December: Boston to San Diego Road Trip
 

Hello! I am new to the Fodor's Community and have already found so much helpful information here. My husband and I are moving from Boston to San Diego and will be embarking on our cross country trip the first week in December. Because we know winter weather could be tricky, we are planning a southern route.

To prepare for the trip, I did a lot of "googling" to identify places worth the stop across the country. Then I mapped out a rough route to see which stops we'd pass through. We have 10+ days to complete the trip (Need to arrive in San Diego by Dec 12 for work).

This map can be found here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...621094&t=h&z=4

I'd love ANY suggestions on the route I have [very roughly] mapped out, places to see, places to stay, etc!

Thanks a ton! Cant wait to see your feedback.

Are you looking for sightseeing advice? Hotels? Food? Travel Distances? Road conditions?

Any and all! PLEASE! But, if I had to prioritize- I think I'd like to know where to go I can do leg work to find places to stay & travel distances..

We'd love to visit historical sights, charming towns/villages, national parks... really have a wide open mind where we stop (so long as it's not way off course). We are very active.

THANK YOU!

hmm map isnt displaying potential "stops".. lets try this link.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...,66.621094&z=4

or

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...621094&t=h&z=4

For me, I'd probably hightail it south as quickly as possible, driving all the way down to Savannah and then hopping on I-10 west to San Diego. I probably would not go all the way to Jacksonville. This seems to be the easiest way to avoid the worst winter weather. That's probably not the fastest route, but you'd pass through a lot of historic places, including Washington DC, Savannah, and Charleston).

Hi,Twalsh7!

Looks like you have a lot of driving coming up! Agree with Doug that you should head south as soon as possible.

A few suggestions:

1. I was just at Monticello, VA, last month and do highly recommend it if you can possibly make it. I also returned to Washington DC via parts of the Shenandoah National Park where the views were gorgeous, but it was also snowing lightly at that time of year. You may not be able to take in that part of VA in December.

2. I'd suggest trading Big Bend in Texas for Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, since you want to be close to the Guadalupe Mountains, but Texans may be able to advise you better on this portion of your trip.

3. Earlier, I had asked about road conditions going across parts of the Southwest in early December and here's the link to that thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...r-question.cfm

You may be able to drive up to Albuquerque from the Guadalupe Mountains/Carlsbad Caverns area at that time of year, but Taos may be a different story. Also going west from Albuquerque on I-40 may be a problem in December.

It's a long drive! Hope others will chime in to help you with your trip!

Since you tagged Arkansas, I could give you several ideas for things to do there, if you are interested or think you might come that way. also in Oklahoma. Do you plan to drive I-40, I-10 or what. There is a lot of territory in between the two places you mention. You are talking 4 days of driving at a minimum, so you really have 5 days or so to see and or do some thingss. Have you been west of Mississippi before?

Wow thanks a lot!

The route we were planning to travel is the 2nd link posted above. Essentially its 95S to 85S to 40W. But, totally open to other recommendations.

We have never been West of the Mississippi by car (only vacations, where we stayed at our destination). Looking forward to hearing about recommendations! This stretch of Arkansas/Oklahoma, etc is an area I haven't immediately found info on.

Also, this may sound ignorant, but along this route, are there stops for skiing as we make it out west, or will we be too far south?

The map I see when I log into google combines the 2 maps above so you can see which stops the route passes through. Not sure why I cant share version...

95S to 85S can be nasty in term of traffic, consider going west a bit (90 W, or 84 W to 81S) and then south on 81. Keep an eye on the weather and pick a route that takes you to interesting places. In KY there is Mammouth Cave, southern NM has Carlsbad Caverns, southern AZ has Saguaro and Joshua tree. If the weather is ok and you can do 40, then there is a variety of places close to the hwy in NM, Accoma pueblo, Inscription Rock, in AZ Petrified forrest/painted desert, Walnut Canyon, Grand Canyon, then you could hit the jaded Vegas and go through Death Valley and then south to San Diego. I'd stay flexible and let the weather choose my route. If it's cold and dry you could have a fine trip on the northern route with plenty to see. BTW, these are all National Parks, so if you do go to a couple it would be worth it to get a park pass at the first one, it gets you and everyone in your car into all parks for a year.

Have a great trip

I didn't click the second link until now. So here goes from Memphis.

In Memphis eat at Blues City Cafe or Rendevouz. These are located on Beale Street and are not far from Peabody Hotel. See Ducks at the hotel(in the morning is the big production of them going up on the elevator).

