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I am planning a cross country trip next fall . I plan on going from Atlanta to Jacksonville to Santa Monica. I plan on driving I-10 straight thru once I hit Jacksonville. Im debating on driving back from Santa Monica or just driving back to Atlanta. I want to know if anybody have any advice or tips that can help me. Thanks.
Welcome to the RTA Forum!
A roadtrip is more than just putting 3 points on a map, so we're going to need more information to provide any real help.
For starters, what's the point of this trip? Why are you going to Jacksonville first? Why are you sticking to I-10? How much time do you have for the trip? (We can say that driving "straight through" from Jacksonville to Santa Monica requires at least 4 full days on a speed run)
You also aren't clear on what you are debating, if you drive back from Santa Monica, wouldn't that be driving back to Atlanta? What are your other options?
And on top of all that what kinds of things are you looking for in terms of advice and/or tips? This site is filled with information and generic advice, but if you want specific help, you need to be more specific yourself.
I want to see the country from coast to coast.Quote:
what's the point of this trip?
Interstate 10 begins there. I have always been fascinated with seeing how this interstate varies state to state. Also its a straight shot.Quote:
Why are you going to Jacksonville first
I was debating on driving back to Atlanta or flying back to Atlanta from Santa Monica. I have 10 days to do the trip. Thanks
With 10 days, flying back would probably make more sense. It would basically be a speed run to drive to the west coast and back in that time. In other words, it could be done, but you wouldn't have time to actually stop and see all the things you'd be driving by.
The downside is that a one-way trip will likely cost you quite a bit more, as you'll be looking at several hundred dollars in extra fees for a one way car rental, plus the airfare to get home.
I have decided to do my cross country trip for 10 days I will actually fly back at the end of the trip instead of driving back. Is 10 days enough time to see everything and make stops in certain states?
Yes. As has been stated, it would take about 4 hard days of driving to get from Jacksonville to LA. If you've got 10 days for the trip, then you've got roughly 6 days available to explore before you fly back.
Of course, you don't have to do 4 driving days, and 6 exploration days, you could do 10 days of half driving, half exploring, or some combination thereof, depending upon your travel style and what you want to see.
Updated itinerary : I am doing one way cross-country trip Jacksonville - Santa Monica July 1st - 14th.
I will stop in these cities:
Biloxi
Houston 2 nights
San Antonio 2 nights
El Paso
Tucson
Phoenix 2 nights
L.A./Santa Monica 3 nights
There will be 2 people going. Our budget will be 2500 per person. I plan on going to Baseball games in Houston, LA & Phoenix. Does anybody have suggestions about other sites to be seen or are there any national parks near I-10 in the cities mentioned above. Thanks
I think you might enjoy the suggestions in this thread, especially for the latter half of your trip.
There are a few National Parks that are located near I-10, although Saguaro, near Tucson is really the only one by any of those cities. Joshua Tree is just a short detour off of I-10 in CA. White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns aren't too far off your route in New Mexico, and Guadalupe Peak and Big Bend, again not right on the freeway, would be possibilities in West Texas. Of course, there are also lost of National Forests, State Parks, and similar areas along your way that could be worth a stop.
Looks like you have some good luck with the Astros, DBacks, and Dodgers all being at home during your trip.
The road trip was a success. Thanks for the advice.
Glad to hear it!
Did you have any favorite stops? Anything surprise you?
My favorite two cities were San Antonio and Tucson. I thought Houston would be the best city that I saw in Texas. San Antonio easily was the best city. I enjoyed the Alamo and the Riverwalk was amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest Michael