Road Tripping Across America

[Kevin]

Howdy,

I've got a goal to "one day" take a road trip across the US. Im sure many here also have that aspiration. With that being said, I figured we may be able to get some good conversation/input going with regards to things that one "must see" during the trip. For those that have done this or are aware of cool local things that would be of interest, it'd be greatly appreciated if you would post your thoughts here.

I've got a short list of things Id like to see but right now it only really consists of certain MLB stadiums/games. The two things I've heard of that I'm really interested in checking out are the "digging for diamonds" thing in Arkansas and mt rushmore.

Would love to hear any ideas you may have. Thanks!

[Q-Unit]

- Archway to the West in St. Louis
- Hancock Observatory/Sears Tower/Navy Pier/Michigan Lake in Chicago
- Wrigley Field is badass, tucked away in some random corner of Chicago but very nice

- Cowboys Stadium/Ballpark in Arlington in Dallas

- Pretty much everything in New York
- I personally like Washington DC, not only the traditional landmarks, but they have some badass museums, especially the Smithsonian Air and Space museum
- Arlington National Cemetery is so surreal, especially where they buried JFK, dunno why but was really drawn to that place, a must see

- Miami Beach
- Key West/Ernest Hemingway's old house/Southern-most point of Continental U.S.

- San Francisco (this is just a gorgeous city IMO, very very nice)/Golden Gate bridge, Fisherman's Wharf

- Monterrey Bay in California is also very nice, have a nice aquarium, and the marina is just sick, lots of $$$$ there

- (obvious one) the strip in Las Vegas (although I've flown in every time and seen the Grand Canyon from above, I would like to see it up close driving by)

- speaking of canyons, Palo Duro Canyon in West Texas up by Amarillo is nice. Much smaller but 2nd largest still in US behind Grand Canyon lol
- if you go in July, they have an outdoor theatre with the canyons as the backdrop, and they put on a pretty cool play complete with fireworks, etc...

- Disneyland/Disney World, have been to DL 2x and DW 4x now, and would go back in a pinch! lol Peter Pan complex is awesome, one of my favorite complexes in fact right up there with ego maniacal and little man's complex. I'm talking psychological behaviors not an actual building named Peter Pan complex for those wondering lol
- either way good place for the family, or taking your GF (the latter I haven't done but can see how it could be fun) for some wholesome fun


Wish List:

- Seattle, Washington
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Fenway Park
- the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- the Shoe in Columbus, Ohio
- Happy Valley at Penn State
- Death Valley at LSU
- Rose Bowl at UCLA
- Graceland in Tennessee

some others but can't think of any right now

[Daws1089]

don't waste your time at graceland. Was definitely not worth it.


Don't know if you can make it all the way to the east coast Kevin, but the Outer Banks in N. Carolina are unbelievable beaches and area. There are several islands stringing all the way down to S. Carolina. It's more of a vacation spot, but would still be a nice stop for a weekend or something.

[The Mailman]

Q,

If you get to Seattle ya gotta hit Safeco Field. It's absolutely awesome. A good hotel to stay at there is the Edgewater as I believe it's the only waterfront hotel there. Very nice place. You'll pay a big buck to stay there, but well worth it.

Staying at ANY hotel downtown Seattle is a nightmare. We stayed at a very nice place downtown and every hour sirens woke me up and I sleep like a log!

Other "must sees" in Seattle include the space needle, the rock museum located near the space needle, a boat tour, going on a city tour in one of "the ducks" (old amphibius military vehicles), qwest field and pikes market where you see those guys on tv throwing the fish around. Cool place.

Also, they have tours to Victoria BC on super shuttle boats that go fast. Ferry rides are cool too regardless of the destination if you like water and sites.

[daft_picks]

I did the digging for diamonds thing in arkansas when I was younger, didn't find anything but it was cool. If you plan on crossing through Nashville let me know there's lots of cool places you could check out, like seeing a show at the Ryman or checking out the hilarious honky tonk scene downtown. Also if you make it to Miami I know a bunch of stuff to check out there. I've been meaning to do a West Coast road trip for a long time cause I've seen so much on the east side. Do it for sure.

And about Graceland, I've been twice and it's ok, Memphis kind of sucks though if you're going to go to TN hit Nashville instead. I am biased but I think there's more to see and do in Nashville overall. Graceland is kind of depressing, seriously.

