Some timing issues...

Day 1 is unrealistic IMO if your aim is to limit driving to 6-8 hours. Assuming you're not actually starting in Tsawwassen, but rather on Vancouver Island someplace, then in August I would definitely not head east via Seattle. The border delays are likely to be quite long at Blaine (using either crossing) and shooting for Interstate 90 from Seattle means you have to deal with Seattle area traffic and head way south in order to go to Spokane - have a look at a map. If your intention is to make Bozeman by the end of the second day, then I'd stay inside Canada for as long as possible. From Tsawwassen head east on the TCH to Hope, and then BC 3 to Osoyoos, cross the border and take US 97 then WA SR 155 to Grand Coulee. That will be around 8 hours from Tsawwassen, with minimal border delays and little traffic. BC3 is a gorgeous road, and the ride from Osoyoos to Grand Coulee is quite scenic.

The next day, Grand Coulee to Bozeman is around another 8 hours, so a lot of driving, but much easier on the system than Tsawwassen - Seattle - Spokane, which counting border time and traffic would probably be touching on 10 hrs, not counting any ferry time beforehand.

Then coming back, SLC to LA is a good 10 hours, and traffic between Las Vegas and LA can be quite busy. Plus, it will be hot as a pistol in the desert in August, and the LV - LA drive is not the world's most scenic; far from it.

So I'd look at reprogramming the route a little. Depending on when you leave Yellowstone, and assuming you'd want to stop for a photo-op at the Grand Tetons (which you'll drive right past, but so worthy of a stop) then Salt Lake is a decent overnight. However I'd probably plan on stopping somewhere else before LA if you only make it to SLC on the day you leave Yellowstone; otherwise you'll be hitting LA traffic when you're exhausted and with (probably grumpy and hot) kids in the car with you.

The good news, such as it is, is that you could probably ditch one of the nights at Yellowstone and still have a decent time in the park. It's true that it's a big park, but the park service manages things pretty well, so you can see quite a lot in a day. (I probably wouldn't do a tour - you can see most of the major attractions pretty easily using your car, and there isn't that much driving in the park, particularly if you limit each day's exploration to one area of the park - e.g. Mammoth, or some of the geyser basins, etc., and not zigzag all over the place.

So that being the case, adding a night (or even two) to the coming and going, in order to reduce car fatigue for you and the kids, is quite doable. I remember taking kids of those ages to national parks myself, and my recollection is that their attention spans were pretty limited, and the motel pool was more interesting than learning about the life cycle of the mule deer. YMMV.

Gardyloo - thank you ever so much for the much needed feedback. Our starting point is Tsawwassen, staying with family. I was initially planning to drive east within Canada before heading south, but was told the Tsawwassen-Seattle-Spokane would be fastest. I will look into driving through Hope and then south like you suggested.

I am familiar with the Vegas-LA drive so I won't mind driving the 10+ hrs or so. Kids can handle 10-hrs in the car, but I won't push it as I am travelling alone. LOL This is our 3rd trip, and the first one when they were 1-yo & 3-yo, while in diapers. But that was one of our best family vacations.

Thanks again!

Good advice from Gardyloo. We have rarely encountered a line of more than 2 or 3 cars at the Osoyoos crossing. And of course the route on the Canadian side is gorgeous. We've taken the route past Grand Coulee to Spokane (and vice versa), that is also our preference. Seattle traffic is a mess.

I do worry about the piece from Salt Lake City to LA though. Given that it's at least 10+ hours without any stops or traffic, you will probably need to plan for 12-14 hours. At some point the kids will have to get out to use the restroom, stretch, etc.

One other thought, since you are a first-time Yellowstone visitor. When you look at the park maps, the distances from point to point don't seem very far. Oh, but they will be slow going, what with animal jams, traffic in August, windy 2-lane roads, etc. Just expect to spent a lot longer than you might otherwise plan.

We stay in West Yellowstone for most of the time when we visit (since we have a timeshare there), adding a couple of other nights in the Tetons or Jackson. Pro: access to some restaurants, a couple small groceries, and shops (nothing fancy here though). Con: it takes awhile to get back to the loop and really into the area of the park you will want to explore, somewhere between 40 minutes to an hour in our experience (that is not counting traffic).

