ROAD TRIP....VA-CA, help me plan my stops

EmilyRanae22

Hello Everyone!
I will be driving from Roanoke, VA to Sacramento, CA in February. I will be taking the southern route to avoid too much snow. Where should I stop? We are definitely stopping in NOLA and the Grand Canyon.

Anyone have some sweet recommendations of cool places to go?

Thanks!

SVCat

If you can roll through Denver and can plan to attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater...you'll die a happy woman. Amazing scenery, the best natural amphitheater anywyere. Simply gorgeous...and only the best play there.

WinnerVictorious

If you can roll through Denver and can plan to attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater...you'll die a happy woman. Amazing scenery, the best natural amphitheater anywyere. Simply gorgeous...and only the best play there.

it's closed during the winter. we get most of our snow in Feb/Mar/Apr.

http://www.redrocksonline.com

SVCat

If you can roll through Denver and can plan to attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater...you'll die a happy woman. Amazing scenery, the best natural amphitheater anywyere. Simply gorgeous...and only the best play there.

it's closed during the winter. we get most of our snow in Feb/Mar/Apr.

http://www.redrocksonline.com

A shame...definitely worthy of driving through there. Love that city.

randomtai

Vegas?

EmilyRanae22

That sounds so fun! bummer they are closed though! i really want to go through CO because I have friends there and I hear it's beautiful but neither my husband nor myself are super accustomed to driving in snow so I'm kinda weary of verturing up there....I'm a wimp I know!

SVCat

Vegas?

Stop at the Bunny Ranch...your hubby will die a happy man.

LauraMacNCheese

Vegas?

Stop at the Bunny Ranch...your hubby will die a happy man.

The Bunny Ranch is near Carson City...

1ConcreteGirl

I made almost this exact drive twice this summer: Fairfax, VA to San Diego, CA. It was awesome. I did go the southern route, and loved New Orleans and (go figure) New Mexico. Most gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen in my life. Iwent all the way to Galveston TX and visited NASA and the space museum, which was really interesting, but I am kind of a dork who liked that kind of stuff. I kept track of the number of police cars I saw in each state, too, because I am a dork and also a speeder, so PM me if you want info for most/least heavily policed states

EmilyRanae22

SVCat I don't appreciate you trying to kill us all off on the drive across country. the goal is to make it to CA in one piece

EmilyRanae22

I made almost this exact drive twice this summer: Fairfax, VA to San Diego, CA. It was awesome. I did go the southern route, and loved New Orleans and (go figure) New Mexico. Most gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen in my life. Iwent all the way to Galveston TX and visited NASA and the space museum, which was really interesting, but I am kind of a dork who liked that kind of stuff. I kept track of the number of police cars I saw in each state, too, because I am a dork and also a speeder, so PM me if you want info for most/least heavily policed states

you sound like my kinda dork! NASA and the space museaum would be a fun visit! I did this drive a few years ago, but basically we picked 3 or 4 places we absolutely wanted to see any just trucked through to the next stop (wherever we stopped in TX to NOLA was the worst being like 15 hours) this time we don't want to drive move than 8 hours a day. We'll have my cat, dog and I'll be 7 months pregnanant...but we still plan to make it fun!

SVCat

I made almost this exact drive twice this summer: Fairfax, VA to San Diego, CA. It was awesome. I did go the southern route, and loved New Orleans and (go figure) New Mexico. Most gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen in my life. Iwent all the way to Galveston TX and visited NASA and the space museum, which was really interesting, but I am kind of a dork who liked that kind of stuff. I kept track of the number of police cars I saw in each state, too, because I am a dork and also a speeder, so PM me if you want info for most/least heavily policed states

you sound like my kinda dork! NASA and the space museaum would be a fun visit! I did this drive a few years ago, but basically we picked 3 or 4 places we absolutely wanted to see any just trucked through to the next stop (wherever we stopped in TX to NOLA was the worst being like 15 hours) this time we don't want to drive move than 8 hours a day. We'll have my cat, dog and I'll be 7 months pregnanant...but we still plan to make it fun!

If you drive on I-10 and through Las Cruces...you may want to check out White Sands Missile Range. There is an area where you can do some Sand Ski'ing and the sunsets from here are simply amazing because of the white sands. And there is also a NASA center in that area...in case you don't make it to the one in Galveston.

EmilyRanae22

SAND SKIING?!?! How cool is that!

_Timmeh_

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands NM, Hoover Dam, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite, Vegas....depends on which route you take....

EmilyRanae22

If you drive on I-10 and through Las Cruces...you may want to check out White Sands Missile Range. There is an area where you can do some Sand Ski'ing and the sunsets from here are simply amazing because of the white sands. And there is also a NASA center in that area...in case you don't make it to the one in Galveston.

Is Las Cruces in TX and is that in El Paso? cause I'm not finding it in Map Quest....as people are recommending places I'm entering them into my route and considering them

Anyone have a place to recommend in Alabama? currently i'm thinking Burmingham simple b/c we need a place to stop in that area

Joreanasaurous

I second Carlsbad Caverns. That was pretty awesome. Also: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

I bought the app for that for my Garmin and it would randomly tell me when a point of interest was near. Or I could open it and it would tell me all that was around the area I was in. It made my last few road trips way more entertaining and random.

tdhighfill

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands NM, Hoover Dam, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite, Vegas....depends on which route you take....

pretty close to this....start in Vegas, drive through Death Valley (along the way hit up 3 mile loop Artist Drive - some nice scenery), Carlsbad and White Sands is a must if you never have been...Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon - stop and see General Sherman (biggest tree in the world I do believe) Yosemite...then San Jose, San Francisco - Muir Woods...then land yourself in Sac.

