jazphoto

Hello all! My husband and I are driving to New Mexico from Washington, D.C. on or around June 17th. We are anticipating taking 2 days driving to get there. What I would like to know, if we are just going to stay in some cheaper motels, do we need reservations, or will there pretty much be available rooms? We are going to spend the final part of our trip in Santa Fe, and we will book a nice hotel there. However, when touring the state, we just need a room for a night basically. If we go around that time, do you think most motels will have a room? Any info would be great, as we are trying to start planning and saving for our road trip now. Thanks so much and have a fantastic day!!!!

Dick

You shouldn't need reservations until you hit Santa Fe.

Several years ago, we drove our son's car to the West coast. We made it from Maryland to just across the New Mexico border in one day.

Books on CD or sattelite radio is, in my opionon, a must.

jazphoto

Wow, now that's some serious driving!!! We were thinking about going out on 50 and staying a night around the St. Louis area. From there we are pondering taking 40 into New Mexico to allow us to hit some of the old Rt. 66. We are going to take Rt. 50 all the way back in. Where in Maryland were you coming from if you don't mind me asking? We are in Bethesda, just outside of D.C.

Satellite radio is a very good suggestion. I have been thinking about having it put in...now I guess I have a pretty good reason to!!

Dick

We were coming from Rockville.

We didn't plan on making it that far.....but as we got closer, we realized that we could make it into New Mexico.

We left early and changed drivers at least every two hours...which kept us fresh.

We had books on CD which helped . Since then, I have Sirius radio and that would serve the same purpose.

clarasong

Don't know about the drive part, but if you want to stay right in the heart of Santa Fe, where the action is, try the La Fonda...it is an old hotel, very beautiful, and right accross from the Plaza. We have stayed there on our frequent visits to SF and reall thought it was the best...good restaurant too and all the city sights are within easy walking distance--Palace of the Governor's, Lorettas, the Cathedral, etc. p.s. Don't forget to eat at the Shed.

ElendilPickle

I hope you like driving, because you'll be spending a *lot* of time in the car, especially if you try to do this drive in two days. It's 10 hours from Oklahoma City to Albuquerque.

I would allow at least three days, in case you see something along the way you'd like to explore. The Oklahoma City bombing memorial, for example, is worth some time.

I-44 from St. Louis to Oklahoma City is a good route; as you said, old Route 66 parallels part of the freeway in Missouri and Oklahoma. Pick up I-40 in Oklahoma City, and it's a straight shot into New Mexico.

Almost every gas station and truck stop has coupon books for hotels and motels on your route. You should be able to find an inexpensive room or two.

Lee Ann

mrwunrfl

I think that taking US 50 is a really bad idea. I was near Winchester VA one time when I decided to take a spur of the moment drive to Lexington Kentucky.

Decided to take the "straight" shot across WV to I-79 and then go south. Well, US 50 is anything but straight. Seemed like every 200 yards there was a sharp 15 mph turn. It's a local road, really. Even if there was a straight stretch you couldn't get up to any speed because of the hills - come over the crest of a hill and find there is a tractor crossing the road.

By the time I got to I-79 I was exhausted. Decided to go up to southwestern PA and visit my sister instead of going to Kentucky.

I recommend going out I-66 to I-80 to I-40.

msjames

If you plan to make it from DC to Santa Fe in two days, it sounds to me like you will not be stopping to sleep but rather switching duties and driving round the clock. Is that a correct assumption? Otherwise, if you want to stay in hotels along the way, you should have no trouble finding a room, but I've always found it easier to plan overnight stops before leaving and make reservations, so that I don't have to look around town for a room/price I like when I'm tired after driving all day.

As for Santa Fe, summer is their busy season, and I would absolutely suggest making a reservation so that you end up in a room you like, not just what's still available.

msjames

PS -- I think mrwunrfl meant to suggest I-66 to I-81 to I-40

mrwunrfl

aye, I-81 down the valley

rkkwan

Washington, DC to Santa Fe is almost 1,900 no matter which way you go. You don't have time to stop for anything except for your sleep first night.

