If you haven't been to Yosemite, it should definitely be on your list. Skip Dallas and Houston (looks like you are already) even if you must go to Texas. As for Mexico, be advised that border towns are often not very representative of Mexico.

You might even want to include Salt Lake City and see the Mormon Temple (can't get in without converting, though) and the Great Salt Lake.

Stay in Tahoe, on the Nevada side, if you want casinos. Far nicer than Reno.

Then head south to Yosemite on US 395 to Mono Lake, then west on Calif 120 into Yosemite. See the thread on "Yosemite how much time" for the reasons you should allow 3 to 5 days there (you'll be doing it backwards, but it's basically the same info).

Ideally you should take US 395 back to LA, it's far more scenic than the westerly routes on Calif 99 or Interstate 5, unless you go all the way to the coast and take Calif One, but that will take another few days to do it properly.

Lucky you having 6 weeks, a dream for any of us.
Some interesting but biased info here.
I would suggest doing what you want to do, as it is your vacation.
If you want to spend an entire week in Amarillo, go for it, its your trip.
How one can tell another something isn't "worth it" or "right" for them is just comical.
To each his own.
Who's to say its not right "for You"?
Perhaps others haven't heard of "beauty (value) is in the eye of the beholder."
Texas is a grand state and worthy of yout time, regardless what part. (no I don't live there but have visited often)
The JFK sites are totally worthy of time as are other locations that have been mentioned.
Have a good time.

How about this for a rough framework that can be filled out with a good map. When we travel with our teens, we try to alternate between city stops and more scenic stops - for example, we went from Grand Canyon to San Diego.

Even for most experienced travelers, it is easy to get tired of yet "another mountain", etc. Also, good mix of lodging options - while in a city, hotel usually has a pool and other amenities. Good balance with more picturesque but more spartan accomodations such as those in our National Parks.

Adrian,
As a Brit living (happily) in Orange County, I would agree with the general sentiment here. The cities in this country are very similar, and in my opinion, pretty boring. Once you've seen one Denny's or walmart you've seen them all! I would recommend California-all of it and parts or Arizona are pretty as is New Mexico. Texas pretty much sucks everywhere-I'm leaving for Sa Antonio in a few hours. I would recommend you spend more time seeing the coast/countryside-far more interesting in my opinion. Palm Springs and Phoenix will be unbearably hot-there is a reason that hotels in the summer in those places are so cheap.

I am also from the U.K.(just outside Liverpool) and have just been on a similar trip to your itenerary. Firstly being from the U.K. I can appreciate your desire to find the "Way to Amarillo", that will really give the kids something to talk about.Here is our advice and opinion. We flew to Phoenix, big city but don't miss Scottsdale "the most Western, Western town"we moved on to Tuscon and visited the Old Tuscon Studios and the Senoran Desert Museum. The drive was wonderful through Saguaro cactus country. We then went down to visit Tombstone, the site of the shootout at the O.K. Corral with Wyatt Earp. I loved it there. As a child I was brought up on the Western movies.We then moved up to Sedona which is stunning, then on to Flagstaff where the temperature plummeted due to it's high elevation, we only had one night there and moved on to Kingman. From Kingman we visited Oatman for the day. A fantastic journey along old Route 66 to an old mining town, with wild burros (mules) walking around the streets, you can buy food to feed them, your kids would love that! We then moved on to Las Vegas, visiting Hoover Dam on the way. We flew home from Vegas. We have also visited the Grand Canyon before so, decided to give it a miss. You could arrange your trip from L.A.in reverse from ours, starting at L.A. then Kingman,(must visit Oatman) Flagstaff, Sedona, Phoenix, Tucson and back to L.A. taking in your other intended places.Then if your boys are not all cowboyed out, you can still find the Way to Amarillo!

Hello,
Might I also suggest you make time to visit the Navajo and Hopi Native America reservations. It would be a shame to drive through the southwest and missing the history and people. Some of my favorites. The town of Window Rock in Arizona- which is the government seat of the Navajo Nation. Mesa Verde and Canyon de Chelley have wonderful ancient cliff dwellings. The villages of Old Oraibi and Walpi on the Hopi reservation include some of the oldest continously inhabited settlements in the U.S. The kids would love these sites. Monument Valley is all quite a site. Just more ideas for you. Have a lovely trip.

just some quick comments stay in Sedona az skip staying phoenix

go into mexico at nogales, south of tucson easy entry. Park in the us and walk (you can park right near the Burger King fast food restaurant and have bathrooms available (maybe not the cleanest tho)

go to the desert museum outside of tucson WONDERFUL. drive thru saguaro national park


Definately Tahoe over reno unless you want the honky tonkness of the town. there are casinos on the nevada side of lake tahoe

I am from Texas and the only places worth visiting are Dallas and Austin. I drove through El Paso and wasnt impressed at all...it is too close to the border (Mexico)
Dallas is great. Big city but not too big. You have Six Flags over Texas in Arlington (think disney on a smaller smaller scale), which your kids will LOVE. As well as Hurrican Harbor (Water park) There is always Southfork right outside of Dallas, your kids wont know what it is, but the parents might like it, although kinda cheesy.

