What are the must see places for a cross country trip?

Question

I'm going from Southern California to New York. Any ideas??

Thanks!

Answer 1

just to keep you going in the same direction :
Plan A from SOCAL
Take I-40 E to Williams AZ make a left
take SR 64 to the Grand Canyon
Continue on 64 out of the Park At Desert View[ east rim Drive] to the jct of US 89 N
Left on 89 to the Jct of US 160- 12 miles- right on 160 through Tuba City and onto Kayenta AZ while crossing the entire Navajo Nation
At K-town you have a decision to make:
if you continue on 160 it will take you to Four Corners, Mesa Verde NP, and over the Rockies , you will wind up on I-25 around 170 miles south of Denver
If you make the left at K-town on US 163 it will take you through Monument Valley and then onto the jct of US 191
take 191 N to moab UT and Arches NP
Then 191 N to I-70 E thru Grand Junction over the Rockies - a really high crossing and onto Denver where you look for I-76 E to the Jct of I-80 at Julesberg Nebraska
Plan B to I-70 and yes I have driven all of this many times
From SOCAL take I-15 N through Vegas and get off at Utah exit
15 -SR9 take 9 thru Hurricane -get gas at the Maverick station you're about to drive thru the big emptys
Take 9 thru Zion NP and uphill to the jct of US 89 make a left
when you get to the Jct of SR 12 make a right and into Bryce NP
Follow I2 out of Bryce heading north
This route is 3 dimensional, mostly 2 lane high speed and is absolutley gorgeous- do it daylight
take 12 to the jct of sr 24 east at Torrey UT
Right on 24 through Capitol Reef NP and stay on 24 thru Hanksville UT -last gas for 80 miles - all the way to the jct of I-70 E follow prior directions to Denver
In Nebraska there is an old Pony Express Stop at exit 211
and the stretch of I-80 from Ogallalla to Grand Island follows the N.Platte River and thus the Oregon Trail -someting to thing about
not much going in in NE or IA however when you get to Ottawa Il there is a place just south of the interstate called buffalo rock state park and one of the cool thinks about it is a series of locks that raises and lowers vessels on the Illinois river- a good place to chill if you need one and there is camping at nearby starved rock SP
If you have time and have never seen Chicago , it's worth the detour,
take 55 North from Joliet it will take you straight to lake michigan.
if it's getting late use exit 279 N there ar a bunch of reasonably priced motels on it
for breakfast stop by the Blueberry hill restaurant in downtown La Grange IL - on the right 2 lights before the train tracks
leaving chicago - down the dan Ryan ,past Comisky
.use the Skway to take you to the Indiana Toll Rd

Answer 2

So much of this answer, of course, depends on several factors: how much time do you have, how much money do you have, how are you traveling, where are you planning on staying and what are your interests in life?

My husband and I made the trip many years ago, in the opposite direction -- taking 3 months to do it, tent camping most of the time -- and still feel we did not do it justice!! But we are naturalists, birders and spelunkers, so you can just imagine what our list of "sights" was like.

Some I've noticed that were missing: White Sands, New Mexico // Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah // Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona // Crater Lake, Oregon // Wind Cave, S. Dakota // Jewel Cave, S. Dakota.

I think you get the point (LOL!!)

On the other hand, if you are a "foodie", you might try a "Feasting of Asphalt" road-trip like Alton Brown did this past summer (from Georgia to California) -- try visiting FoodNetwork.com for inspiration on that idea. Just stay off the main highways and keep an eye out for true, old-time diners, mom & pop restaurants, and kitschy stuff like that.

And for the ultimate "bizarre" road trip -- try a search on Guiness Book of Records for largest roadside -- then visit all the biggest things standing around on the side of the road!! Tall Paul Bunyans, biggest frying pans, largest fake chickens, biggest fake dinosaurs -- you name it, it's out there -- go see it!!

So -- who are? What do YOU want to visit? Whatever it is -- have a great time doing it.

Answer 3

Denver may be the perform where the shine can sunlight 300 days of year. Denver is a successful cultural world, varied neighborhoods, and natural beauty combine for the world's many spectacular playground and with hotelbye you can see how to get there. Denver is the place for: World-class attractions, natural miracles, successful arts world, dozens of impressive and acclaimed restaurants and nightlife options galore. Denver definitly first got it all. In Denver you can look at the Mount Evans and the Mount Evans Highway. The Mount Evans Highway is just a seasonal road that is closed all through the winter months

Answer 4

What all are you looking for? Must see the
Las Vegas, NV; Grand Canyon, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Santa Fe, NM. Into Colorado, beautiful state. Up into SD, must see Mt. Rushmore and the badlands. East into Minnesota, land of a thousand lakes. Wisconsin, home of the farmers and lots of small box canyons from the last ice age. Chigago, can't forget "shy-town". At this point you will have seen Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Keep going East and see the other 3 Great Lakes. From this point of your trip, there has been desert, mountains, prairies, lakes, more mountains, and historic sites. Have fun and drive safely. This is a great country we have. Everyone should see it.

