FI Flyer

I have volunteered to drive my daughter's car (a Subaru, alas) from San Francisco to New York with a stop to visit friends in Palm Beach, Florida. I be starting in mid to late January and time is not of the essence.

What route do you suggest and what stops should I make? If there are foods that I should sample or sights that I should check out, please let me know.

mdrums

On your way through Florida head south on I-75 and check out the Tampa Bay area....head west from Tampa and stop by the famous Sebring raceway.

Foods yeah there are a lot of them...!

todd.

Wow, not exactly the most direct way to get to New York. You're a good dad, too bad you're not driving a 911.

LagunaDallas

Wow...Palm Beach is WAY out of the way, but it's a gorgeous town. Although January isn't ideal for weather at higher elevations, the eastbound highway that goes through Vail to Denver is stunning. I was also surprised how beautiful the route was from Knoxville up through the Carolinas (especially the area around Asheville in the Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains). If you're coming up from Florida, Savannah is interesting and Charleston totally blew me away.

FI Flyer

To avoid the worst of winter, I think that I will drive south in California and then head east. I'm not sure what my best route would be from southern California to Florida. And I'm not sure what I should try to see and sample on the way.

I've driven west more-or-less along old route 66 in the past and have also driven across on I70 and I80. This trip I want to stay out of the worst of the winter weather rather than seeing the national parks or whatever in the mountains or midwest.

The reason for the stop in Palm Beach is that I was already planning a visit to friends there and I am combining that trip with my car delivery for for my daughter.

Hella-Buggin'

The drive through Arizona and new mexico "monument valley" is beautiful but Texas is brutal. I swear it just goes on and on.

Edgy01

That time of year dictates I40 just to be absolutely safe. Even THAT isn't south enough some times. I10 may be the way to go.

uzj100

+1

FI Flyer

It looks like my best route is down I5 to somewhere near LA and then east on I10 all the way to Florida. After that I will take I75 and I95 to Palm Beach and then I95 up to New York.

So now the question becomes what is there to do, see and eat along I10? I am starting to fear that it may be as exciting as the interminable drive through the cornfields of Nebraska and Kansas that blight any trip via I80 or I70. (No sights, no turns, no radio, no nothing but corn.) Bible belt radio is not really my thing. Nor are bad rock on stations named after animals ("the fox" or whatever) or boasting a male nickname ("Steve" or something.) It would be nice to have something to focus on or aim for. So what's down there and what should I try to do while I am passing through?

CarGuy21

Albuquerque, NM, Houston, TX - Lots of stuff to do plenty of good places to eat & shop, New Orleans, LA - Food Jazz you could catch Mardi Gras if your timing is right, Baton Rouge, LA not much to do but good eats can be had. Mobile, AL - space center Pensacola, FL naval air base, etc.

If I were you, I'd check out my route and then surf the web for some of the towns areas you'll be passing through and find events, locales, etc. that jive with my interests.

Palmbeacher

In that case my suggestion is to hang out in FL until the end of April and then drive up to NY

Bruce R

I'd second the idea of a night in Charleston, SC and add DC to that list, I95 is loooong and boring, those two will break it nicely.

MJones

I-40 thru AZ & NM are visually stunning, but in Jan could be dicey at the 7,000 ft. elevations anything can occur.
I-10 thru the forever state (TX), may be your wisest bet...

Happy Motoring

uzj100

As I learned the hard way in Albuquerque, NEVER stay at a place where you can't park near your room! Woke up to broken driver's side window and stolen camera etc while overnighting there on a cross country trek.

CarGuy21

Bummer. That could happen anywhere though. Even on the Gold Coast in Chicago.