Cross country NYC -> Cali - Need route suggestions

[Wilsonv]

Hello guys

I am a tourist from Australia, and I'm planning to drive across the country starting from NYC. I'm gonna be doing this in early to mid November. I was planning to drive down the Route 66, but I was told most of them are interstates and are very boring

Some info
-rear wheel drive car
-would like to avoid snow/icy places
-would love to drive thru mountain roads/small towns

Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Cheers

[Rbc44]

Google "the ten best routes for driving across America". There are also tons of other sites on google . Choose whatever you like.

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by Wilsonv

Hello guys

I am a tourist from Australia, and I'm planning to drive across the country starting from NYC. I'm gonna be doing this in early to mid November. I was planning to drive down the Route 66, but I was told most of them are interstates and are very boring

Some info
-rear wheel drive car
-would like to avoid snow/icy places
-would love to drive thru mountain roads/small towns

Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Cheers

I agree with others search google, tons of ways to go cross country, just a matter of how you want to do it, cities you want to pitstop in. The biggest issue you face is some of the best driving roads will be in the mountains or in potential snow areas. I agree a large amount of the interstates were designed for efficiency, but sometimes a better more enjoyable albeit slower drive can be had.

How much time do you have? what cities/area are you wanting to see? If you are trying to avoid snow you will have to completely avoid the rocky mountains and anything northeast of that. That leaves that leaves the south and Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.


Welcome to the States as well. PM me if you have questions

[cruisingdownthestreet]

Originally Posted by Wilsonv

Hello guys

I am a tourist from Australia, and I'm planning to drive across the country starting from NYC. I'm gonna be doing this in early to mid November. I was planning to drive down the Route 66, but I was told most of them are interstates and are very boring

Some info
-rear wheel drive car
-would like to avoid snow/icy places
-would love to drive thru mountain roads/small towns

Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Cheers

with temperatures dropping in the northern states, your best bet is to drive south along the atlantic and then hit the 10W all the way to santa monica beach in CA.

[overcoil]

Does Michelin offer route planning ?

Also if you have a weather band radio you can outrun potential ice and snow. But if not familiar with American geography could be useless

[FC4]

Why would you want to do this? There is absolutely nothing worthwhile to see in the middle of the US. They're called "flyover states" for a reason.

[BEM-S4]

Timing for the trip sucks as weather could be an issue - even in ideal circumstances it could be a drag for much of the trip. If you head south as suggested then make your way west it should be ok.

I'd do the drive only under one very specific set of circumstances - breaking the current record once held by Roy and currently standing at just under 29 hours.

[Wilsonv]

Thanks guys.. so if i take the southern route. What are some great roads or states i should visit..

all suggestions are welcome

[overcoil]

In some jurisdictions they treat speeders as criminals and in some small jurisdictions the revenues from speeding tickets is important.
Deer are the American cousins of kangaroos.
You can sleep in your car in a 24-hour WalMart parking lot. Motel 6 are horrible.

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or Colorado, Utah, Nevada - it's about elevation for snow. But I don't know, research that.

Though New Mexico could be amazing. Southern Louisiana has some great music and food.

California 101 very nice.

[FC4]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

California 101 very nice.

You probably mean 1, a.k.a. Highway 1 or PCH.

This is 101:

[Viffermike]

With due respect to FC4 : Ever fly over Colorado? Yeah, well, it's even better driving through it ...

To the OP: November is a tough time of year for this kind of trip ... but it's better than February. As much as you'd like to drive through mountains (sorry to say that Colorado will not be an option), you will need to largely avoid them if you want to avoid Interstates as well.

Having done multiple multi-state trips, on both motorcycles and in cars, all over this great land, I would suggest the following general route, weather permitting:
- West to central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg),
- then south through Washington, D.C.,
- then south along the eastern edge of the Appalachians (Charlottesville, Roanoke, Charlotte, N.C.; Greenville, S.C.) to Atlanta,
- then west through northern Alabama and southern Tennessee to Memphis;
- then south through the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans or Baton Rouge;
- then west through southern Louisiana, eastern Texas (north of Houston) to Austin
- then west through the Hill Country, then either:
- Northwest through Midland/Odessa to Carlsbad (stop at the Caverns!) and west to Las Cruces, or
- West through Marfa to Big Band National Park (no other place like it in the world), then northwest through El Paso to Las Cruces,
- then northwest to Phoenix (avoid the Interstate west of Lordsburg, N.M.; some gorgeous country in southeastern Arizona), then north the the Grand Canyon (keep an eye on weather north of Phoenix; may not be passable to the Grand Canyon),
- then west to Las Vegas,
- then northwest to and through Death Valley National Park,
- then south around the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada mountains (they will be impassable) to Bakersfield,
- then either south to L.A. or west to San Luis Obispo, and wherever north