Answer 5

Well in Southern California:Bishop, CA Santa Barbara, CA Solvang, CA Lake Tahoe, CA San Francisco, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ Sedona, AZ, Lake Havasu, AZ, Lake Mead, NV, Frakenmuth, Michigan (thats a must see) that is where the largest Year round Christmas Store in all the world is located. Its called Bronners Christmas Wonderland and then head over to Zehnders Restaurant for a great meal. Then also go up to Traverse City, Michigan on the tip of Lake Michigan.

Answer 6

The Utah Salt flats, for sure. If you hop on I-70 sometime south of there, and take it into Colorado, the drive through there is spectacular, with lots of canyons and mountains. You will enter into Colorado in a town called Grand Junction. This town is absolutely breathtaking as well. Definitely drive through until Denver, cause the mile-high city, is also a must see. You might as well skip over Kansas, cause it is the most boring state to drive through, much like Nevada. So, if you could skip these two states altogether, you'd be totally glad ya did. Oh, yeah, and being from the Southern Illinois/Southern Indiana/Wester Kentucky region, you might want to skip over that, too, cause it's nothing but forrests and cornfields through here. definitely check out Western Virginia (that's WESTERN VIRGINIA, not West Virginia). The mountains through there are pretty awesome as well. Have fun and be safe!

Answer 7

Unsure of the route that you are taking, but some of my favorite places are Austin TX, New Mexico's scenic drive is so beautiful!!
The River bend in CO, the Grand Canyon is a must see. I thought its going to be boring, I have seen the pictures my whole life.On the east coast Cape May, New Jersey. I have a few secrets of really cool beach spots, sorry I can't have everyone knowing where they are. Here is a hint that may lead you somewhere really cool, research Jim Carey's favorite places... Watch the movie ELIZABETH TOWN, you will get pumped to go. Like you will when you first get to NY. Then it gets really familiar and you will start seeing the same people all the time. Its a fun place! America the beautiful, O spacious skies you are going to have a long drive! Have a blast, and be safe Mr.Danger.

Answer 8

Natural Wonders in the USA.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Canyonlands, Utah,
Yosemite, Wyoming,
Grand Tetons, Wyoming
The mighty Mississippi River.
Chicago and Lake Michigan.
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to name a few places.

Answer 9

the Richard Petty Museum, The King of NASCAR 200 NASCAR WINS,Retired in 1992, See his Famous 1970 Plymouth Super bird and his 1967 Plymouth Belvader that he Won 27 Strait Win's in 1967 and His fathers , Lee Petty, and The Late Son Of Kile Petty Adam Petty, and Check out the Victory Junction Set up , where petty turned 5 thousand acres into homes and play ground for kids with life threatening ailments and can live the rest of there live out on his property and the family's as well, Great Charity Organizations,In Charlotte North Carolina , also the Smithsonian Institutes and See the the 200th Win Car of Richard Petty, and many other vehicles and neet stuff as well, good luck have a nice trip

Answer 10

Las Vegas, NV; San Antonio, TX (Riverwalk/ Alamo area); Austin, TX (night clubs); Dallas, TX(stay away from south park); Memphis, TN (Beale Street & Graceland); Giant City, IL; CHICAGO, IL (Millenium Park, Water Tower Place, Greek Town - for great food & Giordano's in GT for great pizza, Excalibur Night Club, Al Capone Tours); Indianapolis, IN (for night clubs); Cleveland, OH (if you can catch a game and you can eat and shop nearby at Tower City Mall, also check out The Flatts - it's their riverfront - just watch your purse/wallet in "Da Land" ); Phillidelphia, PA; NEW YORK.

Answer 11

When I turned twenty, the travel bug bit me. I sold all my belongings and traveled from Miami, Florida all the way to New York and then to Las Vegas in a span of three years. It was AMAZING. Here are some cities I HIGHLY recommend in no particular order:

Miami, Florida
Las Vegas, NV
Boston, Mass.
Rochester, NY
Altlanta, Ga
San Bernandino, CA
Albequerque, New Mexico
Greensboro, NC
Raleigh, NC
Syracuse, NY
Salt Lake City, Utah
And thats about it I think. :)