ROADTRIP! Dallas, TX to San Diego, CA. HELP!
 

Any comments on this? Best route, must sees, where to stop for over night? Any place to NOT stop for over night? Diners? Thanks.

Winter route:

Dallas - Big Bend - Carlsbad - White Sands/Alamogordo/Las Cruces - Tombstone (AZ) - Nogales - Tumacacori - Tucson - Phoenix - Sedona - Grand Canyon South Rim - Las Vegas - Death Valley - Joshua Tree (CA) - Anza Borrego - San Diego

Summer route:

Dallas - Amarillo - Santa Fe - Taos - Mesa Verde (CO) - Monument Valley (UT/AZ) - Canyon de Chelly (AZ) - Lake Powell (AZ) - Grand Canyon North Rim - Zion - Bryce Canyon - Valley of Fire (NV) - Las Vegas - Joshua Tree Natl. Park - San Diego

Both routes have lots of options for variations.

I don't think Joshua Tree National Park is a summer destination unless you like 120F sunny weather.

The route would depend on the amount of time you want to take. You could drive it in 2 days straight through or take a couple weeks.

This is for my son, driving back from college. They don't want to take a lot of time, but need to stay some place over night and want to stop and see the Grand Canyon, quickly...if they can. Thanks for your responses.

In this case, the quickest route will be:

Dallas - Amarillo - Albuquerque - Flagstaff - Grand Canyon South Rim - back to I-40 - Barstow - I-15 to San Diego.

Total driving time: about 24 hours

If they have a few couple of hours left, they should make the short detour to Santa Fe to catch at least a glimpse of this wonderful city. Also, Acoma Pueble is practically on they way (west of Albuquerque) - a quick visit is an option.

If they do not want to drive the interstate all the time, they can leave the I-40 at National Trails Highway and drive the back roads via Amboy - 29 Palms - through Joshua Tree (I know it will be hot there, but you will be driving through and see the scenery from the a/c'ed vehicle) - Anza Borrego (another hot place) - Julian (cooler and pleasant) - Ramona - San Diego.