We are 2 thinking of working on the following itinerary to start mid August 2007, any advice, tips or recommendations will be most welcome:

Holiday Inn Cerrillo Road
Santa Fee NM - 7 nights

Holiday Inn
Amarillo I-40 EAST
Amarillo TX -3 nights

Holiday Inn 217 NORTH ST. MARY'S ST
San Antonio –Riverwalk
TX - 7 nights

Holiday Inn
1686 BEACH BLVD
BILOX
MS - 7 nights

Although we will be driving from start to finish, we are aware that this will involve a lot of driving which we like to do.

We like shopping, walking even within a city, being among the action.

Anyone familiar with the above hotels your comments will be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

I'm curious, how did you arrive at this itinerary?

Amarillo for 3 nights seems too much. Biloxi for 7 nights seems too much, unless they have some massive rebuilding there over the next year.

I'm also wondering what you plan to do in Amarillo for three nights.

Lee Ann

Same here. Amarillo has little, if anything for tourists. Yes, Palo Duro Canyon and the Cadillac Ranch are there, but you can see those in a day.

Honestly, spend one night in Amarillo, one in Abilene, then stay in the Texas Hill Country (Kerrville, Fredericksburg, or Llano) for one night. MUCH more to see and do, and it will break up the long, non-interstate drive.

AreYouSure you want to spend a week in Biloxi?

Where is home? How did you choose these destinations?

Thanks for the replies.

We are located in the UK.

Having done most of the west coast, we were thinking of somewhere completely different.

I created a route from NM to MS and ended up with the above itinerary.

This trip will be during August, which is why I'm asking for advice at this stage.

Amarillo, I thought of as a lay over, but the posters are correct, I have reconsidered and decided to miss Amarillo, and go via El Paso, with a night in El Paso.

I thank you, as your comments and advice is very valuable to me.

Folks who are familiar with itineraries, any suggestions on creating some kind of a similar itinerary will be very much appreciated.

I'd suggest some time in New Orleans. August will be pretty hot and humid, so that's not the most pleasant time of year. Biloxi will have similar weather, but much less to do - unless you have some reason you're set on Biloxi, I'd cut that way back to a couple days. There's a whole lot of Texas (Austin or Houston, in addition to San Antonio) as well as Louisiana that would have more to offer than Biloxi - although again, it will be pretty hot and increasingly humid as you head east.

I don't mean to sound mean, but I lived in Gulfport (next to Biloxi) for awhile, and that area would pale in comparison to the other cities I've listed. The main tourist attraction is gambling. Shopping wasn't a big draw when I was there, and the coastal cities of MS are pretty spread out so there aren't really central areas to walk around like in larger cities (not to mention the fact that the coast was pretty beat up by Hurricane Katrina). There are some interesting things to do and visit there - depending on how far along the rebuilding process is - but that area doesn't warrant a whole week at the expense of other cities/areas along the way.

Are you at all interested in national parks or things of that nature? There are some good options on or somewhat near your route - White Sands Nat'l Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mtns., Big Bend Nat'l Park - plus several near Santa Fe.

Thanks for the reply.

Having read the post's about Amarillo, we deleted it of out original itinerary, and following your post, we are now thinking of dropping Biloxi, no offence to you, I'm glad for your honesty.

As for parks, I personally like to visit them, only for a day or so; my partner tends to get board, and we are not park people, if you know what I mean.

We do like the cities of CA, although, as I stated, we have seen all we need to see of CA.

OK, scenery isn't your priority and August wouldn't be my first choice for touring Texas and the U.S. Southeast! What about an itinerary in another part of the U.S. like the Northeast - New England, NY? It's not like California at all, and certainly plenty of things to see and do, both cities and shore. It has its share of August heat and humitidy, if that's what looking for!

You can go anywhere in teh States and you chose the SW and gulf -- IN AUGUST???

Sit down w/ a atlas and look at other parts of the country. The NW (Oregon/Washington - maybe into British Columbis) would be good, OR New England, OR the northern Plains States. But NOT mississippi or texas or much of the southwest in August.

And choice of lodgings - why Holiday Inns? - I do not know personally these Holiday Inns, and some are OK, but many are old and a little seedy.

It seems you have 3 weeks plus in US. Are you already committed to certain fly in/fly out cities? Other than having already seen west coast, are there any other areas of US you may wish to see or not see?

By your original itinerary, it seems to prefer to stay more than a few days at each stop - is this correct?

Have you seen National Parks - Grand Canyon, Bryce?

Sorry for the negative tone of responses - but with some more info we can probably help you have a better vacation.

I agree, you should go north. Try Montana, Wyoming, even Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan would be nicer in August.
The east coast sounds like a better option too.
My son lived in northern Texas for a year and he basically didn't go outside for 3 or 4 months in the summer.

You will be cooking in heat the entire time...If you want to do the SW then stick to Az & NM, & head north into the Mts. where it will be a tad cooler. Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, Santa Fe, Taos, Etc. on up to the Grand Canyon. (Those are not in any order, btw).

I'll admit, when I first read this post, the combination of (1) choice of cities and days in each, (2) August, (3) Holiday Inns, and (4) a week in Biloxi made me pretty sure that this post was a joke.

AreYouSure, are you SURE you want to go to these places? With three weeks to work with, we Fodorites could help you plan a fun trip if we knew what you do enjoy. We know you get bored in parks, but otherwise we have no idea what your criteria are for a successful vacation.

Driving across the state of Texas in August could well be the definition of "hell on earth".

How about Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and hit Rocky Mt., Yellowstone, and Glacier/Waterton (Canada) National Parks?

Why not do a Grand Circle of the Midwest and Plains?
You could start in Chicago, head to Milwaukee and Minneapolis, down to KC and on to Dallas, then either up up to The Ozarks, over to St. Louis and back up to Chicago, or head East to Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville and Back up.
A combination of Scenic Middle America, Good Food and Shopping Towns, and Country Music.
A Slice of America tour....

Your itinerary is unusual--even odd.

To give you suggestions it would help to know where you haven't been and what most interests you.

When you say you have seen most of the west coast, are you including Oregon, Washington, Wyoming (Yellowstone), Arizona, and Colorado?

Have you been to New York City and Washington D.C.?

Are you interested in places such as Charleston, Savannah, Nashville, and Memphis?

Which National Parks have you visited?

At www.frommers.com, check "Destinations" and "Best of" suggestions.

Dear AreYouSure,

Of all the itineraries I've seen on Fodor's over approximately 12 years, yours leaves me speechless (almost).

With 3 weeks and having already visited the coasts - there are many other places in the US more scenic and more pleasant in August than what you currently plan!

Highly recommend doing the Rocky Mountains and National Parks in August.

good luck!