- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Road Trip Itinerary?
Posted on 12/19/23 at 10:14 pm
Posted on 12/19/23 at 10:14 pm
Looking to go on a road trip this summer. In the early planning stage and was wondering if anyone has any experience or itineraries from a similar trip they have gone on in the past? Preferably going west from Baton Rouge into New Mexico and Arizona to see national parks that way but not opposed to other parts of the country. Thinking about being gone for 12-15 days but not positive on that.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 4:39 am to lsutiger_2002
We flew from NOLA to flagstaff years back. Rented an RV and spent two weeks visiting parks. That would be what I’d suggest. You’d lose so much time driving through Texas and you can enjoy more time in the park by staying in the camp grounds.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 7:55 am to lsutiger_2002
Through Death Valley up 395 to Lake Tahoe is my favorite drive in America.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 8:04 am to lsutiger_2002
quote:
west from Baton Rouge into New Mexico and Arizona to see national parks
It's worth getting into southern Utah as well, probably my favorite place for a road trip. Arches, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Zion.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 8:08 am to Gaston
quote:
Through Death Valley up 395 to Lake Tahoe is my favorite drive in America.
That one's good too. We flew into Vegas and did it from there. Yosemite was gorgeous as always but horribly crowded; so we went up and explored Lassen instead and that was a nice change. Pushed on to Redwoods, almost to Oregon, and then down the Cali coast to Big Sur; and back.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 8:49 am to lsutiger_2002
we do a long road trip out west almost every year. But…we pick a city to fly in to and rent a vehicle
maybe we spend a little more money doing that but you don’t lose 4 days round trip driving to the first stop. Unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot to see between Louisiana and Colorado or Arizona or Utah (for example)
Denver, phoenix, SLC, Seattle, SF etc are all good starting points
maybe we spend a little more money doing that but you don’t lose 4 days round trip driving to the first stop. Unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot to see between Louisiana and Colorado or Arizona or Utah (for example)
Denver, phoenix, SLC, Seattle, SF etc are all good starting points
Posted on 12/20/23 at 9:01 am to lsutiger_2002
Start snapping up campground reservations. They already opened for some of the parks. I know great sand dunes is already booked for the whole summer.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 9:10 am to Tigris
quote:this is a fantastic suggestion for a two week road trip that never runs out of things to see and do, and doesn’t require a ton of complicated planning. Plus it is easily one of the most beautiful and interesting places on the planet
It's worth getting into southern Utah as well, probably my favorite place for a road trip. Arches, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Zion.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 10:50 am to lsutiger_2002
We did one a couple of years ago that was a lot of fun:
Left on a Thursday evening and drove to Tyler, TX just to get a head start.
Day 1 Drove Tyler to Amarillo - Ate at the famous steakhouse, went to the Cadillac Ranch
Day 2 Drove to Santa Fe - Meow Wolf, Shed, Bandelier Monument, hung out in the square
Day 3 Drove to Pagosa Springs, CO (Spent 3 nights at the Springs Resort) white water rafting (San Juan and Animas Rivers), the steam train to Durango, hiked to Opal Lake, relaxed in the Spring hot tubs.
Day 6 Drove to Amarillo - did several hikes in the Palo Duro Canyon
Day 7 Drove to Dallas - Did the video game museum, Cowboys practice facility, dinner and show at Medieval Times.
Day 8 Drove back to BR
I did it with 3 kids ages 4, 6, and 8. They loved it. It seems like a lot of driving but we woke up early, ate breakfast at the hotel, and were at our next destination for lunch each day.
Left on a Thursday evening and drove to Tyler, TX just to get a head start.
Day 1 Drove Tyler to Amarillo - Ate at the famous steakhouse, went to the Cadillac Ranch
Day 2 Drove to Santa Fe - Meow Wolf, Shed, Bandelier Monument, hung out in the square
Day 3 Drove to Pagosa Springs, CO (Spent 3 nights at the Springs Resort) white water rafting (San Juan and Animas Rivers), the steam train to Durango, hiked to Opal Lake, relaxed in the Spring hot tubs.
Day 6 Drove to Amarillo - did several hikes in the Palo Duro Canyon
Day 7 Drove to Dallas - Did the video game museum, Cowboys practice facility, dinner and show at Medieval Times.
Day 8 Drove back to BR
I did it with 3 kids ages 4, 6, and 8. They loved it. It seems like a lot of driving but we woke up early, ate breakfast at the hotel, and were at our next destination for lunch each day.
This post was edited on 12/20/23 at 11:27 am
Posted on 12/20/23 at 11:45 am to lsutiger_2002
Hwy 50 across Colorodo is really pretty. From Pueblo to Grand Junction.
That Hwy across NV, the loneliest rd. in America is cool as well, GET GAS and SUPPLIES every time you see it.
As others said. May be worth flying and renting a car depending on where you want to see.
That Hwy across NV, the loneliest rd. in America is cool as well, GET GAS and SUPPLIES every time you see it.
As others said. May be worth flying and renting a car depending on where you want to see.
Posted on 12/21/23 at 9:39 am to GabeK
If you are going to drive west on I-10 stop off at Balmorhea State Park west of San Antonio. They have a huge spring fed pool that is great. Then go north to the Gaudelupe Mountains and Carlsbad. Just northwest of there head into the southern New Mexico mountains. Cloudcroft and Ruidoso are really great. Then head up the spine to northern New Mexico into Colorado.
