OK, Here is some background: I am in my 20 s, I consider myself fairly educated and resourceful. I have traveled through most of Europe, both as a poor student and after college at a point I actually had some money. I have also backpacked in Central America. My friend and I are planning a trip to drive across the US from the Chesapeake region to San Diego. While I do want to keep it on the cheap, I do have a little money to spend. I will not have a strict time restriction for the trip. I do care to see the world��s largest ball of string, or the world��s biggest matchbook house. I am interested in seeing natural beauty: swamp lands, plains, mountains, deserts, as well as man-made beauty such as interesting cities that may be along the way, big or small. So I��m looking for some advice on possible routes to take. I��m not looking for anything too specific, but major highways that move though some regional landscapes that represent the beauty of the land would be helpful, as well as cities and towns that may be of interest for someone curious about the world. One last note, while I am willing to take the scenic route, I don t want to go too far out of the way. For example, I don t see myself visiting Wyoming on this particular trip.
It s a little off the beaten track but consider checking out the canyon country of southern Utah. Go through Colorado and the Rocky Mountains on I-70 and head to Arches National Park in Utah. Do the Great Circle Tour to see Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches National Parks and the Grand Canyon. Bryce Canyon is one of the most fantastic sights in the southwestern U.S. http://www.nps.gov/brca/http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htmAt Bryce Canyon everyone stays at Ruby s Inn.http://www.rubysinn.com/Utah Route 12 is one of the most scenic roads in the country. Red Canyon and Big Thunder Road in Dixie National Forest is the inspiration for Disneyland s Big Thunder Mountain (see the picture I took in link below)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RedRoc��http://www.utah.com/byways/highway_12.ht��http://scenicbyway12.com/You can cross the Colorado River at Lake Powell and head to the Grand Canyon.http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=nav��From the Grand Canyon you can either head to Phoenix or Las Vegas. I recommend Vegas. Hotel rooms are inexpensive mid week. Time it right and you can stay at a great place for less than $50.Be sure to check out the Hoover Dam tour, It s right outside Las Vegas.http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/service��From Vegas you take I-15 right to San Diego. It passes right through Death Valley. At Baker, CA you can gas up and see the World s Largest Thermometer.http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/289��BTW if you plan to go to more than one National Park, buy the annual pass. It allows a vehicle and its occupants unlimited admission.http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htmWhen you get to San Diego here are some things to do.Mission and Pacific Beach are your best bet for fun in the sun. Belmont Park has a vintage historic wooden roller coaster as well as other rides.http://www.missionbeachonline.com/http://www.belmontpark.com/Some must see attractions are the world famous Zoo, Sea World, and Balboa Park. Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the country. You can get a park passport which allows you entry to a dozen museums as well as the zoo.http://www.balboapark.org/info/passport.��http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/index.phpMy favorite museum is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. It has some of the largest model railroad displays in the world.http://www.sdmrm.org/North County San Diego is home to the Zoo s Wild Animal Park. There are multi acre enclosures where herds of wild animals roam plus lots of hiking trails.http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wap/index.htm��The Quail Botanical Gardens are in Encinitashttp://www.qbgardens.org/La Jolla offers great views, great food, and shopping.Check out the surfers at historic Windansea Beach. At low tide you can walk out onto the tide pools. Walk along the Cove and check out the caves. Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art. Take a stroll on Prospect St and check out the shops, galleries, and have some authentic Mexican food and Alfonso s. Then head to the Birch Aquarium at The Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It has a spectacular view of the bluffs over the Pacific Ocean.http://www.dreamlajolla.com/http://www.mcasd.org/http://www.alfonsosoflajolla.com/http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/Take the trolley from Downtown to Old Town. There is a state park there that recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872. There are also a lot of resturants in the area. Pizza Bella has the best pizza in town as well as homemade Italian food.http://www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com/http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-bella-san-��The Old Point Loma Lighthouse at the Cabrillo National Monument offers great views of the dowtown skyline, San Diego Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mexico.http://www.nps.gov/cabr/For nightlife, the Gaslamp Quarter offers dining, drinking and dancing. It s also the home of Petco Park and the San Diego Padres major league baseball team.http://www.gaslamp.org/Pacific Beach also has some great nightlife.http://www.pubclub.com/sandiego/pacificb��http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/o��Check out this site for discount coupons and other infohttp://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors