PA to California and Back:Roadtrip May 2010

Next May(2010), myself and 3 or 4 friends will be driving across the country. We are started in Pa and driving to California and back. The tentative schedule is the following, but will change:

Day 1 Home to Columbus, Ohio 8 hours and 20 mins drive time Sleep in Columbus

Day 2 Columbus to St. Louis, stopping in Indianapolis for a visit. 7 hours drive time. Gateway arch to the west. Sleep in St. Louis

Day 3 St. Louis to Wichita, KS stopping in Kansas City 7 hours Sleep in Wichita

Day 4 Wichita, KS to Albuquerque, Drive though northern Texas,10 hours and 20 mins. Sleep in Albuquerque

Day 5 Albuquerque to Glendale, Az Relatives in Glendale 6 hours 30 mins Sleep in Glendale

Day 6 Glendale, Az to Grand Canyon, 3 hours and 30 mins. Back to Glendale after the Grand Canyon. 3 hours 30 mins Relatives in Glendale. Sleep in Glendale

Day 7 Glendale, Az to San Diego 5 hours 30 mins. Sleep in San Diego

Day 8 Day in San Diego, Zoo?, Beach?, San Diego Padres Game?

Day 9 San Diego to LA. Approx. 2 hours. Sleep in La

Day 10 Day in LA Disney Land? Dodger Game? Other cool things? Sleep in La

Day 11 Beach along Cali Coast. Beach ideas? Sleep along coast.

Day 12 Coast near La to San Fransico, 6 hours. Sleep in San Fran

Day 13 San Fran to Lone Pine, Ca. Drive through Yosemite National Park. 7 hours. Sleep in Lone Pine, Ca

Day 14 Lone Pine, Ca to Las Vegas. Drive through Death Valley National Park 5 hours 30 mins Sleep in Las Vegas

Day 15 Day in Las Vegas. Sleep in Vegas

Day 16 Las Vegas to Utah. Atv riding in sand dunes

Day 17 Utah to Rafting the colorado river, or some other big river. Sleep along river.

Day 18 River to Denver, Co. Sleep in Denver

Day 19 Denver, Co to Omaha 7 hours and 30 mins

Day 20 Omaha to Chicago 7 hours.

Day 21 Chicago to Cleveland 5 hours 30 min

Day 22 Cleveland to Home


Still have 2-4 days to add in. Depending on driving, weather, and motivation to leave.

7000 miles driving.

20 days in a hotel. 100 dollars a night. 2000 dollars. Divided by 4 people 500 a person.

Gas 7000 miles 12 miles a gallon with an SUV. 300 dollars a person in gas.
Currently we will take a 2000 dodge durango.

Food 500 a person.

Spending money. 1000 a person.


2300 dollars a person.

There's a lot to comment about in your posting, but here is one observation: Glendale to Grand Canyon to Glendale is a very long day. Be sure to hit the road early.

In addition, I can see you adding a 2nd night in the SF area.

Leave glendale 6-7am arrive 9-10am spend the day, leave 6-7pm back at glendale 10-11pm. Maybe sleep in flagstaff on way back. Shorter ride.

Add 20% to the times a mapping program tells you. Software doesn't have to get fuel, eat, go to the bathroom, or stop at red lights or stop signs or slow down for construction or traffic.

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

That's quite a bit to take in in one go, but those extra days will come in handy between SF and Utah as it's all looking a bit rushed. You will have to leave SF early-ish to get to Lone pine after arriving [I would presume] pretty late the day before, if you are exploring the coast . Then with very little time in SF you are going to be driving straight through Yosemite with little time to look around this amazing place. You will then be heading through Utah from Vegas to Denver where you could, with a little extra time visit Zion and Bryce canyon and Arches among many other great parks.

Help me out a little bit. I am posted on here because I have one year to plan this amazing road trip. What is a must see in the west coast. I am rushing from san fran to lone pine to vegas to denver. We want to ATV sand dunes in Utah, Raft the Colorado River Class IV RApids. Any ideas? Help? I plan on using this fourm for the next year. So everybody's help will be much appreciated.

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Originally Posted by bpoore05

Help me out a little bit. I am posted on here because I have one year to plan this amazing road trip. What is a must see in the west coast. I am rushing from san fran to lone pine to vegas to denver. We want to ATV sand dunes in Utah, Raft the Colorado River Class IV RApids. Any ideas? Help? I plan on using this fourm for the next year. So everybody's help will be much appreciated.

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PLEASE don't just drive through Yosemite in a day! That is an AMAZING place that deserves at least one whole day in Yosemite Valley, but a week would be better!

I'm just cringing at your itinerary, and hoping that you have time to add in more days at each location, rather than rushing from place to place--there's SO MUCH to see!

My only other note would be that if you plan to raft the GC, you'd better start the permit process now. It's my understanding that it can be difficult to get one of the few permits given to those who want to raft, and should be started one or more years in advance (or purchase a spot on a guided rafting trip).

Slow down and ENJOY!

My advice would be to add at at least a week or cut out some destinations. There are so many places that are worth exploring that you're basically just zipping by.

And I think you're going to find this pace hard to keep up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PNW Judy

My advice would be to add at at least a week or cut out some destinations. There are so many places that are worth exploring that you're basically just zipping by.

And I think you're going to find this pace hard to keep up.

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I can see what you mean. Yeah there is a lot. But we are going to zip by columbus, indianapolis, st louis, kansas, new mexico. Than start exploring the west. Grand Canyon, to san deigo, up the coast. to vegas utah and denver. And than zip by omaha, to home. just looking at chicago and the other cities.

I mean we can spend a week at each destination but realisticly we cant spend 2-3 months doing a road trip. So over the next year we are going to decide what major points we want to see.