Dang, that sounds good! I’m not as much into wine as I am into craft beer (it’s good to be here), but now I’m starting to explore spirits and we’ve got quite the selection of craft distilleries popping up in Oregon.
Really, there is only one (direct) route. Highway 95.
When is the trip? I’ll send you the shortcuts.
Sorry about “Florida driver” wisecrack … have you lived in Oregon long enough to know exactly what I mean by winter driving on the High Desert? … roll I-5 through California, it’s quickest, check out all the dead almond orchards …
If I had to choose between stopping at Painted Desert/Petrified Forest or Meteor Crater, with time being a determining factor, I would choose Meteor Crater. It’s close to the interstate and you can spend a little time at the visitor center, then go out on the observation deck and see the whole thing. Pop back up to the interstate and you’re on your way.
The Painted Desert is close to the interstate (on the north side) but there are several overlooks to stop at and if you want to see the Petrified Forest you’ll have to cross over the interstate and continue south. Again, there will be several places to pull off and see the sights, after which you’ll have to backtrack or continue south through the park, then head west on Hwy. 180 to Holbrook where you can get back on the interstate.
Sent you a PM. All info is assuming you will be taking 95 heading north out of Vegas.
Giggle Springs has a pink sign. That will help you spot it. Its usually quite a bit cheaper than the big station at the north end of town. If your driving a moving van, you might not squeak in. Kinda tight.
Also, there is no good food in Tonopah. The casino café isn’t real good, and about the only other thing is Burger King.
Second vote. It’s on the list. Anyone know how much the entrance fee is?
Yeah, I’ve done it before. It’s not easy, but it’s easier with two drivers. It does require some hard choices though. Hope my son is okay with passing up most of the neat things to do on the road. We can’t just stop at everything that looks interesting. That’s what this thread is going to help me do, I hope.
Sorry about “Florida driver” wisecrack … have you lived in Oregon long enough to know exactly what I mean by winter driving on the High Desert? … roll I-5 through California, it’s quickest, check out all the dead almond orchards …
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No worries. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. I’m not from Florida, my son is. I’m flying into Orlando from Oregon to drive back here with him so that he doesn’t have to drive alone. I’ve driven in the winter in several places including around here, so I’m familiar and comfortable enough to do so. I expect to be well equipped to deal with inclement weather and road conditions.
Got your PM. Thanks a million!
Good to know. We’ll visit TJ’s before heading out of Vegas and replenish the cooler with goodies. What are the road conditions usually like for the Vegas-Reno stretch in January? It seems like it’d be a better choice than 395 in CA.
Hey, it just occurred to me: nobody has mentioned anything about Airbnb for single night stays on a cross country trip. Better or should I just stick to cheap (crappy) motels?
A good friend of mine and his wife tried it for the first time last summer and they loved it. They plan to use AirBNB again, and I will try it when I have a chance.
Not a lot of data points for you but I trust this friend very much. I think you’ll be good to go.
If you do try it, please let us know how it went.
If you should happen to take CA-58 through Tehachapi to Bakersfield, and if either of you is interested in trains, take a short detour to see the world-famous Tehachapi Loop. (Or, if time is pressing, just look at all the pictures at this link.) It’s between Tehachapi and Bakersfield.
I’m hoping to have a chance to fly over it some day in the near foreseeable future and get a view similar to some of those aerial photos.
In the Four Corners region of the desert Southwest, Shiprock (on the New Mexico side — an hour’s stop
is enough) and Canyon de Chelly (on the Arizona side — worth a whole day, including a guided walk) are not to be missed.
Or, if you’re doing the more northerly route, the Grand Tetons (Wyoming) are astounding.
I’ve driven from Flagstaff to Vegas to Salt Lake to Boise in November a couple years back. Stay south and travel up the coast on I5 and you shouldn’t need to worry about snow and chains (I think). Nevada can be wicked and dangerous in January for traveling. I’ve experienced white-out conditions where I didn’t really know where the road was and was following the tire tracks of the car in front of us. We were damn lucky to get to and get the last room available in Winnemucca that day.
dammit, further thought.
