We will be traveling with out 11 year old daughter. Any ideas as far as route, car rentals, hotels, food. Any ideas or advice in general from those who have driven that far before??!! Thanks for your help!
Don't drive the 40 hours straight through if you don't have to (been there, done that, and it sucks.) Break it up and do some fun things along the way. Make an effort to show your daughter interesting historical sites or landmarks along the way. You'll cross the Mississippi river. You'll see a drastic change in terrain as you cross into Texas and New Mexico. You'll be a stones throw away from the Grand Canyon. You'll cross the Hoover Dam (might as well do the tour). You have a great opportunity here to show your daughter a huge chunk of the country and some really cool places. You'll have a chance to check out some great National Parks. If you don't have to rush the road trip, take as much time as you can. Breaking it up with make it more comfortable for the passengers and it can be a great educational trip at the same time.
If you can break it up in reasonable chunks than you can anticipate which cities you'll need to rent your hotels in. If you can grab them on priceline.com (name your own price) you can get some really good deals. I almost always use priceline and end up with a 2 star hotel at a no-star price.
Keep food and drink in the car to prevent unscheduled stops. You'll have enough unscheduled stops to use the bathroom, lol. In car DVD players are the best things for kids - sitting still for 8 - 12 hours a day is a lot to ask. Before the DVD players I used to get audio books and play them in the car. For the people that get into them, it keeps them awake and entertained. For the people that can't get into them, they fall asleep. Either one makes it easier on the driver.
Route: This is the way that I went: Take I-10 to New Orleans. Then took I-49 to Shreveport. I-20 to Dallas. Texas 81 (it's not expressway, but it's not bad) to Amarillo. Catch I-40 to almost all the way to Vegas. 93 will take you the rest of the way there.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
i think u guys are silly to be driving that distance. FLY! it will be WAY cheaper, and in this economy, we all need to save money. if u fly, then u will have more money left for hotel and souvenir budget, as well as more time to go to tourist attractions, because there are a lot of neat things that children should see in vegas. not only that, by the time october gets here, gas will be upwards of $4/gallon. seriously……be smart, and buy your plane tickets NOW. u will get way better deals the earlier u buy your tickets. u'll prolly get an even better deal if u book your hotel with your plane tickets and your rental car all in one too.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Don't drive the 40 hours straight through if you don't have to (been there, done that, and it sucks.) Break it up and do some fun things along the way. Make an effort to show your daughter interesting historical sites or landmarks along the way. You'll cross the Mississippi river. You'll see a drastic change in terrain as you cross into Texas and New Mexico. You'll be a stones throw away from the Grand Canyon. You'll cross the Hoover Dam (might as well do the tour). You have a great opportunity here to show your daughter a huge chunk of the country and some really cool places. You'll have a chance to check out some great National Parks. If you don't have to rush the road trip, take as much time as you can. Breaking it up with make it more comfortable for the passengers and it can be a great educational trip at the same time.
If you can break it up in reasonable chunks than you can anticipate which cities you'll need to rent your hotels in. If you can grab them on priceline.com (name your own price) you can get some really good deals. I almost always use priceline and end up with a 2 star hotel at a no-star price.
Keep food and drink in the car to prevent unscheduled stops. You'll have enough unscheduled stops to use the bathroom, lol. In car DVD players are the best things for kids - sitting still for 8 - 12 hours a day is a lot to ask. Before the DVD players I used to get audio books and play them in the car. For the people that get into them, it keeps them awake and entertained. For the people that can't get into them, they fall asleep. Either one makes it easier on the driver.
Route: This is the way that I went: Take I-10 to New Orleans. Then took I-49 to Shreveport. I-20 to Dallas. Texas 81 (it's not expressway, but it's not bad) to Amarillo. Catch I-40 to almost all the way to Vegas. 93 will take you the rest of the way there.
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Did the trip in 2000
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
That is crazy driving that far. You really should fly considering all of the great deals on vacations in Vegas.
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http://vacation-in-vegas.com/
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Unless there is a reason you want to drive besides you think it is cheaper - don't drive.
Vegas is the least expensive place in the country to fly to. That's why the conventions & business meetings are there.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Don't drive, fly. Then rent a car in Vegas and with the extra time take a side trip to the Grand Canyon or even down to L.A. and visit Disneyland for a day.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Are you nuts? Good luck.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
That is a long drive, especiall with a child. But I know the airfare would be awful. I suggest you contact AAA or your car insurance, who will actually give you the best route including motels, etc.
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