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Road trip October
Hi! My friend and I are planning a road trip from LA to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley (from here we're thinking to drive through Utah then in to Colorado then down to New Mexico), Santa Fe, one night in Deming, Phoenix, San Diego and back to LA.
We are going last week of October, first week of November. (Gonna see if we can manage to get two-three week off beginning of October.) How is the weather that time of year? Any possibilities of snow?! And so, where? We don't really care if it's colder than usual, but we'd rather not drive on snow. We're used to it here in Norway, but we don't want to take a change since we're renting a car. Any help is appreciated ! |
That's a lot of places for two weeks. Where do you plan to travel in Utah and Colorado? Are you just driving though or going to be making stops to site-see?
Colorado can definitely have snow in late October. Utahtea |
In stead of driving back down from Monument Valley, we just figure we'd continue up towards Mexican hat and Buff (Utah) and stop at Four Corners Monument and from there drive down to New Mexico.
As I could tell from google maps it's about the same driving time, this way we'll get to make a little stop at Four Corners Monument as well. Other than that, no stop in Utah or Colorado. |
Didn't realize it was just a short drive though Utah & Colorado. You could easily do a detour and stay south if the weather was bad. We usually have finished traveling in these parts by late October because the weather can start getting cold. I'm sure some of the Arizona & New Mexico experts will chime in on the weather you could expect.
Happy Travels, Utahtea |
It would be nice to see more of Utah and Colorado, but the trip is already long enough.
Worst case scenario, we'll just go south and hope for better weather and no snow. Thanks so much for your replies! |
Little to no threat of snow in here in New Mexico in late October/early November. Never say never, but pretty unlikely.
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That is really good to hear! Thanks DebitNM!
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Unless you have a particular reason for wanting to stay in Deming, you could easily drive from Santa Fe to Phoenix in a day.
Lee Ann |
Haha! :')
No, it's just that we're gonna spend most of the day in Roswell and if we're staying in Deming, we have only a few hours on the road before we reach Phoenix. We're only staying there (Phoenix) for one night, so we want as much time there as possible. |
You won't need a full day in Roswell. Unless you a huge Sci Fi fan. Even then a half day would be more than enough.
What do you plan on doing in Phoenix? It is an expansive city, and traffic can be awful. Have a plan. |
We've been to Norway and remain amazed how well Norwegian master the American English Language as evidenced by your writing. Bergen is our favorite village.
It would be helpful if we knew what you prefer seeing on this extensive drive other than gasoline stations. Scenery, buffalo, deserts, mountains, historic places, Hollywood, ????? Example: New Mexico: http://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/ Colorado: http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm Utah: http://www.ccnationalparks.com/index.htm Agree with DebitNM - ignore Phoenix. Snow - not a problem. Worry about it when/if it happens. Roswell - this is where the Alien landing occurred. Fascinating and entertaining town. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_incident Las Vegas - If you plan to see a major stage show make reservations early as possible to obtain a good seat location. Vaga |
DebitNM, we're not planning on staying too long in Roswell, my guess is just a few hours to half a day. It's going to be a long day considering we're driving from Santa Fe through Roswell then to Deming.
We haven't really discussed Phoenix yet. But we want to find a hotel a little bit out of the city. So any tips as of what we can do while we're there? Something scenic or special around Phoenix? If not, it's going to be an early start to San Diego :p RVvagabond, yeah in Norway we start learning English at an early age. It's pretty awesome! We only have a few ideas of what we want to see in some of the big cities. This is the plan as of today: Los Angeles: Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Universal Studios, maybe take a trip to Runyon Canyon Park. Not sure if all of there are doable, but we'd rather make a big list of things to see and places to visit and then see what we have time for when we're there. Gonna start with our favorites! LA - Las Vegas: Calico ghost town, Peggy Sue's 50's diner, maybe stop at Baker and Primm. Las Vegas: no solid plans yet other than to see the strip. (?) LV - Grand Canyon: Hoover Dam (maybe), small stop at Kingman and Seligman. Grand Canyon & Monument Valley: take a look around, go hiking etc. Monument Valley - Santa Fe: we're thinking about driving through Utah then into Colorado to see Four Corners Monument. Santa Fe: think we're staying in the old town or something. Georgia O'Keeffe museum. Roswell: look around all alien related. Deming: just staying there for one night. Just to cut down the driving hours that day and for the next. Original plan was to stay a night i El Paso, but my friend read something about that city so she didn't want to stay there :p Phoenix: no plans yet. San Diego: nothing set in stone. We are open to tips! Like the buffalo's, deserts, mountains, historic planes etc. We were so clever to google snow and the different places we planned to go to, that we wanted to know if we needed to change the route if there could be snow there. That's why we haven't really planned what we want to do yet in the cities, and planned what to see or where to make small stops along the way. But we're going to make alternative routes just in case. Not really worried about snow anymore! |
We haven't really discussed Phoenix yet. But we want to find a hotel a little bit out of the city.
