Cross Country RoadTrip

Hi All, I'm really hoping someone can help, I'm trying to plan a roadtrip incorporating some specific places but am finding it really hard!! I want to go for two - three months in 2007 and want to include all these destinations without long period of driving between destinations. 5-6 hr stints maximum!!

New Hampshire
New York
Washington DC
Florida (orlando)
Louisiana (New Orleans)
Tennessee (Memphis)
Texas
Arizona (grand canyon)
California (San francisco, LA, San Diego)
Nevada (Las vegas)

Can anyone give me any idea's on how to even start planning this roadtrip.

Start planning with a visit to our section on RoadTrip planning! You can use an online trip planner (or software program), or you can start with paper maps and a calculator. Either way, you can find information about these products using this link. There are several online free road trip planning programs. Click here for our recommendations of the best ones to use.

Don't sweat it -- this is not rocket science. Just think about the basics (route, vehicle, fuel, lodging and spending loot) and you're on your way!

Check out these articles too (Making time and Cheap Road trips), and the original Art of the Road Trip by Megan, for some ideas about RoadTrip style.

You don't have to plan every little detail (although some folks do) -- even if you forget something or make a mistake, it's usually not a disaster and to save the day only means a trip to the local Wal Mart wherever you're at.

Any questions? (You'll have more, so be sure to come back and ask!) Bob

Swainsam,
You could start by gathering information on the places you'd like to visit (order travel packages from each state tourism agency over the net, AAA Guidebooks and maps, doing research on Google and within this forum. Then take a map and a bright marker, mark every spot you want to visit and draw a line between them. You can figure out what's the best route and calculate the total mileage by going to mapquest.com or mappoint.msn.com. There is also a fuel calculator on this site to help you calculate the cost of such a trip.

Then you should be able to tell if this trip is reasonnable/doable. But believe me, this trip is totally doable in 2 or 3 months and you'll have plenty of time to fool around, which is great. Plus, you'll have the possibility to take scenic routes and back roads instead of interstates. I had to cover approx. the same distance but in 3 weeks and I managed to do it, but I don't recommend it:o) Sheesh! I would've loved to have at least a full month! Don't forget to order a TripTik from AAA if you're a member. If you plan on staying at hotels/motels, pick up directories at your favourite motel chains or order them over the net, it's practical to have some on the road sometimes. Be sure you have travel insurance if necessary, if you take medication that you have enough with you, bring a first aid kit, a cell phone with a charger, food and water, a good atlas or road maps, sun screen (for left arm:-), road tunes, make photocopies of important documents and put them in various places, etc., etc.

If you search threads on this forum a bit, you'll find many good tips on how to plan a road trip and a lot of great infos on your planned destinations.

Good luck!

Gen

Be sure to check out the similar threads feature at the bottom of this page to find more great tips, routes, etc! Bob

Hi All

I think i've planned my route (i've been at it for hours) but without boring you with the in's and outs, I want to ask for a couple more bits of advice...

Does anyone know of any MUST SEE's when travelling down the east coast and along the botton of the USA? Eg Events, Festivals, Places, unique hotels/restaurant etc

Also can anyone recommend the best time of year to do my three month road trip, weather wise? Eg I don't want to be in Florida in hurricane season!

Thanks for everyones help it is massively appreciated!!

Hi,

Can anyone give me some unique/different things to do whilst on my road trip. I want to do something typically american to every state I visit especially related to that particular state eg Gamble in Vegas, stay in a ranch in Texas!!

Does anyone have any cool ideas, locations, experiances or unique hotels.

I don't want to stay in just a boring motel in every destination I want fun!!

