Graduation Road Trip with the guys, from Florida to California

[Christopher]

Hi guys, firstly as in all books, let me start at the begining. Myself and three other mates from Film school have just graduated this June and to celebrate this we are heading off on a road trip accross the US from Orlando, Florida to Los Angeles, California. Our dates are 6th Sept till 12th Oct. The final 10 days of the trip will be spent in Santa Monica, California. So we are looking at being on the road for roughly a month. Would idealy love to talk with anyone else who has done this trip, or anyone who knows of any must see places along the route. We are traveling in a bright yellow 4x4 (inconspicuous, Na!) Looking forward to those roadhouse bars, as I'm sure you will find us there most evenings! If so a pints on me!

Cheers for any help given and take it easy.

Christopher

PS Only last night, I watched Sweet Home Alabama... if I find a Reece Witherspoon lookalike... then guys, there will be only three finishing the trip, I'm staying!!!

[A. Riccio]

I-80 runs from New York through Chicago to San Fransisco, if you want to go from Orlando to Los Angeles, I would suggest I-10. 10 is the road I used for a similar trip, and it provided me with a few good stops, and a few other stops.
1. Bourbon Street in New Orleans, LA. I can't think of a reason not to stop here, great food, lots to drink, nudity in exchange for cheap plastic beads year round. Nothing but fun.
2. The Alamo in San Antonio TX. This one's a hard sell if you're not into the whole history thing, but I-10 goes through San Antonio. The Alamo is there, so you might as well give it a look.
3. Faywood Hot Springs in Faywood NM. Not that far from 10, it's quiet and relaxing, a perfect place to rest between bars. A few minutes away from the spring is the sad looking town of Hurley NM, complete with a creepy cemetery and some abandoned trains.
4. Stein's Ghost Town, NM. I think it is Exit 2. All of exit 2, nothing else there, it will take 15 to see then off you go.
5. Somewhere in AZ is "The Thing!". What is "The Thing!"? I don't know, it was getting dark I missed the exit, but it's somthing to help break up the driving.

Wherever you go, get gas often. Staring at your gaslight at 1am in the Arizona desert with no sign of civilization in view on any horizon isn't fun. Well maybe it's a little fun.

[Syv]

I agree you want US 10.

Biloxi & Gulfport Mississippi are neat little towns. With casino(s) & beaches.

New Orleans, of course!
Take a swamp tour while in the New Orleans / Lafayette area too.
Between Baton Rouge & New Orleans - historic plantations.

San Antonio - do the Riverwalk / see the Alamo

Highly recommend BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas
www.nps.gov/parks.html

From Phoenix - I highly recommend to jog off course and go via #17 (& #89 through Sedona) past Flagstaff, to the GRAND CANYON.

You would then go #40 to #93 over HOOVER DAM into LAS VEGAS

Continue west into DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, California.

then #395 down towards L.A. & Santa Monica.

[imported_Kristen]

I Took a roadtrip last summer from New Jersey to Take Tahoe, CA, and we took the southern route. I'll just point out a few interesting places that We stopped that were interesting.

We stopped in Atlanta Georgia, which is an awesome city. There's tons of bars, clubs, restaurants, and even a really neat place outside of the city called stone mountain.

From Atlanta, We went on down to New Orleans, Lousiana. If you like to party, this is the city for you! Me and my Friend Sabrina stayed over night on a wedenesday night in the end of may, and it was CRAZY! there were tons of clubs and bars, people walking around with their drinks in their hands all over the streets, girls flashing their boobs for beads. It was RIDICULOUS!

From there, we stopped in Dallas, texas. Dallas was an ok city, but if you happen to be passing through the area, Stop and see the Watergardens of Fort worth. (Especially if you meet a girl - take here there to see it, and she'll love it and you!)

We took a long drive to arizona from there - I'd recommend driving that part of the desert during the day becayse New MExico and arizona are beautiful!

We stopped in arizona to check out the Grand Canyon, and to go to some indian reservations - We ate at a navajo restaurant that was prooibly the most amazing food i have ever eaten in my life! I'd swing by Las Vegas too if I were you!

I know you are going to southern CA, but if you have lots of time for a road trip, I wouldn't dismiss Northern california. It's a beautiful place and there's tons to do!

Route one and Big Sur are beautiful. Yosemite park is also. We camped in Yosemite Valley - which in order to do u need to get there at like 5 am to get in line for a site. We hiked the Panoramic trail, and even climbed the 17 miles to the top of half dome which was breathtaking!

San Francisco is an awesome city as well - check out Fisherman's warf, and the look out points across form the golden gate bridge. Drive through Silicon Valley and check out the millionaires. San Fran is an amazing city and I am actually moving there in a month!

Also, I lived last summer in Lake tahoe. South Lake tahoe, is a crazy place - there's casinos, clubs and bars - very touristy, but fun. North lake tahoe is a lot more pure and less developed, but it is breathtaking just the same.

I hope this helps, Have a great trip and see as much as you can! I'm taking my next cross country through the northern route in October to see what is there. enjoy!

[*Lotty*]

Hey! I happen to be making the exact same trip this summer, florida to california.. if u guys are still around and have read this post by summer 2008, then please get in touch with me, i would love to hear about your experiences!!
xox

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Syv is still around, but none of the other posters on this thread is currently active. Can we be of any assistance?

AZBuck