Into Arkansas 3 options here.
1. Petit Jean State Park-oldest state park in AR and has nice hiking and gorgeous waterfall. Cabins and lodge are older. There is a restaraunt

2. Mount Magazine State Park. New Lodge with indoor swimming. Nice hiking

3. Buffalo National River. Nice Hiking with hundreds of waterfall hikes to choose from. Cabins are available. No Restaurants. Very isolated.

Note: the waterfalls run best in late winter or early spring. If it has rained or is raining they run well

In Oklahoma, your best bet would be the Oklahoma City Memorial.

In New Mexico and Arizona, I like emalloy's suggestions.


Since you are headed to S.D., I hope you like baja fish tacos. Rubio's is the original, but you will find other great stands also.

This is great, The more feedback the better- I'm making all kinds of adjustments and notes to our travel plan. Thank you a TON!

On skiing, I'm not a skier, so can't help you much on this.

But, in New Mexico, look up Cloudcroft, Ruidoso, Inn of the Mountain Gods for skiing in the Lincoln National Forest area.

If you are going that way, then I would suggest stopping at White Sands.

You should find skiing in northner New Mexico if you are going to Taos.


One other point, on your map, the route that you have mapped out is on I-10 when traversing the southernmost parts of New Mexico and Arizona to California.

If you are going further north, then you will be using I-40 through Albuquerque.

As someone has mentioned above, you want to check the weather to make sure which route to use.

I would second the recommendation to see Carlsbad Caverns.

Carlsbad is a great and if you go the more the I-10 route, then it wouldn't be too far out of your way.

If you take the I-10/I-8 route from Tucson to San Diego, try to avoid doing it on a Sunday. Just after crossing into California, you will be in huge sand dunes which are crowded with off-road enthusiasts every weekend in the winter. On Sunday afternoons, thousands of cars with trailers, motorhomes with trailers, and trucks are driving back to San Diego making the freeway very crowded and slow.

If you take I-40, it ends in park city, Utah which has fabulous skiing. You would take the I-80 from there to northern california and then take the 101 south which is a gorgeous coastal drive.

Park city is worth a two night stay fitting in a day of skiing on the full day. There is a gorgeous main street town with very fine dining. I love skiing at Deer Valley, often rated tops in N. America for skiing by Conde Nast.

Taking 80 from there will take you near Tahoe and then to San Francisco which is spectacular, especially with the wine country above. I like the stop in Carmel/Monterey on the drive down. Santa Barbara is lovely as well.

ncountry,

I-40 does not end in Utah, it ends in California. You are a few hundred miles off on your advice.

hmmmm.... maybe it picks up elsewhere but it dead ends at my neighborhood in Park City where it meets hwy 80 in a T.

I looked it up: this is per wikipedia-

"The western end has been truncated several times, and the route now ends at Interstate 80 just outside of Park City, Utah, near Salt Lake City."

ncountry,

I-40 is not the same as Hwy 40. US route 40 is not I-40 as you stated. Besides, every post besides yours was suggesting a southernly route. You are CLEARLY WRONG- I-40 does not end in Utah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_40

directly from wikpedia

I-40 seems to end at I-15 at Barstow in California.

If you use google maps and break the trip up into smaller pieces, say the amount that you would want to drive in a day and then look on the various routes to places of interest, you might find planning a bit easier. And I 40 does indeed end at Barstow and connects with I 15 which goes down to San Diego.

I meant hwy 40 or route 40 which is the road I am familiar with. I didn't realize there was a separate I-40 as well. I was responding to the OP's interest in possibly fitting in a ski experience on the way which can be accommodated with route 40 which is also a major east-west route.

http://www.route40.net/page.asp?n=1

I-40 is the most used east-west road in the US used according to several websites. I if I mention hwy 40, interstate 40, or route 40 in Utah- I think 90% of the people would think the I-40 that I was referring to. Ask any over the road trucker and they would tell you the road I was in reference to. It is a major major road to the entire country. Hwy 40 that ends in Utah is a major road for the region it travels through, but not the entire county.

As for the skiing, if you go I-40, you should consider a side trip in New Mexico. Perhaps Taos. There is a ski place not far from Carlsbad Cavern as well, but i can't remember the name at the moment.

Taos would be more "on the way" than taking a long detour to Utah.

Or, you could wait until you get to California and go to Big Bear. Or drive north on the 395 and go to Mammoth Mountain, but that's not really "on the way" either, although closer than Utah. San Diego skiers go to both ski areas

spirodog has given you some excellent tips for your trip.

