Road trip from Vancouver to New Orleans

[Suzi and Greg]

My boyfriend and I are going on a road trip in late july. We are planning to spend around a month and are departing from Vancouver and heading to New Orleans. We have the transportation all figured out and are now looking for any interesting, exciting tips, advise, on things to see and expeirence.

thank you for your help and suggestions.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Getting the transporation arranged is a big first step. One of the posters on this forum is planning a 10,000 mile adventure but doesn't have the vehicle yet --

Do you like hot springs? The NW area of the country has ~ 2000 named hot springs. Redwood National Park is great, Zion and Canyonlands are awesome. There is a commercial site with good information about the parks at http://www.us-national-parks.net/

Tombstone Arizona and Karchner Caverns are a must-see. What kinds of things intrigue you the most about your route?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Another tip -- there are a few hundred guide books that can enrich any road trip in the USA, but there is one written by an English roadtripper that is especially good for finding the unique and unusual places. For more information go to http://www.roadtripamerica.com/read/uk.htm and look at "Drive USA".

[Jamison]

Hey,

I'm planning a trip this summer to go from New Orleans to Vancouver and back. You have PLENTY of options concerning the route you will take, and if time is not an issue I would suggest going down the west coast to tijuana/san diego and then driving east to New Orleans. I think that would be the most interesting way there, and that is the path I'm taking on the way up to Vancouver. Now on the way back, I'm going through the mountains from Spokane to Salt Lake to Denver and then driving east through the plains of Kansas (check out Dodge City)and then south through Arkansas. There's an incredible wealth of culture between B.C. and New Orleans, so no matter which road you take to get down here it's going to be an incredible roadtrip.

So let me give you a brief snippet of what I've found lies between Vancouver and Nola. The coastal option: The Washington and Oregon coast is spectacular, so take hwy 101 as far as you can. Check out the Oregon Dunes around Coos Bay. Once in Cali, get on hwy 1 along the coast and take this to San Francisco... the views are just unreal on this road. Keep going south on hwy. 1 and stop off at Big Sur. If you're a fan of Beatnik literature, this was the place where Jack Kerouac went insane once and later became the setting for one of his novels. It's a beautiful place with cliffs on the sea and crashing waves. There are several cool small towns on the way to L.A., so be sure to stop and snoop around if a town strikes your fancy. From L.A., take I-5 down to San Diego and then on into Tijuana, Baja California. Then go back north (take a different road for new scenery) and go up through San Bernadino and Riverside, Cali, both cities have really great underground poetry scenes. Perhaps you'll see Ellyn Maybe lurking around one of the dives in San Bern, who knows? Now, this is not the most direct way to New Orleans, but you've come this far, so why not go the extra stretch and hit up Vegas for the weekend. Be sure to hit the Vegas Strip wearing the most outlandish costumes you have, as practice for Bourbon St. From Vegas, go down into Arizona, and be sure to get on Route 66 once you hit Kingman. Go to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon if you wish (make it the North Rim... the South Rim is full of crazy tourists, RVs, and SUVs... a real dirty scene). In any case, once you get to Flagstaff, you have options. Either you can totally cop out and go south to Tucson and get on 1-10, or you can actually get some balls and go to Monument Valley northwest of Flagstaff. The rock formations here are incredible... and the landscape makes you think of old western movies. Really good stuff, but kinda out of the way. However, if you'll be at the North Rim, take hwy 160 NW through the Navajo nation and into New Mexico. It passes through the heart of Monument Valley and the scenery is the quintessential West. Ok, so now we're in NM. Head to Santa Fe on any road you choose or just go straight down to Albuqerque if you feel like wussing out. The art scene in Santa Fe is second onlt to NYC, and the town is really really cool. Head south to Las Cruces and El Paso. You can cross into Mexico again at El Paso into Ciudad Juarez for cheap booze and a cool sombrero. And 1-10 passes through El Paso, so just take that east to New Orleans. Stop in San Antonio for a look at the Alamo, but since San Antonio sucks, you should get on 1-35 headed straight for Austin. Go to 6th St. in downtown Austin for great live music and great times. Also, go to Mount Bonnell on the outskirts of town, drive up the mountain and walk the 100 or so steps to the summit for a cool view of Austin below. There is also this great place for skinny dipping called Hippy Hollow, although I'm not sure where it is exactly, so just ask around. From Austin, take hwy 290 to Houston. Check out the museums in Houston, and then leave immediately for Galveston because, like San Antonio, Houston sucks as well. Take i-45 to Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico; it's a cool old little town with okay beaches and a whole lotta culture. From Galveston, you can either go back to Houston and get on I-10 or you can drive along the coastal hwy which curves up toward I-10 around Stowell, TX. It's a fairly scenic drive. Ok, now you're on 1-10 and about 4 hrs from New Orleans. Don't speed in Texas because they will ticket your ass in a heartbeat, and be sure not to speed in certain parts of Louisiana where it says "Speed limit strictly enforced". They mean it.

