Where to stop on a road trip from Texas to Nevada?

September 5, 2009 2:33 PM

Road Trip Filter: Two guys driving from Corpus Christi, Tx to Las Vegas, Nv (passing through New Mexico and Arizona). What are some absolute "must see" or "must eat" places along the road?

I'm flying out with my friend to help him drive back an amazing car (Porsche GT3). We have about 1500 miles to cover and two days to do it in.

I'm looking for suggestions on great roads to drive (think smooth, wide, traffic-free), awesome places to eat, places we just must see or activities we can't pass up. Bonus points if there are any racetracks on the way we can stop at for some fun :D

Neither of us are really interested in sight seeing. To give you an idea of what we are looking for think partying on 6th st in Austin, eating anywhere Man vs Food has been, or getting to shoot assault rifles at a range (because we can't do that in cali).

Sorry for going with "anonymous" but I'd rather be safe than sorry....don't need the internet knowing who I am AND where I'll be :)

much thanks in advance!

posted by anonymous to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

If for the Texas part, you are going Corpus -> San Antonio -> I-10 to the Texas state line, I can say that I-10 is completely wide-open spaces with no traffic to mention. You will be tempted, driving a Porsche, to see just how fast it can go. But please, beware that you must reduce your speed to the speed limit around Ozona/Crockett County. They will give you a ticket, even though there is literally nothing and no cars for miles around.
posted by Houstonian at 2:54 PM on September 5

(Also Sonora, which is just east of Ozona. They average 48,000 tickets per year.)
posted by Houstonian at 3:00 PM on September 5

Seems there is street-legal racing at the San Angelo Dragway. That is only a short detour for you, and would be so very worth it -- that car goes 190 mph! I've not been there, but I did have a chance to drive a race car on a racetrack closer to me, and it was amazing. You have to wear a helmet (and I had to take a quick lesson in the gears, because it was a racecar, not my car), and they clock you and everything. Very, very fun.

You don't say when you are doing this, and I bet it's not April, but if it is (or can be) you might really be interested in the Big Bend Open Road Race. They open State Highway 285 up for racing for one day, which is just crazy-fun.
posted by Houstonian at 3:37 PM on September 5

Too bad you seem to be in a hurry, which means you'll likely take I-10. Most of that highway through West Texas tends to be hypnotically unappealing to most folks. (Me, I like desert...)
IF, however, you could take the time to drive U.S. Highway 90 through Del Rio to Sanderson to Marathon to Alpine to Marfa to El Paso, you'd see gorgeous mountains -- which most people who drive I-10 never know are part of the southern end of the Rockies. And you'd get the chance to eat at the Gage Hotel's restaurant in Marathon (excellent food although pricey); La Casita or Texas Fusion in Alpine (La Casita serves some of the best Tex-Mex in these parts, while Texas Fusion makes great burgers, BBQ and Tex-Mex); and Carmen's in Marfa (also great Tex-Mex...today I had their huevos rancheros and am soooo happy). And El Paso has good restaurants of all stripes.
Sorry, just had to address the "must eat" part. The raceway bit? I'm clueless.
posted by Smalltown Girl at 4:23 PM on September 5

If you're going to pass anywhere near Santa Fe NM on your way, you HAVE to go to Bobcat Bite. You won't regret it, it is the most magical burger I have ever eaten in my life*. They are open Wed-Sat only, cash only, but it is so, so worth it.

Get off I-25 at Old Las Vegas Highway, turn right at the Rodeo/Old Santa Fe Trail/Old Las Vegas Highway to stay on Old Las Vegas. Go like 6 or 7 miles, past the light, until you see a tall round thing at the top of one of the hills- BB will be immediately on your left.

*I was a (very smug) vegetarian for 8 years. Bobcat Bite brought me back into the carnivore fold, and kept me there.
posted by Aubergine at 4:30 PM on September 5

What Houstonian said about I10. The speed limit in much of that area about 1.5 hours west of SA is 80mph. But they'll pull you over for doing even a little over. I really wish the wikipedia article on Sonora had a citation about the number of tickets (I believe it, but I wish I could find out more detail)

I've gone from Austin to Las Vegas a several times to visit my mom in Vegas. For the most part, on the past trips I just get in the car and stop only for gas and to stretch my legs and don't many hotspots on the way over or back. I don't drive a Porsche, but my German sport sedan loves tearing up these roads and it can be difficult to keep the at the speed limit. Even with the notorious speed traps along I10, you can be cruising along at 85 and someone will come up and pass you like you're standing still.

I've taken the northern and southern routes several times:
a) heading northwest from Austin toward Abeline and Lubbock. Crossing over into New Mexico in Clovis then cutting up to I40 near Tucamcari and taking 40 until you hit US95 in Kingman up to Hoover Dam and then into the Vegas valley. At present there's a checkpoint as you approach the dam that can get backed up. Right as you leave Kingman heading north, there's a sign for a cutoff trucks must take but you can cut over to Laughlin then come up on US93 where it runs into 95 just outside Boulder City. If traffic it really bad at that checkpoint or the dam itself, they'll have a sign up recommending to take that alt route.

b) leave Austin going west on 290 through Fredricksburg until it runs into I10. Say on I10 forever it feels like until you go through New Mexico. Eventually you get to Phoenix where you can get on US95 to take it north to Kingman and the same routes into Las Vegas.

The I10 route is a little faster since it is mostly freeway with speed limits from 70-80 the whole route (and however faster you feel comfortable going). The downside is it is mind numbingly boring from about two hours outside of SA (when you go from the Hill Country into the desert) until you get to El Paso. Getting out of Texas seems to take all damn day no matter which route you take.

In the I40 route, the roads in Texas getting to New Mexico aren't freeway except a stretch near Abilene but the highways usually are 70mph but you have to slow down for little towns and cop speed traps along the way.

I'll usually alternate which way I go eliminate the boredom. (there's a third way I've gone where cut north in Las Cruces NM to ABQ to get to I40 and cut Tucson and Phoenix out of the trip).

The northern route has more mountains and changes of scenery where you can see more "Wile E Coyote" like rock formations if you want to get off the freeway and check out Monument Valley. Flagstaff is up in the mountains so you see pine trees and stuff. And of course the Grand Canyon is in that neighborhood.

There's some silly attractions -- off of I40 there's you'll see signs for miles for some rabbit themed curio shop. Not really worth stopping for unless you happen to need to make a pit stop. Thanks to the Eagles, Winslow AZ will want you to get off the freeway and check it out (yawn). Also, in NM and AZ there's opportunities to hope off I40 for historic rt 66 but most of it is yawnsville.

The southern I10 route has a similar themed THE THING attraction with signs up for miles in each direction wanting you to stop and see the mystery thing. I stopped once and walked through the museum. I'd spoil it and tell you what the THING is but I was so completely unimpressed I forgot what it was before I finished the Blizzard I bought at the Dairy Queen connected to the attraction.
posted by birdherder at 4:48 PM on September 5