It's worth a shot while people are giving SF and NY trip advice.

 

I have about 16 days in the summer to make it from Phoenix to Chicago and back. We decided that spending $3K to fly and rent a vehicle for the two weeks might not make much sense, so we are going to drive. Any tips? Must see places along the way. I want to spend 8-10 days in Chicago, so that leaves me 3 days travel on each side. I'd like to hit a few "can't miss" sights along the way.

 

Assume I've seen nothing.

St. Louis is obviously the first that comes to my mind.

St. Louis is obviously the first that comes to my mind.

Jean shorts are already packed for that portion of the trip.

Assume I've seen nothing.

 

Oh, so you've already made the drive from Phoenix to Chicago.

Oh, so you've already made the drive from Phoenix to Chicago.

I have, so I know that the most direct route has nothing to see. I'm planning on going up north through Denver. I think I want to see Mt. Rushmore. That's about the most far north I want to go. I'm just looking to see if there's any can't miss stuff on the way. Or, is there anything (Mt. Rushmore, for instance) that isn't worth the time.

Mt. Rushmore is pretty cool, and there's lots of other stuff out there to see. I didn't realize you were willing to go THAT far out of your way.

 

Rocky Mtn. National Park in Colorado is very nice. Deadwood is not too far from Mt. Rushmore and is neat. There's a huge ass ball of twine just west of Minneapolis that's, um, interesting.

If you're heading in the northerly direction first to get to the Rushmore area, western Nebraska/Wyoming/Montana is spectacular country with more visitable sites than I can count. (I included Western Nebraska because of Devil's Tower).

Devil's Tower is in Wyoming, unless there is another one I'm not aware of.

Devil's Tower is in Wyoming, unless there is another one I'm not aware of.

You're right, i always think of it as western nebraska though since it's out away from everything in WY. my bad.

Going north, IMO, makes you skip some cool stuff, unless you wait a bit to do it. I've got family in the PHX area, and I've driven around the west a lot.

 

First, I'd take two different routes - one out and one back. Get some variety.

 

For the more southerly route, try this to make it a bit more interesting... From PHX, instead of taking I-40 to I-25, or taking I-17, take a route more mountainous. Go east of PHX on US 60 to Globe, which takes you along the south of the Superstitions and Four Peaks. Then grab US70 east at Globe, to US 191 (just past Safford), to Hwy 78 taking you into New Mexico. You get some stunning scenery along the way. Hwy 78 ends at US 181, take that north to Reserve, which is a windy but gorgeous drive through mountains and canyons of the Gila area. Then its NM HWY 12 to Datil, to US 60 east, the Plain of San Augustin, and the VLA (Very Large Array - stop there and check out their museum, its fun). There is a great B&B in Magdalena, then US 60 hits I-25.

 

I-25 is interstate, but its scenic, follow it all the way up to Denver. From there, there is no "fun" way to get east, because everything from Denver to Chicago is pretty damn boring.

 

For a northerly route, do the Devil's Tower stuff you mentioned, and drive south through Utah. You can get off I-80 around Green River in Wyoming, and follow US 191 south literally from there all the way to just east of Phoenix. If goes through or near places like Arches National Park, Moab, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Canyon De Chelly, and with a short detour: Four Corners and Petrified Forest.

 

Just some ideas!

 

Mt. Rushmore is pretty cool, and there's lots of other stuff out there to see. I didn't realize you were willing to go THAT far out of your way.

 

Rocky Mtn. National Park in Colorado is very nice. Deadwood is not too far from Mt. Rushmore and is neat. There's a huge ass ball of twine just west of Minneapolis that's, um, interesting.

 

I just did this over the weekend. Very cool.

Good stuff. I figure I can take my time getting to Chicago heading up north (which I'm guessing is the most scenic way), spend 8 days in Chicago, and haul a$$ back to Phoenix going the most direct route. Or I can hit a few sights on the way, and a few on the way back. I haven't really decided.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.