cross country road trip help?

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northeastmopar

northeastmopar

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Thinking about driving from Boston to California. Wanted to see some of the sites and States I never saw other than out an airplane window. Grande Canyon, Rocky Mountains, deserted western towns, hoover dam, mt rushmore. I wanted to be able to drive up the west coast ocean road and end up n Washington to visit a buddy I served in Vietnam with. I was looking at the old Rte 66. I was thinking about using about 4 weeks to do the round trip? Am I nuts or does this sound like it may be something worth doing? Any pointers on places I may want to stop.
 
Sounds great. My son and I took 66 out8 years ago. We came back up through Colorado and grabbed the turnpike in Nebraska. Lots of cool stuff to see. We took 2 weeks just for that trip. Pioneer village in Nebraska was cool. We stopped at a place just into Colorado were we could see and learn how they find and clean dinosaur fossils. There are cliff dwelling indian and other indian places to see along 66. An old silver mine leaving California. Lots to see. We did Yellowstone and Rushmore a few years later. We did paint our names at Cadillac ranch also.
 
Sounds like the trip of a life time, think you should add another week just in case. Hope it works out for you, good luck!
 
Took old Route 66 from just out of Memphis about 2 years ago ended at LA, took over 20 days there is still plenty to see & well worth the trip.
You can still get the old tourist maps around for about $5, they have heaps of information.
Everyone we meet with help with things to see & do. 20 days was not enough time, enjoy the trip.
 
Rt66 is cool for road trips. Coming from Boston look at State route 6.Rhode Island,Connecticut,New York,Pennsylvania,Ohio,Indiana,on into Chicago to pick up 66 and west.Route 6 is known as the Route for Motorcyclists touring. If you get to Hoover Dam I'm about 5 minutes from there. 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.Gotta drive the Strip at least once.Night time is best.Then take state route 95 south to California I-40 and pick up 66 west again. The wife and I did state route 60 in our 67 Dart and had a blast driving to Nags Head North Carolina.Road trips are the "best" in a old car ..I'm smiling just thinking about it.
 
Spend close to a week doing the 4 Corners area properly (preferably between March and early May, or Late Sep to early Nov)

Hit Chaco Canyon (NM), Mesa Verde (Southwest corner of CO), Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley (Southern UT/Northern AZ), Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon (south rim), Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon (upper and lower), Rainbow Bridge (too close to not go and not worth a special trip), and Bryce Canyon.
 
If you are going in late summer early fall take us hwy 2 back and drive through the UP of Michigan. Best fall colors in the country.
 
northeastmopar said:
Thinking about driving from Boston to California. Wanted to see some of the sites and States I never saw other than out an airplane window. Grande Canyon, Rocky Mountains, deserted western towns, hoover dam, mt rushmore. I wanted to be able to drive up the west coast ocean road and end up n Washington to visit a buddy I served in Vietnam with. I was looking at the old Rte 66. I was thinking about using about 4 weeks to do the round trip? Am I nuts or does this sound like it may be something worth doing? Any pointers on places I may want to stop.
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Need more time. Give a heads up before coming through Oklahoma and maybe we can hook up somewhere on RT66.
 
Got this before I started a Michigan to California motorcycle trip, gives you some cool ideas to go see, I bet there are a million books like it though.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/New-Roadside-America-Travelers-Wonderful/dp/0671769316"]New Roadside America: The Modern Traveler's Guide to the Wild and Wonderful World of America's Tourist: Mike Wilkins, Ken Smith, Doug Kirby: 9780671769314: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

Another one I have...

http://www.roadtripusa.com/index.html

I like to stay off the interstate and see the small towns you meet way more interesting folks that way
 
Hey northeastmopar, sounds like a great trip. Got any idea of what time of the year you'd be doing this. Might be nice to plan it around some of the outstanding Mopar events out here: "Moparty At The Strip" in Las Vegas is March 22-24 this year, "Spring Fling" in Van Nuys is May 11-12, and Inland Mopars "Mopars In May At CSDR" in Riverside is May 19.
Some great automotive-related sites to visit in SoCal as well: NHRA Museum in Pomona, Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, and Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar just to name a few.
I'd also plan to hit as many National Parks as possible on the trip as well. Yosemite and Sequoia are big highlights in California. Zion, Bryce, and north rim of the Grand Canyon all within a small triangle of SW Utah. Also Yellowstone and Glacier in the Wyoming/Montana area.
Too much to see in this great country.
 
64DartGTinAZ said:
Spend close to a week doing the 4 Corners area properly (preferably between March and early May, or Late Sep to early Nov)

Hit Chaco Canyon (NM), Mesa Verde (Southwest corner of CO), Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley (Southern UT/Northern AZ), Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon (south rim), Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon (upper and lower), Rainbow Bridge (too close to not go and not worth a special trip), and Bryce Canyon.
Click to expand...

Dont forget Tombstone.
 
I'm doing RT66 this year just bought a book that was highly recommended

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0970995164/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_SC_dp_1"]Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers, 2nd Edition [/ame]

By Jerry McClanahan

Going to Vegas in May to get remarried by Elvis. :)
 
northeastmopar said:
Thinking about driving from Boston to California. Wanted to see some of the sites and States I never saw other than out an airplane window. Grande Canyon, Rocky Mountains, deserted western towns, hoover dam, mt rushmore. I wanted to be able to drive up the west coast ocean road and end up n Washington to visit a buddy I served in Vietnam with. I was looking at the old Rte 66. I was thinking about using about 4 weeks to do the round trip? Am I nuts or does this sound like it may be something worth doing? Any pointers on places I may want to stop.
Click to expand...


i have been wanting to do the same thing for years now.. i'll do it sooner or later..

a friends parents just did it a year or two ago. took them 28 days i believe.. they left jersey, drove to ca and up the pacific coast highway. said it was awesome. they are retired so they had the time..

i've even been thinking about renting a car and driving to the west coast and flying home. that way i have more time to get out there and more time to see the sights there. that down the road fly out there and drive back a different route.. but we haven't planned anything yet. i think it would be an awesome road trip..
 
4 weeks might be cutting it close. It took my friend 1 week to drive here in Honda fit from California to Boston. That was straight driving resting every night in a motel. Just food for thought. Either way it's going to be a blast and I hope for the best.
 
sounds awesome i would agree on adding another week. im in sw wa and know a ton about the nw so if you end up here i can point you to some great places. i have lived almost everywhere in wa. this place is beaver falls in oregon really close to me and right across the river from longview wa.
 

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one more for ya its in ilwaco wa right at the start of the coast called deadmans cove
 

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4 weeks would be tight, but if you get everything in, you can blow carbon by hitting I90 east if you have to get home ina hurry after visiting in WA.

I would suggest HWY 101 from CA to WA. Redwoods, Oregon Coast etc.
 
You gotta drive through Monroe, Ohio, just north of Cincy on I-75, and see Hug me/five dollar footlong Jesus!!!

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It was touchdown jesus until it was struck by lightening a few years back and burned to the ground.

On the way through you can stop by and see the 'Cuda
 
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