If you do find yourself driving in the dark, do be careful. It is entirely possible to come upon a bison laying in the road, or other large animals crossing/standing/etc. Take it slow.

Have a wonderful trip.

I would plan on see the Grand Tetons at least for a day while you are visiting Yellowstone. If you need a half day break from the National Parks, check out the Alpine Slide in Jackson.

If you can get "in park"(especially at Old Faithful Inn) on Day 5 and 6 then I would for sure do that. Maybe stay at Jackson Lake Lodge, Signal Mountain, or Colter Village on Day 6 in the Tetons


Maybe stop at Bryce and/or Zion on your way from Salt Lake to LA. Kids really would like Arches National Park and Goblin Valley, if you wanted to go a bit out of your way.
Even a stop at the Grand Canyon(north or south rim) wouldn't be to far out of the way

Still, another option would be to spend a day or two in Sequoia National Park, just before LA.

Read a couple of books, read some maps & looked up the net...here's the revised itin. Now I wished I had 3+ weeks. LOL

Not too sure about the Yellowstone-Utah Parks route. If this can be fine tuned to accomodate our limited schedule. It will mainly be scenic drives & some stops to fit in possible ranger programs for the kids.

Day 1 – depart Tsawwassen drive to Seattle, then to Spokane. Overnight in Spokane.
Day 2 – depart Spokane drive to Bozeman. Overnight Bozeman.
Day 3 – depart Bozeman drive to Yellowstone (North). Explore N Yellowstone. Overnight within YNP.
Day 4 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight within YNP
Day 5 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight West Yellowstone
Day 6 – depart West Yellowstone, drive to Vernal, UT (full day’s drive, approx. 8-hrs, 408 miles)
Day 7 – depart Vernal UT to Green River (3.5 hrs drive; 176 miles). Explore Dinosaur National Monument. Arches ½ day. Overnight Green River.
Day 8 – depart Green River. Explore Canyonlands ½ day (Island in the sky). Drive to Torrey. ½ day Capitol Reef. Overnight in Torrey UT.
Day 9 – depart Torrey – explore Capitol Reef ½ day. Explore Bryce ½ day (3-hr drive from Torrey to Bryce). Drive to Vegas. Overnight Vegas.
Day 10 – optional day to stay in Vegas or head home.

Thank you again for your input & advice.

SORRY - I forgot to change the beginning of the trip so here is the most current revision.


Day 1 – depart Tsawwassen drive to Hope, Osoyoos, then to Spokane. Overnight in Spokane.
Day 2 – depart Spokane drive to Bozeman. Overnight Bozeman.
Day 3 – depart Bozeman to Yellowstone (North). Explore N Yellowstone. Overnight within YNP.
Day 4 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight within YNP
Day 5 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight West Yellowstone
Day 6 – depart West Yellowstone, drive to Vernal, UT (full day’s drive, approx. 8-hrs, 408 miles)
Day 7 – depart Vernal UT to Green River (3.5 hrs drive; 176 miles). Explore Dinosaur National Monument. Arches ½ day. Overnight Green River.
Day 8 – depart Green River. Explore Canyonlands ½ day (Island in the sky). Drive to Torrey. ½ day Capitol Reef. Overnight in Torrey UT.
Day 9 – depart Torrey – explore Capitol Reef ½ day. Explore Bryce ½ day (3-hr drive from Torrey to Bryce). Drive to Vegas. Overnight Vegas.
Day 10 – optional day to stay in Vegas or head home.

with kids--Vernal will be great. On Day 8, Don't overnight in Green River--overnight in Moab--much more to do fun to stay, etc. But then I would skip Canyonlands and see Arches again on Day 8. Arches is such a great park for kids. I wouldn't count on seeing much else that day. (unless you want to put a stop in at Goblin Valley or Little Wildhorse Canyon) Day 9, I would explore Bryce and then head to Vegas. Your planned day #9 is just way too much to do--for you driving and for the kids.