We decided to go from Vegas to Salt Lake because the weather was getting crappy, and between Vegas and anywhere in Nevada is a whoooole lot of empty. We decided that Utah was the better route since we were traveling in a vehicle we weren’t too sure about (the reason I know it sucks to get stranded in WY) and Utah has a small town or village or hamlet or whatever every “few” miles and plenty of traffic between them.
ETA 400-500 miles a day isn’t an out of reach goal per day for a single driver.
Not much of interest in Cali? Hmmm. You need to watch some Huell Howser.
I’ve spent plenty of time in CA, I have family there, spent many a Christmas and other vacation time there. CA is (mostly) generic, inoffensive, and blah. Mostly. More a matter of personal taste and preference I think. Mojavia is pretty cool, and I like the area around Huntington Lake ok.
One word: Rain-X.
Wiper blades, yes, but folks, Rain-X is great! In rain and snow, it is awesome! Imagine being in a heavy rain or snow fall and not even needing your wipers on because the wind blows your windshield clean.
I have no connection to the product other than being a highly satisfied customer.
Highly recommended for Brown Eyed Family on this trip. Not just new wipers, but also Rain-X!
Wow, 395 through Lee Vining and Mono Lake is way to pretty to miss. (Eastern central CA) The reality is you’re looking at a 2500 to 3000 mile trip. Filled with 8 to 10 hour days of sitting in your car, backaches and boredom. It’s quite tiring. I did it twice when I was younger. It’s better to plan a scenic trip and enjoy the drive. Example - CA Hwy 49, the Gold Rush hwy, that’s scenic, way better then the interstate.
Nevada is a terrible state to drive in, ugly. Arizona is pretty with all the reds in the landscapes. New Mexico, especially the western half, is pretty too. Texas sucks, it’s the same landscape cut in pasted in front of you in 10 mile blocks.
Oh, how I am so with you on this. I drove from Yosemite to Sacramento via SR-395/Tahoe/I-80 loop a couple of years ago and it was grand. My only regret was not stopping in Bodie. I want to go back again soon, though; it’s not that far from us. I have no idea what to expect from this route in the winter, however.
This also adds another 50-60 miles and at least an hour or two to the drive. This was the day I was going to try to make it from Henderson to southern Oregon which is a very long day. I’m not certain I want to extend it unless I’m cutting it in half and finishing the last leg the next day. That’s my cushion day, so it’s feasible to stay overnight in Reno depending on weather, our timing and funds. But after NOLA, the Grand Canyon, and Vegas, I think at that point I’m going to want to push home in the fastest possible way.
Of all the states I’ve driven through, I’d say my least favorite is Texas tied with Oklahoma. Apparently, I’m unusual in thinking that other boring stretches aren’t so boring. I-80 through Wyoming, I-70 through Kansas, and I-80/SR-95/Hwy 140 through Nevada and eastern Oregon were beautiful in their own way. They do feel longer, though. I have no idea what to expect from this section of Nevada as it compares to I-80, but I do enjoy exploring new routes, so there’s that. I also love the desert so I’m hoping it’s not as mind-numbing as it looks to be. I’m also hoping that the lack of scenic interest on this stretch means we can just plow through without stopping to see something interesting. I don’t think I can pass up Bodie again and I just don’t have the time for it on this trip. I wish I had more time, but that’s not possible.
TLDR, part of this trip needs to be less interesting and shorter so we can fit in some interesting stops earlier in the trip and still make good time across the country.
How boring is the Louisiana stretch between NOLA and Shreveport? What’s it like travelling the interstate through LA? Anything I should know?
Ha, yeah, I thought you lived in Orlando and were going to be driving from FL to OR and back. So, all my suggestions are superfluous (but good ones nonetheless 
). We may have to schedule a mini Southern Oregon Dopefest one of these years.
Wildlife Safari is less than a mile form my back yard. Highly recommended.