Has anyone ever driven cross country (east to west)

[comeandsee41]

My wife and I are leaving DC and heading to San Diego. She got a new job out there, so we are hitting the open road (with our dog). This is actually going to turn into our one-year anniversary, so we are going to take 9-10 days to do the trip and take our time and see some sights along the way.

Has anyone ever done this trip before (or something similar)? Can you recommend any stops along the way? So far, the plan is to drive from DC to Richmond, then pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maybe take that through the Black Mountains (NC), and go south until about Georgia. Then its all west- maybe Georgia-->Alabama-->Louisiana-->Texas-->New Mexico-->Arizona

The only places we want to hit are Houston (bro in law lives there), and maybe Grand Canyon?

Literally. any input would be awesome! Pumped

[scrock25]

No, I've never done this.

[jcc522]

I've done it West to East. Sorry I can't be more help.

[smokew11]

did west to east

[fridge112887]

Driven from IL to AZ. The Texas>New Mexico>AZ trek is rough at times. There is literally nothing through parts of the Texas panhandle and New Mexico. Nothing. You can hide a body along side the road and no one would ever find it.

[justink]

my buddy has a 1987 Westfalia that he has fixed up fucking noice! it's worth like $50k. he's done it a lot.

currently been unemployed since november and he's done three or four roadtrips since then for fun.

he's on his way from Houston to Canada and back. he just got to Ventura, CA today.

i'm super jelly.

[chadizzy1]

I've driven some long driver but never cross country.

Little Rock, AR to San Diego, CA (several times. Usually with a stop in New Mexico half way, but once I did it without stopping because I had a buddy trade off with me on the driving)
Sacramento, CA to Southern Wisconsin

But those are probably the longest trips I've ever taken.

[LowEnd_Theory]

I moved from Maryland to Arizona a few years back. I had friends along the way so that definitely influenced certain stops. What are you guys into? How do you like to spend your time? How many hours of driving can you put in?

What I did: MD> VA> Nashville> New Orleans> Austin> Flagstaff

What would I do?: DC> Asheville, NC> New Orleans, LA> Austin, TX> Santa Fe, NM> Grand Canyon> Flagstaff/Sedona, AZ> San Diego, CA

[daveshookme]

Originally Posted by comeandsee41

My wife and I are leaving DC and heading to San Diego. She got a new job out there, so we are hitting the open road (with our dog). This is actually going to turn into our one-year anniversary, so we are going to take 9-10 days to do the trip and take our time and see some sights along the way.

Has anyone ever done this trip before (or something similar)? Can you recommend any stops along the way? So far, the plan is to drive from DC to Richmond, then pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maybe take that through the Black Mountains (NC), and go south until about Georgia. Then its all west- maybe Georgia-->Alabama-->Louisiana-->Texas-->New Mexico-->Arizona

The only places we want to hit are Houston (bro in law lives there), and maybe Grand Canyon?

Literally. any input would be awesome! Pumped

grand canyon is overrated. tourist trap x 1000000.

But apparently it's one of those things you "have" to see so fuck it, have fun. You fly over it if you fly into Vegas, and I thought that was a much cooler sight.

[LowEnd_Theory]

Originally Posted by fridge112887

Driven from IL to AZ. The Texas>New Mexico>AZ trek is rough at times. There is literally nothing through parts of the Texas panhandle and New Mexico. Nothing. You can hide a body along side the road and no one would ever find it.

This, so much.

Anyway you slice it really, driving through TX>NM is the absolute worst so just be prepared to crank out some serious hours and prepare food before you leave Houston if you want to avoid eating fast-food/ ghost town garbage. You have someone riding shotgun with you so that is good.

[Climb2safety]

Is this a metaphor for licking from the back to the belly?

[scrock25]

I have still never done this.

[LowEnd_Theory]

Originally Posted by daveshookme

grand canyon is overrated. tourist trap x 1000000.

But apparently it's one of those things you "have" to see so fuck it, have fun. You fly over it if you fly into Vegas, and I thought that was a much cooler sight.

Did a helicopter tour of it which was very cool and I've done backpacking trips down it in which is amazing. But, if you plan to simply walk up to the edge and look out... I think it's overrated. It's still hard to discourage someone from going though.

I honestly think that being in Flagstaff/ Oak Creek Canyon/Sedona is a way cooler stop. Sedona can also be a tourist trap, but everything is shoved into one spot of town which is easily avoidable, just don't be a tourist sheep (can be said for anywhere really).

The red rocks of Sedona are far more lovely to be in than looking out at the Grand Canyon.

edit: you could obviously do both-- only 3 hours away.

[jenhen27]

Me personally yes, but I was a 5 and have no memory of it so I can't be of much help. I can tell you that my dad has done it a few of times from AZ and he always takes the I-10 and not the I-40.

As far as places to see/stop. Although I have no memory of my cross country trip, we did spend a summer going all over the southwest. If you are going to do the Grand Canyon and if you have time, add in Arches National Park, Four Corners (stand in four states at once - well, hands and feet), Hoover Dam, Vegas in general, Meteor Crater, if you're not absolutely terrified of heights - Royal Gorge Bridge (was the highest bridge in the world until 2001), and Joshua Tree National Park. And visit the zoo once you get to San Diego.

We're going to take the kids out west to hit the above in a couple of years once the littlest one gets old enough to remember it.

