Epic road trip!! Please send your suggestions!

AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike
in General

So my pal and I are leaving VA on 29 August and heading west! Well, southwest at first, down rt 81 to rt 40, traveling through the following states: Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas (just the stovepipe), N. Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, then into Los Angeles, up to SF, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, S. Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, W. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland

Looking for suggestions for life changing sights and attractions, and the best FOOD! I've been looking things up a bit and so far on the list of attractions I have Graceland in Memphis, Hot Springs park in Arkansas, An RV museum (LOL) in Amarillo, 4 corners monument in N. Mexico (and Colorado, Arizona, Utah), Grand Canyon in Arizona, Hoover Dam in Nevada (no I don't are about gambling), and that's as far as I've gotten re attractions. Trying not to stray too far away from the interstates as the trip is long enough as is. Looking forward to some iconic foods like Tennessee hot chicken, Oklahoma fried onion burger, Texas BBQ, Santa Fe burritos, some great street tacos in AZ or LA. E P I C !!!!

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Comments

  • camperdude989camperdude989
    edited July 2020

    The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Devil's Lake state park and Kettle Moraine state forest southern unit in Wisconsin. Starved Rock state park, Garden of the Gods, and Shawnee national forest in Illinois. Indiana Dunes national lake shore and park in Indiana. Mt. Rushmore and Custer State park in South Dakota. There is nothing really in Nebraska to see other than corn. Unless you stop in a major city. I didn't really care for Nebraska. Other than the national lake shore in Indiana. It's pretty boring state. The only reason why I said the dunes is because it's on Lake Michigan.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike
    edited July 2020

    Noted, thanks! Yeah even though I haven't officially gotten to SD with research yet, I knew Rushmore was going to be on the itinerary. : ) Also Crater lake in Oregon...I need to jump off a cliff

  • camperdude989camperdude989

    Ok. I would also highly recommend visiting some hot springs when you are in the southwest and out west. Hot Springs, Arkansas is more of a old time resort town. If you wanted to soak your bones, less people, and be outside in nature.

  • camperdude989camperdude989

    Also I would recommend Theodore Roosevelt national park in North Dakota.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    What are the attractions IN the parks besides just saying I want to this or that national park? I mean Cali, I'll add the redwoods to my list. I need to know why I'm going to a park.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    And Jellystone..no wait, that's Yogi.....Yellowstone, yeah that one!

  • camperdude989camperdude989
    edited July 2020

    Ok, well. I don't know if you like hiking or camping. Possibility of swimming and boating. Scenic drives in the parks. The different types of wildlife and amazing scenery. I drove to Alaska and back to Illinois last summer. I don't know what you specifically like. So you would have to look up what attractions and activities in each place that people make. Then choose where to go and do. I'm only recommending places that I've been to and liked.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    It's ok : ) We'll be staying in motels along the way. I like clean crisp sheets and air conditioning. LOVED hiking...past tense...knee doesn't love it.

  • geoff1000geoff1000

    I'd suggest Meteor Crater up near Flagstaff, but it's not for everyone. I think you can walk around it, but not down into it.

    Best food suggestion is all-you-can-eat breakfasts including waffles and maple syrup. Just make sure your vehicle has good suspension, because you'll pile on the pounds,. 😀

  • pmvinespmvines

    @geoff1000 unfortunately most hotels aren't doing the all you can eat waffles still

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    Yeah who knows what the protocol will be in early September but if all we can do is get carry out that will do. I've heard the buffets in Las Vegas are legendary.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    @geoff1000 @pmvines Waffles are kind of filling though, huh? Great with good syrup though. I look for seafood buffets having come from Maryland. But yeah I'll try any kind of buffet.

  • MissAdventurousMissAdventurous

    When you get closer to Oregon, I'm sure I can point you in a few directions for some amazing food and sights simultaneously. 💜

    I'd give suggestions now, but I should like to be current on businesses/locations open at the time. 😂🌷

  • MissAdventurousMissAdventurous

    I looked into a recent trip to crater lake, OR for next week, but the south side was closed too the public as of right now.

    That is the best side, hopefully it opens by the time you come through 💜

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    Yeah I just want to jump in once. I mean, unless someone built a border wall around it : )

  • hillbillyhillbilly

    While you're at the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Red Rock Canyon are def worth the detour. You might want to plan a full day there. Don't forget to post some pics :-). And the buffets in Vegas earn every bit of their Legend status. Hope they are up and running when you're there.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    @hillbilly Thanks a lot!!

  • cuddleanursecuddleanurse

    How funny! We are leaving August 1 from Tennessee and heading to Montana! I have already been planning the trip online! If you need any ideas for Tennessee message me! We are definitely hitting Mount Rushmore and deadwood in South Dakota!

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    @cuddleanurse This is what I have in my notes so far for your state:

    Knoxville Myrtle's Chicken and Beer, 13 Market Square(hot chicken)
    Nashville Mas tacos 732 Mcferrin Ave

    Memphis Graceland, The Bar-B-Q Shop, 1782 Madison Ave

    You're traveling a month before us. Safe travels!

