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Started By
Message
Help me plan a 7 day SW US road trip with the wife
Posted on 9/15/22 at 1:55 pm
Posted on 9/15/22 at 1:55 pm
Just trying to make an interesting trip with some things to see, maybe a few short hikes, but mostly casual road trip that will lead time to do things that we see along the way.
My wife has never done the SW, so trying to give her a decent tour in 7 days.
Currently looking at
Alexandria, LA -> Austin, Texas
6 hrs 20 min
Austin, Texas -> Marfa, Texas
6 hrs 44 min
Marfa, Texas -> Alpine, Arizona
7 hrs 21 min
Apline, Arizona -> Grand Canyon
4hrs 40 min
Grand Canyon -> Durango, CO
5 hrs 30 min
Durango, CO -> Amarillo, TX
7 hrs 41 min
Amarillo, Texas -> Alexandria, LA
9 hrs 50 min
Any re-routes?
Really wanted to try go to work in some Utah (Zion and/or Bryce Canyon), but not sure if its feasible. We would have to extend our drive back to longer days.
My wife has never done the SW, so trying to give her a decent tour in 7 days.
Currently looking at
Alexandria, LA -> Austin, Texas
6 hrs 20 min
Austin, Texas -> Marfa, Texas
6 hrs 44 min
Marfa, Texas -> Alpine, Arizona
7 hrs 21 min
Apline, Arizona -> Grand Canyon
4hrs 40 min
Grand Canyon -> Durango, CO
5 hrs 30 min
Durango, CO -> Amarillo, TX
7 hrs 41 min
Amarillo, Texas -> Alexandria, LA
9 hrs 50 min
Any re-routes?
Really wanted to try go to work in some Utah (Zion and/or Bryce Canyon), but not sure if its feasible. We would have to extend our drive back to longer days.
15
Posted on 9/15/22 at 2:15 pm to Salmon
Man that is a lot of driving. Why not shorten it to Texas and Ruidosa area of New Mexico?
Would give more time for each location.
I used to like that hard riding, but I guess I am getting older.
Would give more time for each location.
I used to like that hard riding, but I guess I am getting older.
Posted on 9/15/22 at 2:54 pm to Salmon
what about flying to Albuquerque or something and starting from there? unless she is really dying for that Prada Marda instagram post
The first 1.5 days and the last are kind of a waste just getting across texas.
Or flying to flagstaff and do some day trips from there, grand canyon, sedona etc.
The first 1.5 days and the last are kind of a waste just getting across texas.
Or flying to flagstaff and do some day trips from there, grand canyon, sedona etc.
This post was edited on 9/15/22 at 2:55 pm
Posted on 9/15/22 at 2:58 pm to Salmon
Looks like all you will have time for is driving. 
Posted on 9/15/22 at 3:04 pm to Hermit Crab
quote:
The first 1.5 days and the last are kind of a waste just getting across texas.
Well the first night will be spent in Austin with her sister, so that is why I'm going that route
The route through Marfa can change, and we might would stay in Alpine or somewhere closer to Big Bend
I don't know. I think everyone should experience the drive across Texas at least once
Posted on 9/15/22 at 3:06 pm to Salmon
You need to knock Texas out in 1 day, and change the driving from 6-7 hours the first day to 12-16 hours. Listen to some podcast or something and get to a location where you can spend a couple of days.
Posted on 9/15/22 at 3:40 pm to slinger1317
quote:
Looks like all you will have time for is driving.
Exactly! You will see everything from a car and then have dinner and sleep. That sounds like a miserable trip!
Posted on 9/15/22 at 3:42 pm to LaLadyinTx
quote:
Exactly! You will see everything from a car and then have dinner and sleep. That sounds like a miserable trip!
The majority of the drives are 6ish hours. That's half a day
The only day that is a full day of driving is the last day where we will probably just want to get home anyways.
