Road Trip

[Dawgs0916]

Me and a friend from back home are planning on take a roadtrip....starting from Central Texas (Copperas Cove/Killeen Ft. Hood area). Was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what are must hits (we don't even know which direction to start from). Would love some tips as far as going east or west, or north. What big stops to hit, MUST EAT PLACES, etc. I know this is incredibly vague but I figure with the wealth of knowledge and experience on this board I'll get some great ideas.

 

[CowboyDan]

Should we start with the obvious..........Cowboys Stadium? While you're up here, stay for a Rangers game, then head East to Dallas and check out Dealey Plaza, have a burger and a $2 PBR at Twisted Root and then head over to Fort Worth to see Sundance Square at night. Make sure you have some food and bev at 8.0's. (Honey-crusted chicken = yum) Good live music outside. Great for people watching.

 

[peplaw06]

How much time you got?

 

[Dawgs0916]

I'm thinking 5-7 days....

And CowboyDan I've done the DFW seen many times already lol so really not looking into it, although I love the area.

 

[CowboyDan]

I'm thinking 5-7 days....

And CowboyDan I've done the DFW seen many times already lol so really not looking into it, although I love the area.

Gotcha It's the only scene I know down here so far.

 

[joseephuss]

Just drive west until you hit San Diego. I am sure there are things to see in New Mexico or Arizona along the way, but San Diego itself is pretty cool.

 

[CowboyDan]

I'm not sure why I immediately thought you were talking about a road trip "inside Texas" when I read your post, hence the DFW suggestions. I guess it depends on what you're in to as to where you head, but you can't go wrong with a California beach in the Summertime, can you? The San Diego suggestion is a great one. You can even take a day or two and drive up the coast to LA or San Francisco. Maybe even hit Vegas baby!

Another suggestion is to go East, young man, to Daytona beach. You can stop in New Orleans, and Graceland along the way.

If you go North, I would do Chicago. I just looooooooove that city in the Summer! It's really special, with lots to see and do.

 

[CowboyWay]

Stop in at "The Big Texan" in Amarillo, get a steak, then go north on 287, and head towards Raton New Mexico. Then find your way to Durango Colorado, and hang out within 100 miles of that area. Prettiest area in the country for my money, and I've been all over. Take the steam train from Durango to Silverton, hang out in the mountains. Be a great time, I guaranty it.

 

[YosemiteSam]

What are you wanting to see. Odd things, or big sites?

Go west and you've got Big Ben, White Sands, etc. North you can stop by The Big Texan as CowboyWay pointed out and while you are there drive past Cadillac Ranch if you want to see something odd.

Don't go south as you want to avoid Houston like the plague! :laugh2:

East, you've always got New Orleans and the french quarter. Just be careful there. Especially in southern New Orleans. It can get quite dangerous.

 

[peplaw06]

There's a lot more to see by going East, you probably wouldn't get as far away, but there's some beautiful country out there. If I was going to go East, I'd probably head toward Tennessee and North Carolina.

I've driven West many times. There's next to nothing to see between Texas and California except for the Grand Canyon and Vegas. But when you get to the San Diego/LA/SF areas, it's worth the drive. The problem is you spend so much time driving. Driving from the Panhandle to LA would take an entire day, and that's with me just flying through. So if you have 5-7 days and take your time driving, I don't know if you'd have time to make it to San Fran. You'd get about a day in each of SD and LA, then you'd have to head back. The Grand Canyon and Vegas are off the main interstates between Texas and So Cal (10 and 40). And I-10 between San Antonio and Phoenix will feel like an eternity.

 

[Khartun]

Stop in at "The Big Texan" in Amarillo, get a steak

Go west and you've got Big Ben, White Sands, etc. North you can stop by The Big Texan as CowboyWay pointed out and while you are there drive past Cadillac Ranch if you want to see something odd.

Don't get me wrong, I love Amarillo, but...

The steaks at the Big Texan are pretty overrated. They are ok but I'd only go there if you plan on trying the 72 ouncer.

Cadillac Ranch is the worst tourist attraction that there ever was. It is just a bunch of cars stuck in the ground with graffiti all over the place.

Amarillo is a great town and a terrific place to live but not much as a tourist destination.

 

[Phoenix]

Cadillac Ranch is the worst tourist attraction that there ever was. It is just a bunch of cars stuck in the ground with graffiti all over the place.

Amarillo is a great town and a terrific place to live but not much as a tourist destination.

Right on both these counts! That Stanly Marsh is one strange dude. Besides Cadillac Ranch, I know he also made a plateau some ways outside Big A look like a giant pool table from the air...painted boulders to look like pool balls, logs painted like cues...

 

[YosemiteSam]

Don't get me wrong, I love Amarillo, but...

The steaks at the Big Texan are pretty overrated. They are ok but I'd only go there if you plan on trying the 72 ouncer.

Cadillac Ranch is the worst tourist attraction that there ever was. It is just a bunch of cars stuck in the ground with graffiti all over the place.

Amarillo is a great town and a terrific place to live but not much as a tourist destination.

Never been to The Big Texan, but Cadillac Ranch was cool as hell when I was 7. :laugh2:

It seems they moved it from where it was when I went by there so many years ago.

