yosenut

Hello. I want to thank all readers in advance; I've read much interesting discussion here. I'm relocating from Palo Alto to the Atlanta metro area at the end of May to arrive by June 4th. I've scoured boards here and at RoadTripAmerica for an answer to my most pressing question: time.

My husband and I want to spend half a day to a day in Vegas, half a day in Bryce and a full day in OKC (visiting his parents) on our way. (Seen Grand Canyon already.) We planned to leave on May 30th and arrive sometime on June 4th. We are early 30s so can do longish days of driving. Is this enough time? (AAA says: 2850 miles, 44.5 h but towns with motels don't magically pop up at 10 h intervals). (Probably off-topic, but we've never used a moving company before and are also concerned our stuff will arrive before we do- fast service noted for company we've chosen.) Should we try to leave before Memorial Day instead?

I know the rule-of-thumb says 10 h of driving per day, but real world travelers: what say you? Especially for Memorial Day week?

Thank you.

Michael

I would leave either the Thursday before ot the Tuesday after Memorial Day weekend. I would not relish using Interstate 5 on a holiday weekend. From Las Vegas it is open country and traffic should not be a problem until the next large urban area.

SAB

Make sure that you take pictures of all possessions that are being moved by moving company and pay for insurance. Do not just take standard per pound shipping coverage. Promptly make a written claim for any lost or damaged items.

trippinkpj

We did Austin to San Jose in three driving days We did have a couple 10 hour days (remember time changes), and one 5 hour day. You have a couple of extra days driving I think, and more sightseeing/ stops. I'd try to MapQuest each day out.

suz12

My recollection is that there is VERY little lodging near Bryce, so you may want to reserve a spot ahead of time around there. Also, I recall that the sunset and sunrise light was the best time of day at Bryce. I also recall that the raods around that part of the state weren't very fast. That part of your trip may take longer than you think.
Do get an appointment to get your car checked up before you go. Your going to need that AC (sure hope you have some). My no AC trip through NM, AZ and CA was quite memorable. And it proved that you can drive from Zion to Mammoth in one day ... it's just a loooong day.

Shanghainese

Are you a AAA member? Make an appointment to visit their office and they will give advice on the entire driving trip planning, including routes, maps, recommended lodgings, etc.

yosenut

Thanks for all the great advice! I am an AAA member and do have AC, so I'll take full advantage of both. I'd also planned on getting the car checked and staying over somewhere beyond Bryce because of sparse lodgings but reminders are helpful. Thanks for all the timing info and other tips- they are appreciated.