Flagstaff - New Orleans

[Norge2011]

Hi,

We are a young copule doing a roadtrip and inbetween Flagstaff and New Orleans we don't really have any specific sites we want to see. We have already been to the Grand Canyon, and don't want to spend too much time driving to New Orleans, but would really appreciate tips for attractions that doesn't make big detours. Some of the things that could be interesting is horse riding, and "ghost cities". We are also wondering which route we should drive. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[DonnaR57]

Most of us will tell you to do two things:

First, this site is the best one for searching for ideas for the road trip. Poke around here and see what you find that interests you! Make sure you read some Road Trip descriptions in that forum - you may have to use the settings bar (on the bottom) to see posts older than 2 weeks. Another thing is to get a good USA map (or atlas) and pour over it, and see what strikes you.

Once you decide the types of attractions that you'd like to see, come see us and we'll help you "connect the dots".

Welcome aboard!


Donna who will be passing through Flagstaff next week

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Since you "don't want to spend too much time driving", but still want to see a few sites, then you should stick to the most efficient route, which will still take a full 2½ days of driving, but also leave a little time for out of the car pursuits. That would be I-40 east to Amarillo, US-287 to Dallas/Fort Worth, then I-20/I-49/I-10 down through Shreveport and Lafayette to New Orleans.

The highest concentration of ghost towns on that route is in the vicinity of Gallup, NM with Mentmore, Allison, Clarkville, Gamerco, Navajo and Gibson all relatively close to the highway and in various stages of 'ghosthood'. Unfortunately. Most trail rides take longer than you can afford to be off the road and still make it to New Orleans by the end of the third day. some other stops that could be both quick and interesting include Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo, and the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas.

AZBuck

[Norge2011]

Thank you so much for the advice, really appreciate it!

[horseymen]

At least for awhile, one thing I think is important to do is to consider when you'll be driving as Texas has that pesky night speed limit. That 80 mph run through West Texas, although not the most mileage efficient, can be as quick as times. The 287 drive from DFW to Amarillo is a bit of a beating since it's not interstate.. Fort Worth has a lot of cool things to see and do on your route. Grapevine is a novelty type of town - they have a new aquarium, a lego land, a Great Wolf Lodge, and a Gaylord there for your novelty experiences.

[Norge2011]

Thanks for the tips!