I believe that ncounty was just trying to be helpful with skiing and it's easy to mix up the highway system which sometimes has the same numbers.

The Interstate system is usually marked with a red, white, and blue shield and is usually a multilane (at least 4-lane) highway and are federally funded. They cross the US mostly in a east-west and north-south direction. In the north-south direction, they run from I-5 on the West Coast to I-95 on the East Coast and in the east-west direction, they run from I-10 which is the southernmost to I-90 which is the northernmost. They're easy to remember because the ones that end in -5 are north-south, and the ones that run east-west end in -0.

Because they are multi-lane highways, you can usually travel faster on them than on any of the other highways, unless the weather interferes. so, when doing your travel planning, you can expect to cover greater distances on the interstate highways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System

Hope this helps a bit with your planning, because you really don't have that much time to go cross-country and stop at every worthwhile site along the way.

<<<They're easy to remember because the ones that end in -5 are north-south, and the ones that run east-west end in -0.
>>>
And the ones that have 3 digits are "beltways" (i.e. they go around a city, like I-495 in Washington/Baltimore).

And in the east at least the odd numbers, like 87 and 93, run NS also and evens like 84 go EW but in New England no road goes directly NS or EW only, witness I-95 through Connecticut.

There are some Interstate anomalies on the East Coast, but we're talking about CROSS COUNTRY trip planning and not about driving around and around the East Coast.

Besides which, a part of the confusion was over I=40 versus US40, which has nothing to do with the anomalies on the East Coast.

<<<Besides which, a part of the confusion was over I=40 versus US40, which has nothing to do with the anomalies on the East Coast.>>>

It's interesting information. And actually, the OP is leaving from Boston, so we are talking about the interstates in New England.

I'm perfectly well aware that the OP is starting out from Boston. One would assume that the OP knows more about the Interstate system on the East Coast, prticularly those in New England, than most of the rest of us and will find their way around the East Coast interstate system without any help from us.

Besides which the OP was advised to go "south" as quickly as possible.

It's the portion after they get south and start going west that my post was directed at.

The majority of the discussion was on a choice between I-10 or I-40. If ncounty wants to advise going to Park City, then a more northernly east-west route, such as I-80, has to be considered.

et, I wasn't directing my comment at your original post, which was very useful. I was directing it at your second post wherein you chided emalloy for mentioning the interstate system in New England. I didn't, and still don't, see the point of your second post which I for one found contained useful information.

If you decide to take I-40, Santa Fe ski area may be open. Sandia Peak, in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque, probably will not have enough snow yet to open for the season.

On the southern route, Ski Apache is near Ruidoso.

I'll second or third you stopping at Carlsbad Caverns if you go through southern New Mexico.

Lee Ann

Twahs7: It might be helpful if you could come back and clarify on exactly how important skiing is for you.

skiing means directing you to places where there's snow (surprise! surprise!) and, therefore, brings up the possibility of delays for your trip.

Barbara has a good suggestion of leaving the skiing part to the end when you arrive in California. Bear Mountain is a very popular ski destination for Southern California.

BTW, congratulations on your new job in San Diego!

Twalsh,
Sorry about ruining this post. At least it started out well. I should have just left the mistake on I-40 alone. Anyway, have a great trip however and whatever you come up with.

<<<And the ones that have 3 digits are "beltways" (i.e. they go around a city, like I-495 in Washington/Baltimore).>>>

sf7307--

They are beltways that go around cities only if the first digit is even (like I-495 around Washington and I-695 around Baltimore).

If the first digit is ODD, they are spurs that (usually) go INTO cities (like I-395 in DC) - although sometimes they just seem to connect highways without actually being loops (like I-395 in CT).

I too apologize for taking this off on a tangent. My post on the interstate system was an attempt to help the OP plan a cross country trip, not to get lost in the anomalies of the interstate system.

There are plenty of "spurs" or shorter interstate highways that don't go cross country. Los Angeles is full of them: 405, 105, 605, 110, 710 - but we're trying to help the OP plan a cross country trip.

Please, let's get back to that!

BTW, I wasn't "chiding" emalloy. Why always such a negative slant on my posts, sf7307?

whew! Thanks guys. I appreciate your help & feedback.

I think we are likely to hold off on the skiing until we get to CA or choose one of the places
less off course. As we dont have a ton of time to make the trip, we can't really afford to drive too far off the beaten track to SD!

Really appreciate your feedback!