Calif. to Oklahoma on I-40
 

We're making the drive from Needles to Oklahoma City with 2 daughters (11 & 15). Any suggestions for stops along the way? We've done the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and Meteor Crater. Any other ideas?

Have you been to Oatman, AZ on old Route 66? It's a living ghost town with burro's that roam the streets and stick their heads into the stores and they stop the traffic in the street to have a gun fight late in the afternoon. You could take Route 66 all the way to Kingman which has a nice Route 66 museum.

Just east of Flagstaff is Walnut Canyon National Monument with displays of pueblo ruins.

A bit off of I-40 north of Chambers, AZ on Hwy 191 is the Hubbell Trading Post National Historical Site and farther north is Canyon de Chelly. If you have the time take a guide tour into the canyon.

http://www.nps.gov/cach/index.htm

In New Mexico south of I-40 there is El Morro National Monument with signitures on sandstone walls dating back to the 1500's. This might be a bit out of the way.

http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

On the west side of Albuquerque is Petroglyphs National Monument.

http://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm

Just west of Amarillo, Texas is Cadillac Ranch. You can't miss it! Make sure you get off the freeway and take the side road to the gate entrance if you want to walk around.

http://www.libertysoftware.be/cml/ca...nch/crmain.htm

Utahtea

P. S. If you really didn't mind taking a detour I would suggest going to Canyon de Chelly, and continue up to Mesa Verde National Park in the south west part of Colorado.

http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

Went here as kids - http://www.nps.gov/cave/

Carlsbad Caverns

I vacationed in Arizona/Utah last year. While I can't advise you on the route to Oklahoma, I can second utahtea's recommendations, if they're within your reach, for Walnut Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, and Mesa Verde. And if you're in that region, try Four Corners near Cortez; even Hell's Angels have to get their photos taken with one limb in each of the four states whose borders meet there. And the Navajo fry bread you can get from a stall there is delicious.

If you overnight in Flagstaff, try a motel away from the railway. The trains hoot all night so there's no hope of a decent sleep.

great ideas. Thanks. Driver, I appreciate the tip about trying to sleep in Flagstaff.