There are three apparent routes:

1. I-81/40
2. I-70/44/40
3. I-68/79/64/44/40

Of the three routes, I'd choose #3 as you bypass most larger cities with bad traffic, and avoid the never-ending up-and-downs and heavy truck traffic on I-81 and I-40 in TN.

You need to go pass St. Louis before you stop for the first night as to avoid traffic the next morning. You will drive about 900 miles first day and 1,000 second.

Similarly, if you decide to take I-81/40, you need to go pass Memphis the first night. Similar mileage.

rm_mn

Let me know what route you decide on, because if you're going to drive that many miles in a day, I don't want to be on the same highway.

BeachGirl247

Hey, ElendiPickle, I drive from OKC to Santa Fe and it takes us 7 hours -- add another 30 min to an hour if you drive 70. So, OKC to ABQ should be around that time as well. It takes my sister about 10 hours from Dallas to SF.

Sheila

ElendilPickle

I think you're right, BeachGirl - I was factoring in all the potty stops we make with the kids!

Lee Ann

rkkwan

With two people sharing the drive duty, it's totally reasonable and safe to do that drive in 2 days with one night of hotel. The non-driving person should be disciplined enough to actually get rest during his/her break.

I wouldn't book hotels in advance. You don't know traffic or weather condition, so it's better to be flexible. It's not Memorial Day or July 4th long weekend, so one shouldn't have too much trouble finding a motel. I wouldn't bother with coupons either. Just watch the billboards and pull off the interstate to get one.

If one's going through St. Louis, there are several motels near the Six Flag in Eureka and Pacific, MO, right off I-44. Or futher out to Rolla.

If one's going through Memphis, there are a lot of motels in W. Memphis, AR, just across the Mississippi River from Memphis.

justme22

wanting to see something different, i drove out on 40 (from NJ) and used part of 50 on the way back. I would NEVER go on 50 again it is a slow road when you have to pack in the miles. 40 is the reasonable road to take. also, you have to do some really serious driving to get there in 2 days. i'm thinkin you'll have to be pulling off 14+ hour days. I got to outside of memphis the first day out on that trip....

ronkala

On our trip west we took I-81 and I-40 from Woodstock, Va. with stayovers in Memphis, Oklahoma City and Gallup. Woodstock is about an hour and twenty minutes from DC.
To get a listing of hotels along the way, plus miles and time, go to freetrip.com. Knowing how far and long we wanted to drive and the hotels available in that area enabled us to make reservations ahead of time.

Dick

When we drove to Santa Fe, we took I-81 to I-40.

I'm not sure how fast you drive, but you really can make "good time" driving through Texas on 40.

rkkwan

Oh, I just remember a couple more reasons why I'm no fan of I-81 through VA, besides heavy truck traffic, constant up and down, construction, etc...

It's because VA doesn't allow the use of a radar detector, and I-81 is only 65MPH AFAIK. That's a long 300 miles on I-81 plus the 60 miles on I-66.

I prefer going through WV on I-68/79/64 a lot more.

Anyways, one can make good time once you get into Oklahoma. The Turnpikes on I-44 are 75MPH, and even on I-40 you can go pretty fast as it's flat and open. Few places for the cops to hide. TX is 80MPH now, and NM is 75.

Driving on the 2nd day will be so much easier than the first.

jazphoto

Wow, thank you all for the great advice! We had to put the plans on the back burner for a little bit as we found out my mother was sick. Now that she is getting better (and a vacation is MUCH needed), we feel good to go again. I will no longer be taking 50 after everything everyone here has said. We would like to go through Memphis and we may make that our first stopping point. We have allowed 2 more days to our trip so we can take an additional day on the road out there. My husband and I will be taking turns driving and while one drives, the other can doze off for a bit. I would NEVER drive that much by myself...though I know people who have and they are a bit insane...

I cannot wait to go!!!!!