Epic Vacation, Step 2: Planning

The planning stage has been time consuming! Where to stay, what to see, what to pack, how to keep the kids interested, etc.

Sabrina has created a blog to chronicle our Epic Vacation: mormonhistorytour.blogspot.com. So far, we've had the kids write reports about the different places we'll be visiting along our tour. While we're traveling, we'll update it with what we're seeing.

Google Maps has been my friend. Calculating driving times and routes. It's pretty awesome.


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Since first planning this trip, my brother was called to serve as a young performing missionary in Nauvoo. We'll get to see him perform in 2 of the shows there. And my sister got engaged (Congratulations!) and will be married in California on July 23 so our tour is getting longer and from coast to coast, although we won't see either ocean.

We'll be going through 18 states, 1 Canadian province and driving more than 6200 miles. Let's hope our minivan is up for this odyssey.

Epic Vacation, Step 1: Dreaming

With Ryan's parents and sister serving a mission near the "Cradle of the Restoration",


it has become my dream to plan a Church History vacation for my family to take this summer. You see, July is the best time to visit church history sights in Upstate New York. I'll give you the reason in 3 words:
Hill Cumorah Pageant. The Hill Cumorah Pageant is a part of my family history. My grandparents (and their children) were in the pageant for years and years. In fact, I was in the pageant with my family in 1981. I saw it in 1987 when they changed the script, again in 1989 when I was there for a family wedding, again in 1992 when we missed a family wedding (van troubles), again in 1997 for my Grandparent's 50th anniversary party (they were married in Nov, but the party was in July during the pageant -they are pictured above in 1970 as King Mosiah and queen), and again in 2001 when we went with Ryan's parents and little sisters.

So I'm working on the plan. My thoughts are to drive cross-country and see America and many church history sights along the way. Here is a tentative itinerary:

July 1-5 drive along I-90 see Mt Rushmore, Wisconsin, Chicago, Detroit, Niagara Falls
July 6-10 be in and around Palmyra, NY
July 10-12 Kirtland, OH
July 12-16 Nauvoo, IL
July 16-19 Independence, MO, Winter Quarters, NE, Chimney Rock, NE, Fort Laramie, WY, Martin Cove, WY and home

It will be a lot of driving.
A lot of church history.
A lot of fun.
An epic vacation.