Driving DS from NYC to USAFA

U

USN-corpsman

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2021
Messages
23
Hello all candidates and parents,
Hope all is well!
As a family, we want to drive our DS to USAFA from NYC. We are hoping to indulge the beautiful land of USA. How about some insightful suggestions! Thank you in advance.
 
I would say make reservations now for CO Springs for dropping off. Last year we did a cross country move and dropped DD off in the middle. We arrived a few days before I-day so she can rest after some long driving days and gave her some more time to acclimate to the elevation.

We have always planned out out cross country trips by visiting national parks, picking a few we definitely want to see and then finding some rest stops in between. There are some wonderful state parks as well that are often less crowded than the national parks. Not sure if you camp, but this is what we did and just pitched a tent along the way. Regardless, if you are camping or not, best to figure out a plan and make reservations now. Just make sure that you can cancel them, if needed.

From CO to MD, we camped at Yellowstone, Grand Teton, stopped at Mount Rushmore and stayed at Custer State park, headed up to the Michigan Peninsula to Pictured Rocks and then back down to PA for a stop at Ohiopyke for the natural waterslides. My younger kiddos had a great time after they dropped their sister off. Before we dropped her off, we did do a stop at Arches National Park, which if I recall was about a day or 2 drive from USAFA.

Looking forward to hearing what you end up planning.
 
What kinds of things does your family like? Some people would stop for a whole day (or two) to see the USAF Museum at Wright-Patt, but other families would be bored out of their mind.
 
Depends on the timing. For quick stops between NYC and Colorado Springs staying on I-70 most of the way:

1) Ice cream at Penn State
2) Dayton OH - in addition to Wright Paterson - Wright Brothers National Museum (small but interesting)
3) Indianapolis Motor Speedway
4) St Louis - Arch National Park
5) Kansas City - BBQ at Joe's Kansas City in the gas station

I don't know much on I-70 between KC and Colorado.
 
Last edited:
thanhthien said:
Hello all candidates and parents,
Hope all is well!
As a family, we want to drive our DS to USAFA from NYC. We are hoping to indulge the beautiful land of USA. How about some insightful suggestions! Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Hello! My DS received his USAFA appt and has connected w/ 2 others on the forum to start chatting. Let me know if you want to connect and we can get you all linked up! (not sure if I can private message you w/ contact info...)

PS: on your drive you could also stop by us here in Western NY to say hello hehe.....
 
Last edited:
CTParent said:
Depends on the timing. For quick stops between NYC and Colorado Springs staying on I-70 most of the way:

1) Ice cream at Penn State
2) Dayton OH - in addition to Wright Paterson - Wright Brothers National Museum (small but interesting)
3) Indianapolis Motor Speedway
4) St Louis - Arch National Park
5) Kansas City - BBQ at Joe's Kansas City in the gas station

I don't know much on I-70 between KC and Colorado.
Click to expand...
There is also the Air Force Museum in Dayton--definitely worth going :)
 
raimius said:
What kinds of things does your family like? Some people would stop for a whole day (or two) to see the USAF Museum at Wright-Patt, but other families would be bored out of their mind.
Click to expand...
The USAF Museum is one of the best places on earth. If y'all are into planes, that's the place to see them (static anyway). They even have an (the last?) XB-70 Valkyrie! That plane is a definite must-see for any American Airman. ;)
 
Congratulations on your sons appointment. That sounds like an phenomenal trip. I can’t add much to what was offered between here (LI) and the academy but if you have the time I would suggest the following. Continue on I 70 west out of Denver past Vail to Glenwood Springs. They have an outdoor pool there as long as a city block and naturally heated by a hot springs. Continue on I 70 to Grad Junction take rt 50 s to 550 to Ouray. Good place to stay over night. Continue s on 550 ( aka Million dollar highway ) to Silverton and then Durango. Arguably some of the best scenic views in the country. At Durango head East to Pagosa Springs , over the continental divide to South Fork ( where they filmed the camping scene in the movie “Vacation”). Continue East to I 25 then north to Colorado Springs. In addition to being one of the most beautiful drives you can take in the US the vast majority of the trip will be above 7500 feet in elevation so it will help your son get acclimated to the Academy's elevation. That’s the trip I’m planing but unfortunately I’m going to have to skip the drive from NY to Denver. Just don’t have the time.
 
dah19 said:
Kansas drains your soul.
Click to expand...
As do Nebraska and the Dakotas. (Nothing against the good people of those states, who take too much grief as it is.) I’ve driven cross-country numerous times — across all the Plains states — and that was always the low point. There’s just something numbing about seeing endless flats of grassland. Though I’ll make a pitch for stopping in Abilene, KS, to visit Eisenhower’s boyhood home, presidential library and gravesite.

