Winter road trip San Diego to New Orleans

[Mclarens]

Hi guys,
I'm from South Africa and planning a road trip vacation for me and family (me, wife and 2 boys -20yrs and 17yrs) leaving San Diego 23rd Dec. I want to be in New Orleans late-ish 30th. Which road is advisable with which town stop-overs for 1 or 2 night each? We want to experience to old towns, mexicans, indians, wild west ect, all those things and places that one miss via air travel, and only see in the movies lol.

Any advice on travel, where, when ect will be appreciated. Also keep in mind weather...

Thanks in advance!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

You're very much in luck. The direct route from San Diego to New Orleans, I-8 and I-10, takes you close by several sites that evoke the Old West. To name just a few, there's Yuma Territorial Prison, Casa Grande National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Old Tucson Studios (where many western movies were filmed), Tombstone, Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Lancaster, and the Alamo.

Besides those western-themed locations, there are a few that you should consider simply because they're unique, including Kartchner Caverns, White Sands National Monument, and the Creole Nature Trail.

Once you've decided on which of those you'd like to see and any order of priority among them, we can give you a bit more advice on pacing and where you might want to spend more than a single night in the same place.

AZBuck

[DonnaR57]

If you take I-8 to I-10, we just came back from a trip that utilized that as far as Houston. Let me add the following:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Big Bend National Park
Johnson Space Center, Houston

I should add my own comments here: my parents have been to Carlsbad Caverns NP, loved it, and it's on our list of things to do in an upcoming trip. (Reservations in a couple of other places that were hard to schedule, were priority.) Big Bend is someplace I haven't been yet, and I'd like to go during the winter or spring. Johnson Space Center, however, is a great place to go if you're in the least bit interested in the history of the American space program.

Lodging in western Texas: there isn't much between El Paso and Van Horn, or between Van Horn and Fort Stockton. We've stayed in Van Horn (2012) and Fort Stockton (2014). There's more to choose from in Fort Stockton, but it's more expensive because construction and oil is keeping lodging and food in demand.


Donna

Donna