Blitzkrieg

Long story short, I've got a time period of about two to three weeks free from late November to mid-December. So I decided to get out and do some travelling, since I've only really been out of California once or twice in my whole life. I'm starting with the southern route from Sacramento with the destination in Washington D.C. , then heading back via the northern route. There are a few cities and places that I'd really like to hit up, such as Las Vegas, Zion National Park, New Orleans, and Yellowstone. However, I'd like to know what other people's favorite places are across the states. Pretty much any place is fair game, I'm up for travel as long as it takes. As far as things I like, I absolutely love food and hiking, preferably in places that aren't too crowded and are fairly fun to do photography in. Spelunking, rock climbing, and caves are a fantastic bonus.

ElendilPickle

If you like caves, visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park on your way east. www.nps.gov/cave

Lee Ann

starrs

My favorites are Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde National Parks.

Sedona and/or Santa Fe.

Definitely Grand Teton NP if you are doing Yellowstone.

Placename

Yellowstone may be heavily snowed in by mid-December. You need to be prepared for winter driving conditions.

I'd save Yellowstone for another trip, it's so far out of the way from your other destinations.

nytraveler

First you said you will take as long as it takes - then you say you have 2 to 3 weeks.

A RT cross country to see much of anything along the way - esp this time of year when the days are very short and the wether can be bad. I would think you need at a minimum of 5 weeks for this round trip - and that would mean driving every single day versus seeing a lot of things.

Also, unless you are experienced driving in ice and snow - I would be very hesitant to drive back the northern route - when you will almost surely have some amount of snow - and possibly a lot of it (meaning you may have to hole up in a motel due to closed roads). And do realize that if the roads are bad you may find your top speed to be 25 to 30 mph - rather than the 65 you are expecting.

Blitzkrieg

"First you said you will take as long as it takes - then you say you have 2 to 3 weeks."

As in, I'd like to be back for Christmas and all that, but if I don't get back in time it's not a big deal. Just leaving it open for interpretation, because I honestly have no idea myself of how long it will take.

starrs

It's very doable.

The southern route via Las Vegas and NOLA is 3800 miles. If you drive 500 miles a day that's 7 to 8 days headed east.

I hate to drive more than 500 miles a day - it just gets too exhausting for long trips IMO. Pick places along the way that you are interested in seeing and plan accordingly.

starrs

Meant to say...use Google maps to plan your route.

tomfuller

For a solo trip, I suggest using an Amtrak USA Rail Pass.
You can get from Sacramento to Las Vegas in about 11 hours using Amtrak. From Las Vegas you have the choice of bus to Los Amgeles to catch the Southwest Chief or the bus to Salt Lake City to catch the California Zephyr. Both trains end up in Chicago. From Chicago you have the choice of the Capitol Limited to Washington DC or the City of New Orleans south through Memphis to New Orleans. The route from NOL to Washington DC is the Crescent which goes through Atlanta.
Coming back west, ride the Empire Builder with a 24 hour stop in Whitefish MT. Take the Empire Builder to Portland, OR and then take the Coast Starlight back to Sacramento. The Coast Starlight pulls into Sacramento at 6:15 AM. I have actually seen it pull in 45 minutes early.
When you consider the amount that you will pay for gas and how many miles you would drive getting tired, the train makes sense to me. Any night you spend sleeping on the moving train is a night you are not paying for a hotel room.

utahtea

Yellowstone will be just opening for Winter Activities around the middle of Dec.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisi...CP_JUMP_151657

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/winteract.htm

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisi...d/165_2011.pdf

I've never been in Winter but would love to go. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be spending 3 - 5 weeks on the road in the winter.

Utahtea

spirobulldog

Spelunking-Do the wild cave tours in Carlsbad or Mammoth Caves. Carlsbad is by far my favorite of the two.

Rock Climbing/Hiking---www.deserthighlights.com in Moab

If you plan on seeing more than a couple National Park the buy a Park Pass, which is good for a year.

I like to go places when they are at their peak for optimal weather. I would just stick with the southern route.
Maybe
San Diego
Death Valley
Vegas
Zion
Moab
Mesa Verde
New Orleans
Washington DC
Then on the return----
Nashville
Memphis
Carlsbad Caverns
Petrified Forest
Grand Canyon
Sequoia National Park

nytraveler

Driving 500 miles a day is 8 hours per day - with stops 9 to 10 hours per day. That leaves you NO time to see/do anything. If you want to spend 4 or 5 hours a day seeing/doing something (or one day driving and one day sightseeing) that doubles your time in each direction from 7 to 8 days to 15 days. And going back the northern route will be slower due to bad weather.

My parents did several cross country trips when they retired. They took 6 to 7 weeks for each trip - and did a different route each time. And my father LOVED to drive - 8 hours a day was nothing to him). But then they would spend 2 or 3 days seeing something. The did all of their trips between May and Oct due to the weather. (In the winter they would do a month in FL visiting relatives - but stopping in different cities on the way down and back.)

starrs

spiro's plan is a good one. I'd probably skip San Diego and Death Valley - any locations that you can see from "home".