If it were me, coming from that direction, I’d come at Colorado Springs from the north, for a more eventful arrival. Stop at Rushmore, then Cheyenne (maybe see Frontier Days, if the timing is right), then Fort Collins and Denver, before that final stretch to the Springs. Once there, visit Garden of the Gods and summit Pike’s Peak before drop-off. That’s a nice intro to the area.
 
Your idea is to drive is a fantastic one and will be very memorable. I have driven across the United States more than a bunch times. They are some of our most favorite family memories. Granted everything is a function of time but it’s worth it. Great suggestions thus far. Here’s what we have done going west from NYC. The possibilities are endless.

Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, PA
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH
University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN
Chicago
Hoover Presidential Library-Museum in West Branch, Iowa (Had no idea it was there until we saw the road sign!)
Lincoln, Nebraska – second tallest capitol building in the United States; flat in the eastern part of the state and then you start gaining some elevation in the western part of the state. Talk open wide-open. Wow!
Colorado – Coors Brewery tour in the city of Golden and the Garden of the Gods near the Air Force Academy.

Buy a road atlas for the drive to get a sense of scale of our wonderful and beautiful United States. Have fun planning!
 
dah19 said:
Kansas drains your soul.
Click to expand...
As do Nebraska and the Dakotas.

"NEBRASKA. HONESTLY, IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE"​


That is the actual catch phrase of the state tourism board and it perfectly reflects the attitude (or lack thereof) of the "good people" of Nebraska. We don't take ourselves as seriously as they do on the coasts.

If you do take I80:

Aircraft & Collection – Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum

www.sacmuseum.org www.sacmuseum.org

Overnight in Lincoln. Walk through what is considered the most impressive State Capitol in the US:

The Building – Nebraska's Third State Capitol – Lincoln, Nebraska

The Nebraska State Capitol, the product of a nationwide design competition won by New York Architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in 1920, is described as the nation’s first truly vernacular State Capitol.
capitol.nebraska.gov capitol.nebraska.gov

Eat lunch at the most politically incorrect bar in the US:

You won’t believe what you see! | Ole's Big Game Steakhouse & Lounge

Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge is that state’s most famous watering hole. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a unique environment that features the trophies of the restaurant's founder, Rossler “Ole” Herstedt. We’re a favorite of locals and travelers alike.
olesbiggame.com olesbiggame.com

Unfortunately, there are no photos of the mounted animals. The collection is amazing. They probably don't show the photos for fear of becoming a target for PETA commandos.

If you go, drive about 2 miles North of town, out of the Platte River Valley and see the edge of the Sandhills.

The Nebraska Sandhills | Nebraska Extension

The Nebraska Sandhills, which encompass approximately 19,300 square miles of sand dunes stretching 265 miles across Nebraska, contain about 95% or 12.75 million acres of rangeland.
extension.unl.edu extension.unl.edu

You will have about another 3-4 hours to the Springs.
 
Last edited:
2025 hopeful said:
I would say make reservations now for CO Springs for dropping off. Last year we did a cross country move and dropped DD off in the middle. We arrived a few days before I-day so she can rest after some long driving days and gave her some more time to acclimate to the elevation.

We have always planned out out cross country trips by visiting national parks, picking a few we definitely want to see and then finding some rest stops in between. There are some wonderful state parks as well that are often less crowded than the national parks. Not sure if you camp, but this is what we did and just pitched a tent along the way. Regardless, if you are camping or not, best to figure out a plan and make reservations now. Just make sure that you can cancel them, if needed.

From CO to MD, we camped at Yellowstone, Grand Teton, stopped at Mount Rushmore and stayed at Custer State park, headed up to the Michigan Peninsula to Pictured Rocks and then back down to PA for a stop at Ohiopyke for the natural waterslides. My younger kiddos had a great time after they dropped their sister off. Before we dropped her off, we did do a stop at Arches National Park, which if I recall was about a day or 2 drive from USAFA.

Looking forward to hearing what you end up planning.
Click to expand...
Your trip sounded wonderful and worth the drive!!! We hope to replicate or plan something similar with DS's three younger sisters. We already booked three stays, Columbus Ohio, Kansas City Kansas, and finally arriving in Colorado Springs on June 20th. So far, we planned to drive up Pikes Peak...
Thank you for sharing your once-in-a-lifetime trip, dropping off our DS/DD.
 
CTParent said:
Depends on the timing. For quick stops between NYC and Colorado Springs staying on I-70 most of the way:

1) Ice cream at Penn State
2) Dayton OH - in addition to Wright Paterson - Wright Brothers National Museum (small but interesting)
3) Indianapolis Motor Speedway
4) St Louis - Arch National Park
5) Kansas City - BBQ at Joe's Kansas City in the gas station

I don't know much on I-70 between KC and Colorado.
Click to expand...
Thank you! That's a rare list of places for someone from Brooklyn, NY.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top