Los Angeles: Ensure you visit Venice Beach. My favorite beach because of the unusual people: Surfing - Huntington Beach pier - you can rent a surf board. Drive Mulholland drive in the evening. You can Google above. LA - Las Vegas: Cross off Calico ghost town, - insert Oakman ghost town, but it is on the way FROM Grand Canyon. Google It. LV Atomic Bomb museum is interesting - history of the bomb. In the evening walk the strip and see all the outside display. My favorite casino is Venetian patterned after Venica, Italy. Complete with gondola and opera singers. St. Marks square is replicated. Your command of our language will enable you to visit Mob Museum - all about the criminal element in US and especially LV. Baker/Prim - waste of time. Kingman - nothing of interest for people from Norway Seligman - famous for Route 66. NOW - Google Route 66. Then drive from Seligman to Kingman ON Route 66 - historic. Four Corners Monument look at the picture via Google. Anyway it not is the correct location per GPS. Santa Fe: Also visit Kit Carson Museum. FAMOUS mountain man. His grave is nearby. Google Kit Caron. Authentic Indian Pueblo (village in Spanish) Village. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492 Phoenix: no plans yet. Good San Diego: Visit Old Town where San Diego began. Started by Mormons. Excellent Mexican Restaurants. For an adventure, cross over the border to Tijuana. Walk across, negotiate a price for a ride to town center. Been there many, many times. Hotel center of driving across desert -= Winslow, Arizona: THE BEST hotel/motel - http://laposada.org/ While there, see: Standing On the Corner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standi...he_Corner_Park Eagle's song that inspired this monument https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...arizona%20song vaga Bergen smoked fish ! Memorable. |
>>Santa Fe: Also visit Kit Carson Museum. FAMOUS mountain man. His grave is nearby. Google Kit Caron.
Authentic Indian Pueblo (village in Spanish) Village. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492<< All these things are in Taos, two hours north of Santa Fe. I don't know that I would go out of my way to visit Taos on this trip, though Taos Pueblo is pretty interesting. Unless you really, really want to see some kitschy UFO stuff, I'd skip Roswell too. It's out of the way unless you're interested in visiting Carlsbad Caverns. www.nps.gov/cave After Santa Fe, I would take I-40 into Arizona, stopping at Acoma Pueblo, which is approximately 45 minutes west of Albuquerque. http://www.acomaskycity.org/home.html Then you can go to Phoenix either by staying with the freeways or heading southwest from Winslow. However, if you're set on Roswell, go for it! Lee Ann |
"For an adventure, cross over the border to Tijuana. Walk across, negotiate a price for a ride to town center. Been there many, many times."
---------- Adventure, that's putting it mildly. This has to be one of the worst suggestion ever put on here. Seriously, that is not a good idea- we drove across once, 10 years ago and it was awful then. I am not sure if jencec is a guy or gal. Doesn't much matter, it's not a good idea. http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...l-warning.html |
BTW - I agree completely with LeeAnn.
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RVvagabond: Tijuana is a truly <B>HORRIBLE</B> idea. I have a friend w/ a house at Rosarito Beach so am traversing TJ a few times every year -- and it is just the absolute worst . . .
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jencec - Re the San Diego portion of your trip:
How many nights / days do you plan on spending here? And, at this moment I'm guessing it's not many. In which case, I'd concentrate on San Diego and not spending hours crossing the border back into the US. A waste of time unless you are going to be here a week. So tell us more about San Diego. I'm sure you'll get advice on every part of your trip. But, as a SD resident, I (and others I'm sure) can help with that part of your trip. |
Lots of replies, I like it!
