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

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mr danger

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

Little J

Went cross country twice ... From Boston to Los Angeles ... 2 1/2 weeks and Los Angeles to Washington D.C... 2 weeks ... LOVED IT! ... Stopped at a lot of national parks and other places out of the blue ... Some may be out of your way if you are in a hurry to go to New York ... Best way to save your money is to stay with relatives / friends along the route you are going ... Or go camping at KOA campground ...

Go to AAA office (if you are a member) and ask for the best routes to go to New York ... Study the map and find places nearby and research online ... Before the Internet, my dad asked for all the tour books and we all looked through the tour books and labeled the pages ... Today my husband and I research online for places to see along the route.

Best place to see are:

Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonland National Park (all in Utah)

Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Devils Tower National Park (all in Wyoming)

Mt. Rushmore National Park, Crazy Horse, Badlands, Black Hills (all in South Dakota)

Drive 8 hours a day ... Good luck!

Sufi

GRAND CANYON is #1
carlsbad caverns
rocky mountains - estes park
mississippi river (memphis has beale street, graceland and Martin Luther King museum also)
chicago (sears tower)
south padre island
blue ridge mountains/adirondacks
niagra falls
lake erie, lake michican, etc
go to state and federal parks, wildlife refuges, etc.
try camping there
..............
hot springs, arkansas
ozarks (missouri)
big bend nat'l park in texas
hit mexico; go across the border
hit canade on the north near NY. Montreal is very near NY.
caves and caverns like meramec caverns etc.
civil war battlefields
well start there...

J T

Rocky Mountains; Grand Canyon; Smokey Mountains; Gettysburg; Antietam; Valley Forge; The Smithsonian; The Culinary Institute of America in upstate NY; NJ Turnpike; Lincoln Tunnel; George Washington Bridge; Chicago; Museum of Natural History in NY; FAO Schwartz in NY; Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY; Falling Waters in PA.

Well, here are a few from a history loving, nature loving, gourmet food loving traveller.

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Branson, Missouri (Strip, Silver Dollar City, Cirque, Dixie Stampede)
Hot Springs, Arkansas (hot springs spas)
Eureka Springs, Arkansas (downtown, national parks)
St.Louis, Missouri ( Arch, zoo)
Chicago, Illinois ( Sear Towers, China Town, Downtown)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ( 1995 Bombing memorial)

a little out of your way:
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (rent a bike for a day or two)

sabrinarae77

If you love the outdoors go to Glacier National Park in Northern Montana. It might be out of the way, but it is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. Memphis is a great place if you haven't seen Graceland, Beale Street or the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. St. Louis has a TON of cool things to do, many of which are free (the art museum, the zoo, the science center, the Budweiser Brewery Tour, Grant's Farm). The one thing I wouldn't miss in St. Louis is the City Museum - not at all what it sounds like. Imagine climbing up mega structures and sliding down three story slides and watching a circus and exploring tunnels and caves... just go to their website, it was the coolest thing we did in St. Louis. And eat frozen custard at Ted Drews.

Yahzmin (US)

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.

blueyes2001

Drive up the state of CA and see the Redwood trees in CA
Then go to WA and visit Mt Rainier, WA
Cut back through the Grand Canyon
Go through the Blue Ridge Parkway VA
The go up the coast of Outer Banks of NC
and through the Chesapeake Bridge & Tunnel

No matter what you do just enjoy this beautiful country of ours.

mda2000

Go to Yahoo Visitor Guide and look at the states and cities you will be travelling through. You can see what each city has to offer and find was best suits you. It's better to do a little research on this as it is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip, so you better enjoy it all you can. Don't let other people make your mind up for you.

Angela

Go to Expedia.com for travel tips on the 100 best places to visit in the USA.

Maisa

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.

Lori Cravatt

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.

jamesekyler

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.

lightningfastfords

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

hrhtheprincessofeire

If you are coming through Tennessee, I definitely think Memphis would be a good stop -- go to Graceland just cause it's cheezy and you can say you did. Also in Tennessee, you should try to hit the Natchez Trace, it's a beautiful pass, particularly in the fall. In that general area you are on the way to Nashville, which has it's cool points.
have a great trip!

Mr. T, formerly known as Shadow.

Yah. Grand canyon, and any sunsets you can manage on the grand canyon. Amazing, at least for me. Oh and make a detour to DC, seriously it a really nice place. Just go on the off season, and don't go through SE at night if you can avoid it. I live here in DC, so I know. You want history or government, or even if you just want to be a tourist, go to DC.

COURTNEY

Red River Colorado. A definate must see! Also go to the St. James Hotel in New Mexico!!

OR1234

Here's a good book and web page. It might give you some good ideas.

http://www.roadtripusa.com/

wash_yer_nuts

If you see any signs for an "African Safari" or anything that begins with "World's Largest..." I suggest you do it and bring your camera!

They make for pretty halarious photos..

waitin2xhail2

This is a chance of a life time for you! I would use an atlas for your pre travel plans, then study the states your gonna cross and find the most interesting things about that particular state to see. You can aways stray off course if another state close by has something totally awesome. OH, if I were you I would take a tent with minimal supplies, but most of all enjoy! Life is too short. It goes back to the old saying..."Don't forget to stop and smell the roses."

Tex

The smokie Mountians is a must see it is a beatiful place, i always enjoy going threw cleveland Tn and up threw the national park there. we always stay at a beatiful place called Camp Ocoee, they have a wonderful lodge and cabins that you can stay in and look over the lake and the beauty.

Tex

William R

Crater Lake, Oregon

Valerie

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.

Moe Szyslak

The Springfield Gorge and that potato that's shaped like a rock. And the Great Tire Fire, that heap of tires has been burning since 1983.

Albannach

Tired of the usual "touristy" places? Try the link below.

Amanda K

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!

â™¥Spiky Sandyâ™¥

Arizona, Nevada, and Utah were fantastic when we were there this summer. Don't miss the Grand Canyon! What a wonder to behold.

bisquedog

The Black Canyon or Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado Crazy Horse mountain and Sturgis S.D. Also the Black Hills while your in S.D. If you go into WI. Check out Cave of the Mounds Little Norway and Wisconsin Dells.

Trigger

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.

ggmsixer

just sit back and enjoy the scenery,,,this is a beautiful country and you'll see alot without even planning too. when we drove out to california 3 years back,,we didn't have a plan on what to stop and see and we ended up seeing awhole lot,,,,,,we went from indiana to so cal to see my family.

kapute2

you have to see the Carlsbad Caverns, in New Mexico

What are the must see places for a cross country trip? pic 1
What are the must see places for a cross country trip? pic 2

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