 

[Dawgs0916]

Yeah I definitely already tried the Big Texan in Amarillo lol (I go to Texas Tech), there was a thread on here last year about my epic failure.

And I agree about the steak not being the most amazing thing in the world. Does anyone have any good experiences with the El Paso area? I have ALWAYS wanted to see what the nightlife is like there with the hispanic girl population

 

[CowboyDan]

Yeah I definitely already tried the Big Texan in Amarillo lol (I go to Texas Tech), there was a thread on here last year about my epic failure.

And I agree about the steak not being the most amazing thing in the world. Does anyone have any good experiences with the El Paso area? I have ALWAYS wanted to see what the nightlife is like there with the hispanic girl population

I thought El Paso was kinda dangerous right now?

 

[ZeroClub]

How about the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton? .... then swing through Washington, D.C. Lots of great scenery along the way.

 

[Hoofbite]

You should head towards Denver.

Outside of Colorado Springs, check out Garden of the Gods and 7 Falls (think that's what it's called).

Get to Denver and then go west on I-70 to Grand Junction. You'll be able to stop in vail and you're driving through awesome terrain the whole time.

From Grand Junction, keep heading west and you'll be able to go Moab if you want and you can check out Arches National Park.

From there, go towards St. Georges, UT and on through to Las Vegas.

Vegas to San Fran.

Get to San Fran and ride the coast down to LA. LA to Phoenix and then Tuscon......and then back to Ft. Hood.

It'd be a lot of driving, around 4 thousand miles but you'd see some of the best scenery on earth.....and that's only the stuff I have heard of.

 

[Dawgs0916]

CowboyDan, I didn't think EP was getting hit too much by the crime, but it might be and I'm just not aware of it.

Hoof, that sounds awesome man, I feel like it would take too long to do all that driving though...I'm looking at a 4-6 day time frame and that would be a toooooooon of gas as well. I have always wanted to check out the Denver area though as I have heard great things about it. It's something to consider if I go west definitely, but I may have to trim some of the fat.

I wouldn't mind going east there seems to be a lot to do in a shorter amount of drive, and more fun as far as my age goes as well. A lot of stuff to consider as far as money, and gas, etc.

 

[Temo]

Last summer a friend of mine and I took a month-long roadtrip around the US. We started from New Jersey, and went:

Philly->Pittsburgh->Chicago->Milwaukee->Western Iowa/Omaha->Black Hills in SD->Butte, MT->Seattle->Portland, OR->San Fran->Los Angeles->Grand Canyon-> Albquerque, NM->OK City->Birmingham, AL->Raleigh, NC->Back home.

It was a ton of fun, probably the most fun month of my life. We couchsurfed on the way, as well as staying with some friends. And couch surfing was seriously awesome, we met some great, interesting people (seriously check it out if you're going anywhere far, cuts cost and is an awesome way to meet people).

Edit: Also wrote a blog for part of the trip, lost interest before we finished the trip =/

To answer your question, in your area: the Grand Canyon is awesome if you're outdoorsy, or if you've never been there (we were going to camp there for a day, but went to a hostel instead). You could also make it to LA, and see the beaches over in Santa Monica. It's fantastic there, the best beaches I've ever been to and the weather was sweet. Also tons of site seeing there. And the drive between SF and LA is the best drive in the nation (if you take US 1, the scenic route), but for your time frame probably too much driving.

 

[CowboyMike]

Yeah I definitely already tried the Big Texan in Amarillo lol (I go to Texas Tech), there was a thread on here last year about my epic failure.

And I agree about the steak not being the most amazing thing in the world. Does anyone have any good experiences with the El Paso area? I have ALWAYS wanted to see what the nightlife is like there with the hispanic girl population

I thought El Paso was kinda dangerous right now?

CowboyDan, I didn't think EP was getting hit too much by the crime, but it might be and I'm just not aware of it.

Hoof, that sounds awesome man, I feel like it would take too long to do all that driving though...I'm looking at a 4-6 day time frame and that would be a toooooooon of gas as well. I have always wanted to check out the Denver area though as I have heard great things about it. It's something to consider if I go west definitely, but I may have to trim some of the fat.

I wouldn't mind going east there seems to be a lot to do in a shorter amount of drive, and more fun as far as my age goes as well. A lot of stuff to consider as far as money, and gas, etc.

I live in El Paso. We were just named the safest city in the nation by the FBI. You have nothing to worry about. We're #1.

You're probably thinking about Juarez, Mexico, which is right across the border. That is where all the drug cartel stuff is going on. But it is almost two completely different worlds on either side of the border.

If you make it out here, check out Cincinnati street by the University, that's where all the bar hopping is and more sophisticated night life. You can also check out the clubs downtown, but they're less... classy.

And you MUST check out Kiki's. In my opinion the Mexican food capital of the nation. It's kind of a hole in the wall kind of place, but you won't get better mexican food. Try the menchaca. Cattleman's about 45 minutes outside of town is a good steakhouse with a great atmosphere around sunset. Both of those places have been mentioned on the Food Network's "Best thing I ever ate".

I wouldn't recommend staying here for an extended period of time... because you'd get bored. But I'd definitely recommend checking out a few spots if you're passing through on your way to San Diego or somewhere on the west coast.