Hi all! So happy to find this forum - I love road trips.

I have 'use or lose' vacation days and find myself off from work starting December 18 through January 1. Good news! I currently live in the Raleigh, NC area and want to take a road trip with my dog (who is great on road trips).

My ideal would be to drive to California and back, but not sure I have quite enough time with doggie stops and stops for fun...do you? Of course I also have to consider that having my dog limits me anyway (won't leave her in car in heat - though in December I could get lucky - won't leave her alone in car for any real stretch of time).

I think I have time to drive to New Orleans, and then San Antonio or Austin...really, really want to see the Grand Canyon...really would love to see San Diego. But San Diego is a stretch maybe, especially since I also have to figure in the good odds of some bad weather (especially in TN/NC end of December).

I have no real agenda and am definitely a "let's see how it goes" person...could totally see myself living in an RV someday. But for now I'm mid 40s female traveling with a hound dog.

What would you do/where would you go? I like offbeat things as well. Thanks!