One my travels I will be visiting every state on the east coast and every state in southern USA.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

If it helps (i don't want to bore you but) i'm travelling through

New Hampshire
Massachusetts, Salem
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Washington DC
Virginia
N Carolina
S Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Alabama
Mississippi
Tennessee, Memphis
Louisiana, New Orleans
Texas
Oklahoma
New Mexico
Arizona
California
Nevada, Las Vegas

If you're coming to Arizona, I'd suggest a float trip on the Salt River near Phoenix. In the summertime, we Phoenicians head out to "Salt River Recreation," rent an inner (tyre) tube, and float several miles of the Salt River. They have a shuttle bus that carries you back to the starting point for another go. Obviously, this is a summer only activity. It's a great way to cool off!

If you like to fish, Arizona has some great trout streams in the White Mountains -- you might stay in the town of Greer (near Springerville) and see if you can land a native Apache Trout, or a Brown! Bob

In Florida you could stay at Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo( http://www.jul.com/frontpage.html )

If you ever come north of the border to the province of Quebec, try the ice hotel near Quebec City ( http://www.icehotel-canada.com/en/index.en.php )

Gen

Well, the standard for NY would be New York City or Niagara Falls, and both are worth seeing (although be sure to check the Canadian side of the Falls as well) but I would spend some time driving through the Adirondacks. Depending on which way you are entering the state, you could do all 3. From NYC take 87 North to Lake George, Route 9 to Route 28, to 30 at Blue Mountain Lake, to 3 at Tupper Lake. If you take 3 all the way to Lake Ontario, you can follow the Seaway Trail which will take you to Niagara Falls. If you are entering from the West, just reverse the route. Even if you are just crossing the state, get off the Thruway (I 90) and follow US 20. Slower, but lots of interesting stops along the way.

While your in the AZ/CA/NV vicinity, you might want to take in a ghost town. Oatman or Calico shouldn't be too far out of your way. Oatman is still a working town with an interesting history. Calico is a little more theme-parkish but has more to see and do.

Hey, Does any one know of any unique, weird or wacky hotels in any of the below states!!

For example The WigWam Village on Route 66 / The Feather Bed Railroad in California.

New York, New York City
New Jersey, Atlantic City
Pennsylvania, Lancaster County
Washington DC
Virginia, Richmond
North Carolina, Charlotte
North Carolina, Smoky Mountain Nat Park
Georgia, Atlanta
Alabama, Birmingham
Tennessee, Nashville
Tennessee, Memphis
Louisiana, New Orleans
Mississippi, Jackson
Arkansas, Little Rock
Texas, Dallas
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City
Route 66 (from Oklahoma to LA)
California, All over

Your help is really appreciated!!!!!!

There's a similar thread on this topic under "Off the Beaten Path" -- there are links there that may help you find what you are looking for! Bob

Hey,

I'm doing a roadtrip from NY to CA via FL and am abit stuck on what to do about the travelling distance between New Orleans, Louisiana and Memphis, Tennessee. Apparently its about a 7hrs drive.

Has anyone driven it? Is it really that long? Is is a nice drive? Is there somewhere decent in between to stayover?

and

Other than the obvious Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Graceland in Memphis does anyone have and recommendations of things to do? We are planning on staying in New Orleans for 3 days and Memphis for 2, do you think this is long enough or even too long?

Thanks for your help.

Hey,

I'm doing a roadtrip through 20 of the US states over 3 months and two of my destinations are New Orleans LA and Memphis TN. I've worked out that it will be about a seven hour drive between them. Does anyone know of any interesting stops along the way, maybe somewhere to stay over night?

Also we are planning on staying in New Orleans 3 nights and Memphis 2 nights, what do you think? Is this enough or even too much?

Also Also, other than the obvious Bourbon street in New Orleans and Graceland in Memphis any recommendations for fun things to do?

Thanks
Sam

Recheck that figure -it took me 7 hours to get from Shreveport to Memphis and Shreveport is 5-6 hours Northwest of New Orleans. I'd guess more like 10 hours once you figure in the fairly heavy traffic along that corridor and food.

