Where would you go?

[quakerboy]

Assume that you had a car that did not require gas, and 2 weeks off work, a gift card that only worked at hotels in the continental US, and a years supply of Beef Jerky and Diet Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Or fill in your preferred travel food.

Where would you go? What/who would you go see?

[Neoma]

1. That'd assume that I had a job and knew how to drive.

Probably stay in the smokey mountains.

[quakerboy]

2. I was once promised

a car that would go 1 million miles on one tank of fuel. A 4 gallon tank. It was special oxidized fuel, you see.

It also had tires that would last 2 million miles.

I'm sure that we could arrange it to also drive itself at your voice direction.

If you also are out of work, then you don't have to take time off.

Say you had easy, free transportation, free places to stay, and free food to take a trip in the US. There's nowhere you would want to go?

[Neoma]

9. Smokey mountains.

*shrugs*

[UnrepentantLiberal]

25. You two are really helping the

conversation.

[RebelOne]

48. Been there, done that, but the Smokies are a great place to visit.

Fortunately, I live in North Georgia, so to go to the Smokies is only a few hours away.

[Neoma]

49. There's no "been there done that" for the smokies.

Way too many hiking trails, waterfalls to find, bears to be eaten by. Plus, genuine bluegrass festivals! (Always went to the TN part of the smokies.) Avoid Gatlinburg at all costs and you'll have a blast. Especially if you go in the Fall.

[Rowdyboy]

3. New Orleans Louisiana.....the weather is kick ass this time of year

Historic beauty, romance in the air-fantastic food that can be cheap and excellent live music and bar scene. Day trips to any number of fascinating locales including swamp, plantations, gardens, casinos.

That would be my choice...

[Kali]

6. my first thought too

I'm not much for cities but I wouldn't mind seeing New Orleans some day. Same with New York and Washington DC (and would love to see San Francisco again).

[nolabear]

7. Hell yeah!

And I go there at least once a year. But, you know, it's New Orleans!

[quakerboy]

10. That is on my list

I intend to go there at my earliest convenience. I just need to figure out where to go while I am there!

[Rowdyboy]

14. Man I could pm you enough suggestions to keep you busy for days....

I'm in central Mississippi about 3 1/2 hours north of New Orleans and spend time in the Quarter once or twice a year-its a very special place.

Seriously, if you ever need suggestions, there are several of us from the New Orleans area who will be happy to oblige. It can be whatever you want it to be and it doesn't have to break your wallet (though it certainly can if you have money to blow).

[quakerboy]

15. I would love that

I really appreciate that offer.

[Rowdyboy]

16. Its late and I'm about to go to bed but I promise tomorrow I'll send you a pm

that will give you a decent idea of things to do around here. If you've never been, New Orleans is a real American treasure that really should not be missed. Will be in touch then.

[Matariki]

24. Oh me too!

I'll be there at the end of the month for a long weekend.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

26. Can you post it here so we can all read it?

[Matariki]

23. Woot. Will be there in two weeks!

I've never been there and that photo is gorgeous! Can't wait!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

27. New Years Eve 2000 in New Orleans

was the best New Years ever. Everyone was happy, you could walk down the street with a drink in your hand and girls were flashing their 00. Me likey

[rug]

4. Grand Canyon.

[quakerboy]

11. Been there.

It was big. Seen it at sunrise. Seen it at sunset. Seen it with snow, and in the heat of summer.

Its nice enough, I guess, if your into that sort of thing.

[MrScorpio]

5. The West Coast

All up and down the West Coast

[Tikki]

12. Hey, MrScorpio...we would catch up with you around Monterey CA...

We would just hang out between Monterey on Highway 1 and up to above Bodega Bay until the hotel gift card ran out
along with the jerky and ginger ale.



The Tikkis

[UnrepentantLiberal]

28. Love Carmel.

[quakerboy]

13. I live here

Its a decent place, for the most part. Lots of natural beauty to be found.

[DearHeart]

8. Route 66!

But I would have to have Caffeine Free Coke and Pringles.

[quakerboy]

21. Ah, Pringles

Ive been along the western 2/3 of route 66. Its ok. there's a Lotta flat in summa those states.

Pringles are tempting, but would not work for me. I like them, but they don't like me. A can later, bam, not good results. Its strange, cause I can pack away a Costco size bag of potato chips with no short term ill effects, but a can of Pringles will do me in. And most of their added flavors hold no interest for me.

Caffeine free colas are almost always tastier than the regular. Wonder why that is. Maybe caffeine tastes bad?

[quakerboy]

19. Both coasts?

Or do you have a preference?

[taterguy]

30. East Coast beaches are sooooooo fucking crowded

[taterguy]

51. I wasn't offended, just gleefully pointing out your misperception

There are no big cities on the North Carolina coast, due to the lack of natural ports.

Wilmington is the largest city and it's practically quaint.