Do research on specific roads: I would stick with U.S. Highways and major state highways. And REALLY enjoy the trip!

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by FC4

You probably mean 1, a.k.a. Highway 1 or PCH.

This is 101:

Thanks
PCH is the one.

[Wilsonv]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

With due respect to FC4 : Ever fly over Colorado? Yeah, well, it's even better driving through it ...

To the OP: November is a tough time of year for this kind of trip ... but it's better than February. As much as you'd like to drive through mountains (sorry to say that Colorado will not be an option), you will need to largely avoid them if you want to avoid Interstates as well.

Having done multiple multi-state trips, on both motorcycles and in cars, all over this great land, I would suggest the following general route, weather permitting:
- West to central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg),
- then south through Washington, D.C.,
- then south along the eastern edge of the Appalachians (Charlottesville, Roanoke, Charlotte, N.C.; Greenville, S.C.) to Atlanta,
- then west through northern Alabama and southern Tennessee to Memphis;
- then south through the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans or Baton Rouge;
- then west through southern Louisiana, eastern Texas (north of Houston) to Austin
- then west through the Hill Country, then either:
- Northwest through Midland/Odessa to Carlsbad (stop at the Caverns!) and west to Las Cruces, or
- West through Marfa to Big Band National Park (no other place like it in the world), then northwest through El Paso to Las Cruces,
- then northwest to Phoenix (avoid the Interstate west of Lordsburg, N.M.; some gorgeous country in southeastern Arizona), then north the the Grand Canyon (keep an eye on weather north of Phoenix; may not be passable to the Grand Canyon),
- then west to Las Vegas,
- then northwest to and through Death Valley National Park,
- then south around the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada mountains (they will be impassable) to Bakersfield,
- then either south to L.A. or west to San Luis Obispo, and wherever north

Do research on specific roads: I would stick with U.S. Highways and major state highways. And REALLY enjoy the trip!

bloody legend

[MalibuBimmer]

My daughter just drove the other way to her college in Virginia. You should plan a trip so that you go through (and see)

Nashville, Tennessee
St. Louis. Missouri
Dallas, Texas
Zion Nat'l Park, Utah
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Colorado River (between Arizona and California)
Coachella Valley, California (BMW race park)
Palm Springs, California
Hollywood, California

And then take US 101 north to San Francisco.

That will keep you busy for 8-9 days.

Make sure you drive on the right side of the road.

(Trust me. I've been to Oz many times, including Toodyay, W.A.)

[Wilsonv]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

My daughter just drove the other way to her college in Virginia. You should plan a trip so that you go through (and see)

Nashville, Tennessee
St. Louis. Missouri
Dallas, Texas
Zion Nat'l Park, Utah
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Colorado River (between Arizona and California)
Coachella Valley, California (BMW race park)
Palm Springs, California
Hollywood, California

And then take US 101 north to San Francisco.

That will keep you busy for 8-9 days.

Make sure you drive on the right side of the road.

(Trust me. I've been to Oz many times, including Toodyay, W.A.)

Thank you kind sir! The US 101, is that the PCH above post mentioned earlier?

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

My daughter just drove the other way to her college in Virginia. You should plan a trip so that you go through (and see)

Nashville, Tennessee
St. Louis. Missouri
Dallas, Texas
Zion Nat'l Park, Utah
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Colorado River (between Arizona and California)
Coachella Valley, California (BMW race park)
Palm Springs, California
Hollywood, California

And then take US 101 north to San Francisco.

That will keep you busy for 8-9 days.

Make sure you drive on the right side of the road.

(Trust me. I've been to Oz many times, including Toodyay, W.A.)

