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Epic Family Road Trip in a Chevy Traverse

Road trips are an American Summer tradition and a great way to spend time with family. Conversations, car games, sing-alongs, car naps, and listening to music are all great road trip activities. Plus you get to explore parts of the country you might not have ever visited if you were to fly straight there.

This Summer, my family was hosted on a fantastic road trip in a 2018 Chevy Traverse RS. The Traverse is one of four updated crossovers and SUVs from Chevy, joining the Trax, Bolt EV, and Equinox.

Chevy designed a trip for us that was scenic and full of adventure, in a truly spectacular part of the country, and my family had an amazing time.

family ready for a road trip in a Chevy Traverse
This family road trip was amazing and thanks to Chevy!

Road Trip to Glenwood Springs

We started our epic journey in Denver, Colorado, and headed west, into the Rocky Mountains. Our destination? Glenwood Springs.

Chevy’s theme is #FindNewRoads and this was all new territory for us. We had never been to Colorado as a family, so we were exploring together. We motored around downtown Denver a bit, a city with lots of cool public art, but then it was time to hit the road.

My kids are old enough to be patient travelers, which is a blessing when you’re stuck in serious rush hour traffic getting out of Denver on a Friday afternoon. We inched along, moving slowly through the beautiful mountains, and decided to pull over for dinner when we hit Vail.

family in Vail on our road trip with Chevy Traverse

Vail Village is a beautiful setting to dine and we caught up with each other after a busy week and full traveling day. We strolled past the shops and along the river before getting back in the car for the rest of our drive. We arrived at our hotel in Glenwood Springs and got some sleep to prepare for the next day’s adventures.

Related: Baby Road Trip Essentials

Activities in Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs has a ton of fun options for the whole family, from an Adventure park, their famous hot springs pools and vapor caves, hiking and biking, and of course, rafting on the Colorado River.

my family about to get on a river raft in Colorado

We found a rafting trip to fit our skill level (low), and it was one of the most fun experiences we’ve ever had as a family. For two hours, we were unplugged and technology-free as we (and four gals on a Girls’ Weekend) floated downstream and over some nice tiny rapids, both in and out of the water, guided by this super friendly guy named Rabbit. It was terrific; relaxing, refreshing and very fun.

group river rafting in Colorado
Rafting on the Colorado guided by Rabbit with Colorado White Water Rafting Co. Don’t we look rugged?

Turns out Glenwood Springs played at least a small part in the History of the Old West, and we managed to squeeze in a hike to see it. Doc Holliday, friend of Wyatt Earp and participant in the Gunfight at the OK Corral, is buried in an old cemetery located high above town.

doc holliday grave site in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Doc Holliday’s grave site in Glenwood Springs Colorado

The trailhead is in a residential neighborhood, and it was so interesting to see something like that juxtaposed with a quiet neighborhood.

morning hike in Glenwood Springs, colorado

Driving the Chevy Traverse

Regardless of traffic on the I-70 (or likely anywhere else), the Chevy Traverse is a very comfortable car to drive. With three rows of seating, my family could spread out and not feel cramped, which is a nice bonus on a distance drive.

In fact, the Chevy Traverse can fit 98.2 cubic feet of cargo, as proven by my husband and kids in this demo set up by Chevy. Not that we had that much stuff with us on this trip, but it does show just how much room there is inside.

98.2 cubic feet of stuff CHEVY TRAVERSE
98.2 cubic feet of stuff

The Traverse has excellent pick-up and there was no problem keeping up with (and possibly exceeding) the speed limits. But it never feels like it’s working too hard. In fact, I would describe it more like floating down the highway. It was a pleasure to both drive and be a passenger.

My family showing off that they loaded the Traverse with 98.2 cubic feet of stuff - and it only took them 5 minutes!
My family showing off that they loaded the Traverse with 98.2 cubic feet of stuff – and it only took them 5 minutes!

Everything about the interior is comfortable, from the seats, which are adjustable in micro-increments, to the temperature control, and the audio and navigation experience.

Chevy Tech

Chevy has loaded the Traverse (and all its Crossover vehicles) with tons of tech choices in their App Shop. Of course, there’s navigation and OnStar, but the Traverse even has its own Wifi network – and you can connect up to 7 devices. For audio, you can listen to terrestrial radio or Sirius XM, plus they have a deal with Audible, so you can listen to stories on your drive.

Chevy has also created a Marketplace, so you can facilitate easy purchases. Got a standard order at Dunkin Donuts? You can press the button on the dash screen as you head out and pick up your order, ready to eat, either inside or in the drive-through. McDonald’s and IHOP are also in Marketplace, and Shell was just added.

Chevy also has a Teen Driver setting in their tech suite, so you can monitor how your kids are driving as they learn. You can simply get a report, with info about their speed and braking, or you can set limits, like on speed and radio volume limits. It can even prevent the radio from working unless seat belts are fastened.

Related: College Tour Road Trip in a Chevy Equinox

Family Fun with Older Kids

Now that my kids are 15 and 18, it’s not always easy to find activities we all enjoy or times when we can all be together to enjoy them, since we all have different schedules, including work, travel, High school, and college. So sometimes, you just have to pack up and get out of town.

This Epic Road Trip in a Chevy Traverse was a great way to spend time together as a family, something there’s precious little of these days, and we had a terrific time. I’m grateful to Chevy for hosting us on this trip and letting us drive the 2018 Chevy Traverse RS through the Colorado Rocky Mountains. #FindNewRoads

Chevy road trip #findnewroads
Chevy Traverse in Colorado #FindNewRoads

Sarah Auerswald is the co-Founder of MomsLA.com. Transportation and lodging were provided by Chevy for this review; all opinions expressed here are her own.

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Yvette

Monday 6th of August 2018

It was super fun meeting you at Crossover Road show!!! Can’t wait to start following your work.

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