Q: Ann G. of Stevens Point, Wisconsin writes: Our family of five, including an 18-year-old daughter and two sons (ages 14 and 10) are planning to drive from our home in Wisconsin to Colorado to visit the Rocky Mountains. We have two weeks for this vacation, and would like some suggestions for stops along the route. We are interested in outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, biking, fishing and boating, but also want to visit some sites, and have some time for shopping. We want to stay at a campground that offers some swimming options.

A - We calculate that you have about 22 1/2 hours and 1500 miles of driving each way. The basic route from Wisconsin might be to head south into Illinois, and then west across central Iowa and Nebraska to northern Colorado. With 14 days' vacation, you may want to allot about 3 long days of driving each way,  interspersed with 1-2 nights in towns with fun stops and some cultural/historical sights on the way, and then a few days of Rocky Mountains National Park in between.  With kids from 10 - 18, we feel that you'll need some period of time outside the car every day, just to keep the peace!

On the FTF site there are many firsthand accounts of this region that you can read about, and I'll highlight a few of the most relevant ones.

We're not sure where your home is in Wisconsin, but if you are near Green Bay, at around the 300 mile mark you could reach Moline, Illinois. Nearby, there's a small Buffalo Bill Museum and a steamboat on display that the kids can tour, both in the town of Le Claire, Iowa. Also in Moline is the John Deere World HQ, with a center displaying historical tractors, a glass pavilion with a film and interactive exhibits that allow kids to "drive" a tractor, and a collectors center where you can watch craftsmen restore vintage tractors. It's free and one of the area's unusual highlights. There are several hotels and motels in the area, most with indoor pools.

Heading a bit north and west, you can think about spending some time in Sioux City, Iowa - about 300 miles west of Dubuque - which has many interesting spots that you can find by checking out "Iowa Activities And Attractions."

However, I-80 is the fastest route heading west, and if you stayed on it and continued through Des Moines you could go straight to Nebraska. Both Gerald Ford and Malcolm X are from the Omaha area, and there are museums to both of these leaders there. Grand Island is about 2 hours west of Omaha, and it sounds like your kids would enjoy the Island Oasis Waterpark. You can read more about Nebraska's top family attractions at, "Nebraska Activities and Attractions."

Depending on your route, it's about 500 miles from there to Denver, Colorado but you'll probably want to bypass the city. On FTF, you can read about "Leadville, Colorado," a restored mining town of interest.  There's also an FTF story entitled "Estes Park, Colorado" that may be helpful. You might also want to read our story "YMCA of the Rockies," since there's a location near Estes Park and another of their resorts at Stone Mountain Ranch, both of which have camping and rental cabins (Stone Mountain has more.) Families enjoy these YMCAs because there is so much to do and try, with extensive sports and recreation facilities.

Breckenrdige is another great ski town that in summer draws teens, mountain bikers, and RVs from all around the country. There is a fun main street with classic 'cowboy' architecture, and a nice small town full of shops that even your youngest can walk around safely.  Breckenridge has a great aquacenter that you can buy day passes for, and a free eco-friendly town shuttle that circles by all the condos and goes back and forth to the town.

Your older kids might especially enjoy continuing farther south to Sand Dunes National Park, where there are rental facilities for ATVs and dune buggies that you can enjoy as a family. Additionally, there are many good campgrounds with waterplay areas, and many lakefront parks where the kids can swim.  You can also read our review of the "Jellystone Park Camp Resorts," a winner of "FTF's Top 10 Cheap Family Vacations" award in the camping category. They have a wide variety of campgrounds around the US and many have great facilities for kids.

After you've refined your itinerary a bit, we're happy to make some suggestions for you. Please let us know how we can assist you further, and what your final plans are. We look forward to reading your comments or blogs on the trip so that other travelers can benefit from your experience, or answer questions too.