East Coast - West Coast

[natasha1982]

My boyfriend and I are trying to plan a trip from East Coast to West Coast for March/April next year. We'll be flying in from London to New York, and hopefully end up flying out from San Francisco to home, so we're just looking for help on how to get started really. Our friends who live in San Francisco suggested doing the southern route, but other than that - we need help!!! We would love to go to the Jack Daniels distillery (my boyfriend would, anyway!), and see as much as we can...any suggestions would be really appreciated!!

[Megan Edwards]

The Jack Daniels Distillery is a great place to visit -- the tour is memorable as is the ubiquitous smell of moonshine in the forest. Unless they've changed the laws since my visit, you won't get a sample, though! The distillery is in a "dry" county! Go figure. Anyway, there are so many things to see & do on a cross-country journey, it's hard to know where to begin. If you want to experience the wild west, I'd suggest Big Bend country in Texas. It's a detour off the Interstate, but well worthwhile and one of my favorite places in the whole country. Here are a couple of links: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/ (the official national park site) & http://www.big.bend.national-park.com/ (another site with local info). Oh, and don't forget New Orleans!

[Syv]

If going down to BIG BEND, also take in FORT WORTH Historic Stockyards. The walking tour will give you some american history about the ol' west / ranching life. Plus take in a rodeo or cutting or some type of horse show in the area.

Stop in SAN ANTONIO - do the " riverwalk".

You'll want to get up into ARIZONA to see some national & other parks. Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelley, Painted Desert / Petrified Forest, Hoover Dam, stop in Las Vegas.

Death Valley National Park, Yosemite, Sequoia in California.

You've been referred to the national parks website. You can click on the states geographically to start to plan your route. Once you have some basic ideas / interests you'd like to see, post back with a "rough itinerary" for more suggestions & help.

Have you looked into the CAR RENTAL? Be sure it is unlimited mileage. Check the driver age limit. There will be an extra cost to drop it off at a different location.

Happy trails to you!