New York City -> San Francisco; With Many Stops Along The Way!

[AndrewZizik]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to this forum, and consequentially have not probed the depths of subject matter, so I apologize if there are already posts regarding this route.

My reason for posting is to see if anyone has traveled a similar route across the U.S. and has any tips as to Sights/Attractions and/or Route Info, Advice, etc.

There is no timeframe for this trip, it could take 3 weeks to over a month or more. That is not the issue.

Here is the rough idea for the route (pardon my lengthy tangent here!):

NYC -> Boone / Asheville, NC
Boone, NC -> Nashville
Nashville -> Memphis
Memphis -> New Orleans -----> Anywhere interesting in between these two destinations?
New Orleans -> Austin, TX
Austin, TX -> San Antonio, TX
San Antonio -> Santa Fe, NM ------> I know there are plenty of places to see in between here?
Santa Fe, NM -> Rio Grande National Forest, CO
RGNF, CO -> Denver, CO -----> Any other destinations in CO on the way?
Denver -> Boulder, CO
Boulder -> Moab, UT --------> We need some advice on Utah, as there are so many places to see.
Moab -> Zion National Park
Zion -> Grand Canyon ----> Is Bryce Canyon essential?
Grand Canyon -> Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Joshua Tree -> LA, CA
L.A. -> San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo -> Big Sur
Big Sur -> San Francisco...

Any thoughts or input anyone has would be greatly appreciated. This is my first time driving across the country, so I would like to address any potential obstacles. This would include excessive tolls, closed routes, any dangerous factors that would figure into it.

Has anyone done this trip?

Thanks!!!
-Andrew Z.

[Lifemagician]

Hi Andrew, and Welcome to the The Great American RoadTrip Forum.

There is no time frame for this trip, it could take 3 weeks to over a month or more. That is not the issue.

On the contrary. Without a realistic time frame, the information given here may or may not be relevant. Your time frame has much to do with the advice you will receive. You do not say when this trip is to take place, but since you posted in the 'summer' thread, I am assuming it is in summer... next summer?

It is rare to find anyone who has done a trip, just like you are planning. Roadtrips are very much an individual thing. Though I can safely say that most of us have done sections of it. You are bound to find many of those experiences recorded in the RoadTrip Field Reports forum.

e.g. From Sante Fe to Denver I have visited San Luis and the life size Way of the Cross, going to a chapel up on the hill; The Great Sand Dunes NP; Canon City with the Royal Gorge Railway and Bridge; Garden of the Gods; Pikes Peak; to name just a few.

You acknowledge that you have not 'probed the depths' of this forum. When you do a little probing, use the search function up the top of the page and the 'similar threads' at the bottom of this page, to find relevant information. There are also many trip planning tools on the green bar above.

And it would be a good idea if you get yourself a good, wall sized map of the USA to chart your journey. Most good maps have many of these features marked on them, as does a good road atlas. It is not realistic to try to plan a trip of this magnitude within the confines of a computer monitor.

Enjoy the planning, and as more questions come up, just ask.

Lifey

[AndrewZizik]

Thanks Lifemagician,

To clarify I will be going on this trip at the end of May, and will potentially required to be in San Francisco by July 1st, so that changes a lot.

Since my last post I have searched a bit more and found lots of great information, so thank you for your advice on that matter.

-AZ

[astraclub]

Thanks Lifemagician,

Since my last post I have searched a bit more and found lots of great information, so thank you for your advice on that matter.

-AZ

So, do you recommend to close this thread now!
Moderator, thoughts??

[Lifemagician]

It is very rare for a thread to be closed on this forum. And those which are, are usually for sound reason, and not because a person has found the information for which they were looking.

As you read through the forums you will find that folk sometimes ask questions in threads which are years old, but which cover the area they are planning to drive to / through.

Lifey

[Midwest Michael]

No, there is no reason to close this thread, for the reasons Lifey mentioned.

Not to mention, since this trip is still a few months away, you may have more questions, and if so, we'd prefer that you'd ask them here in this thread.

[Southwest Dave]

Not to mention, since this trip is still a few months away, you may have more questions, and if so, we'd prefer that you'd ask them here in this thread.

Oddly enough it was not the OP who asked if the thread should be closed. [?]

@astraclub. We do not close any threads unless rules/guidelines have been broken and/or they are irrelevant to the forums.

[Midwest Michael]

I guess I should have read beyond the first letter of the username!