Driving to TUCSON
Aug 12th, 2008, 04:34 AM
#1
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Driving to TUCSON
Just got a new position in Tucson Az
I am currently living in NJ. Was thinking about taking 10 days and driving. (2 drivers me and my husband) Any pros or cons? Suggestions on stops that would make this more a vacation than a chore?
I am currently living in NJ. Was thinking about taking 10 days and driving. (2 drivers me and my husband) Any pros or cons? Suggestions on stops that would make this more a vacation than a chore?
Aug 12th, 2008, 08:58 AM
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I conclude that you are asking for a route from NJ to Tucson, that will allow you to see things along the way, that will make this trip more enjoyable than a simple drive between two job sites. Before I can give any MEANINGFUL advice, however, I'd have to know three things (at least):
1) what types of things are you hoping to experience? Scenic beauty? Cultural diversity? Unusual shopping places? Things that *I* find interesting for ME may be completely uninteresting to YOU. This is true of anyone who answers this question without knowing what YOU are looking for.
2) when are you planning to make this trip? A place that's great in one season may have terrible weather in another season.
3) what places have you already visited, that you might drive near to? If you've already been to a place (say, the Grand Canyon), then I might recommend a different route to allow you to see other places.
1) what types of things are you hoping to experience? Scenic beauty? Cultural diversity? Unusual shopping places? Things that *I* find interesting for ME may be completely uninteresting to YOU. This is true of anyone who answers this question without knowing what YOU are looking for.
2) when are you planning to make this trip? A place that's great in one season may have terrible weather in another season.
3) what places have you already visited, that you might drive near to? If you've already been to a place (say, the Grand Canyon), then I might recommend a different route to allow you to see other places.
Aug 16th, 2008, 11:39 AM
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Thanks for taking the time to ask the right questions
We are leaving in early September
I have been to Phoenix Sedona and the Grand Canyon
We will be stopping to visit friends in Oklahoma City and in Dallas
I am really curious about the area between Dallas and Tucson, have been to San Antonio but I think that is a bit out of the way
I am not a shopper but do enjoy art galleries
I would like to see cultural things that would be specific to that area
We are leaving in early September
I have been to Phoenix Sedona and the Grand Canyon
We will be stopping to visit friends in Oklahoma City and in Dallas
I am really curious about the area between Dallas and Tucson, have been to San Antonio but I think that is a bit out of the way
I am not a shopper but do enjoy art galleries
I would like to see cultural things that would be specific to that area
Aug 16th, 2008, 01:46 PM
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I-10 runs right through San Antonio, so you would probably want to go douth from Dallas through Austin, into San Antonio, and west to Tucson. I like the Lake Travis area near Austin, and all of Austin, but am not a big San Antonio fan. I don't remember seeing much of interest during the 16 hour or so drive from San Antonio to Tucson although I remember El Paso was prettier than I'd expected.
Aug 16th, 2008, 02:58 PM
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10 days is plenty of time to make this a vacation. Mapquest shows it being approximately 37 hours of driving from Newark to Tucson - that is taking a route on I-40 rather than through Dallas, but you get the idea. Average 4-5 hours of driving a day and you'll get there.
Generally, I'd recommend you break it up by getting off the interstate at least every other day and driving on some smaller highways. There are a whole lot of options for places to stop between NJ and Tucson. I'm not familiar with the eastern portion at all, but I'd be interested in driving through the mountains in West Virginia and Tennessee, then possibly stopping in Nashville, Memphis and Little Rock before Dallas. There are tons of things to do and see in Nashville and Memphis.
I'd skip San Antonio - it is out of the way and would be a relatively short flight from Tucson for a weekend trip once you're settled in. I would also skip any stops after El Paso - that's about a 4.5 hour drive from Tucson, so anything in between is close enough for a weekend driving trip.
West Texas has a lot of history and interesting cultural aspects but most of it is off the beaten path. If you can spare 2-3 days for that part you could see quite a bit. The Big Bend region has a lot of interesting little towns (Marathon, Study Butte/Terlingua, Marfa, Fort Davis). Lots of info and unfortunately some outdated links on this website:
http://www.visitbigbend.com/
Generally, I'd recommend you break it up by getting off the interstate at least every other day and driving on some smaller highways. There are a whole lot of options for places to stop between NJ and Tucson. I'm not familiar with the eastern portion at all, but I'd be interested in driving through the mountains in West Virginia and Tennessee, then possibly stopping in Nashville, Memphis and Little Rock before Dallas. There are tons of things to do and see in Nashville and Memphis.
I'd skip San Antonio - it is out of the way and would be a relatively short flight from Tucson for a weekend trip once you're settled in. I would also skip any stops after El Paso - that's about a 4.5 hour drive from Tucson, so anything in between is close enough for a weekend driving trip.
West Texas has a lot of history and interesting cultural aspects but most of it is off the beaten path. If you can spare 2-3 days for that part you could see quite a bit. The Big Bend region has a lot of interesting little towns (Marathon, Study Butte/Terlingua, Marfa, Fort Davis). Lots of info and unfortunately some outdated links on this website:
http://www.visitbigbend.com/
Aug 17th, 2008, 11:41 AM
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Dallas to Tucson, but skipping The Canyon, Phoenix, and Sedona. You "enjoy art galleries" and "would like to see cultural things." Hmmmm.
Prepare to spend time in New Mexico, along with native sites in Arizona. Taos NM would meet your needs perfectly, and Sante Fe would also be nice. Go west on I-40 (I guess you'll have to backtrack) into NM and see these sites, with possible stops at sites administered by the National Parks Service in this area -- Petroglyph, Petrified Forest, and Montezuma Castle.
OR just head west from Dallas on I-20, meeting up with I-10 in west Texas, and then stopping at Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands.
Prepare to spend time in New Mexico, along with native sites in Arizona. Taos NM would meet your needs perfectly, and Sante Fe would also be nice. Go west on I-40 (I guess you'll have to backtrack) into NM and see these sites, with possible stops at sites administered by the National Parks Service in this area -- Petroglyph, Petrified Forest, and Montezuma Castle.
OR just head west from Dallas on I-20, meeting up with I-10 in west Texas, and then stopping at Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands.