I suspect that's the case for the overwhelming majority of the East Coast, except for that tiny sliver between DC and Boston.

[quakerboy]

60. I dunno

Granted, its not the whole coast, or even the majority, but 600 miles of what appears to be continuous city all along the NE Atlantic coast is nothing to underestimate, more than a "tiny sliver".

[LynneSin]

35. Then you haven't been to Broadkill Beach in Delaware

Beautiful, undercrowded and relaxing

[geardaddy]

37. How about the north coast?

[pokerfan]

18. Alaska

via the Alaskan highway:


On one of these:


Get your motor running:

[quakerboy]

20. That would be neat

Never been to Alaska, post birth at least.

I hear its a great, beautiful place. A bit snowy for my taste, but I do like the idea of being more north and more cold. Every once and a while I start looking wistfully at the occasional job opening in one of those island communities that you cant drive to.

[pokerfan]

42. I've been to Alaska before

Anchorage and Denali National Park but I flew. And I've been all over southern BC. This would be an exploration of northern BC as I've never been north of Prince George. There's no better way to see a country than from a motorcycle. For some reason it's easier to stop and check thing out when you're on a bike.

[KamaAina]

45. But remember, your hotel gift card only works in the continental US

and there's no way you could make it through BC and Yukon in a single day, so you'd be sleeping in the car or something.

[quakerboy]

63. In theory

25 hours of driving from Blaine WA on the border, and Ketchikan Alaska.

Ive done that before. Its been a while, but doable.

[Saving Hawaii]

29. Trinity Alps

I'd drive my car up the 299, put a brick on the gas pedal and watch it go over a cliff, and then go enjoy myself in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been for two weeks. If I could just get a couple weeks off from work or school where I don't have "visit for Christmas" or "come to my wedding" or whatever else that I simply can't avoid getting in the way.

[Saving Hawaii]

31. I mean, can you really ask for anything nicer than this.

http://www.summitpost.org/trinity-alps/307625#chapter_14

[quakerboy]

43. Well now you just made my life a little harder

I had been thinking of going down from San Francisco up north, driving up the coastal highway. But then I would miss that, which I did not previously know existed.

[Phentex]

32. North Dakota or Maine...

I would just see all I could see...preferably no people.

[Doc Holliday]

38. Eastern New Mexico

Just beautiful if you like camping in the desert (and I do). Plus, there's Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which I also think would be a fun place to visit.

There's just something about those wide open spaces, man.

[LynneSin]

33. I would just drive until I ran out of gas

And see where the world takes me

[quakerboy]

54. In my magic million mile tank car

that would take you a whole lotta places. Anywhere particular you'd like to stop along the way?

[Wait Wut]

36. Home.

Chicago. But, I wouldn't leave.

[ceile]

40. East.

NOLA for few days, then on to the east coast. Really want to visit the Carolinas.

[quakerboy]

55. Whats to see in the Carolinas?

NOLA is on my list, for sure. most of the east coast is. I been a west coaster for a long time now, and all the moderately old stuff is back east. All the really old stuff is much further east. And all the really really old stuff is under the ground. Or so it arranges itself in my mind.

Is there anything specific you want to see in the Carolinas?

[ceile]

59. Being a "southerner" at heart- I'm not sure TX counts as the "south"

I just really want to see Charleston, the Outer Banks..not sure what else. But I should have added NH, ME and VT to my "East" response. I think being in the SW, I just crave the leaves to change, beaches that aren't brown, a proper winter. Also would love to see Savannah.
Now this is all written w/ a 'proper' southern belle accent in mind.

[Adsos Letter]

67. We were in both Charleston and Savannah on a road trip two years ago.

The locals told us the weather was unseasonable for April: dry, warm, and very low humidity. Dogwood and Wisteria blooming everywhere.

The older, historic parts of Charleston and Savannah are great!

[AsahinaKimi]

41. MT. SHASTA.

[ceile]

61. Stunning!

Thought it was NM or CO for a second. Where mountains are concerned, the sky is a different color blue. Those pics could have been Santa Rosa, NM or Trinindad Pass, CO or Taos, NM....

[Adsos Letter]

44. We'll be road-tripping from Washington, D.C. to Savannah in May.

Two weeks on the road seein' the sights.

Wish we had that gift card and non-gas-requiring-car though.

As for food: we're gonna' hit as many of Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins. and Dives" suggestions as possible.

Now...just hoping for good weather.

[taterguy]

50. Don't miss the Bad Bean Taqueria in Corolla

They take crabs right out of the Currituck Sound and put them in tacos.

Mmmmm

Mmmmm

Good.

[Adsos Letter]

52. Thanks taterguy! I'm keeping a journal for the trip, and I put this place on the list.

Is the one in Corolla better than the one in Kill Devil Hills?