Austin is beautiful with lakes and the hill country. You have natural water parks nearby.

I lived in LA for 2 years (last year I moved back to Texas) Hollywood is a must see, just to say you have been. Very crowded but Santa Monica is 10 minutes away and the beaches are beautiful. Weather is great and they have a mall called "The Grove" which is great it is connected to teh Farmers Market which you must see. The beaches in California are so much better than the beaches in Texas! Albuquerque is nice because the scenery is so different. They have vendors in town that sale jewerly and it is just so laid back and peacefull.

Texas is BIG. From El Paso to Dallas is at least 7 hours. Dallas to Austin is 3 1/2 hours.
When I drove from Dallas to LA, I took me 3 days (but I took my time) Dallas to El Paso (6 hours) stayed over night drove to Scottsdale, AZ (10 hours) and then drove to LA (5 hours)

Hope this helps!

Must sees: Sedona, Arizona(Forget Phoenix), Grand Canyon - can get tours from Sedona, Las Vegas is worth at least one trip and you can see Hoover Dam which is close to Vegas, Yosemite National Park is beautiful, a beautiful drive from Yosemite to Lake Tahoe. Since you have six weeks, you could also work in many beautiful spots in Utah and Colorado and maybe work up to Wyoming to see Yellowstone National Park and Teton National Park. I would think twice about visiting all those cities...very time consuming and probably little there that you haven't seen elsewhere. The beauty of our country is in the mountains, forests, and lakes. I don't have anything against cities and I would want to visit some cities if I ever got the chance to go to Europe but mainly because of the old structures. Our country is still considered new and you have probably seen much more beauty in the cities of your country.

You should definitedly skip Albuquerque and go for Santa Fe. Taos is also worth a visit. Sedona, Az. is very interesting. Eat at the Red Planet Diner for a good meal in interesting decor. Your kids will love it!
I'd skip Texas, but if you must see it skip Houston and go for Galveston and then San Antonio. Utah and Colorado would be more beautiful choices. If you have the time, Vegas is memorable for a couple of nights. If you are traveling in the summer, make sure you keep plenty of water handy and drink it! The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is beautiful and less touristy.

Ade? Are you home yet? I'd love to hear about your adventures.

Don't want to "monkey" with your plans but instead of Albuquerque, try Santa Fe from Flagstaff. Great town and in summer, try the outdoor Santa Fe Opera. It is worth driving to Santa Fe just for that (and we are not opera maniacs.) On one weekend in July there is incredible Folk Art Festival on the grounds of excellent Folk Art Museum (that I think would be very interesting to children/teens). Several other good museums--also in summer the "market" with native american items. Lots of good shopping--galleries, crafts (expensive and inexpensive opportunities).
In Phoenix,if you are interested in this sort of thing (in nearby Scottsdale) Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, incredible house fitting into landscape. Tour is totally accessible for children/teens: my 13 year old was fascinated.
Then in Amarillo: must see Cadillac Ranch on Rte.40. just 10 spray painted cars, noses buried in field. A great stop for kids!

How can you miss spening some time in sunny San Diego!???

buck1116 (and heatherx): Your input is a bit late. Adehug took this trip back in July.

We are hoping to get a trip report . . . . .

I would suggest you look into taking Route 10 through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas on your way out and coming back though Albuquerque, Utah, Las Vegas, and back into California.

This would allow you to see parts of Southeastern Arizona such as Tombstone and you would not have to cover the same places twice by coming back through Albuquerque. By coming back through Albuquerque you may even add a few of the great National Parks such as Zion in Utah.

I'm sure your family has spent plenty of time on the web looking up info on the places in you itinerary. You may have missed www.gorp.com. Since you're interested in some outdoor fun, you may find some helpful information at this site. Have a great trip!

If you are going as far as Dallas, you might want to take a side trip to Glen Rose, Texas and visit Fossil Rim. When we were there about 10 years ago, it was the second largest (for-profit) game preserve in the world. Take the behind the scenes tour. Plan a whole day. Fantastic!

Note: THIS TRIP IS DONE! The original post is from April 2005.

We have family in Albuquerque and visit periodically. It's really nice and has some great scenery just to he West. The city itself has a cable car to the top of the Sandia Mountains and a chair lift down on the other side. Also a nice Old Town with restaurants and shops. If you go west aboout an hour on 40 there is a side route to Sky City that passes the Enchanted Mesa. The route is about 37 miles long and there is a tour up to Sky City. The rock formations are wonderful.
Also the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest are just over the border form New Mexico in Arizona. Worth the exploring. Check out www. nps.gov for the national parks and www.rozylowicz.com for Sky City
Ther are some Navajo and Hopi Indian resevations in that part of Arizona as well.
Santa Fe is beautiful, but we found it very commercial with more jewelry shops and booths than pottery and other things I enjoy. Had several open air markets. I actually had an Indian woman lecture me on how to replace a necklace I had picked up to look at even though she had made no effort to offer assitance, and then mutter something about "stupid tourists". The churches are great but it's expensive.

:-?Hummm, people seem to have a hard time accepting the fact that their trip ended 6 months ago. Very, very strange.:-?