LA - Miami

[tincancowboys]

Thanks to all replies so far and to Dave, cheers really helpful! So we've got the flights booked and the RV - decided on the C30 so should be plenty of room for 4 adults sleeping comfortably!!

We have sort of pencilled in a route and some things to do/see on the way but we're pretty much open to any variations on this journey, depending on any recommendations people may have on things to do/places to stay. If there's somewhere worth staying more than what I've got here just say!!

Route goes something like this:

Arrive in LA Friday, in LA Saturday and Sunday catch a Lakers game Sunday PM.

Monday - pick up RV then make our way to San Diego. We hope to stay in around San Diego - if anyone has recommended places to stay (RV parks) that's be good. Also I know its not far to the Mexican border - is it worth a visit to Tijuana? Are we able to cross the border easily enough or do we have to sort anything beforehand?

Tuesday hit the long drive to Tombstone for the night, is there anywhere else round here worth checking out staying for the night?

Weds drive to El Paso and stay there for the night.

Thurs- Another monster drive to San Antonio, via Fort Stockton. Stay in San Antonio for the night.

Fri - drive to & stay houston

Sat - Drive to & stay in New Orleans

Sun - Drive to & stay in Panama city

Mon - Drive to Orlando via Daytona Beach

Tues - Theme parks, stay in Orlando

Weds - Drive to miami

Thurs - miami/contingency day

Friday - fly back to the uk

Thanks in advance!

James

[PNW Judy]

How are you going to get around LA? It will be very challenging to see much without a car. You might need to get a regular car for a few days prior to picking up your RV.

Monday - pick up RV then make our way to San Diego. We hope to stay in around San Diego - if anyone has recommended places to stay (RV parks) that's be good. Also I know its not far to the Mexican border - is it worth a visit to Tijuana? Are we able to cross the border easily enough or do we have to sort anything beforehand?

You will not be able to take your RV into Mexico but you can easily take a bus into Tijuana. Is it worth it? Sure. I'm unclear on foreign visitors leaving the US and getting back in on your travel visa. I think it's OK but you will want to double-check on this to ensure you don't get stuck in Mexico.

Tuesday hit the long drive to Tombstone for the night, is there anywhere else round here worth checking out staying for the night?

Yup...lots of places. Tucson and Bisbee (a bit south of Tombstone) are great. At almost 500 miles, you will have a few hours for sightseeing this day but not too many. Especially if your plan is to get into Tombstone in time to enjoy the Earp stuff. If you have time, you might enjoy a stop in the Sonoran Desert National Monument where you can enjoy the saguaro cactus and more.

Weds drive to El Paso and stay there for the night.

This is a fairly easy drive of about 300 miles. You might want to head NE a few miles at Las Cruces to take in White Sands National Monument.

Thurs- Another monster drive to San Antonio, via Fort Stockton. Stay in San Antonio for the night.

Fri - drive to & stay houston

Your drive to Houston is a pretty short driving leg. Are you planning on spending some time in Houston? The NASA stuff at the Johnson Space Center is pretty cool.

Sat - Drive to & stay in New Orleans

Sun - Drive to & stay in Panama city

Both of these days are about 350 miles so you should have some time to enjoy New Orleans in the evening and, again, the next morning. You won't get to see a lot of NOLA during that time but it should give you time to take a taste of it. Of course, the French Quarter is a must.

Mon - Drive to Orlando via Daytona Beach

Tues - Theme parks, stay in Orlando

Unless there's something specific in Daytona Beach that you must see, you could shave off some miles by going through Gainesville/Ocala. If you're just anxious to get to a beach, I would save it for the Orlando-Miami leg.

I have no idea how you will see even a smidgen of the theme parks in the Orlando area in just one day. But I'm sure you'll have fun trying. Good luck with that.

[tincancowboys]

Hi Judy, thanks a lot for your suggestions, very helpful. We are aware we've got some big drives on our hands, we're setting some milestones along the way and are fairly flexible in between so anyone else with other suggestions/must sees on our route please share them!

We will perhaps look ar renting a car in LA - would you suggest arranging one before hand or picking one up in/around the airport when we arrive? Any recommended car hire companies in that area appreciated.

