Adnie

Hey guys,

My Fiance and I are trying to organise our honeymoon around the USA for April 2012, as we are both avid horse racing fans we have arranged our whole trip around the Kentucky Derby.

So far these are the dates and places that we have put together, any feedback or suggestions would be very welcomed as we have both never really been to any of these places or know what to expect.


Place Dates Kms Hours Nights Spent
Los Angeles 10-Apr-12 15-Apr-12 0 0 5
San Francisco15-Apr-12 18-Apr-12 615 6.5 3
Yosemite 18-Apr-12 20-Apr-12 304 4 2
Las Vegas 20-Apr-12 23-Apr-12 655 7.5 3
Williams 23-Apr-12 25-Apr-12 351 4 2
Santa Fe 25-Apr-12 26-Apr-12 669 6.5 1
Austin 26-Apr-12 27-Apr-12 1144 12.5 1
San Antonio27-Apr-12 29-Apr-12 130 1.5 2
Houston 29-Apr-12 30-Apr-12 319 3.5 1
New Orleans30-Apr-12 02-May-12 566 6 2
Nashville 02-May-12 03-May-12 854 8.5 1
Louisville 03-May-12 06-May-12 282 3 3
Knoxville 06-May-12 07-May-12 396 4 1
Atlanta 07-May-12 09-May-12 344 3.5 2
Savannah 09-May-12 10-May-12 401 4 1
Jacksonville 10-May-12 12-May-12 224 2.5 2
Orlando 12-May-12 16-May-12 227 2.5 4
Miami 16-May-12 23-May-12 378 4 7
New York 23-May-12 31-May-12 0 0 8

Sorry if its a bit hard to read, a big thankyou in advance

Linda + Adam from Australia

Kevin AA

Wow, that is a lot of travelling!

Los Angeles to San Francisco you should fly. The rest you could drive up until Miami, then fly to New York.

Palal

Why? There's plenty to see along the coast.

Adnie

We had planned to fly from Miami to NY and then maaaybe depending on time fly up and see Niagra Falls

saint_em

Don't spend 2 nights in Williams, AZ! If you're going to the Grand Canyon, book lodging at the park instead, at least for a night.

QueenOfCoach

Personally, I would not plan such a trip in such granular detail. I would plan on being a few important places at certain times, then let the trip flow around that.

You could get to one place and find it boring and not worth a second or third day. Or, you might arrive at a one-night stop and find it so interesting you could stay longer.

It's your honeymoon! Don't knock yourself out trying to do too much. Just drive cross country and stop where and when you feel like stopping.

japaik

i'd suggest taking the pacific highway from LA to SF - you can stop by santa barbara, hearst castle, big sur, monterey, pebble beach, and even napa if you want.

TMOliver

I envy your available time, youthful vigor, and willingness to commit the funds to such a jaunt. Life is too short and the responsibilities ahead to large to fail to to undertake it. Some of what you see will not live up to expectations, but more will exceed your best hopes.

Starting back in 1953 (at 13) and as late as last Christmas, I've made road trips - 10 or so - from Central Texas to California. For 45 years w've made regular drives to Florida (including long parabolas through Ohio, Tennesee, Virginia (and a bit of WVa) Kentucky, N & S Carolina and Georgia, with a drive to Hilton Head in November, Amelia Island in March, and the Redneck Riviera in October,2012. At various times, we've visited most of the rest of the US by car (both scenic routes and roads less so), but even for me, there's a lot of the US left to see (with the parameters of time left to do so narrowing too rapidly). I won't even try to count the trips, business and pleasure, around the US by air, but the drives were memorable.

We started going to Europe back in the 80s, part business, the greater part pleasure, once an extended month with our then young daughters, much of the trips by rent car. For the last 10 years (at first laden with a box full of FF miles and hotel points, now on the verge of empty) we've flown (or repo cruised) to Europe annually, renting cars and driving much of the time, the latest last April and May in Ireland, with a short trip upcoming in October to London (no car in London!) and Oxfordshire. Long ago, the Navy kept me in the Med for much of 3 years, and we've managed to re-comb almost all of my old familiar places, most better the second or third time around.

