Road Trip from California to Atlanta - Please advice

[good roadtripper]

Our family is moving from California to Altanta in early Jan 2012, Please give us suggestions on the route and the info about budget hotels to stay on the route.

And what will the road conditions in winter along this route. Map says we have to hit I40E, please share the route experience with me.

All replies will be useful for us to plan the trip.

Thanks

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

"California" is a pretty huge target as a starting point, and its really not possible to give you much in the way of detailed help without narrowing that down a bit. You'll be looking at anywhere from 4 to 5 full days for this trip.

If you do take I-40 (and you never have to go the route that is spit out by a computer program), you will be dealing with high elevation through Arizona and New Mexico which see snow throughout the winter, from there ice storms are more common along the southern plains. But the reality is that there is no way of knowing what the weather will be until you can see a forecast just days before you depart.

Depending upon where in CA you are starting from, its quite possible that taking I-10 would be virtually identical in terms of distance, but note that while it is farther south, they still see snow and ice there too.

[DonnaR57]

Welcome to RTA!

As Michael says, you don't HAVE to go the route suggested by a computer mapping program. That's just a suggested route! I'd suggest that you get a good USA map or road atlas and take a look at it. See which road hits your fancy. Yes, I-40 or I-10 would be logical if you are on the southern end of our state. But as he mentioned above, one isn't necessarily "better" than the other during the winter months (or even in the summer, for that matter).

My husband and I have done the length of I-40 from California to Tennessee over two trips. One trip (which caught I-40 in Flagstaff) is described right here. That was a summer trip. Then my husband took I-40 from Oklahoma City to Barstow, this past October. That trip is outlined here.

The Weather Channel website has an Interstate Forecast available for travelers. It's quite accurate. We traveled with a laptop and consulted that website each evening before we went to bed. You can also watch the TV channel, and local news stations as you travel, as most motels have a TV with either cable or satellite available.

As far as budget hotels are concerned: There's a motel finder here on this website. Also, you can pick up coupon booklets at Visitor Information Centers as you enter each state. These contain listings of motels who offer a discount with their coupon. Some of these coupons are also online, at roomsaver.com, but unless you print them out ahead of time or travel with a printer, it doesn't do you much good. Traveling in January (after the Winter Break dates) usually costs less for hotels than in summer, in MANY locations.


Donna