[GMoney]

Having grown up in California and lived here most of my life I have to say the drive from SF to LA down highway 1 through Big Sur (Steinbeck Country) is a must. It will take you through Monterray down the wine country coastal regions and even Santa Barbara which is heavenly. It takes about 1.5-2 hours longer than the 5, but you get scenery like Big Sur and the Pacific Ocean, as opposed to smelly dairy farms.

Personally I'd skip the tourist spots like Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, and opt to appreciate a city the way the locals would. Thats how I like to travel.

[Q-Unit]

Originally Posted by The Mailman

Q,

If you get to Seattle ya gotta hit Safeco Field. It's absolutely awesome. A good hotel to stay at there is the Edgewater as I believe it's the only waterfront hotel there. Very nice place. You'll pay a big buck to stay there, but well worth it.

Staying at ANY hotel downtown Seattle is a nightmare. We stayed at a very nice place downtown and every hour sirens woke me up and I sleep like a log!

Other "must sees" in Seattle include the space needle, the rock museum located near the space needle, a boat tour, going on a city tour in one of "the ducks" (old amphibius military vehicles), qwest field and pikes market where you see those guys on tv throwing the fish around. Cool place.

Also, they have tours to Victoria BC on super shuttle boats that go fast. Ferry rides are cool too regardless of the destination if you like water and sites.

whats best time to go?

early summer or late summer?

if I want to take in a Seahawks game I guess it'd have to be fall too lol

[Q-Unit]

Originally Posted by GMoney

Having grown up in California and lived here most of my life I have to say the drive from SF to LA down highway 1 through Big Sur (Steinbeck Country) is a must. It will take you through Monterray down the wine country coastal regions and even Santa Barbara which is heavenly. It takes about 1.5-2 hours longer than the 5, but you get scenery like Big Sur and the Pacific Ocean, as opposed to smelly dairy farms.

Personally I'd skip the tourist spots like Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, and opt to appreciate a city the way the locals would. Thats how I like to travel.

I was very impressed with Monterrey Bay.

yeh, I'm more of the square tourist you see with maps and "i love NY" t-shirts walking around lol

actually we always try to hit up tourist spots, and local spots equally as long as there are good eats involved

btw recently went to Chicago and had the best hotdog in my life, have heard stories of Chicago-style, but didnt think you could really screw up hotdog, boy I was wrong!

[Jerbeek]

Too many places to list but here are the spots that I have on my short list in no particular order.

California Coast Drive
Oregon/Washington to see the Salmon spawn
Grand Canyon
Yellowstone
Mt. Rushmore
Niagra Falls
East coast during fall colors
New York Skyline
Statue of Liberty
Fenway Park
Yankee Stadium
Actually any baseball stadium (LOL)
Cape Canaveral (sp) during a blast off

[Jerbeek]

Best places I have been to and would love to go back to:

Maui
Kauai

No need to list any others but here are some honorable mentions:

Seattle
Oregon Coast
Vegas
Chicago
Disneyworld - go when your kids are young enough to still believe but old enough to walk themselves and able to remember it.
Washington DC
North Minnesota
Denver/Rocky Mountains

[Jerbeek]

Places I have been to and really don't care to go back to:

Los Angeles
New Orleans
Matamoras Mexico - went there with the church youth group on a missions trip, can't believe people live like that.

[The Mailman]

Q,

Best time to hit Seattle is August. Safeco is real close to the water and you'll freeze your ass off if you go in sept/oct.

[The Mailman]

GMoney,

Highway 1 is so beautiful man. Great call on that.

Scary as hell though. I saw a landslide where if you were driving where the slide hit, it'd have undoubtedly knocked your car down the cliff.

Get this.. I saw a GLASS HOUSE built on the side of the cliffs. I also saw people that had flat roofed houses with grass growing on top of them. No shit, I saw a guy mowing his lawn on his roof.

Some great restaurants around Carmel. I heard Clint Eastwood owns one and is often times there mingling with the clients.

I think that highway 1 drive took forever. I wanna say there were stretches where we didnt go faster than 25mph if memory serves me correct.

Big Sur is cool. I believe that's where the purple sand beach was?

[The Mailman]

Add Tijuana to the list of places to never go to. What a dump.

I'd like to drive the baja strip down in mexico but dont have the balls to do it.

Corrupt cops, freeway pirates, Ive heard all kinds of negative shit about driving down there.

[Big Pimpin]

Camden Yards in Bmore a must see....Nats stadium pretty nice also