trippin from MI to the west coast and back...suggestions?

[Matt W.]

My friend and i have been talking about an epic road trip for years. And today the seed has been planted. We're planning on working our way from Michigan to California, driving through the midwest. I just want to know if anyone has some good suggestions of hotspots.

If I was a first time roadtripper, with your origin and destination, no doubt in my mind my first choice would be old US66/I-40.

You could make side trips to Lake of the Ozarks, Branson, Santa Fe/Taos, the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest Natl Park, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and others. Drop by Laughlin, NV and rent a couple of jet-skis to buzz around the river on for an afternoon.

The Gateway Arch in St Louis is a must, along with the Museum of Westward Expansion located there. Finally, you walk out onto the beach at Sanata Monica and stick your feet in the surf. Makes me want to leave right NOW. Run a search here for some of these key words and you'll find plenty of info. Bob