Coast to Coast but what in between?

[Spychristos]

Hi Guys,
I'm Greek, and sorry for my english, thats why i maybe ask questions already answered in other post, its a little dificult to read all this forum in english, so thanks in andvance.
I'm planning to visit USA this summer, probably at the end of May for about 20 days maybe a little more. I want with this trip to see the different cultures of USA by crossing it from coast to coast by car. My first thought was to go at NY stay 2 nights fly to Cicago, rent a car, drive through route 66 for 13 days and after that L.A and San Fransisko. I wonder if there is any better way to follow so i could see more different places and towns.
So I would like if you please to suggest me any good ideas for this trip, but i don't want to drive for more than 3-4 hours per day. Sorry for this question that is so general.

[AZBuck]

Καλώς Ήρθατε στο Σάιτ! Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There are a several problems with your trip as you've basically outlined it. First and foremost, Chicago to Los Angeles is over 2100 miles. If you only drive 3 hours a day, maybe 180 miles a day, you'll need to be driving a good 12 days to make just that portion of your trip, leaving no real time for the drive to San Francisco. So the first thing you will need to come to grips with is the great size of this country and that three hours a day of driving is insufficient to do what you have in mind. Secondly, US-66 doesn't exist anymore. It was decommissioned over 25 years ago and has been replaced by the Interstate Highways: I-57/I-44/I-40. The old road is still out there but it is no longer marked as a US highway and can be almost impossible to follow. There are plenty of good roads between Chicago and Los Angeles, and there are lots of things to see. Too many really to give you a quick and easy answer. So what is it that you are hoping to see or accomplish on your trip? If we knew the answer to that, we could give you some information that you would find useful.

AZBuck

[Spychristos]

Dear AZBuck,

thanks for your ansewer, the problem is that I don't know much about the central USA, I only know that I want to start from Chicago after 2 days in NY, and spend about 5 days on a quick tour in LA. So from the 21 days that i plan to be there, I have about 14 days to experience a road trip in central USA. What I expect from this trip is to see as many different places its possible but with as possible less time driving, so I'll have the time to walk and see from close the places I'll stop. Maybe sound strange what I describe, thats why I ask you. So the question is that if a foreign friend of you, that maybe wont have the oportunity to visit USA again, want to spend 21 days there, to get a good tast of USA, but as an "adventure" jurney and not a comfortable trip, ask you what he should visit, what you will sugest him, even to change my mind and plan something else is an option.

Thanks in advance

[Midwest Michael]

The problem with your question is that there are millions of possible things, and no real way to give you a good answer. Your a question is a lot like asking "what should I do between Athens and Dublin?" That's basically the same distance, yet there really is no way to give a generic answer to what's worth seeing in all of Western Europe. Its the reason why hundreds of book have been written with ideas on travel throughout the US, and its just not possible to summerize all of them into a short generic post.

What I would strongly recommend is that you start by getting a good map of the US and get a visual look at where you are going, where you could go, and whats along the way. Also do a lot of reading. As you learn more about what it is you want out of your trip, we'll be able to help you put everything together, but you've got to take the first step here.