EmilyRanae22

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands NM, Hoover Dam, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite, Vegas....depends on which route you take....

pretty close to this....start in Vegas, drive through Death Valley (along the way hit up 3 mile loop Artist Drive - some nice scenery), Carlsbad and White Sands is a must if you never have been...Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon - stop and see General Sherman (biggest tree in the world I do believe) Yosemite...then San Jose, San Francisco - Muir Woods...then land yourself in Sac.

VA=virginia, but that's a great layout and I'll definitely have to check out Calsbad and White Sands. I haven't been to Sequoia national part since I was a kid so it would definitely be fun to check out again

magj0y

Once you hit cali, go to Malibu, and the santa Monica pier. Gum alley in san louis obispo and then hit the "grape vine"
Hwy 1 sounds great, but it will be poor visibility, windy, foggy and cold. Hearst castle is seriously over priced. The grapevine is boring, so you should do that at night. I left around. 7 @ lax and hit Sacramento @ 1'ish. It will be the most boring leg of your trip. It's a straight shoot, though.

The carlsbad caverns are really pretty. I would like to point this out.. It will be really effing cold at night.
If i had a choice, i would hit up the N. E. Rim of the Canyon for a gorgeous sunset. Can't guarantee the day time temp, but it can get pretty cold in the desert. You might even find a snow capped Canyon which, imo would be awesome.

Eta.; if you decide to do the sj/sf/muir Woods, be prepared with clothing. I've been in those areas in January and it's cold. (i lived in santa cruz in HS) contrary to what many people think, not all of cali is warm all year long. The reason i strongly suggest against hwy up the coast between la and sf is the winding and foggy road that is super dangerous.

SVCat

If you drive on I-10 and through Las Cruces...you may want to check out White Sands Missile Range. There is an area where you can do some Sand Ski'ing and the sunsets from here are simply amazing because of the white sands. And there is also a NASA center in that area...in case you don't make it to the one in Galveston.

Is Las Cruces in TX and is that in El Paso? cause I'm not finding it in Map Quest....as people are recommending places I'm entering them into my route and considering them

Anyone have a place to recommend in Alabama? currently i'm thinking Burmingham simple b/c we need a place to stop in that area

Las Cruces, NM...about 45 minutes from El Paso. Bring a clothes pin to put over your noses as you leave TX and enter NM, they have a cattle slaughter factory that smells like cow *kitten*.

EmilyRanae22

You all have so many great ideas! Anyone know anywhere to stop in the middle of TX, it doesn't need to be super exciting but something to break up the drive a bit where we could probably get a good bite to eat and relax before getting on the road again the next day

SVCat

You all have so many great ideas! Anyone know anywhere to stop in the middle of TX, it doesn't need to be super exciting but something to break up the drive a bit where we could probably get a good bite to eat and relax before getting on the road again the next day

San Antonio has a lot of good places...is a good drive from NOLA and the river walk is a nice romantic place. Lots of choices to eat from...Mi Tierra...you'll love the decoration and the food is pretty good.

EmilyRanae22

If we skip the grand canyon can someone recommend somewhere in south AZ? We want to do the Grand Canyon but that's a bit out of the way b/c we are going to stop at DisneyLand when we get to CA

SVCat

If we skip the grand canyon can someone recommend somewhere in south AZ? We want to do the Grand Canyon but that's a bit out of the way b/c we are going to stop at DisneyLand when we get to CA

I live in Southern Arizona...what kind of stuff interests you?

EmilyRanae22

I figured you must live somewhere in that area since you seem to know the southwest pretty well! Perhaps a museum, or somwhere to walk around a strech our legs. We'll be staying the night there a nice little breakfast cafe would be great...doesn't need to be anything extravagant but somewhere to relax after Calsbad caverns and the 2 days through TX proceeding that.

SVCat

There is Tombstone, AZ...about 20 minutes off I-10 has a bunch of things to see, if you do your research good enough, you'll be able to see a reenactment of the old Shoot Out at OK Corral. A lot of people love taking the pictures that look like the old tin types...they give you a costume to dressup in...really cool. Bisbee, AZ is a little hippy community, kind of artys little place...lots to see but not really on the Museum side. They have a great bed and breakfast there...it's about one hour from I-10 though.

If you are interested in military history, there is Ft. Huachuca, AZ...about half an hour from I-10. They have a really old school museum...but you'll be done in a couple of hours.

There is Tucson...if you're Catholic, they have the San Xavier Mission...really cool even if you're not Catholic. Also they have a Desert Southwest Animal Museum/Zoo that a lot of people love. Lots of places to eat, but is a larger town/city.

Feel free to PM and ask anything you wish.

EmilyRanae22

why did it not occur to me that Tombstone is in AZ?! I Wyatt Earp! We would all love to see an OK corral reenactment!....Great idea! Mapquest has me going right through Tuscan and Phoenix. Perhaps it would be wise to stop in a few of those places you mentioned and stay either in Tuscan or Phoenix