Recommended stops on cross country trip?

August 1, 2021 7:19 AM

I am about to drive cross country from Charlotte to Anaheim am and looking for places to go and things to see. This is a one-way trip and I'll be making it over the course of one week. I'm not a big camper (not against it though) and probably will be booking hotels throughout. Google suggested two routes - one through AR, OK, and NM and a more southern route through TX, NM, and AZ. One thing that interests me about the southern rote is that I'll be able to see some MLB stadiums I've never been to (Braves, Rangers, Diamondbacks). But I'm also interested in nice drives, and remote areas that have cool things to offer that I wouldn't otherwise know about (the Four Corners monument in NM seems like it may be worth a stop). Also love good food, breweries, etc. Any suggestions are much appreciated! :)
posted by matt755811 to Travel & Transportation (14 answers total)

The OK route would take you through downtown Oklahoma City, where there are a bunch of great breweries/taprooms: Prairie, Stonecloud, Angry Scotsman, Elk Valley, Twisted Spike, Anthem, Skydance. Also, The Wedge has great pizza. The Museum of Osteology is a bit out of your way, but it's very fun to visit.
posted by neushoorn at 7:36 AM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

I just spent a weekend in Santa Fe and it's gorgeous and the food was fantastic. Also seconding Oklahoma City as a neat place. I've driven most of both routes, I think, and for nice views I'd take the more northern route - I-10 is just not all that exciting and there is a lot, no, more than that, really a LOT of West Texas and it's all the same. If you're looking at I-40 through NM to Bakersfield-ish it's a very pretty drive plus you miss the loop around LA.
posted by restless_nomad at 8:00 AM on August 1, 2021

If you opt for the southern route, after Tucson, I'd stay on I-8 (save for the detour to Ajo) into California, then take 111 up past the Salton Sea and the desert cities and hop back on I-10 after Palm Springs.

Tucson has a great craft brewing scene. Ajo and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument are incredible and well worth going a bit out of your way for. Ajo is a gorgeous little town (I stayed at the Sonoran Desert Inn, a super cool converted elementary school) and Organ Pipe is INCREDIBLE. Great hikes and scenic drives, and it's totally uncrowded even In These Times.

The drive along the Salton Sea is fascinating, and full of interesting and weird art stops -- Bombay Beach and Salvation Mountain in particular. The drive along 74/243 in the Palm Springs area is spectacular, and it'll get you out of the extremely hot valley.

I also really enjoyed El Paso! El Paso Street, near downtown, is awesome, and UTEP is one of the coolest campuses I've ever walked around (the architecture is Bhutanese-ish?? So cool).

I don't know how soon you're going, but the southern route will be extremely, extremely hot in August, so do bear that in mind. On the northern route Santa Fe and OK City are indeed worth a visit, though I'm not sure I agree that I-40 is any nicer than I-10, scenery-wise. Lots of scrub.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:28 AM on August 1, 2021 [5 favorites]

Seconding the I-40 route, esp. in summer. I would spend my time in Santa Fe and ABQ just to get more green chile burritos in my belly. You'll be in brewery heaven in either town (of course, you'll want to spend the night, don't drink and drive...)

It wouldn't be a huge detour to go through Dallas if you really want to see Globe Life Field, then head up thru Wichita Falls to I-40. Or cut up thru Carlsbad and Roswell, or maybe even thru the mountain town of Ruidoso.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:43 AM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

The Albuquerque Isotopes Stadium is a delightful jewel
posted by olopua at 10:16 AM on August 1, 2021

Thirding I-40 in the hot, humid (did I mention hot?) summer.
Bring a Coleman ice chest full of water, ice packs, cooling towels, whatever will get you through a scorcher day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. A folding chair and a battery-operated personal fan are nice for a break to let the vehicle engine cool off. Bring sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses and a hat. Keep your cell phone charged and the numbers for AAA and emergency services available in case you get a flat or the car overheats.
Yes, it gets hot on I-40. But there are lots of cool little towns, some of which are still open and friendly this summer in spite of the pandemic. Don't expect Wal-Mart and MacDonald's to be open all night for bathroom breaks. Some of the travel centers will be open, some will not.
Remember spare face masks and hand sanitizer.
Watch for speed traps. Slow down and enjoy the beautiful south and southwest in all its glory.
The night sky is glorious.
posted by TrishaU at 10:35 AM on August 1, 2021

If archeology is of any interest, Chaco Canyon is closer to the I-40 than the four corners and is genuinely awesome, even if you don't know anything about it ahead of time. Petrified Forest National Park is also really neat and literally beside of the highway on your southern route.
posted by eotvos at 10:43 AM on August 1, 2021 [2 favorites]

(Sorry - the above should say "northern route," assuming you're choosing between the 40 and the 10.)
posted by eotvos at 10:50 AM on August 1, 2021

I'm doing almost the exact same thing, but in reverse and later in the year. My plan is to head to Santa Fe then Tucson, staying a few days in each place to see the sights (including Meow Wolf!). Then I'll head up to Denver. I have a lot of friends to see but there are many gorgeous places to visit near there as well, like Estes National Park, Red Rocks, and Garden of the Gods. You have to go north at some point anyway, and Denver wins over Oklahoma City for me at least.