Balmorhea
Ruidoso
Balmorhea
Ruidoso
Posted on 12/21/23 at 10:53 am to lsutiger_2002
Nov 2022 I rented an RV and did about 4000 miles with the western most portion of the trip at Grand Canyon. My dad was military so I had some nastaulgic reasons to visit NM sand we had 3 kids so we drove. We went to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, white sands national Park, etc and spent some time in NM that was great road tripping.
I would not suggest driving and probably won’t again. Texas is vast and really a waste of time unless you want to visit stuff there. Kansas and Colorado also. It’s just a lot of time just to get there or back.
I’d find a cheap flight to anywhere on your route and just do a circle or whatever.
We stopped in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Gran Canyon, antelope Canyon, Zion NP, Bryce NP, Moab, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, then Denver for Thanksgiving with my sister and home. We had 17 nights I think. Fantastic trip. But it was A LOT of driving.
I would not suggest driving and probably won’t again. Texas is vast and really a waste of time unless you want to visit stuff there. Kansas and Colorado also. It’s just a lot of time just to get there or back.
I’d find a cheap flight to anywhere on your route and just do a circle or whatever.
We stopped in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Gran Canyon, antelope Canyon, Zion NP, Bryce NP, Moab, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, then Denver for Thanksgiving with my sister and home. We had 17 nights I think. Fantastic trip. But it was A LOT of driving.
Posted on 12/21/23 at 12:00 pm to MintBerry Crunch
quote:
I know great sand dunes is already booked for the whole summer.
All national parks that I have been to allow booking 6 months in advance for individual camp sites, Great Sand Dunes included.
Posted on 12/21/23 at 12:46 pm to lsutiger_2002
I've done two 10-14 day trips out west from Atlanta. Now this was 15+ years ago.
Trip 1
Atlanta-->Paducah, KY; Paducah-->Lincoln, NE; Lincoln-->Cheyenne, WY. Spent three days in Cheyenne at the Frontier days (rodeo, state fair, etc.). Cheyenne-->Boulder, CO via Laramie, Ft. Collins, Rocky Mountain National Park. A couple of days in Boulder to see Denver and the surrounding area. Boulder-->Bryce Canyon City, UT for a day at Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon City-->Las Vegas. Walked the strip, went to Hoover Dam. Las Vegas-->Williams, AZ as a jumping off point to the Grand Canyon. Williams-->Albuquerque, NM with side trip to Petrified Forest NP. Albuquerque-->Ft. Smith, AR; Ft. Smith-->Atl.
Trip 2
Atlanta-->Columbia, MO; Columbia-->Mitchell, SD with a brief stop to see the falls in Sioux Fall, SD; Mitchell-->Gillette, WY with stops at Badlands NP and Mt. Rushmore; Gillette-->West Yellowstone, MT with a stop at Little Bighorn Battlefield and then via Bozeman. Time at Yellowstone/Grand Teton; West Yellowstone-->Missoula, MT to visit friends; Missoula--> Salt Lake City for a day; Salt Lake-->Denver; Denver-->Kansas City; KC-->Nashville; Nashville-->Atl.
Trip 1
Atlanta-->Paducah, KY; Paducah-->Lincoln, NE; Lincoln-->Cheyenne, WY. Spent three days in Cheyenne at the Frontier days (rodeo, state fair, etc.). Cheyenne-->Boulder, CO via Laramie, Ft. Collins, Rocky Mountain National Park. A couple of days in Boulder to see Denver and the surrounding area. Boulder-->Bryce Canyon City, UT for a day at Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon City-->Las Vegas. Walked the strip, went to Hoover Dam. Las Vegas-->Williams, AZ as a jumping off point to the Grand Canyon. Williams-->Albuquerque, NM with side trip to Petrified Forest NP. Albuquerque-->Ft. Smith, AR; Ft. Smith-->Atl.
Trip 2
Atlanta-->Columbia, MO; Columbia-->Mitchell, SD with a brief stop to see the falls in Sioux Fall, SD; Mitchell-->Gillette, WY with stops at Badlands NP and Mt. Rushmore; Gillette-->West Yellowstone, MT with a stop at Little Bighorn Battlefield and then via Bozeman. Time at Yellowstone/Grand Teton; West Yellowstone-->Missoula, MT to visit friends; Missoula--> Salt Lake City for a day; Salt Lake-->Denver; Denver-->Kansas City; KC-->Nashville; Nashville-->Atl.
Posted on 12/22/23 at 1:24 pm to lsutiger_2002
Unless you have a bunch of kids and/or can't afford it......fly into Vegas and rent a vehicle, drive around, and then fly home. That is A LOT of driving bro. Did this during covid and it was a great trip. Still drove about 1200 miles after landing in Vegas. Landscape and things to see/do in AZ was amazing. Salt Lake City was quite boring except for the dueling pianos at a bar downtown.:-) Good luck.
Posted on 12/23/23 at 9:06 pm to lsutiger_2002
I’ve done BR, San Antonio, Big Bend, Carlsbad, Guadalupe, Marfa, Ruidoso, Roswell, Dallas and BR..
That gets you Big Bend NP, Carlsbad NP, Guadalupe NP. Skiing if you are able. Desert hiking. Caverns.
This took us Saturday to the next Sunday or 9 days total. 2600 miles.
That gets you Big Bend NP, Carlsbad NP, Guadalupe NP. Skiing if you are able. Desert hiking. Caverns.
This took us Saturday to the next Sunday or 9 days total. 2600 miles.
This post was edited on 12/23/23 at 9:10 pm
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News