Ohio to Phoenix in 7 Days

[brendan_newhaven]

I am moving to Phoenix with my wife and baby. We are driving from Cincinnati and have aboout a week to get there I see there are various routes, but would love suggestions about the best route to take, sites to see etc. We tend to be last minute planners and will be on the road in a few days. Ideas anyone?

[Mark Sedenquist]

I am moving to Phoenix with my wife and baby. We are driving from Cincinnati and have aboout a week to get there I see there are various routes, but would love suggestions about the best route to take, sites to see etc. We tend to be last minute planners and will be on the road in a few days.

You will find the humidity in Phoenix very familiar to that of Cincinatti-- but I digress. Since this is a move --what kind of vehicle are you traveling in? Are you transporting a fair amount of stuff with you? I hope are aware of the safest seat location for a wee one . OK -- routes: I would take US-50 west from home and stop and marvel at the St. Louis arch. Beyond that I would take I-70 across the plains to I-25 and then wander around the Coloroado Rockies for a day or two. (lots of route suggestions on this board for the Rockies) and then head south on US-163 and drive through the magnificient Monument Valley area. Then US-160 to Flagstaff, stopping to see and explore Cave Creek area around Sedona and then south to your new home in Phoenix.

Mark

[brendan_newhaven]

Thanks for the reply. I should have been clear. We have sent most of our stuff ahead. I mentioned that it is a move because my car, a toyota matrix, is pretty full of stuff, including a car seat for our daughter. Most is in a cargo box, but some is exposed to view. So we definitely want to avoid areas where theft is a significant risk.

The route you suggest sounds about right. I've been to Phoenix dozens of times (my folks live there already) and have always wanted to see monmument valley. I've heard that between St. Louis and Colorado, its not a terribly interesting drive, but I suppose we could really jam through that part (the baby, it seems doesn't mind riding in the car--we've already come from Connecticut).

Se assuming we take Mark's suggestion, any must see sites, places to stay, to eat? We're vegeterians so the eating part should be a real adventure.

Thanks again in advance.

[Quebec Gen]

After you go through Monument Valley, don't miss Cork Screw Canyon and Canyon De Chelly. For veggie meals in the south, check out farmers markets, Mexican restaurants and you can also find pretty amazing things in Mexican grocery stores. Don't forget to bring lots of water, snacks and sun lotion for the whole family and buy two of those shade-thingies you stick to the rear car's windows so your baby won't burn from the sun.

Have a nice trip!

Gen

[Mark Sedenquist]

Most is in a cargo box, but some is exposed to view. So we definitely want to avoid areas where theft is a significant risk.

That is pretty easy to do. Common sense will keep you out of harm's way. At motels, try and park near your room or in a place where the night clerk has a good view and ALWAYS ask them to keep an eye on it. Tipping of the front desk clerk is rare by most travelers-- but always appreciated...

Se assuming we take Mark's suggestion, any must see sites, places to stay, to eat? We're vegeterians so the eating part should be a real adventure.

Actually, it won't be all that hard. Vegetarians have been eating well in the heartland for the last couple of hundred years. Chinese restaurants are always a good bet in those areas that seem to be more oriented to the carnivores among us... If you decide to drop down to I-40 and zip through New Mexico enroute -- there are two vegetarian places I would heartily suggest you check out! The first is in Albuquerque and is called Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine and Chai House -- very reasonably priced and also mostly vegan based upon the tenants of Ayurveda teaching. The second one is in Santa Fe and although they also serve chicken, the food is primarily vegetarian -- Cafe Oasis. More tips and suggestions can be found in Scott Sharot's excellent book on NM Chow.

This is going to be a HUGE adventure -- remember to get plenty of sleep and have fun!

Mark

[brendan_newhaven]

Thanks Mark and Gen. The family and I made it to Phoenix today. Our trip was only five days in the end. We did very little sight seeing outside the car, as the trip with the baby and all our stuff took more out of us than we had thought it might. But your advice was helpful. We went through illinois to St. Louis. We really found the gateway arch very compelling!

We then jammed through missouri and Kansas--which is much more beautiful than it gets credit for. It rained much of the way, but the real weather disaster awaited us in Colorado--right outside Denver we rain into a massive hail storm that cracked the windshield on our new car! Heading across I 70 and then down 24 i Colorado, we had to drive through a significant snowstorm that slowed us to a crawl at the monarch pass/continental divide. We made it safely, though to Ouray Co-- a cool place to stay and the scenery was amazing. If course, upon trying to leave Ouray, we realized we had a flat and, as it was Sunday, had to drive to Durango on a spare and wait around three hours for Walmart to fix the flat. We still got to MESA VERDE national park by evening though the whole drive was incredible and the views and ruins at mesa verde were the highlight of the trip for us.

By the time we arrived in Cortez, Co, though, we were pretty spent--se we were not able to make Antelope Canyon or Canyon de Chelly. But the drive through the desert to Mounument valley and through to Flagstaff and down to Phoenix was truly spectacular. The trip, even with the automotive mishaps, really could not have gone better.

Thanks so much for your advice. It was very helpful!

[Mark Sedenquist]

The family and I made it to Phoenix today. Our trip was only five days in the end. We did very little sight seeing outside the car, as the trip with the baby and all our stuff took more out of us than we had thought it might. But your advice was helpful. We went through illinois to St. Louis. We really found the gateway arch very compelling!

Luckily one can see some really cool stuff from inside a car.

It rained much of the way, but the real weather disaster awaited us in Colorado--right outside Denver we rain into a massive hail storm that cracked the windshield on our new car! Heading across I 70 and then down 24 i Colorado, we had to drive through a significant snowstorm that slowed us to a crawl at the monarch pass/continental divide.

We awoke to two inches of snow on the ground on Saturday morning at Steamboat Springs, Colorado and we were surprised!

We made it safely, though to Ouray Co-- a cool place to stay and the scenery was amazing.

So glad you made it there.

By the time we arrived in Cortez, Co, though, we were pretty spent

I bet that was some understatement. Whew! What a day you then!

The trip, even with the automotive mishaps, really could not have gone better.

We really enjoyed hearing about the trip -- thanks!

Mark

[RoadTripper Brad]

Howdy!
Welcome to PHX! You should know, lots of RTA people live down here. Moderator Bob for one, myself, and others. Welcome to the neighborhood (i think I spelled that wrong)!
Brad M.
East Phoenix