Suggestions for best route from NY to San Diego? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Delirious · 01-10-2006, 10:06 PM

I have 4 days to do it with 2 drivers, not much time to sightsee. The mapquest route it gave me looks pretty boring. Anyone have suggestions of an alternate route thats quick, scenic, and I won't get stuck in snow somewhere?

shakran · 01-10-2006, 10:47 PM

Your route is about as good as it's gonna get unless you detour through the south - but that'll add lots of time. You'll have nice scenery as you skirt the top of west virginia, and then it'll pretty much dry up till you hit new mexico. When you hit Albuquerque, if you have time for a sit down meal go to Old Town (few blocks away from the interstate) and hit up La Hacienda. *Great* food. If you've never had it before, try Carne Adovada. If you don't have time for a real restaurant, hit a Blakes Whattaburger and get a green chili burger. Good shit.

Watch for the weird metal yucca statue as you exit the mountains between Tijeras and Albuquerque. It was made from military jet fuel tanks. No, I don't know why.

AZ will be cool too - you'll be going by the Sonoran Desert, which is the only place in the world you'll see a saguaro cactus. Then watch for cool military planes as you go by the airforce range / proving grounds. You'll also pass by the petrified forest / painted desert which, if you have any time at all, is pretty cool (you can see it all from the car)

If you drive through the night, you'll have time for some stops.

lavium · 01-11-2006, 02:22 AM

I drove from mass to SD in 4 days (one driver... me) a few months ago. I took I81S, then I40W all the way to arizona before cutting down to... I8? No, there isn't a lot to see, but the drive from pennsylvania until maybe oklahoma is pretty nice. new mexico is pretty as well. I40 runs along route 66 for a bunch of the way, too, so it would be easy to do a little bit of sightseeing down that way.

I think this way is actually faster than yours, despite what it looks like on the map.

01-10-2006, 10:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
Delirious Crazy Location: Queens, NY	Suggestions for best route from NY to San Diego? I have 4 days to do it with 2 drivers, not much time to sightsee. The mapquest route it gave me looks pretty boring. Anyone have suggestions of an alternate route thats quick, scenic, and I won't get stuck in snow somewhere?

01-11-2006, 02:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
lavium Upright	alternate route I drove from mass to SD in 4 days (one driver... me) a few months ago. I took I81S, then I40W all the way to arizona before cutting down to... I8? No, there isn't a lot to see, but the drive from pennsylvania until maybe oklahoma is pretty nice. new mexico is pretty as well. I40 runs along route 66 for a bunch of the way, too, so it would be easy to do a little bit of sightseeing down that way. I think this way is actually faster than yours, despite what it looks like on the map.

01-10-2006, 10:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	Your route is about as good as it's gonna get unless you detour through the south - but that'll add lots of time. You'll have nice scenery as you skirt the top of west virginia, and then it'll pretty much dry up till you hit new mexico. When you hit Albuquerque, if you have time for a sit down meal go to Old Town (few blocks away from the interstate) and hit up La Hacienda. Great food. If you've never had it before, try Carne Adovada. If you don't have time for a real restaurant, hit a Blakes Whattaburger and get a green chili burger. Good shit. Watch for the weird metal yucca statue as you exit the mountains between Tijeras and Albuquerque. It was made from military jet fuel tanks. No, I don't know why. AZ will be cool too - you'll be going by the Sonoran Desert, which is the only place in the world you'll see a saguaro cactus. Then watch for cool military planes as you go by the airforce range / proving grounds. You'll also pass by the petrified forest / painted desert which, if you have any time at all, is pretty cool (you can see it all from the car) If you drive through the night, you'll have time for some stops.