  • BrianLBrianL

    If you are just going to be in the northern part of Texas, I don't know anything up there, but I can suggest finding a local BBQ place. Especially if it's just a small town place.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    Yeah Texas has so much....but we're on rt 40 so will be going through Amarillo. I've read about and plan to visit the Coyote Bluff Café to try their "Burger from Hell" and green chili fries. I think I'll see more of Texas when I plan a trip to see Mexico and do them together. I love long drives. But with lots of stops. Oh and on this trip we'll certainly have BBQ

  • BrianLBrianL

    For that other trip, though I've not been yet, the world's longest lazy river is near Waco, at BSR Cable Park. There's also the Alamo to visit. There's also Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary, who is actually going to have their re-opening after moving tomorrow, in Navasota, TX. That's just stuff I've managed to hear about within a few hours of the general Austin area.

  • cuddleanursecuddleanurse

    @AceCuddlerMike not sure about those places :) but I’m sure you’ll have a blast! I love Tennessee :)

  • biancalovecraftbiancalovecraft

    Travesty to skip NOLA! Theres only one place I know of so far that I would travel 100s of miles for FOOD and that's New Orleans, heaven help me, I always want to cry when I leave. Seriously, for something as simple as red beans and rice to be so outrageously delicious, it has to be the voodoo, and that's just one of the humble dishes at the base of the pyramid. That's not even mentioning the architecture, rich history, music and booze spilling out of every door, and the wonderful people.
    Please reconsider your route and go there.

    Also, as an Angelino, I have to confess food is one of the irresistible gravitational pulls that keeps me here. I lived a few hours north for a while and thought I was going to starve. Not to brag, but we have everything, and rival Mexico's Mexican food! You can have $1 street tacos all day, different styles, different regional variations. All the funky animal parts, which I don't really go for, but people love it. Cuban, Salvadoran, Peruvian, if it's Latin, it's here, and it's cheap and delicious.

    We also have areas concentrated with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese communities, and of course all their beautiful contributions to the culinary landscape. Vietnamese is my favorite, but men seem to love the KBQ.
    (That's just the cheap food. There's a whole gastro pub, specialty/vegan, and fancy snobby food scene too)

    Tragic Caveat at the moment of course is that without big events, you probably won't get to experience our famous "danger dogs" (may be for the best lol) but...
    the traditional dining houses are shut down, and stuff like dim sum and Korean BBQ is very much a dine in communal experience, but restaurants are adapting heroically, and you certainly won't have a dull moment food wise. You just might be eating on the sidewalk. Some of the best has always been served illegally off a fold out table in front of a transmission shop anyway 😂

    Hopefully the universe blesses us with some competent leadership and the scourge is under control by the time you are here.
    On that subject, go for natural beauty here (Pacific coast highway, Griffith Park observatory) skip the traps (Hollywood walk of fame, Venice Beach)
    I can give specific recommendations, but LA is big and depends what neighborhood you're in. Googling "food near me" and applying filters for cheap and less than 1 mile will always render the happiest experiences. Happy road tripping!

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    @biancalovecraft You've just described Fairfax, VA : ) First of all, i'm NOT a picky eater. I could go to Taco Bell every day, but now and then Taco Bamba is worth the extra $. Authentic street tacos and as you described, all kinds of crazy stuff. I had to get used to soft corn as I prefer crunchy corn or soft flour. But they sure are delish. We too are very multicultural here and you no longer have to go to DC to find any kind of food from any part of the world. Finding foods from other countries is easy. It's finding the iconic foods from each state that I'm going for on this trip. The deep dish pizza in Chicago, the smothered burritos in Santa Fe, still have a lot of reading to do but all the suggestions are getting noted. Thank you! Gonna get me some illegally sold food! lol Yeah and food trucks can be amazing too

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    @biancalovecraft Oh, and me too! I LOVE Pho!! And a Vietnamese friend even told me how to say it right. He said just say it like you're saying F&*k :o

  • biancalovecraftbiancalovecraft

    @AceCuddlerMike glad you have the good stuff at home. I'm amazed that just a few hours from LA it basically turns in to a Denny's for miles.

    the iconic LA foods are definitely danger dogs 😂 but Huaraches are also notable, and of course soft corn street tacos. I used to be like you, but when you get a good enough fresh corn tortilla, it changes you.
    Baja style is amazing and worth stepping in to a building for, especially alongside some cold mariscos! We do have a huge food truck culture as well. First was Kogi Korean fusion tacos truck people went legitimately crazy for. The cops would have to chase them out of neighborhoods because of the crowds.
    San Gabriel neighborhood has the awesome pho!
    Monterey Park has the awesome dim sum!
    All of the east valley is stuffed with amazing Mexican.
    How fun! Wish I was going somewhere! Would love to see this thread updated along your route so we can all explore with you from our house cells 😉

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike
    edited July 2020

    Oooh, I would have to begin net surfing on my phone to do that. I've never even accessed this website from my phone. I type way too slow with two thumbs and those keys are way too tiny. Maybe I can take my laptop

  • [Deleted User]verona (deleted user)

    Gettysburg

  • ElliotMacLeodElliotMacLeod

    Assuming you are taking 440/40 through Tennessee? I live in Nashville and used to live in OKC so feel free to message for ideas

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