How should we drive cross-country?

My gf and I have decided to drive across the U.S. this summer. I'm American and have done this a couple of times before, but it was back in college which was a hell of a long time ago. She's Spanish and has only seen New York and San Francisco. The plan is to get from NY to LA at a leisurely pace. The idea is to see parts of the country that wouldn't be accessible without a car, for her to get to know the States better and for me, too. I've been almost to almost every state at some point, except for Montana and the Dakotas, so I can't really decide if we should take a northern route and see those or go more southern. I don't mind seeing stuff I've seen before, but I wanted to ask you guys what you thought we should do.

We've got, if we want, six weeks. Money isn't really an issue, although just for fun I want to split our time between camping, motels and nicer hotels. We've got friends we could stay with in Toronto, Kentucky and Austin, so we might try to work in some combination of those places.

So if you had a month or so to 'see America', what would you see?

The southwest route taking 40 through New Mexico and Arizona is the most beautiful IMO but it is very hot in the summer. Since you haven't been, I would take the northern route through the Dakotas and head over to Wasington and down the Pacific coastline to LA. Route 1 in CA through Big Sur is quite special.

I have done the northern route twice (long story) and while it's beautiful, you'll be looking at a lot of the same things; beautiful countryside. Besides the geographical center of north america, Rushmore, and of course the scenery, the Dakotas, Montana, and Idaho just won't have too many points of interest. I also did a more southern route, essentially driving a big U from Seattle to Binghampton, NY. There are a lot of pretty cool things with this route. The scenery is extremely diverse, there are tons of neat little towns, landmarks, and so on. Some of the best memories I have from that trip is my (now ex) girlfriend and I just "being locals" wherever we were, as opposed to pure, obvious sight seeing. If it were me, I would do the southern route. I remember in particular staying near Fort Sumner, NM and soaking up the Billy the Kid lore that is rich in that part of NM. Because of it's location, it's a part of Americana most people never see. Then again, a lot of that drive will bring you to places like this.

IIRC, our trip took over 2 months and we did much of the same, hotels some nights, tents other nights. Even, IIRC, a couple times in the car (we were driving one of those older Volvo station wagons so afforded us the "luxury" of a ready place to sleep) at rest stops.

I've gone most of the way in the north and the whole way in the south. hard to say, if you have to choose only one if the north or the south is the better way. you might zigzag a bit, espetially if you have time - go west via toronto to chicago, go south via memphis to new orleans, go west until vegas then north up the mountains and take a small slice east to minneapolis, then go west through the rockies to san fransisco and south to LA. you have the time.

gnatty is right on about the northern tier being Mt. Rushmore and then a couple of states of really not much.

GT gives some good routes. Don't miss some fun things like St. Louis for the arches and the brewery tour, maybe a river boat dinner theatre. DO NOT miss the Grand Canyon. There's some incredible desert in Utah and Arizona that is worth seeing.

I went Northeast to Southwest route w/ a girlfriend one summer and loved it. We more or less alternated nights in a national or state park and nights in a city hotel.

We started in CT and spent the first night camping in the Catskills, then a night in Buffalo (lunch at the Anchor Bar,where buffalo wings were supposedly invented), Niagra Falls, crossed into Canada, spent a night in Stratford for the Shakespeare festival, a couple nights in Toronto, over to Detroit (Ford factory and frog legs), Chicago for a few days (during 4th of July and Taste of Chicago, I think, Wrigley Field, Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, the original Ray Kroc McDonald's franchise, etc.), a night camping in Wisconsin (on a dairy farm), a quick trip through Iowa (the endless cornfields had their charm), a wonderful few days in South Dakota (Rushmore, Badlands, Black Hills, Corn Palace, Wall Drug), Wyoming (Devil's Peak, Buffalo burgers, Yellowstone for a couple nights in a cabin, Jackson Hole), Utah (Great Salt Lake, Zyon Nat. Park), Arizona for a bit (Hoover Dam, and before that you could easily see the North Rim of the Grand Canyon--better in the summer than the south rim) and then Las Vegas.

We had a great time. I'm sure you will too. The southern route could be good. I've only done it in the summer, so I went the northern w/ the girlfriend (15 yrs ago) and the middle (last summer--there's a thread about it here on general chat).

Have fun!

If you make it through Indiana, I'll introduce you guys to the pastime of cow-tipping. Promise.

If you do end up on the northern route through Montana, I highly recommend The Beartooth Mountain Highway pass...the most incredible 60 miles of driving I've ever seen.

One of the coolest memories I have of my own trip was showering in an open air (yes, there were walls but only about 6' high) shower at a state campground somewhere in New Mexico and staring up at the blue sky.. Amazing.. Couple that with all the things that happen when a couple, new to each other, take to the open road, and this was an epic trip..

There are some great ideas here, guys, thanks. The Anchor Bar in Buffalo is an awesome call, as is the Beartooth Highway. I'll let you guys know which route we end up taking and maybe then I'll ask for more specific details.

I have driven thru almost every state. I really like driving thru southern states myself. I always meet the most unusual characters especial thru texas, new mexico and arozona.

Northern states are really nice as well but just not as many off the wall and unusual things.

for some good inspirational reading material check out Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself & Blue Highways by William Least Heat(?) Moon....

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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If you make it through Indiana, I'll introduce you guys to the pastime of cow-*******. Promise.

FTFY

Originally Posted by Bhowie

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FTFY

Don't ask; don't tell.

Well, since it's a two-way trip, why not do both? South on the way out and North on the way back?