Here are my trip reports (with kids) for the areas you are visiting:
For Yellowstone-- Took my then 6 and 8 yo last August:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/young-kids-in-yellowstone.cfm

For Moab/Arches: http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/moab-small-children-trip-report.cfm

For Zion: http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/zion-with-kids-report.cfm

Day 2. Leave Spokane early
I would go ahead and drive to Mammoth area in Yellowstone and stay there. It's just two more hours drive(7-8 hr drive).
Arrive in afternoon and take a dip in the Boiling River.

Day 3
6:00AM Start out early to look for Wildlife in Lamar and Hayden Valley. See Canyon area and Tower area.
Overnight in Roosevelt, Canyon, or Lake Hotel.

Day 4
See Lake Area
See Norris Geyser Basin
See Fountain Paint Pots
See Old Faithful Geyser
See some of the springs
maybe hike to a waterfall
Overnight @ Old Faithful Inn

Day 5
Spend as much time as you can veiwing the geyser around Old Faithful. I like Riverside and Castle. Check at visitor center for eruption times. You may want to rent a bicycle here.
Late afternoon, drive to The Tetons and overnight in Colter Village, Signal Mountain, or Jackson Lake Lodge

Day 6
7:00AM Take boat across Jenny Lake and hike to Hidden Falls
12:00 Drive to Vernal. Kids will sleep in the car now, because they are tired. 376 miles 8 hours

Day 7
Float Trip @ Green River. Goblin Valley State Park and perhaps time at Little Wildhorse Canyon


Day 8, 9, 10 You can do Torrey, Capitol Reef, and Bryce
or you can do Arches, Moab, and Canyonlands
Skip Vegas. You do not have enough time to do
go both ways to Canyonlands/Arches and then
to Torrey/Bryce


I think you might be looking at the Detached section of Canyonlands near Green River. That's not what you want for Canyonlands Island in the Sky, most likely. That's the canyon that they dude amputated his own arm. Very remote.

If you do go that route(even if you don't stop at Green River on your way to Torrey), you've just got to stop at Goblin Valley. I almost guarantee will be your kids favorite stop.
I can't imagine being that close and not seeing Goblin Valley with an 8 and 6 year old.

Archs is a great place for a day or more.

Personally, I say skip Bryce and Vegas or Skip Green River/Canyonlands/Arches 1/2 in Bryce, Arches, or Canyonlands is like spending 3 hours in Disney. pretty much pointless, IMOP.

I would totally skip Vegas, especially with kids.


Buy a National Park Pass for $80 and it is good for all parks, monument, rivers, historic sites, etc for a year.

Thanks again for the wonderful advice. I have noted swim at Boiling River, float trip (only an hr from Moab area) & will purchase the NP-annual pass for sure. Our schedule is still flexible to add an extra day or two if there is availability at the lodgings (Yellowstone & Moab).

Day 1 – depart Tsawwassen drive to Hope, then Osoyoos, then to Spokane. Overnight in Spokane Valley - confirmed reservations.
Day 2 – depart Spokane Valley early, drive to West Yellowstone. Overnight “in park” – confirmed reservation at Old Faithful Inn.
Day 3 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight “in park” – confirmed reservation at Old Faithful Inn.
Day 4 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight “in park” – confirmed reservation at Lake Lodge
Day 5 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight Jackson Hole (lodging prices very high considering other options south Yellowstone area)
Day 6 – depart Jackson Hole, drive to Vernal, UT (full day’s drive, approx. 8-hrs). Overnight Vernal.
Day 7 – depart Vernal UT to Moab. Explore Dinosaur National Monument. Arches ½ day. Overnight Moab – confirmed reservations.
Day 8 – Explore Canyonlands (Island in the sky) & Arches. Overnight Moab - confirmed reservations.
Day 9 – depart Moab – explore Capitol Reef ½ day. Explore Bryce ½ day (3-hr drive from Torrey to Bryce). Overnight Torrey (TBD lodging)
Day 10 – May need to break drive after 8+hrs. Considering lodging still in Vegas. Next day, head home.

