Suggestions Phoenix to Atlanta

[Dawnv8]

Hey all! Looking for some suggestions for my Roadtrip from Phoenix to Atlanta. We’re leaving Phoenix on Monday April 12 and need to arrive in Atlanta by Friday the 16th. Well be pulling a small UHaul. Would like some sight seeing ideas, unique places to stay and delicious food ideas. We’re going to Phoenix because my father in law passed away so it’s not exactly a vacation but that’s why I want to make the most out of our drive back to Atlanta. Thanks in advance!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There are two main, and nearly equal, routes between Phoenix and Atlanta. One basically follows I-10/I-20; the other follows mostly I-40. Both are within 1% of 1830 miles or about 4 days of driving while pulling a trailer. That only leaves you about a day to get to and see unique sights, then return to the highway. Presumably, you took one of those two routes out to Phoenix, so since your return drive is going to be mostly driving anyway, my first suggestion would be to take the other route back. We'd need to know which route that is.

Also "sight seeing ideas, unique places to stay and delicious food ideas" is a rather generic statement. What sorts of things do you enjoy seeing? Scenic? Historic? Quirky? What kind of food or restaurants are you looking for? Local cuisine? Themed eateries? Dive bars? And finally, where to stop will depend on your answers to the questions already posed, since where you stop for attractions will determine how far along your chosen route you'll be able to get on any given day.

AZBuck

[Dawnv8]

Good points! First of all we are flying to Phoenix so we won’t be seeing anything. As far as sightseeing goes scenic and quirky would be awesome, historic not so much. Restaurants would be local cuisine, like maybe some really good barbecue and fun themed eateries would be my choice. Dive bars not so much. Lol. I hope that helps! Oh places that are abandoned or quirky or maybe haunted places to visit or hotels would be fun too.

[Mark Sedenquist]

While in Phoenix, there are some really great BBQ places. The following article as written in 2004 and so you would need to check each location to see if they are still open -- the Pandemic has caused a number of the small restaurants to close.
BBQ in Phoenix -- 2004

For road trips around Phoenix and headed east as you drive into New Mexico, one of our RTA authors has written the definitive book.

RoadTrip America Arizona and New Mexico: 25 Scenic Side Trips
by Rick Quinn

For all of the silliness -- I still like to visit Tombstone, Arizona. Here is one the featured attractions.

We have built dozens of different RTA Library maps within 100 miles of just about any place along any route between Phoenix and Atlanta. The best way to view them is to:

1. Go go the Advance Maps page: https://www.roadtripamerica.com/maps/mapcenter.php

2. In the instructions area, look for this phrase "Search for RTA Library Maps within" 100 miles Click on the map.

3. So, click on any city between Phoenix and home.

4. On the left-hand column you will see a box labeled "RTA Maps" -- scroll through the list and click on the links (numbers are links)

MAKE SURE THAT POP-UP WINDOWS ARE ENABLED -- OR YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING.

Once you find a map that you like, you can display it by moving down the page to where it reads
"View and Share Saved Map" -- Here is one of the saved maps going from Tucson to Benson via s scenic road. And here is how it would look:



You can click on the colored flag icons for more information about the attractions that we've written about.

Here are some examples of some of these routes made into articles.

A loop from Phoenix

Tucson to Organ Pipe NRA

Happy Traveling!

[Dawnv8]

Thanks so much!

[DonnaR57]

Please realize that sightseeing with a U-Haul trailer in tow might not be too much fun. While many hotels (mostly those along the interstates) have long-rig parking, that's not necessarily true if you want to go downtown someplace. Unhitching the trailer from the car may be a big rigmarole that you may (or may not) want to deal with.

There's a themed place to eat in Mesa that I always loved: Organ Stop Pizza. They have an organist that plays 45 minute sets every hour, takes a break. It's one of those old fashioned organs that is connected to many other things. Kids love the place, as do adults. The organists play all different types of music. I don't believe they serve any alcohol. You enter, order your pizza, drinks, salad, etc., and go to a table. You bring your drinks, salads, etc to the table, then when your number pops up, you go get your pizza/s. Word of warning: when I was last there (March 2019), they only took cash and checks. No credit cards.


Donna

[AZBuck]

Since your drive is still going to be mostly about driving, I'd suggest the I-40 route which I have found to be generally a bit more interesting than the I-10 route. You could start by heading up I-17 to Camp Verde AZ and then use AZ-260/AZ-270 to Winslow. In Winslow, there is a mural and/or statue in 'honor' of the Eagles' song Take It Easy (Standin' on a corner in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see...) Then just east of there off I-40 is Petrified Forest National Park

There are a couple of stops worth considering in the panhandle of Texas. The first is quirky, the Cadillac Ranch, and the second is gastronomical, the Big Texan. Then in Oklahoma there are some towns that are sometimes listed as ghost towns but seem to have current residents: Adamson and Fallis, both just a short distance off I-40. In Arkansas, there is a one-of-a-kind spot that you also might want to look at, even though it would take a bit of a detour and that is Crater of Diamonds State Park, "One of the only places in the world where the public can search for real diamonds in their original volcanic source."

I don't want to overload you because, as I said, you'll really only have a day's worth of time to get off the highway and explore.

AZBuck