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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Going Mobile

Figuring out a road trip wish list

Let's say you had the next three months completely free to travel through the western United States. No commitments, no places you had to be.

Where would you go?

To a cool mountain town in the Rockies? To a sunny, warm place in New Mexico or Arizona? To a beautiful coastal city in California? Or how about all of the above?

We find ourselves in this enviable position right now, and we're weighing our next move. Freshly back from four weeks in Alaska, we're now looking at how to spend the fall months. The only thing we know for sure is that we'll be on the road in the West.

This, of course, is the dream of RV traveling -- you can go wherever you want.

We're working on a wish list that will hit all our collective sweet spots: Incredible hiking and biking opportunities, standout regional dining destinations, fun local festivals -- and let’s not forget some fancy spas for Leslie.

We’d love your help. Where would you would go in the West? Send us an email at goingmobile@spokesman.com if you have some suggestions.

Here are some of the places on our radar:

 

Sun Valley: We can't wait to explore Ketchum, Idaho’s great dining and outdoor recreation. Festival alert: The epic Trailing of the Sheep Festival, a tribute to the area's vibrant agricultural history, hits town Oct. 10-14.

 

Northwest Wyoming: Stunning Yellowstone and Teton National Parks are two great reasons to go to this area anytime, but fall is particularly beautiful.

 

Utah's parks: The state is filled with fantastic national parks to explore over an extended period -- Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion. Festival alert: Yee-haw! Heber Valley's Western Music & Cowboy Poetry Gathering is October 24-28.

 

Colorado's high country: The spine of the Rocky Mountains is one of our favorite places to explore, along with the bonus of offering some creature comforts in places like Ouray, Aspen and Durango. Mesa Verde National Park is a must-see. Festival alert: Telluride Horror Show, a scary film fest is Oct. 12-14.

 

New Mexico’s allure: With warm and welcoming fall skies, this state has dramatic wide-open vistas punctuated by arty enclaves such as Taos and Santa Fe. Festival alert: Day of the dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations take place in late October and early November.

 

Grand times in Arizona: We need to see the Grand Canyon, no question. We're aiming for a visit near Thanksgiving with a side trip to Sedona. Festival alert: The 14th Annual Arizona Fall Festival highlights local favorites Nov. 3 in Phoenix.

 

California dreamin’: We’re planning on stays in Palm Springs, San Diego and Los Angeles. High on our list is Joshua Tree National Park, where our Going Mobile plan first started taking shape last year.

 

RV contenders: We continue to shop for a vehicle. So many models have pros and cons to consider and we’re moving ahead -- admittedly very slowly. Two high-end choices we like are The Winnebago Fuse and the Leisure Unity. Both are short Class C vehicles that offer quite a bit more space than the Class B vans we’ve been looking at. In the meantime, we continue to try out rental vehicles whenever possible. Any suggestions? We’re listening.

 

Today’s Going Mobile question: What’s your favorite sunny RV escape for the winter? Send responses to goingmobile@spokesman.com.



Leslie Kelly
Leslie Kelly is a freelance writer.