Or you can take the mountain route:

Go to Seattle and get on I-90 and take it through Spokane and into Montana. Stop at Missoula and Butte to check out the scene there. Get on 1-15 and head for Pocatello, Idaho, where much of Jack Black's "You Can't Win" took place. After that, go to Salt Lake to harass the Mormons and pick up a few more wives (haha) and then head for Denver. You can take I-80 through Southern Wyoming if you like or just hwy 40 through the Colorado Rockies. Take I-70 into Kansas and be sure to pass by Dodge City. Take hwy 400 from Dodge all the way across southern Kansas to Joplin, Missouri. You can take any hwy you like that goes south from there that leads near Texarkana. From Texarkana, go to Shreveport, LA and get on i-49 going to Lafayette. While in Lafayette, go Cajun dancing at Randol's on Kaliste Saloom Rd. or head over to Caffe Cottage on St. Mary Boulevard for a caffeine fix late at night. New Orleans is 2 hrs from Lafayette and the scenery between Lafayette and Baton Rouge is really great along I-10. Just watch your speed.

Once you get to New Orleans, there is a fairly nifty hostel downtown on Carondelet St. not far from the French Quarter and Arts District. I believe they have a website, but I'm not sure. Anyway, New Orleans is known for its food, so don't cop out and go to taco bell or mcdonald's (ugh) when you could be eating some awesome food. One of my favorite places is Quarter Scene on Dumaine St. in the Quarter. Great Creole food and old haunt of Tennessee Williams. Also, Cafe Degas on Esplanade is a wonderfully funky French restaurant not terribly far from the French Quarter. For drinks I usually go to the Bourbon St. Pub in the Quarter. The gothic author Poppy Z. Brite frequents the place and you'll probably see her if you go.

But I do have a warning: New Orleans is INCREDIBLY HOT in july/august, sometimes reaching near 100 F with high humidity, so be prepared to suffer. Drink lots of water (stay off of hard liquor until nightfall) and stay in the shade whenever possible. Lots of people are hospitalized because of heat exhaustion every summer here.

[Jamison]

Hey,

I'm planning a trip this summer to go from New Orleans to Vancouver and back. You have PLENTY of options concerning the route you will take, and if time is not an issue I would suggest going down the west coast to tijuana/san diego and then driving east to New Orleans. I think that would be the most interesting way there, and that is the path I'm taking on the way up to Vancouver. Now on the way back, I'm going through the mountains from Spokane to Salt Lake to Denver and then driving east through the plains of Kansas (check out Dodge City)and then south through Arkansas. There's an incredible wealth of culture between B.C. and New Orleans, so no matter which road you take to get down here it's going to be an incredible roadtrip.

So let me give you a brief snippet of what I've found lies between Vancouver and Nola. The coastal option: The Washington and Oregon coast is spectacular, so take hwy 101 as far as you can. Check out the Oregon Dunes around Coos Bay. Once in Cali, get on hwy 1 along the coast and take this to San Francisco... the views are just unreal on this road. Keep going south on hwy. 1 and stop off at Big Sur. If you're a fan of Beatnik literature, this was the place where Jack Kerouac went insane once and later became the setting for one of his novels. It's a beautiful place with cliffs on the sea and crashing waves. There are several cool small towns on the way to L.A., so be sure to stop and snoop around if a town strikes your fancy. From L.A., take I-5 down to San Diego and then on into Tijuana, Baja California. Then go back north (take a different road for new scenery) and go up through San Bernadino and Riverside, Cali, both cities have really great underground poetry scenes. Perhaps you'll see Ellyn Maybe lurking around one of the dives in San Bern, who knows? Now, this is not the most direct way to New Orleans, but you've come this far, so why not go the extra stretch and hit up Vegas for the weekend. Be sure to hit the Vegas Strip wearing the most outlandish costumes you have, as practice for Bourbon St. From Vegas, go down into Arizona, and be sure to get on Route 66 once you hit Kingman. Go to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon if you wish (make it the North Rim... the South Rim is full of crazy tourists, RVs, and SUVs... a real dirty scene). In any case, once you get to Flagstaff, you have options. Either you can totally cop out and go south to Tucson and get on 1-10, or you can actually get some balls and go to Monument Valley northwest of Flagstaff. The rock formations here are incredible... and the landscape makes you think of old western movies. Really good stuff, but kinda out of the way. However, if you'll be at the North Rim, take hwy 160 NW through the Navajo nation and into New Mexico. It passes through the heart of Monument Valley and the scenery is the quintessential West. Ok, so now we're in NM. Head to Santa Fe on any road you choose or just go straight down to Albuqerque if you feel like wussing out. The art scene in Santa Fe is second onlt to NYC, and the town is really really cool. Head south to Las Cruces and El Paso. You can cross into Mexico again at El Paso into Ciudad Juarez for cheap booze and a cool sombrero. And 1-10 passes through El Paso, so just take that east to New Orleans. Stop in San Antonio for a look at the Alamo, but since San Antonio sucks, you should get on 1-35 headed straight for Austin. Go to 6th St. in downtown Austin for great live music and great times. Also, go to Mount Bonnell on the outskirts of town, drive up the mountain and walk the 100 or so steps to the summit for a cool view of Austin below. There is also this great place for skinny dipping called Hippy Hollow, although I'm not sure where it is exactly, so just ask around. From Austin, take hwy 290 to Houston. Check out the museums in Houston, and then leave immediately for Galveston because, like San Antonio, Houston sucks as well. Take i-45 to Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico; it's a cool old little town with okay beaches and a whole lotta culture. From Galveston, you can either go back to Houston and get on I-10 or you can drive along the coastal hwy which curves up toward I-10 around Stowell, TX. It's a fairly scenic drive. Ok, now you're on 1-10 and about 4 hrs from New Orleans. Don't speed in Texas because they will ticket your ass in a heartbeat, and be sure not to speed in certain parts of Louisiana where it says "Speed limit strictly enforced". They mean it.