Then I'm long hauling it to St Louis, staying the night, and heading to NC immediately. I'll be watching this thread with interest!

I've also driven from Denver to SoCal, though the desert in summer. It is hot, but if your car is in decent shape and has AC, you'll be fine. I mean, yeah, be prepared, but I didnt have to stop.to let the engine cool down or anything.
posted by ananci at 12:52 PM on August 1, 2021

If you stop in Little Rock, get a room in the Capital Hotel and take the streetcar over the river to Brood and Barley, a gastropub run by a local microbrewery (if you're looking for a cheaper place to stay, there's the Firehouse Hostel, which has an even smaller brewery nearby). You'll get a decent view of Dickey-Stephens Park (where the minor-league Arkansas Travelers play) on the way, but it's an easy walk if you want a better one. On your way out in the morning, stop for breakfast at @ The Corner (closer to the hotel) or The Root Cafe (closer to the hostel), two of the best breakfast spots in town. If you stick around long enough to visit a second brewery, make it Lost Forty.
posted by box at 12:57 PM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

Memphis Tennessee, bridge over the Midsissippi River. After Amarillo, Texas go North up to The Hubble Trading post at Ganado, Arizona, look over the edge of or take a~ $50 tour of Canyon de Chelly, go up to Monument Valley and see The Mittens. While down at the 40, see the Petrified Forest, the Arizona Meteor Crater, (Starman was partly filmed there.) See some Suguaro Cactus, go over from Monument Valley to see the South Rim of The Grand Canyon. See Sedona, go to Anaheim from there. I have some of this backwards. (Go north after the Petrified Forest, and Meteor Crater.)
posted by Oyéah at 4:38 PM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

Oyeah's idea is not bad --> I40 to Flagstaff, then south to Sedona to Phoenix (really fun drive if it's not too crowded) and the Phoenix to Blythe to Palm Springs route though the boring desert part of CA (either I40 or I10 = it's all dull) is slightly more interesting than the Barstow to Riverside to Anaheim drive.

Flagstaff is a nice stop too - so different than the rest of the journey from New Mexico all the way to the CA coast. And's it's not too far from the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I'll be making that drive (opposite direction) this upcoming weekend.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:26 AM on August 2, 2021

BTW: speaking of hot - my car's outside temperature gauge got to 122F back in June though the desert portion. So expect it to be around that, if not a bit worse, if you are traveling in August. If your car has A/C it's no big deal, but when you stop and get out it hits you like a wall of ovens.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:31 AM on August 2, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: You guys are awesome, thanks for all the suggestions and tips. Thought I'd give a quick status on how it's going so far. Traveling alone can be daunting but there's also a freedom to it that feels awesome. First stop was Asheville - went to the AC Hotel roof to see the sunset and just walked downtown for awhile (got a beer at Wicked Weed). The drive to Knoxville was awesome but treacherous. Wasn't ready for all those twists and turns. In Knoxville went to Holly's Gourmet Market & Cafe (loved it!) and walked around the UT athletic fields. Drive to Chattanooga was beautiful and while there hit Basecamp, UJ's, Bitter Alibi, Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint, walked over the bridge, and shopped a little on the waterfront. Today was a long day. Started at Muscle Shoals and toured both FAME and Sound Studios (best part of trip so far) and headed straight to Memphis - hated having only one day in Memphis. Turns out I probably could've stayed longer (making better time than I expected). But while in Memphis ate BBQ on Beale St, walked down Main St, took a great pic of an Penny Hardaway poster I'd never seen (yup lol), took a picture of Mud Island because I'm a huge fan of the movie The Firm (yup again), stopped at Gus's and had some chicken, and took a few pics of The Lorraine Motel. I loved the drive to Little Rock - just completely flat and pretty calm. Had a good playlist going. Now I'm in Little Rock and I plan to use all your suggestions from Okla City all the way to NM. Thanks everyone! :)
posted by matt755811 at 6:05 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]