Pretty much all of the route is an open book at the minute, we definately want to go to and stay in New Orleans, we'll be in LA for a few days before we pick up the RV and fly home from Miami so are hoping to have a couple of days there at the end. Those are the definates on our trip anyway. We'd like to visit the Space Centre in Houston, but are open to any other suggestions for staying in around there.

We are looking at going to Islands of Adventure in orlando, if anyone thinks there's a better/more enjoyable one let us know!

Thanks again,

James

[Southwest Dave]

Howdy,

Glad to see you got your R.V. and flights sorted out.

You have quite an adventure coming up. One place that may appeal to you is the Carlsbad caverns where you can do cave tours and if it appeals, watch the bats exit the cave at sunset.
It's located a few miles East of El paso, so it maybe O.K. for a stop over in the area.
Here's a link to some campgrounds in the area and if you look in the left hand corner you can change states and it will give you a brief idea of what's in that selected area from the list of things on the left. Here's a good Field report covering some of the area you are going through.

Dave.

[PNW Judy]

Hi Judy, thanks a lot for your suggestions, very helpful. We are aware we've got some big drives on our hands, we're setting some milestones along the way and are fairly flexible in between so anyone else with other suggestions/must sees on our route please share them!

We generally recommend 500-550 miles at the top end for folks who want to mix some sightseeing during the day but who still need to burn some miles. However, in an RV, you will likely be driving a bit slower than a passenger vehicle and will need to be on the road a bit longer to cover the same miles. All of your distances are do-able with the caveat that this depends on how many hours of sightseeing you plan to do that day. It will probably take you about 9 hours, give or take a bit, to cover 500 miles. This allows time for very brief stops for food/fuel/bio breaks, and very quick stops at places like scenic overlooks, etc. So, depending on your departure times and what time you want to arrive at your destination, you could still have a few hours to sightsee in a bit more depth each day. I typically plan for a 7am-7pm travel day so this would give me 3 hours for more in-depth sightseeing, for example. Hope this gives you an idea of how to adjust your travel days.

We will perhaps look ar renting a car in LA - would you suggest arranging one before hand or picking one up in/around the airport when we arrive? Any recommended car hire companies in that area appreciated.

Definitely arrange ahead of time. You will get far better deals. Any of the major rental agencies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, etc.) will be fine. Be aware that you will have a one-way drop-off fee.

Pretty much all of the route is an open book at the minute, we definately want to go to and stay in New Orleans, we'll be in LA for a few days before we pick up the RV and fly home from Miami so are hoping to have a couple of days there at the end. Those are the definates on our trip anyway. We'd like to visit the Space Centre in Houston, but are open to any other suggestions for staying in around there.

I think you're off to a good start with your planning. As long as you know that you're doing what I call a "whistle-stop tour", i.e. you'll see a lot but not have a lot of time to explore most places in depth, you should have a great time. If you're seeking a more in-depth experience, you will either need to travel less far or add days.

It would be easier for us to give you specific suggestions if we have a better idea of what types of places and experiences you're seeking. There are literally thousands of places between LA and Miami worth exploring but, obviously, you can't hit all of them. Help us help you by giving us some specifics.

We are looking at going to Islands of Adventure in orlando, if anyone thinks there's a better/more enjoyable one let us know!

Gosh...I'm a theme park fan. I love them all. It's been quite awhile since I've been to the parks in Orlando. Islands of Adventure wasn't even at Universal Studios yet so I have no experience there. I can tell you that Universal tended to have more wild rides than Disney so, if that's what you're seeking, I don't think you are going wrong. But, gosh, the Disney experience is pretty cool, too. Maybe someone will pop in with more recent experience at both to give you better advice.

You might do some poking around here, using the search function, to get more ideas for your trip and keep coming back here with more questions. And, like I said, give us specifics on what you're seeking so we can tailor advice to your desires.

Happy planning!

[tincancowboys]

Judy and Dave, thanks a lot for your suggestions and advice - will definately use it for our trip!

Anyone else feel free to chirp up :-)

James