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.

 

I assume you already know that PB isn't just "a stop" on the way from SF to NYC! That's a major detour.

Anyway, weather might be what dictates your route - plan a couple of them so you have a choice. I've driven I80 (Wyoming) and I70 (Colorado) in winter and both can be dicey - but the real impact is delay, nothing worse usually.

From SF I think I'd be inclined to head south pretty early and cross the Rockies in CO or AZ, then stay south where there is less chance of snow. Maybe I40 across Texas and then drop down to New Orleans and across I10 to Florida? I don't know what's worth seeing in winter (Grand Canyon? Hoover Dam? Painted Desert?) but the Gulf coast is enjoyable.

 

Go south for sure. Weather will be a major factor.

 

I will certainly go south both to avoid the worst of the winter weather and because it is the most logical way to Florida. (I was already planning to visit friends there and I am combining two trips into one.)

I don't think that I will go north of I40 but I don't know if I should go further south. So my main question is what should my route from Southern California (after driving south from San Francisco) to Florida be and what should I try to see and do on the way?

A secondary question is what I should do going north from Florida along I95. I've driven up and down to Florida from NYC before and so it is less important than figuring out my best route going east from California to Florida. Still, if someone has a good place to visit or stop I would welcome the suggestion.

 

Hey there...I just responded over on R-list but the post didn't have as many details. I agree with not going north of I-40 this time of year, but there isn't much in the way of scenery on the south side. I make the TX-CA-TX drive yearly via I-10 and it's not very exciting other than the area just east of San Diego and outside San Antonio in the Hill Country. I'd just crank through that route and save the scenery for New Orleans & Florida, then Savannah, Charleston, and perhaps Hilton Head Island on the way north. There's nothing like a long road trip to appreciate all the different scenery, people, food, etc. that this country has to offer. Enjoy!

 

I would add that I40 should be fine - but it does have higher elevations at Flagstaff AZ and Albuquerque NM so check weather forecasts. If you're timing is bad, just go to I10 and you'll have minimum problems - but I would try to make it across I40 at least past Alb as the scenery can be pretty (desert pretty) and there are some hills and I think one bend in the road. If timing is good weather wise, the drive up to Taos/Santa Fe is really nice, too.

 

Mapquest, Google Maps and an abundance of caution seem to be pointing me to going south on I5 (which I recall as dreary) and then west on I10 all the way to Florida. From there, I75 to I95 is fairly obvious.

I40 seems a bit too far north (and possibly snowy) and I20 seems to out of my way. So I10 seems best ... on the map at least. But I fear, that I10 may be as dull as the much-dreaded drive across Nebraska (I80) or Kansas (I70.) Is that really so?

I guess things pick up near New Orleans but what should I try and do or see in the huge space between LA and Baton Rouge? Are there any good parks? Museums? Historical sites? Food specialties?

Or should I just put my foot down, put in an audio book and try not to be overwhelmed radio evangelists and tea-baggers (the political kind?) At the risk of seeming snobbish, I must admit that I have not been terribly impressed by heartland radio and I fear the red state bible belt will not be, ahem, better. That said I will be somewhere I have never been before and want to make the most of it.

 

I would go,

SF to LA to SD to Scottsdale to Dallas to NO to PB...then up to ATL to DC to PHL to NY.