America road trip Miami to LA
Discussion
Evening all,
I've been a long time piston reader but only recently set up an account to post this. On the 5th of September this year to the 23rd of the same month I will be driving across the US. We already have the car sorted (Mustang convertible) with all but the one-way-fee to pay when we get there.
I would just like an idea on any places people would like to recommend. The general plan is MIAMI > ORLANDO > NEW ORLEANS > DALLAS > ALBERQUEUQUUEEUEEUEUQEEUEEEE > VEGAS > SAN FRAN > LA.
It's a 18 day round trip with 3 of us sharing the driving so if night drives, 10 hour hauls are needed it won't be a massive issue.
Any ideas, places, things to do/go/see/stay, stop off ANYTHING you can think of please let me know.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers.
I've been a long time piston reader but only recently set up an account to post this. On the 5th of September this year to the 23rd of the same month I will be driving across the US. We already have the car sorted (Mustang convertible) with all but the one-way-fee to pay when we get there.
I would just like an idea on any places people would like to recommend. The general plan is MIAMI > ORLANDO > NEW ORLEANS > DALLAS > ALBERQUEUQUUEEUEEUEUQEEUEEEE > VEGAS > SAN FRAN > LA.
It's a 18 day round trip with 3 of us sharing the driving so if night drives, 10 hour hauls are needed it won't be a massive issue.
Any ideas, places, things to do/go/see/stay, stop off ANYTHING you can think of please let me know.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers.
Have you planned a route with Rand Mcnally? They make the best road atlases for the States. I would leave out Dallas and go via Austin instead as it's the music capital of the Southwest these days.
http://maps.randmcnally.com/#s=screen&lat=32.0...
This route avoids highways.
ETAS, also appears to go through Roswell which could be interesting.
http://maps.randmcnally.com/#s=screen&lat=32.0...
This route avoids highways.
ETAS, also appears to go through Roswell which could be interesting.
You make mention of a 'round-trip', but this sounds like a one-way, east to west, right?
Having done Las Vegas to Orlando in 4 days, a few years ago, using your route but in t'other direction, I would advise that there is a whole lot of nothing between Hoover Dam and Dallas and between Dallas and New Orleans. Just boring, featureless moonscape.
On my journey, speed was of the essence, but given the choice, I would cross country further to the north - i.e. Head up from FL, through GA and turn left in Tennessee. Much more to see and experience, at the expense of New Orleans, which is a toilet anyway.
Having done Las Vegas to Orlando in 4 days, a few years ago, using your route but in t'other direction, I would advise that there is a whole lot of nothing between Hoover Dam and Dallas and between Dallas and New Orleans. Just boring, featureless moonscape.
On my journey, speed was of the essence, but given the choice, I would cross country further to the north - i.e. Head up from FL, through GA and turn left in Tennessee. Much more to see and experience, at the expense of New Orleans, which is a toilet anyway.
Matt Harper said:
You make mention of a 'round-trip', but this sounds like a one-way, east to west, right?
Having done Las Vegas to Orlando in 4 days, a few years ago, using your route but in t'other direction, I would advise that there is a whole lot of nothing between Hoover Dam and Dallas and between Dallas and New Orleans. Just boring, featureless moonscape.
On my journey, speed was of the essence, but given the choice, I would cross country further to the north - i.e. Head up from FL, through GA and turn left in Tennessee. Much more to see and experience, at the expense of New Orleans, which is a toilet anyway.
I think that toilet may still have been recovering from a massive natural disaster so your write off seems a little cruel. Things are getting better now, so I hear.Having done Las Vegas to Orlando in 4 days, a few years ago, using your route but in t'other direction, I would advise that there is a whole lot of nothing between Hoover Dam and Dallas and between Dallas and New Orleans. Just boring, featureless moonscape.
On my journey, speed was of the essence, but given the choice, I would cross country further to the north - i.e. Head up from FL, through GA and turn left in Tennessee. Much more to see and experience, at the expense of New Orleans, which is a toilet anyway.