If the above is not your thing or you just want more information, there are probably hundreds of cross country travel pins on Pinterest and you could probably get some pretty good advice an itineraries on there. And before you get all nervous about Pinterest, I read a statistic that 1/3 of all new users are male. Join the 1/3 minority and plan your trip

[SmoothG]

Highway 89a from flagstaff to sedona is a gorgeous drive. Its been a while, but yeah, sedona is incredibly touristy but some nice areas like oak creek canyon and around. Agreed that grand canyon is overrated if you just stop and look but if you hike it or raft it (or see it from a plane/helicopter) its pretty cool. No need to stop in phoenix. Phoenix to palm springs is pretty boring and bland desert.

[Climb2safety]

Originally Posted by scrock25

I have still never done this.

Back to the belly or the driving thing?

Never mind, I know your a true fan.

[FromTheMorning]

Not sure that 9 days is really taking your time. That's a lot of driving. How far are you willing to drive each day?

[scrock25]

Originally Posted by Climb2safety

Back to the belly or the driving thing?

Never mind, I know your a true fan.

My a true fan what?

[sbuzzz]

Originally Posted by fridge112887

Driven from IL to AZ. The Texas>New Mexico>AZ trek is rough at times. There is literally nothing through parts of the Texas panhandle and New Mexico. Nothing. You can hide a body along side the road and no one would ever find it.

This is so true. Do not drive through this part when you are tired. It's brutal.

[Climb2safety]

Originally Posted by scrock25

My a true fan what?

Life my friend.

[Lee3691]

I've done it a few times, most recently about 6 weeks ago.

Obviously the quickest route from Houston to San Diego is taking the 10 most of the way, but it is a very boring drive. Between San Antonio and El Paso, there isn't much, however if you are into camping, you can go to Big Bend National Park (this is the park at the end of the movie Boyhood). I have also done Houston to Grand Canyon, back down to Los Angeles - my advice is that plan your trip to go through the biggest cities possible, even if the distance seems further. There are a number of roads that are just one lane each side, with no lighting. Hence, you'd probably want to go through Lubbock, and then Amarillo, up to Albuquerque. If you do go through Lubbock, take 2 hours to visit the Buddy Holly museum. You won't be too far from Vegas either.

Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

[Climb2safety]

In all seriousness though, come to Colorado, no?

[justink]

Originally Posted by Lee3691

I've done it a few times, most recently about 6 weeks ago.

Obviously the quickest route from Houston to San Diego is taking the 10 most of the way, but it is a very boring drive. Between San Antonio and El Paso, there isn't much, however if you are into camping, you can go to Big Bend National Park (this is the park at the end of the movie Boyhood). I have also done Houston to Grand Canyon, back down to Los Angeles - my advice is that plan your trip to go through the biggest cities possible, even if the distance seems further. There are a number of roads that are just one lane each side, with no lighting. Hence, you'd probably want to go through Lubbock, and then Amarillo, up to Albuquerque. If you do go through Lubbock, take 2 hours to visit the Buddy Holly museum. You won't be too far from Vegas either.

Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

don't do that

don't do that west coast shit. you're a HOUSTONIAN!

[Lee3691]

Originally Posted by justink

don't do that

don't do that west coast shit. you're a HOUSTONIAN!

The 10 will always be the 10. Fuck the I-10 or just "10" (Nor Cal style)

[daveshookme]

if you want a great burger, and an iconic cross section of bumfuck tx, stop here and go to the ice house (for the burger) and then walmart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockdale,_Texas

best burger ive ever had.

[junior94]

Actually I've done it both ways. When I moved from Philly to LA in 1998, then the reverse in 2003. However it unfortunately wasn't really about the "journey" for me, in each case I had things motivating me highly to my destination. Like on the first one, I made it in 3.5 days because I wanted to make it to the LA-based wrap party for the film I'd worked on in Jersey (that had happened to have most of its crew imported from LA). Of course the irony being it wasn't that great of a party But hell I was only 22 at the time and had never been further than Delware (and that was once) so comparatively it seemed mind blowing.

btw this is the grand opus on which I worked (and can even technically been seen as an extra!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156417/reference

[recentlyJTR41]

Originally Posted by comeandsee41

My wife and I are leaving DC and heading to San Diego. She got a new job out there, so we are hitting the open road (with our dog). This is actually going to turn into our one-year anniversary, so we are going to take 9-10 days to do the trip and take our time and see some sights along the way.

Has anyone ever done this trip before (or something similar)? Can you recommend any stops along the way? So far, the plan is to drive from DC to Richmond, then pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maybe take that through the Black Mountains (NC), and go south until about Georgia. Then its all west- maybe Georgia-->Alabama-->Louisiana-->Texas-->New Mexico-->Arizona

The only places we want to hit are Houston (bro in law lives there), and maybe Grand Canyon?

Literally. any input would be awesome! Pumped

If you're going into Georgia from the mountains yall should stop in either Helen/Blue Ridge (great little mountain towns) or go a little further south and hit Athens if you want to see a great college town with tons of watering holes and breweries to explore if you want to stop for a night and take in a great Southern music town.

Definitely stop in NOLA and maybe Austin after you hit Houston.

[FromTheMorning]

Originally Posted by daveshookme

if you want a great burger, and an iconic cross section of bumfuck tx, stop here and go to the ice house (for the burger) and then walmart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockdale,_Texas

best burger ive ever had.

Those are good burgers Walter

[daveshookme]

Originally Posted by FromTheMorning

Those are good burgers Walter

....have you been there?

[fridge112887]

I mentioned it elsewhere but if you have the chance to stop in Albuquerque, NM, do it