An old Navy friend claims that the two grandest sights of his life were the Golden Gate and Gibraltar as the sun rose behind each of them. Well, I've shared both of those grand views, but could add several dozen more, many seen through windshields, all across the US (and a few in Europe and Canada, not the least of which was the short drive from Vancouver up to Whistler). There's no freedom which approaches that of the open road, and given the brief time spent in less than luxury roadside lodgings, they are, mostly, but places to briefly sleep and shower. I'm jealous of you and your ambitious plans. Don't let the naysayers discourage you!

P.S.: That drive from Santa Fe to Austin ain't no thing of beauty, much of it awesome in its emptiness, but no less memorable. Start early!

swag

One of my favorite cities, and your visit comes during the season of Jazzfest, which many consider one of the top music festivals on the planet. The festival itself this year runs Apr 27,28,29 and May 3,4,5,6. If you enjoy live music, see if you can adjust your dates slightly to be able to attend the fest one or more of those days. An added plus for you, the fest takes place at the Fairgrounds racetrack; though the horses don't run on those days, as a horse racing fan, I'm sure you'd enjoy the chance to visit one of the oldest racetracks in America.

All that said, Jazzfest is also one of the busiest times in New Orleans. Expect higher prices for hotels, and big crowds everywhere, especially restaurants. The midweek days between are a bit less hectic, but still very crowded.

While on a road trip like this, I do like the idea of not over-planning and staying flexible, if you plan on New Orleans during Jazzfest, you;ll want to make sure hotel reservations are in place; if there are any particular restaurants you want to go to, try to get those reservations 2 months in advance.

I maintain a website with general tips and travel advice for Jazzfest here: http://jazzfest.swagland.com

mgobluetex

+1

The Pacific Coast Highway is always rated as one of the top 5 scenic drives in the US in all travel magazines. If you're here from another country without such dynamic scenery I would highly suggest driving it. You can go from the desert to the pac northwest in a few hours. It's awesome

JerryFF

I agree - spend one night enroute - perhaps Morro Bay or Cambria (near Hearst Castle). The Big Sur coast is truly unique and should not be missed but it is a slow and winding 2 lane highway and should not be rushed. Santa Barbara is a great place to visit, but not so unique if you are making a 1 hr stop. I would head for Solvang instead - a bit touristy but unique.

A few other personal thoughts -

Napa is an hour north of SF and can be done as a day trip when based in SF, not enroute from LA to SF. I also think you should include Lake Tahoe in addition to Yosemite.

I would spend less time in Texas, especially Houston, and add at least a day to New Orleans and the surrounding Cajun country and the Bayou area.

Four days in Orlando? Not for me. Scenery is very dull and it is just a bunch of big amusement parks. And I would also not spend a week in Miami. If you are going to be in Florida for this long, I would substitute the west coast of Florida around Naples and also Key West. Miami is a big unpleasant city. Maybe a couple days on the beach in Miami Beach.

KoKoBuddy

Random thoughts on your itinerary...

Orlando - 4 days = Disneyworld I guess? Why not. But in August? Not going to be much fun days 2, 3 and 4. Unless you're near the ocean, Florida is not a fun place to be in August (or July for that matter)

Jacksonville is an OK town. But you're going to Miami so you're already doing the Florida beach thing. I'd say skip JAX and spend more time in Miami.

Atlanta - Personally I would do Charleston, SC after Savannah instead of going to Atlanta. Atlanta was burned down in 1864. Not much there in terms of history. Charleston and Savannah swim in it. It's a big modern metropolis which isn't a bad thing, but if you have limited time, not really a must see.

Edited: For some reason I read May as August. Never mind about Orlando

Loren Pechtel

I see a big timing problem here.

And just when are you going to make that 12.5 hour drive???

Oddly enough it comes out nicely formatted when I quote it.

Adnie

wow so much great advice already, we are really taking this in, a few years back we went on a Euro road trip and sort of went in blind, we wasted a few days here and there at places that were fairly dull and stayed a few days extra at some places that we really loved, so this advice will hopefully save us going to a few places that we wont like this time.

The reason we are saying in Orlando for so long is because of Disneyworld, I did want to go to Disneyland in LA but because of our tight schedule in the lead up to the Kentucky Derby we thought our chill out place can be in Florida as we both enjoy the sun and beach, but if anyone has any other ideas we would love to hear them ^

Adnie

We just panned to drive for the whole day, make a few little stops here and there... it will probably be one of the tedious driving days but it has to be done really unless you guys have any other suggestions?