I'll toss in a recommendation for Arches. I hiked to Delicate Arch in winter (well, March) and didn't realize how lucky I was to have that hike to ourselves. Of course, I'm a Delicate Arch nut.

spirobulldog

I just meant to start from SD, since that is where they are starting from. lol

spirobulldog

And I was trying to think of places to stop after a 1/2 day driving when possible.

spirobulldog

I probably could have thrown in Sante Fe and Tucson/Saguaro.

Gardyloo

I would think that the northern route would be preferable eastbound and the southern returning. Days will be getting very short, the weather will be getting colder and less reliable, and Nov/Dec will likely be too early for most winter sports activities, but not too early for lousy driving conditions in the mountains. Earlier in the north will be less prone (but not exempt) from poor traveling conditions. (And don't forget that eastbound you'll be losing an additional hour of daylight every couple of days due to time zones.)

Actually, I'd probably just do two versions of the southern route and leave the northern areas for a better season.

WhereAreWe

You're looking at 6700 miles round-trip, give or take depending on your route. That's starting in Sacramento, going to Vegas, then Moab, New Orleans and D.C. and back via Chicago and Yellowstone. It's about 3700 miles out there and 3000 miles on the way back.

Interstates are going to be 65-75 mph speed limit, major highways usually 55 to 65. So I think it's realistic to assume an average real speed of 70 mph given a mix of the two. Round up to 7000 total miles and you've got 100 hours of straight driving, not factoring in gas/bathroom/food stops.

If you're leaving late November and would like to be back by Christmas, let's say that gives you 4 weeks. You're looking at an average of 25 hours of driving per week to cover the mileage, or about 3.5 hours a day.

Now that sounds doable to me. Obviously there are some places you'll want to spend 2/3 days, other places you'll just stop in for a few hours or so. Some days you'll drive a lot, other days a few hours or not at all.

I would not eliminate the northern return route simply because it is winter. I would make sure your vehicle has appropriate tires and anti-freeze and a good battery so you don't have to worry about not being able to get it started if it gets really cold some night. Yes, you will encounter some snow and cold weather but we don't sit in our houses all winter, we do go outside and drive on the roads so there's no reason you can't do the same. Use common sense, avoid driving in snow storms, be more diligent about getting to your destination before it gets dark, stick to the more travelled routes, keep basic supplies in your car (blanket, food/water, etc.) just in case and you will be fine. Pay attention to the weather forecast and be willing to adjust your plans accordingly - most people get in trouble because they feel they MUST get somewhere by a certain time and are out driving when they shouldn't be. With your flexibile schedule, that shouldn't be an issue.

Now to the most interesting part: where to go? Personally I would skip Vegas and Zion because they are so close to home, a quick flight on Southwest or a long weekend road trip. But if you must go there, I would save them for the trip home. Start out headed south, hit up the Grand Canyon and then Carlsbad Caverns (either via Phoenix/Tuscon or Santa Fe). Then head to Austin/San Antonio and New Orleans. Drive along the Gulf Coast to Mobile, maybe Pensacola, and start heading northeast towards D.C. You could go through Nashville, visit Great Smoky Mountains or Mammoth Cave (I'd pick the mountains) and then drive through West Virginia to D.C.

Headed back home, D.C. to Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul, then west to the Black Hills/Rapid City area of South Dakota. Visit Jewel and Wind Cave, Mt. Rushmore, etc. then head to Yellowstone. From there, head to Moab, then Zion and Vegas and home.

I just threw that all into Mapquest and it came out to be around 7400 miles. That's 400 miles more than my initial estimate, comes up to 100 miles more per week or another 15 miles per day. Once you start tweaking the itinerary and adding little side trips I could easily see the total come out to 8000 miles, but again if you spread that out over 4 weeks its an extra 250 miles per week or about 35 miles a day.

nytraveler

If you are going to drive the northern route you need to be sure you are fully prepared. You must have food and water for 2 days in the case as well as blankets. You should have either 4 wheel drive or reliable front wheel drive. Do not let the gas in your tank go below half. Make sur e you have a strong shovel for snow, car brush, window scraper, de-icer and some thing that will help if you get stuck on ice (I use bags of cat litter, but large carboard boxes squashed down may do. And be sure you know the basic rules and techniques of driving in ice and snow.

Listen to the weather on the radio and if there is any indication of dangerous conditions get off the road and into a hotel - or restaurant if there is nothing better. (My parents once spend 7 hours in a McDonalds when they ran into heavy fog in W VA. They cold see noting on the road - and were lucky enough to come upon a large truck - and were able to follow the lights to get to the restaurant.

Gretchen

I have read a little at the beginning and got all caught up in how many hours, etc. Going across Kansas, you can do 500 miles and keep on.
My suggestion is to choose some great places--Santa Fe, Austin, NOLA, Charleston,etc., DC. Connect those dots, plug in how many days. Add NYC if you want. Then drive back to CA in 3 days.