[taterguy]

53. Haven't been to the one in Kill Devil Hills so I don't know

[quakerboy]

57. Yup.

We are planning a trip too. I am genuinely curious about where people find interesting, but admit ulterior motives in trying to figure out cool places we could go along the way

We are a bit more ambitious, distance wise, though. Oregon up to BC. Across Southern Canada, dipping below the great lakes and back up. Main down to the keys. Back along the gulf states, and across to southern Cal, along the western coast and back home.

I could really use that non-gas requiring car. I put it in because when these hypothetical questions get asked, most of us do not have the resources that we would need to do the things we might enjoy. I don't, but I expect a small windfall that should just about cover gas (though not the beef jerky or ginger ale).

DC to savannah actually is one of the sections of our trip as currently planned, But it probably wont happen until fall, or maybe even the following spring. Once you do that, I would love some feedback on things worth seeing/doing/eating along that path. Also, the ones to avoid.

[Adsos Letter]

64. I'll be happy to post a re-cap in the Travel Group when we get back. :)

That sounds like an amazing trip you're planning!

We live in Northern California about 35 miles east of San Francisco. We've done the routes you are planning, with the exception of the northeastern segment, but never at one trip. You're in for some beautiful scenery, my friend.

Two years ago April we flew back to Philadelphia and moved our daughter out to San Diego. We took the standard highway route from Philly to Savannah, and then hwy. 10 across the Deep South to San Diego. The goal was speed over sightseeing although we did stop for a couple of days in Charleston, Savannah, and Vicksburg. Just driving it was fun, but this time we're going for a more leisurely pace on a shorter route.

I don't know how familiar you are with the west coast, but be advised: the route up the coast (hwy. 1) of California, Oregon, and Washington takes you through gorgeous
country, but it can be very curvy and slow going. Not a problem if you are just meandering along, but can be a slower drive than anticipated (or than the map suggests).

[quakerboy]

66. Its ambitious

There was a time I would have tried to do it in 2 weeks. Heh. Those years of my life are over.

But I'm unemployed, and the jobs are not exactly rolling in. So I figure I might as well have a last hurrah before things get desperate. Plus we always intended to travel, and never were able to get away from work long enough. Ive never been down south, she's never been east.

The west coast is the least of my worries. Its the rest of the trip that I need the ideas for. That drive up the coastal highway from San Fran up to Portland, we did that every chance we got back in college. After one of the other posts, the trinity alps one, I was actually kinda thinking of going inland this time, visit the Oregon Vortex and some of the northern California sights. I am just hoping that we wont be so over traveling we want to beeline home at that point.

[Adsos Letter]

69. Once you get north of Redding, I-5 to the Canadian border is actually quite a lovely drive

especially when compared to the Redding-San Diego portion. We've driven both bunches of times. Asaina Kimi (spelling?) posted some photos of Shasta, and I-5 skirts the base of it.

Another route to consider in your travels (depending on time of year) is hwy 395. It runs pretty much the length of eastern California/western Nevada, along the eastern side of the Sierras and down into the western Nevada desert, then back into the Sieras and into southern California.

[quakerboy]

72. A second trip we are planning

Not sure whether to precede or come after the other, would be to bike from Vancouver to Vancouver.

[ceile]

62. Jealous!! n/t

[DiverDave]

46. Cant drive there

Australia, New Zealand.

[quakerboy]

56. If the car dosnt need gas, who's to say it wouldnt float too?

There's nowhere on the north American continent you wish to go, were it free and easy?

[HopeHoops]

47. I'd go see AsahinaiKimi just to see if she's really as cute as she is in her pictures.

My wife wouldn't mind. I'm not prowling.

[Lisa D]

58. Arizona

I love the southwest. The scenery always lifts my spirits.

[quakerboy]

65. I'm glad its good for someone

Been there often enough. Not my cup of tea. Don't dig scrub brush. Or scorpions. Or hot. I will be happy to leave more of the above for you and the others who dig it.

[Lisa D]

68. I might feel differently if I actually lived there.

I just get so tired of dreary, cold winter days. Arizona always seems so bright and sunny.

Confession: I've never visited there in the summer

[quakerboy]

73. Heh

Ive mostly been there in summer.

It is generally bright. Except during the night or during a hard snowstorm.

I guess I'm weird. I have anti SADS, Hot sun drives me into lethargy, but a bit of rain and just enough indirect light slipping through the clouds to easily see, without any glare, that's my kinda weather.

[femmocrat]

70. New Mexico and Arizona.

I love that part of the country.

[bluedigger]

71. It would depend, I guess.

Where am I starting from?

What time of year?

Is the goal to spend the whole two weeks driving, or to get to a destination, do something, and return?

The answers will determine my range and possible destinations.

I spent three months on the road last summer - from NOLA to Maine (bought Jeep) - back to NOLA (moved out) and then across the US to the Pacific NW, down the Sierras to Death Valley, Vegas, Grand Canyon, and ended up in the Four Corners. I had no plan after the return to NOLA. Just do it.