Las Vegas to Atlanta

[vegas08]

I have up to 10 days to drive from Vegas to Atlanta, where I'm starting a new job. Looking for suggestions: Which routes would you take? Where would you stop along the way? I'm on a company relocation budget, trying to spend reasonably (mid-range hotels that include breakfast, that sort of thing). I could just fly and have my car hauled to Atlanta, but I figured I'd take advantage and see parts of the country. Thank you for any suggestions.

[UpstateTripper]

Theres 2 routes you could take:

Route 1: Go the US-93 until you meet I-40, then stay on I-40 until you get to Memphis (the I-40 portion is majority of your trip), then get on the US-78 from Memphis to Birmingham, then I-20 will take you the rest of the way to Atlanta.

Route 2: Go the US-93 until you meet I-40, then stay on I-40 until you get to Armarillo, TX. Then get off at US-287 and follow that until Fort Worth, then get on I-20. You will go through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, before finally getting to Atlanta.

[glc]

That is a 2000 mile drive, which is an easy 4 days just going point to point. This gives you a lot of extra time to sightsee. When are you planning on going? What are your interests?

My mapping program shows that the mentioned Route 1 is the fastest and most direct, but I would plan around things you want to see instead of going for the most direct.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I'm in agreement that with 10 days you certainly don't have to take the most direct route. You've got quite a bit of time to work with, and your options are almost endless.

I'd start with things in your area that maybe you haven't gotten around to see. When you live close to things, its easy to put things off because you know you can always easily get there someday. When you live in Vegas, you can go to the Grand Canyon on an easy weekend trip, once you're in Atlanta you won't have that opportunity.

So if you haven't been to the Grand Canyon, or the parks in Utah like Bryce and Zion, I might start there. If there are other places you've always wanted to go, this would be your opportunity, whether its Colorado or Texas or pretty much anything in between.

[vegas08]

I recently took a road trip from Vegas to Salt Lake City, Denver, Albuquerque and Flagstaff / the Grand Canyon. I also took one to San Francisco. So I'm more focused on seeing other places on the way to Atlanta.

I'm considering this itinerary, because I'd like to avoid snow and I like the variety of ambiance:

Phoenix
Tucson
El Paso
San Antonio
Houston
New Orleans

What do you folks think? I've been to all those cities but for Tucson and El Paso. Any suggestions for notable places worth seeing, any trouble spots, etc.?

[glc]

Your best bet to avoid snow is US-95 out of LV to I-10. Then it's I-10 all the way to New Orleans. I-10 will cover every single one of those cities you have mentioned. From there, there are 2 obvious routes to Atlanta - I-59 to I-20, or I-10 to I-65 to I-85.

[Midwest Michael]

That certainly is a good route and it should serve you pretty well. Snow isn't out of the question, Eastern Arizona through West Texas see winter weather and it even snowed near New Orleans within the last week, so anything is possible.

There is quite a bit to see along this route. I would probably detour off down to Big Bend NP myself, but there are lots of things to see near I-10.

[vegas08]

Thanks for all the above.

Choosing between I-59 to I-20, or I-10 to I-65 to I-85, does either route have any (dis)advantages?

I heard about snow in New Orleans and Houston last week, gulp. I'm hoping that even if it snows in those places when I go, it'll melt quicker than if I were further north / in a higher elevation. I gave myself a couple of days' buffer in case I'm stranded by weather or car problems. I'm also going to have my car (late model) checked out before I head out.

[glc]

There are no factors that would recommend one route over the other except your desires about what to see. My mapping program shows a 20 mile and 10 minute difference. You are potentially dealing with Birmingham traffic one way, and Mobile traffic the other way.

Click here to read about the actual trip.