Fair play, but I should have pointed out that my work has taken me to New Orleans more than 20 times, since Katrina - last time, less than a month ago. Most casual visitors end up on Bourbon St and in the French Quarter. Former is plain disgusting and the latter is a money grabbing shadow of it's former quite lovely status.
For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
Cant comment on before Dallas, but once west of there drop down to big bend NP, its about as far away from anywhere as you can get in the US, From there you could make a beeline for carlsbad caverns (check bat season), Roswell (not much going on there, bit of an alien tourist trap!) then white sands NP, up to Albuquerque maybe skip staying there and go to Santa Fe, then across to the grand canyon doing petrified Forrest on route. then onto hover dam and Vegas. From Vegas, death valley, Yosemite and into SF.
Return route go to lake Tahoe, then across the 50 to cedar city as remote as big bend, long roads endless chains of mountains. from cedar city do Zion and Bryce canyon NP then onto page, take in a slot canyon tour in page, from there monument valley, up to moab for canyon-lands and arches NP then head for Denver over the Rockies, if you have time loop through durango and do the million dollar highway though the Rockies. After Denver your on your own again.
not sure when you going to sleep though.
Return route go to lake Tahoe, then across the 50 to cedar city as remote as big bend, long roads endless chains of mountains. from cedar city do Zion and Bryce canyon NP then onto page, take in a slot canyon tour in page, from there monument valley, up to moab for canyon-lands and arches NP then head for Denver over the Rockies, if you have time loop through durango and do the million dollar highway though the Rockies. After Denver your on your own again.
not sure when you going to sleep though.
Thanks for the input. @Matt I should have put 'road' trip not round my bad.
I've been told the French 1/4 in NO is the best place to go but now I'm not so sure...?
And same with Dallas to be honest I had just planned to go there as a mid-point but maybe now give it a miss?
Cheers again.
I've been told the French 1/4 in NO is the best place to go but now I'm not so sure...?
And same with Dallas to be honest I had just planned to go there as a mid-point but maybe now give it a miss?
Cheers again.
Friends live just outside Dallas but I'd stop at Austin or San Antonio instead. Big Bend national Park is great but its a long/hard drive west (a few hours I seem to remember) of pretty much nothing but straight roads.
Austin is an incredible friendly place with many bars featuring live music and good fun. San Antnoi is great too with a lively scene around the center and river going through it.
Some of the north/west parts of Texas do have nice little old fashion towns which is the nearest you might get to the proper old wild west towns.
I drove around Mississippi (sp?) and Louisiana (thats probably spelt wrong too!) and loved the difference between the dry Texas state and the lush green/water states of the above two.
Austin is an incredible friendly place with many bars featuring live music and good fun. San Antnoi is great too with a lively scene around the center and river going through it.
Some of the north/west parts of Texas do have nice little old fashion towns which is the nearest you might get to the proper old wild west towns.
I drove around Mississippi (sp?) and Louisiana (thats probably spelt wrong too!) and loved the difference between the dry Texas state and the lush green/water states of the above two.
Matt Harper said:
Fair play, but I should have pointed out that my work has taken me to New Orleans more than 20 times, since Katrina - last time, less than a month ago. Most casual visitors end up on Bourbon St and in the French Quarter. Former is plain disgusting and the latter is a money grabbing shadow of it's former quite lovely status.
For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
with which I'm sure I'd agree and apols for taking you too literally.For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
davepoth said:
A +1 for Austin here. Much more of a tourist town. I'd also consider a more northern route into San Francisco if you can - Up to Denver, then at least you get to relive Vanishing Point. 
I agree with this - as long as you appreciate that crossing the continental divide (Rockies) in late Sept could mean running into some weather - would be a great experience, nonetheless.Matt Harper said:
Fair play, but I should have pointed out that my work has taken me to New Orleans more than 20 times, since Katrina - last time, less than a month ago. Most casual visitors end up on Bourbon St and in the French Quarter. Former is plain disgusting and the latter is a money grabbing shadow of it's former quite lovely status.
For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
Listen to this!! The man speaks sense.........For a first-timer, the party-town thing might be attractive, but I'm merely suggesting that the central/mid west (Nashville, Memphis, St Louis) would be more interesting, diverse and just as culturally attractive as The Big Sleazy.
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