Boston to LA q's

hi there,
i'm doing the long haul from Boston to LA. i've pretty much decided my route will be : niagara falls, chicago, omaha, denver, and then either down to albuquerque and east on 40, or east on 70 (depending on weather conditions).
i'll be leaving in the next few days and will be alone for the trip (but stopping and staying with numerous relatives). i've driven cross country before so i know what to expect, but haven't done it by myself before, so i'm looking for some really interesting and fun stops along the way. i'm up for kitsch and scenic beauty alike (but am familiar with the major nat parks). any little tidbits you can offer me?

also am i naive in thinking that i will enjoy niagara on a drive-and-get-out-of-the-car-for-an-hour sort of stop? should i just skip it?
and, any weather advice? i'm from california so i've never driven in snow and very rarely in the rain!

hi there,
i'm doing the long haul from Boston to LA. i've pretty much decided my route will be : niagara falls, chicago, omaha, denver, and then either down to albuquerque and east on 40, or east on 70 (depending on weather conditions).
i'll be leaving in the next few days and will be alone for the trip (but stopping and staying with numerous relatives). i've driven cross country before so i know what to expect, but haven't done it by myself before, so i'm looking for some really interesting and fun stops along the way. i'm up for kitsch and scenic beauty alike (but am familiar with the major nat parks). i don't have any time limits on the trip (but do have a budget). any little tidbits you can offer me?

also am i naive in thinking that i will enjoy niagara on a drive-and-get-out-of-the-car-for-an-hour sort of stop? should i just skip it?
and, any weather advice? i'm from california so i've never driven in snow and very rarely in the rain!

More general postings later -- But for Niagra -- Take 4 hours and do the "Maid of the Mist" boat tour. It is awesome to see that much water pouring almost straight down on your head.

Mark

I just did Long Island to Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, and I took almost the exact same route that you described.

Are you a fan of pop music or classic rock? If so, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland is a must see. It's not very expensive, and if it's your cup of tea, you're going to want to plan on spending an entire day there.

If you happen to luck out and get a little warm weather (there is a warming trend for this weekend), check out Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It's located about 30 miles east of Chicago, and about 5-10 minutes off the Interstate. It's basically a bunch of tall sand dunes overlooking Lake Michigan. If the weather is warm enough, consider a picnic lunch there.

Joliet, Illinois (30 miles or so west of Chicago) features some riverboat casinos. I killed a few hours (and a few hundred bucks) there once.


I took I-25 South out of Denver and then hooked up with I-40 in Albuquerque. It's a pretty drive (maybe not as nice as I-70, but the elevation changes are better and the climate is a little drier. Petrified Forest National Park is along I-40, and it's a very worthwhile stop.



ab

The Indiana Dunes is a very cool place to stop and explore. We were there last on a very cool and windy day -- it was still perfect.

Just to the south of the dunes is a nuclear reactor and it is very surreal to discover it lurking in the trees.

Mark