Or you can take the mountain route:

Go to Seattle and get on I-90 and take it through Spokane and into Montana. Stop at Missoula and Butte to check out the scene there. Get on 1-15 and head for Pocatello, Idaho, where much of Jack Black's "You Can't Win" took place. After that, go to Salt Lake to harass the Mormons and pick up a few more wives (haha) and then head for Denver. You can take I-80 through Southern Wyoming if you like or just hwy 40 through the Colorado Rockies. Take I-70 into Kansas and be sure to pass by Dodge City. Take hwy 400 from Dodge all the way across southern Kansas to Joplin, Missouri. You can take any hwy you like that goes south from there that leads near Texarkana. From Texarkana, go to Shreveport, LA and get on i-49 going to Lafayette. While in Lafayette, go Cajun dancing at Randol's on Kaliste Saloom Rd. or head over to Caffe Cottage on St. Mary Boulevard for a caffeine fix late at night. New Orleans is 2 hrs from Lafayette and the scenery between Lafayette and Baton Rouge is really great along I-10. Just watch your speed.

Once you get to New Orleans, there is a fairly nifty hostel downtown on Carondelet St. not far from the French Quarter and Arts District. I believe they have a website, but I'm not sure. Anyway, New Orleans is known for its food, so don't cop out and go to taco bell or mcdonald's (ugh) when you could be eating some awesome food. One of my favorite places is Quarter Scene on Dumaine St. in the Quarter. Great Creole food and old haunt of Tennessee Williams. Also, Cafe Degas on Esplanade is a wonderfully funky French restaurant not terribly far from the French Quarter. For drinks I usually go to the Bourbon St. Pub in the Quarter. The gothic author Poppy Z. Brite frequents the place and you'll probably see her if you go.

But I do have a warning: New Orleans is INCREDIBLY HOT in july/august, sometimes reaching near 100 F with high humidity, so be prepared to suffer. Drink lots of water (stay off of hard liquor until nightfall) and stay in the shade whenever possible. Lots of people are hospitalized because of heat exhaustion every summer here.


Well, if you have any questions either post here or email me. In any case, good luck with your trip!

jamsion

[Mark Sedenquist]

Thanks for the rather detailed route suggestions, how may trips have you taken to this region?

[Jamison]

Actually, I am taking much the same trip as the original poster and have talked to many people and done a lot of research in preparation for the trip. I'm from Louisiana and have never been all the way up and down the west coast, but I know several people who have let me in on what to do there and on the way. Just wanted to share some info.

[imported_beth]

Funny. I did a google search for "road trip" and found you here. Crazy stuff. Anyway, looking forward to the cheap booze and cool sombrero :)

[carra]

hey there-
My boyfriend and I are driving from NY - LA and back on a 5 week trip. We plan in hitting a few "major" stops along the way - Santa Fe, Telluride, San Fran, LA, etc.. interspersed with some national parks (Zion, Canyonlands, Arches, etc) we are pretty into hiking, camping and other adventurous and exciting stuff but we are also looking for cool cities along the way with some flavor -poetry, music, dance scenes that are just outrageous and crazy - as well as any festivals that we may be able to come across. I know this is a broad request but any cities, towns, adventure things that you came across that I won't find in a guide book, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! It would be much appreciated.
Thanks so much and happy driving!
Carra