My family and I are going to be traveling by car from California to Oklahoma. We will be using the 99 in California and connecting with the 40 right before we enter Arizona. The 40 is what we will use for the rest of the trip. Does anyone know of any good attractions or interesting stops along that route? Thank-you for your help.

Depending on time of day, the red rocks in New Mexico can be real pretty. If you hit them as the sum is low in the evening sky, they actually turn shades of pink and purple. Especially, just east of Albuquerque. We stayed in Tucumcari (spelling?)New Mexico, kind of a trippy city. It is in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden there are thousands of hotel rooms. Also, this is Navajo country, so there are a few reservation stores, things like fireworks and Navajo art are for sale. The route is pretty desolate except for Flagstaff, Albuquerque and Tucumcari.

East of Needles, California just after you cross over the Colorado River you can pick up Hwy 95 and go north to Oatman, AZ. This is a neat old town on route 66 town. It's a tourist trap, but a cute one. Keep heading following old route 66 into Kingman. It's a pretty drive.

If you don't mind taking a detour of about 165 miles you can make a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Just past Flagstaff, AZ is Walnut Canyon National Monument and they have pueblo cliff dwellings to see.

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

There is also Meteor Crater just off Hwy 40 east of Flagstaff.

http://www.meteorcrater.com/

In Wislow, AZ you can go stand on the corner that was made famous by the song.

From Holbrook take Hwy 180 east and enter the Petrified Forest and take the scenic drive through the Petrified Forest back to Interstate 40. There are some nice walks to take in the park.

Someone else has already mentioned Red Rock State Park just 6 miles east of Gallop.

Just a little west of Albuquerque is Petroglphys National Monument. You take a short hike to see the writing on the rocks.

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

Just west of Amarillo, TX is Cadallic Ranch. A farmer has put 10 cadallics nose down into the ground. If you pass it on the freeway, just take the next exit and follow the side street back and you can walk out to the cars.

http://www.libertysoftware.be/cml/cadillacranch/crmain.htm

It's a nice drive, we just did it last month.

Utahtea

I would just like to recommend skipping meteor crater. It isn't a state park, and so admission fees are rediculously overpriced, and it's just not really all that exciting to see. If you just have to see it with your own eyes once, go for it. But I wish I had just bought a poster on the highway somewhere.

Since during your trip you'll drive on the legendary Route 66 for at least part of your drive, I suggest the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK, just inside the OK border.