HELP! NYC to San Francisco in 5-8 days

[shan]

I'm working in Cali this summe and will be driving a 96 Camry from New York/NJ Area.

I will be picking up a friend from Chicago so that has to be on the route.

I'm interested in getting there in 7 days (allowing myself a 1-2 day buffer) and getting an eyeful of America.

Roughly planning on going from NY to Philly, to Pittsburg, to Detroit, Cleveland, CHICAGO, St.Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Vegas, San Francisco.

What do you guys think about this? Any advice woudl be greatly appreciated, because other than that list of cities, I haven't planned anything out yet and I'm going in a week! I still have Finals at school right now....

[imported_the dude]

If I were you, I'd just drive through some of the cities you mentioned, such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, and maybe even Denver. If you only have a week, you shouldn't waste time there. Chicago is cool, so you should spend a day there. Stop and see the Arch in St Louis. You should also play in the mountains in Colorado. Vegas is always fun of course (but a little out of the way on your route to SF). Assuming you're driving back at the end of the summer, you ought to check out part of the things you want to see on the way back while checking out others on the way there. There's a lot to do in each of the places you mentioned, and you are young, so you have plenty of time to go back to places (pending your desire to roadtrip). I hit state #48 last year at age 25. The Force is with you man.
The Dude
The Dude

[Don Woodmancy]

I agree that Las Vegas is out of the way if your destination is San Francisco. As an alternate route, after leaving Denver, drive about 60 miles west on I-70. At the town of Empire, take the US-40 exit and drive from there to Salt Lake City. The trip between Denver and Salt Lake using that route is one of the most gorgeous in the country. Once you reach Salt Lake, pick up I-80 all the way to San Fran. The route between Denver and Las Vegas along I-70 to I-15 is great also but it will take you many hours longer. Have a great trip.