exploring Las Vegas, we decamped to the trailer and headed to Utah.

While my wife and I were super excited to hit the trails, the kids were, admittedly, sad to leave Hilton Grand Vacations' amazing amenities behind.  

An RV driving near Glacier National Park in Montana 

Before long, we were hunkering down in the desert, hiking, bike riding and enjoying the outdoors while we rolled through the parks on the way to Montana.

Once again, Hilton Grand Vacations greeted us with open arms. One thing we love is the consistency we receive every time. We know we will always find a sparkling pool, clean sheets and a spacious Suite where everyone can stretch out and find their own space. 

Sunrise Lodge was the perfect place to wind down our time together. We spent three days reliving the fun of the adventure of the road trip and enjoying the top-notch amenities of the resort. 

As we plan our next adventure, we're considering another road trip with the kids and, naturally, anchoring the start and end points with Hilton Grand Vacations. This way, no matter what happens, we know we'll have a great start and a welcome finish to the trip. 

Read “5 Best American Road Trip Routes, No Flight Needed” to plan your epic Hilton Grand Vacations road trip. 

 

Gavin P.

Triathlete Gavin is always looking forward to his next adventure with HGV. He loves experiencing the mountains and fresh powder in Park City, Utah and the oceans and beach towns of California. Gavin’s home resort is Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Las Vegas, to which he always travels with his family of five adventurers. Whether competing in a race, camping, skiing, hiking, or relaxing poolside, Gavin and his family have built an appreciation for exploring new locations, especially local hotspots, and seeking out new restaurants. Gavin and his wife believe that it is important to share travel with their children to help open their minds to new cultures. He is excited to share his passion for “traveling like a local” with other HGV Members.

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