It's been a change of plans. We're now going to stay for three weeks! First day in LA we're just going to pick up the rental and shop for stuff needed for the road trip like a cooler etc. Early night. Las Vegas: try on of the casinos, some shopping, look around. Gonna try to find something else to do too, tho. Grand Canyon & Monument Valley: some hiking and maybe a tour in MV. Santa Fe: Georgia O'Keeffe museum. Roswell: we're going to stop by here anyways haha NEW: we're skipping Deming and staying in Alamogordo so we're close to White Sands National Monument. Phoenix: yes, we're going there. We were going to skip Phoenix, but decided to check out the Desert Botanical Garden and go horseback riding. But I guess both of those are located out of the city. San Diego: Here we thought about a spa day, maybe going on a tour bus down to Mexico. We'll see. LA: Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Universal Studios, maybe take a trip to Runyon Canyon Park. Not sure if all of there are doable, but we'd rather make a big list of things to see and places to visit and then see what we have time for when we're there. Gonna start with our favorites! RVvagabond: Los Angeles: Ensure you visit Venice Beach. My favorite beach because of the unusual people: Surfing - Huntington Beach pier - you can rent a surf board. Drive Mulholland drive in the evening. We now have a few more days in LA, so I'm sure we're going to check out Venice Beach :) LA - Las Vegas: Cross off Calico ghost town, - insert Oakman ghost town, but it is on the way FROM Grand Canyon. Google It. Is there a reason Oakman ghost town is better than the Calico ghost town? Not really sure what we expect from a ghost town tho :p LV Atomic Bomb museum is interesting - history of the bomb. That's cool! In the evening walk the strip and see all the outside display. My favorite casino is Venetian patterned after Venica, Italy. Complete with gondola and opera singers. St. Marks square is replicated. :D Your command of our language will enable you to visit Mob Museum - all about the criminal element in US and especially LV. Your command of our language? Don't really understand that one? Is it only for US citizens? Kingman - nothing of interest for people from Norway Seligman - famous for Route 66. NOW - Google Route 66. Then drive from Seligman to Kingman ON Route 66 - historic. But that's the wrong way :p At least for the route we're taking :o So ur saying we should drive from Seligman to Kingman insted of Kingman to Seligman? Or do you mean drive up from Kingman to Valentine - Peach Springs and down to Seligman? Santa Fe: Also visit Kit Carson Museum. FAMOUS mountain man. His grave is nearby. Google Kit Caron. Authentic Indian Pueblo (village in Spanish) Village. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492 :) San Diego: Visit Old Town where San Diego began. Started by Mormons. Excellent Mexican Restaurants. For an adventure, cross over the border to Tijuana. Walk across, negotiate a price for a ride to town center. Been there many, many times. Oh, didn't know San Diego had an old town, too :) If we're going to Mexico we're going to join a tour bus or something :p Hotel center of driving across desert -= Winslow, Arizona: THE BEST hotel/motel - http://laposada.org/ While there, see: Standing On the Corner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standi...he_Corner_Park Eagle's song that inspired this monument https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...arizona%20song :) Lee Ann: >>Santa Fe: Also visit Kit Carson Museum. FAMOUS mountain man. His grave is nearby. Google Kit Caron. Authentic Indian Pueblo (village in Spanish) Village. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492<< All these things are in Taos, two hours north of Santa Fe. I don't know that I would go out of my way to visit Taos on this trip, though Taos Pueblo is pretty interesting. It does look interesting! but also maybe too far away. Unless you really, really want to see some kitschy UFO stuff, I'd skip Roswell too. It's out of the way unless you're interested in visiting Carlsbad Caverns. www.nps.gov/cave hmm, now I'll have to discuss with my friend if we're going to see White Sands or Carlsbad Caverns! :p After Santa Fe, I would take I-40 into Arizona, stopping at Acoma Pueblo, which is approximately 45 minutes west of Albuquerque. http://www.acomaskycity.org/home.html Then you can go to Phoenix either by staying with the freeways or heading southwest from Winslow. hmm, maybe we'll have to spend some more days so get to see more of NM elizzie4000: How many nights / days do you plan on spending here? And, at this moment I'm guessing it's not many. In which case, I'd concentrate on San Diego and not spending hours crossing the border back into the US. A waste of time unless you are going to be here a week. Think we're going skip Mexico. Don't really see the point if we're not spending at least one night there. So tell us more about San Diego. I'm sure you'll get advice on every part of your trip. But, as a SD resident, I (and others I'm sure) can help with that part of your trip. We've planned two or three nights in San Diego. Original plan was maybe a spa day and a trip to Mexico, but I think I'll rather hear what you think we should do while we're there! Maybe going to a beach and walk around? If anyone has more suggestions as to what we can do while we're in the different cities to make it more memorable, please let me know! I think we're pretty set on the route we've pick out. But we don't really have any planes on stops and things to see after White Sands to Phoenix and Phoenix to San Diego. |
And I'm sorry for that looooong post. Next time I'll answer one person in one post. Might be easier to find what to reply to etc :p
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