Notes on the above based on on-road experience this time of year:
- Generally, there's a LOT of difference weather-wise between the time your daughter drove to Virginia and when the OP will be traveling. The same route won't be possible.
- Zion may or may not be easily accessible; I had to strategize to get in to both it and Bryce Canyon in late October a few years back. Best to play it safe and "settle" (ha!) for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
- Nashville is overrated. Trade it for Lynchburg, Tenn, where Jack Daniel's is distilled, and environs, as well as Muscle Shoals, the Natchez Trace Highway, and Oxford, Miss., all along the Atlanta-to-Memphis stretch I mentioned earlier. Stunning stuff, and far more endemic of the South than Nashville.
- All St. Louis has is the arches, with pretty much nothing east or west of it for hundreds of miles -- plus, the risk of snow and below-freezing temps is high. Best to stay south of the Ozarks.
- Santa Fe will be a no-go because of weather. Very few roads in and out will be safe -- including Interstates. (Trust me: I know. I've been nearly a dozen times.) Crossing the Sacramento Mountains at Cloudcroft about 50 miles north of El Paso will be possible, though, as long as it's done after noon.
- Everything after the Colorado River, I concur with. But DO NOT MISS the view of the Sierra Nevadas (including Mt. Whitney) between Death Valley and Owens Lake in Cali. It is stunning, and as close as the OP will be able to get to real peaks.

[Wilsonv]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Notes on the above based on on-road experience this time of year:
- Generally, there's a LOT of difference weather-wise between the time your daughter drove to Virginia and when the OP will be traveling. The same route won't be possible.
- Zion may or may not be easily accessible; I had to strategize to get in to both it and Bryce Canyon in late October a few years back. Best to play it safe and "settle" (ha!) for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
- Nashville is overrated. Trade it for Lynchburg, Tenn, where Jack Daniel's is distilled, and environs, as well as Muscle Shoals, the Natchez Trace Highway, and Oxford, Miss., all along the Atlanta-to-Memphis stretch I mentioned earlier. Stunning stuff, and far more endemic of the South than Nashville.
- All St. Louis has is the arches, with pretty much nothing east or west of it for hundreds of miles -- plus, the risk of snow and below-freezing temps is high. Best to stay south of the Ozarks.
- Santa Fe will be a no-go because of weather. Very few roads in and out will be safe -- including Interstates. (Trust me: I know. I've been nearly a dozen times.) Crossing the Sacramento Mountains at Cloudcroft about 50 miles north of El Paso will be possible, though, as long as it's done after noon.
- Everything after the Colorado River, I concur with. But DO NOT MISS the view of the Sierra Nevadas (including Mt. Whitney) between Death Valley and Owens Lake in Cali. It is stunning, and as close as the OP will be able to get to real peaks.

Hello legend

I have pretty plan the a major part of trip according your route choice.

I would really like to visit Chicago from Pa thru Ohio, do you think it might be possible ?

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Wilsonv

Hello legend

I have pretty plan the a major part of trip according your route choice.

I would really like to visit Chicago from Pa thru Ohio, do you think it might be possible ?

It will be close; depends on when in November you're traveling. Low temps are already dipping into the low single digits Celsius in central Pennsylvania, and Chicago's high temps will be in the low teens C by late next week. All it takes is that first Canadian cold front (we Yanks call them "Nor'easters") to throw a big honkin' wrench into your trip if you're still up there.

Depending on time, I think you'll need to make a choice: Chicago or the Deep South. You won't be able to do both if you need to keep heading generally west ... and believe me; the drive through the South is far more interesting (and will be far less stressful weather-wise) in all regards ...

... but if you do chance Chi-town, skip central Ohio and dip down into Kentucky. (I would go as far as Columbus, then south to either Frankfort or Lexington, then west to Louisville, then back north through Bloomington, Indianapolis, and Lafayette to Chicago). Be warned that the land between Columbus and (roughly) Des Moines, Iowa is very, very uninteresting plainslands.

[WreckerX5d]

I concur with Viffermikes suggestions. I drove from NYC to LA and back. The way there I took I40, and heading back was I10. I40 had some decent areas, but I10 was superior, especially during this time.

Oh yea, can you being some Sam Boy BBQ chips and Violet Crumbles with you and mail them to me? Haven't had those since I lived in Victoria.