Sounds like you had a wonderful trip and glad you all enjoyed it. That's a lot to cover in 11 days! Dh and I drove across country right after we got engaged, starting in No. California. We'd both been to the Grand Canyon before, but while living in Hawaii, we met a guy who grew up in AZ. He told us about this canyon adjacent to the Grand Canyon that he and his family used to hike into - the trail ends in an Indian reservation. We decided to do it on our trip across country. I'm not sure what we were thinking...while physically fit, we weren't big hikers and it was a 10 mile hike down, it was 100+ degrees (middle of July). We camped overnight and then hiked back out the next day. I was never so happy to get back to our car with A/C! From there we were headed to Denver, so we drove up through Utah along some deserted 2-lane highways, but the scenery was spectacular. We didn't make it to Bryce or Zion, but we have vowed that once all of our kids were old enough to appreciate, we were going to do a trip like yours. We'll probably just do Sedona, Grand Canyon, and then one place up in Utah. I assume you were driving from place to place? Did you get to stop at any of the pueblos? Those were really pretty cool. I agree with you about Vegas. Once was enough for me. We stopped there too on our trip from San Fran down to AZ via L.A then San Diego (our trip was very convoluted as we were all over the map visiting friends along the way). We just had an overnight in Vegas, but did hit a casino just for fun. Totally not my thing at all. Just too much for me. It was neat to experience once, but I have no desire to head back. Did you see the Hoover Dam too? Probably not as I imagine that wasn't on your way if you were coming from Utah. If you have any specific kid-friendly info of places you stopped, please share! I'm taking note of the Pink Jeep tour! Glad you had a great time but totally understand being a little bit too much togetherness! With four kids, I get that when we are having to stay in hotel rooms for any length of time.

Fun to have a little brush with nature. Hope you were upwind. Did I mention that my last camping trip was...oh, about 65 years ago? (Camp Fire Girl's camp with sleeping tents on wooden platforms and 'baths' in the lake.) Can you tell that I didn't take to camping?

Anne, on this trip we are just going to Sao Miguel, the biggest island in the azores. There is another trip we will be going on maybe later this year or for sure next summer, through the travel agency in Toronto, that organizes these tours that includes all the nine islands of the azores. It is a 3 week tour. Are you close to Toronto, Ontario, with the Canadian dollar down, the 9 island tour would be very reasonable in US dollars. I believe it is around $3600 Cdn, includes everything except for some meals.

I'm so glad to hear you changed your plans Lynn! I absolutely love lving in Austin but the sweltering summers are really hard to take, especially after having lived in San Diego for 20+ years. Yes, there is plenty of water around, but if your idea of a vacation is lazing by a pool/on the beach with a nice breeze, this isn't the place to do it. lol I swear the older I get the more I 'need' more luxuorious accommodations. If the hotel doesn't offer room service, I won't be staying there~I enjoy a late night snack when i'm on vacay, or breakfast placed right in front of me. I hate waking up and having to get showered/dressed/make up-hair, before breakfast! Although I personally haven't been to Cancun, oldest DD has gone several times and always comes back wishing she could have stayed longer. Just being away with DH and no work schedule for an entire week will be a treat in itself. Enjoy! ;)