Day 9 on the way to Torrey take a little detour over to Goblin Valley State Park.
Probably better to drive from Torrey through Bryce Canyon on 12 with the sun behind you in the morning.
Are you making a stop in Zion?
Which route are you taking on your way home from Las Vegas?

In the park at Cap Reef. I like to get homemade pies at The Gifford House. Right next to the house is a picnic area located in the orchards. Deer have been there every time I have been. gifford house also sells homemade Ice Cream. I think the pie is really good, but the ice cream is just ok.

Stay in the Tetons on Day 5. Colter Village Cabins-some of them have 3 beds. Jackson Lake Lodge and Signal Mountain would also be options for there. We saw several moose up pretty close in The Tetons.

To add to Spirobulldog's advice on alternatives to staying in Jackson, you could stay in the area north of Jackson but just outside Tetons - such as Moran area.

We stayed a couple of nights at the Hatchet Resort and loved it. It is rather rustic, but we had the best steaks cooked on the grill out back, and overall it was really cute. The kids might really enjoy it. http://www.hatchetresort.com/

Thank you everyone for the lodging suggestions in Jackson, however I find lodging there too very pricey. Opting to spend 1-day & overnight in Cody instead. Considering staying in Torrey area overnight on Day 11.

I have included the highway routes for the trip & would appreciate any advice. Thank you ever so much for the help!

Day 1 – depart south Vanc area; drive to Spokane. Take I-5south-Hwy 2 east from Everett to Spokane. Overnight in Spokane.

Day 2 – depart Spokane drive to West Yellowstone. Take I-90 East, Hwy 287/Hwy 87/Hwy 20. Overnight in W Yellowstone.

Day 3 – depart West Yellowstone. Explore N Yellowstone. Overnight OFI/YNP.
Day 4-5 – Explore Yellowstone. Overnight within OFI/YNP.

Day 6 – depart OFI, drive to Cody. Upper YNP loop to US Highway 14/16/20.  Overnight Cody.
Explore Buffalo Bill's musuem.
See night rodeo

Day 7 – depart Cody, drive to Vernal UT. take 120/789/28/191.
Overnight Vernal.

Day 8 – depart Vernal, drive to Moab.
Explore Dinosaur National Monument. Drive to Moab.
Take 40/64/139/I-70/139. Overnight Moab.

Day 9-10 Moab. 
Explore Arches (Fiery Furnace hike). Explore Canyonlands.  Dead Horse Point UT
Maybe do a float trip. Overnight Moab.

Day 11 – depart Moab, drive to St. George (or possibly Torrey).*
Take I-70/24/62/89/20/I-15
Capitol Reef NP. Bryce Canyon NP (if time permits).
Overnight St. George.
*may head to LA depends on how kids will fare by the time we leave Moab. LOL

Day 12 - depart St. George, drive to Los Angeles.

Day 1 takes you some distance out of your way and will make you prone to unnecessary border delays. Instead, just scoot straight across from Tsawwassen (I assume that's still your start point?) to the TCH and follow it to Hope, then BC 3 east through Manning Park to Osoyoos, and cross the border there. Then head south on US 97 to Tonasket, thence east on WA 20 to US 395, then down into Spokane.

BC3/Crowsnest Hwy is very scenic, as is US 97 and SR20 across Washington. The BC 99/I-5/US2 route is scenic in places, in particular US 2 over Stevens Pass, but you'll make better time, with - overall - better scenery, by using BC 3. The Crowsnest through the Cascades is the BC version of Washington's North Cascades highway (SR20); very beautiful but more readily reached and a bit faster than WA 20.

Grand Teton NP is just 3 hours to the south of Yellowstone NP and worth a visit. A good place to spend the night is Jackson Hole. Have a look at my travel blog (http://sites.google.com/site/usscenictrip/home/week-3 http://sites.google.com/site/usscenictrip/home/week-3/grand-teton-np http://sites.google.com/site/usscenictrip/home/week-3/jackson-hole
) to check out details.

A stop between Spokane and Missoula might be the Garnet Ghost Town east of Missoula.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4235187637/in/set-72157623117942088

I meant "between Spokane and Bozeman"