This post was edited on 9/15/22 at 3:44 pm
Posted on 9/15/22 at 3:51 pm to Salmon
quote:
Austin, Texas -> Marfa, Texas
6 hrs 44 min
Marfa, Texas -> Alpine, Arizona
7 hrs 21 min
Apline, Arizona -> Grand Canyon
4hrs 40 min
You should skip all this part. Unless you want to go to Big Bend or the Guadalupe Mountains, do go the southern Texas route. There's mostly nothing to see (literally 100's of miles of nothing) and you'd just be driving. Id'd just go to Amarillo or farther, if I could last longer and then stop and see something in Santa Fe or drive straight up to Durango the next day, if I intended on seeing Colorado. Colorado is a destination itself and really shouldn't be combined.
The alternative would be to do the Grand Canyon and some Utah parks.
But driving all across Texas for that many days...just don't. And please, please stay at least 2 nights where ever you go so that you can actually see something there besides the inside of a car.
Ok, so I see why you're going to Austin. So your idea of a road trip is to drive for 6-7 hours and actually see stuff for maybe 2?
Pick the things you'd like to see and do. Driving isn't a vacation. It's what you do to get to your vacation.
This post was edited on 9/15/22 at 3:53 pm
Posted on 9/15/22 at 5:11 pm to Salmon
quote:
Grand Canyon -> Durango, CO 5 hrs 30 min
The most direct route is via US 160 and takes you through Four Corners.
Instead take US160 and turn N on US163 in Kayenta, this will take you through Monument Valley to Mexican Hat. At Mexican Hat take 261 N to Moki Dugway
then East on 95 toward Blanding and Monticello and you can work your way toward Durango from the West if you're set on Durango. Mesa Verde is kinda on the way and worth the detour.
This post was edited on 9/16/22 at 9:52 am
Posted on 9/15/22 at 5:13 pm to LaLadyinTx
quote:
Pick the things you'd like to see and do. Driving isn't a vacation. It's what you do to get to your vacation.
It’s a road trip…
Posted on 9/15/22 at 6:19 pm to Salmon
Marfa kinda sucks, just so you know.
a little farther and you can be at chinati hot springs which is incredible and you won’t want to leave
if not, stop in alpine TX instead of marfa
a little farther and you can be at chinati hot springs which is incredible and you won’t want to leave
if not, stop in alpine TX instead of marfa
Posted on 9/15/22 at 7:01 pm to Salmon
quote:Most of our travels are road trips and we have found that staying two nights at most places works best for us. We’ll stay one night every now & then if we are just getting from point A to B on that part of the trip.
And please, please stay at least 2 nights where ever you go so that you can actually see something there besides the inside of a car.
We’ve also found that the actual travel time is longer than the map app time estimates. We do get off the interstate a lot but even when we don’t the trips take longer than the estimate.
Posted on 9/15/22 at 7:28 pm to Salmon
Lot of driving. Seven-day trip: I wouldn't leave Texas
Posted on 9/15/22 at 7:34 pm to Salmon
Need to try to find time for Bryce Canyon. It’s beautiful. Landscape amazing and you can drive through and make a few stops in half day if u don’t want to do any hiking.
Posted on 9/15/22 at 7:43 pm to Salmon
Just go for it and have fun. No matter what you'll never see everything there is to see.
Jump in the car and head out just stop when something looks fun.
Jump in the car and head out just stop when something looks fun.
Posted on 9/15/22 at 8:05 pm to Nodust
quote:
Jump in the car and head out just stop when something looks fun.
That is the plan. Just a chill trip with very little itinerary that might change on a whim.
I realize that might not be for everyone, but I’ve done this type of trip before and never have had a bad time and have had found some awesome places that I would have never found otherwise.
This post was edited on 9/15/22 at 8:06 pm
Posted on 9/15/22 at 8:52 pm to Salmon
I dont know. You can fly from LFT to Flagstaff in 6 hours for about $600. Just the gas to drive there and back is about $500-600. From Flagstaff you can do lot of the "southwest" with the extra 6 days of vacation time you gain.
On the other hand...to each his own.
On the other hand...to each his own.
This post was edited on 9/15/22 at 8:53 pm
Posted on 9/16/22 at 7:26 am to Salmon
Google maps
This post was edited on 11/10/23 at 7:48 am
Posted on 9/16/22 at 7:43 am to Salmon
quote:
I think everyone should experience the drive across Texas at least once
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