Anyway - N.O. - the Audobon Zoo off of Magazine Street is wonderful. You can get tickets that will let you see the zoo, take a steamboat ride on the Mississippi and see the Aquarium. The French Quarter is very nice during the day to wander around and look at all the shops. Catch the street car at Royal street and ride it until the turnaround on Carrolton. Then you can ride it back to the Quarter. It costs $1.25 each way when I lived there five years ago.

I hope you have fun!

.. or thoughts about the deep south...

The trip from NO to Memphis can be as short as 7 hours, but you'd be shortchanging yourself. There's a lot to see and do between those two cities. Some suggested alternatives to just zooming up I-55 would be:

Cross Lake Pontchatrain on the causeway, 29 miles over open water!

Head on up to Natchez via US-61 for a peak at delta life and then some terrific plantation homes.

Continue to Vicksburg, tour the battlefield and museum(s) and get a taste for what war with modern weapons and outdated tactics can do.

Cross over to Jackson and pick up the Natchez Trace Parkway, as sweet and laid back a road as you'll find anywhere. Stop at some of the interpretive sites along the way.

Continue on up to Tupelo. If you're going to Graceland, why not see where it all started?

Take US-78 into Memphis - and don't forget Beale Street and Mud Island.

AZBuck

Hi,

Please help i'm stuck of the best way to explore Utah...

I am starting at Flagstaff, AZ and have about 6 days possibly more to explore, Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Moab, Arches, Capital Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Canyon!! I want to end in Vegas.

I don't really want driving stints of much more than 5 hours and am really stuck on the best route to take around these parks.

Also if anyone has any Must see's/do I would be really grateful. We like outdoor activities!!

Thanks

Swainsam, you might want to check out the "Vegas to Vegas" thread. Their trip sounds a lot like what you want to do and there's lots of good advice in there. They have come up with an itinerary that looks pretty darn good.

Unless you just want to do quick views of things, without much time to really explore, I think that you're pushing it a bit to try to squeze in Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands, too. It's doable but it will really add the miles and driving time. If you like outdoor activities, just concentrate on either the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce OR Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands. To squeeze all of them in within 6 days isn't going to get you outdoors much. You'll be spending more time driving than outside exploring. Make sense?

Hey,

Me and my boyfriend want to make the most of our roadtrip and have some different experiances, thus I need your help!!! I want to spend 3-4 days living the cowboy life in Texas eg living on a ranch, horse-riding, learning to Lasso etc. Does anyone know of any good places to do this near Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas?

Also if anyone has any other must do experiance's anywhere in America please fill me in. I want to make my roadtrip the trip of a LIFETIME!!!!

Thanks for your help

Sam

PS we like outdoor fun!!!

Hey All,

Please help I am stuck!!!
Part of my roadtrip is travelling from San Antonio, TX to Albuquerque, NM and I know it is a very long drive so I need to break it up with stops along the way.

Can anyone recommend some places to visit and stop over along the way. We like sightseeing and themed towns.

Thanks for your help

PS We have plently of time for the drive but don't like the driving stints to be too long.

Here are a few suggestions along I-10 as you head west:

Caverns of Sonora outside Sonora, TX.

Fort Lancaster Sate Historic Park and the scenic drive into Sheffield along TX-290.

From Fort Stockton, TX, I'd head north on US-285 to see:

Carlsbad Caverns and

Roswell, NM, as themed a town as you're going to find on this route.

AZBuck

Don't forget Lincoln, site of the Lincoln County War (1870s-1880s). These were the events that inspired the movies "Young Guns," and Billy the Kid made his "name" here. Not to be missed if you like the Old West!

Also, the Ruidoso area is a sky-island mountain paradise. You might check out the Museum of the Horse, if it is still open there. Bob

Don't forget White Sands NM near Alamogordo. SR70 is also very scenic in these parts between Roswell and Las Cruces. If you plan to sleep in that area, check out the Best Western in Alamogordo, it has a heated pool and jacuzzi, the staff is pretty cool and they have cheap rates.

Gen