CT to LA, August, about 10 days

[sptrip]

I am going to graduate school in the fall near LA, so I need to drive cross-country. I wanted to make it a fun experience and this seemed like a great place to get some advice. I am thinking I-80W is the best route, especially in August...going through Colorado and Utah. So I was wondering about good places I should hit on the way. Thanks!

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

First thing to note, I-80 could be a fine choice of a route, as could a route through Colorado and Utah, however I-80 doesn't go through either of those states.

Really, there is never a one sized fits all best route, and the best advice I can give is to pick a route that takes you to the places you want to go. If that is Colorado and Utah, which have more than a dozen great national parks, and tons of great places to go and things to do, then that's where you should go! 10 days for this trip is a nice amount of time, as you're looking at about 5-6 full days of driving, leaving you another 4-5 days just to explore and have fun.

Having said that, we really don't know what you'd be interested in doing, and no one really can know that better than yourself. With millions of possibilties on a cross country trip, you need to take the first step to figure out your top priorities (which is really the fun part anyway). Once you've established a few ideas, then we can help you sort things out and perhaps offer some additional ideas that would compliment your goals.

[sptrip]

Well I am just beginning, but some of the things that I want to see are
-Ballparks
-National Parks, Hiking Areas
-Landmarks

I have alot of research to do =)

[Midwest Michael]

Well, you'll have plenty of options to pick from. Some of my favorite ballparks could certainly be on your route. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and St. Louis are my 3 favorite of the "new" parks, the classic park, Wrigley Field, could be worked in. KC's park is neat in that it is an older park but has many of the same features as the newer parks. Cleveland and Denver also have decent newer parks, although they are a step down, in my opinion, from the other ones on the way.

The national parks website is filled with great information for you to work through, and of course, simply be looking at a good map which will show other state parks and other points of interest along the way.

[sptrip]

Thanks! I was looking at a nice series between the Cards and Cubs in mid-August.

[sptrip]

Here's my first draft
Western Connecticut Leave early August 10th
Drive August 10th end hotel near Cincy
Cincinnati August 11th 12:35 game vs Cardinals
Cincinnati/Indianapolis/St. Louis 11th-13th
St. Louis 13th 7:35 game vs Cubs
14th driving, ending somewhere in Kansas
15th driving, ending near Rocky Mountain Park
16th rocky mountain park, night part of the way to Utah
17th drive to Zion National Park arrive hotel near park
18th Zion National Park, night drive to Vegas
Las Vegas 18th night
Southern California 19th

Tempted to add my Yankees against the Royals on the 14th but I don't know if that's possible.
Also considering skipping Cards and Cubs and getting more time in Colorado/Utah

[glc]

You are getting a pretty good handle on it. Just try not to plan on driving more than 500 miles a day. If you use computer mapping programs, add 20% to the predicted drive times. Between RMNP and LV, there's a LOT more to see other than just Zion. Pick and choose carefully. Defer stuff close to LA if you need to, you can always do those on weekend trips out of LA if you are going to be out there for a while.

[sptrip]

Thanks for the advice. I am using google maps...I want to keep to the 500 mi max, but I need to find places between some of the areas I have planned
Need to find somewhere between Western CT and Cincinnati
Kansas City and Rocky Mountain Park
Rocky Mountain Park and Zion National Park

First one needs to be just a hotel, the other two I could put in time if there is something interesting I am missing, but the time is tight. Here is what I have now, still working on it...still need to redo the Colorado/Utah section...just realized I cut off a day by mistake at the end, needed that extra day!
Western Connecticut August 10th
Drive August 10th to hotel 3.5 hrs before Cincy 9AM EST-7 PM EST 8 hr drive 2 hrs. breaks
12-1pm
5-6pm
August 11th Hotel between CT and Cincy
Leave 8 AM EST-1130 AM EST
Cincinnati August 11th 12:35 CST game 11th vs Cardinals
end 330pm EST
Drive to St. Louis 11th after game
Arrive 9pm CST in St. Louis (5.5 hr drive, gain 1 hr time difference)
St. Louis 11th night, 12th day…drive to KC
4 hr drive leave by 2 pm
Kansas City 12th night 7:10 CST vs Yankees
13th driving, ending near Rocky Mountain Park
10 AM CST-1 PM
1 PM-2PM Break
2PM-5PM
5PM-6PM Break
6PM-8PM (3 hrs. driving gain 1 hr mountain time)
9 hrs driving 3 hrs break
Arrive 2 hrs before rocky mountain park
14th driving, arrive rocky mountain park
7 AM MST-9 AM MST
Arrive Rocky Mountain Park
15th rocky mountain park
16th drive to Zion National Park
17-morning 18th Zion National Park late afternoon drive to Vegas
Las Vegas 19th night
Southern California 20th

[glc]

Any town of any size at all along an Interstate highway will have motels near the exit. I wouldn't worry about it - just drive till you feel like stopping and start looking. NOTE: Add 20% to Google drive times to be safe!

Akron is about 3.5 to 4 hours from Cincy. If you stop there, you would have to get on the road at the crack of dawn to make the day game. Another hour would get you to Ashland or Mansfield, and another hour after that would get you to Columbus. I'd get out of CT as early as you can and see how far you can get.

A full day's drive from KC will get you to Limon CO. It has a few motels. That's your 500 mile target. Another hour and a half would get you into Denver.

[sptrip]

Thanks, I will be able to leave on the 9th now due to a change of plans, so that should make getting to Cincy much easier. I can see zooming in on google maps that there are indeed a bunch of parks in Utah that I should look into...Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Glen Canyon, and Bryce Canyon. Something to look at during work tomorrow.
Limon looks like it is right along the route, thank you for the suggestion. I am putting in an hr break for every 3 hr of driving although adding 20% seems like a good rule of thumb.