Drive from Phoenix to Dallas, anything I need to know? (Scottsdale: coupons, hotels)

[greenthinker]

Drive from Phoenix to Dallas, anything I need to know? Stay in El Paso or Pecos Texas for a night? Would you like to share your experience? Thank you.

[musicforme]

My Father in Law and I made this trip a week and a half ago, except in the opposite direction.

We stayed over night in Van Horn, TX. I believe it was more of a half way point than the two places you listed. I was surprised how few highway patrol we saw during the drive.

[greenthinker]

All the small towns in Western Texas look very remote, is this safe to stay over night there?

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by greenthinker

Drive from Phoenix to Dallas, anything I need to know? Stay in El Paso or Pecos Texas for a night? Would you like to share your experience? Thank you.

Originally Posted by greenthinker

All the small towns in Western Texas look very remote, is this safe to stay over night there?

It is a FUN and FOOLPROOF TRIP (I-10 until you reach I-20) as long as you don't push it. Stop whenever you feel you need a little break and watch your speed.

As for safe . . . those quaint small towns are probably far safer than Phoenix.

Good Luck

[Timetravelor]

Your trip will take you about 18-20 hours straight. Van Horn or Odessa is a good stopping point if driving on Hwy 8 if you take the southern route out of Tuscon. if you like cheap stops - stop at the information center around the border or at the restaurants on the way and check for coupon books or go to the links below if you don't mind staying at less priced locations (Super 8, travel lodge etc) - otherwise, my father has stopped at rest areas and napped for several hours without problems in his car rather then staying in a hotel (not advised if you are a lady).

I know many hotels take coupons - check the coupon places before before you go. (Some places even bargain, I have been present when families come in and ask for a room price and tell the clerk it's too high and the clerk has asked them what price they are looking for and knocked off $30 at the moment and rented them a room) - So the smaller places are looking to fill up their rooms instead of losing customers.

Hotel Rooms & Free Discount Hotel Coupons - RoomSaver.com
Texas Hotel Coupons - Coupons for Hotels in Texas
Print Motel & Hotel Coupons or Book Hotel Reservations - HotelCoupons.com

[dinolux]

If you plan to stop for a short rest, stop at a truck stop rather than a rest area. The majority of truckers are honest, law-abiding people, the parking lots are usually well-lit, and there are employees on sight - but at rest areas you never know what could be lurking around. This goes for any area, not just Texas.

[greenthinker]

Originally Posted by Timetravelor

Your trip will take you about 18-20 hours straight. Van Horn or Odessa is a good stopping point if driving on Hwy 8 if you take the southern route out of Tuscon. if you like cheap stops - stop at the information center around the border or at the restaurants on the way and check for coupon books or go to the links below if you don't mind staying at less priced locations (Super 8, travel lodge etc) - otherwise, my father has stopped at rest areas and napped for several hours without problems in his car rather then staying in a hotel (not advised if you are a lady).

I know many hotels take coupons - check the coupon places before before you go. (Some places even bargain, I have been present when families come in and ask for a room price and tell the clerk it's too high and the clerk has asked them what price they are looking for and knocked off $30 at the moment and rented them a room) - So the smaller places are looking to fill up their rooms instead of losing customers.

Hotel Rooms & Free Discount Hotel Coupons - RoomSaver.com
Texas Hotel Coupons - Coupons for Hotels in Texas
Print Motel & Hotel Coupons or Book Hotel Reservations - HotelCoupons.com

18 hour! That is long drive. I though only takes 15 hours.

[musicforme]

Originally Posted by greenthinker

All the small towns in Western Texas look very remote, is this safe to stay over night there?

We stayed at a Ramada in Van Horn. What I liked about the hotel is that we were able to park our cars right outside our hotel room. Both cars were fully loaded since my wife and I were moving from DFW to Phoenix.

Originally Posted by greenthinker

18 hour! That is long drive. I though only takes 15 hours.

You have to figure in time to stop for gas, bathroom, and getting food. Over a distance that great, three hours seemed about right for us over the two days we drove. My FIL and I drove both vehicles, and we would stop for food versus eating and driving. We wanted to be mentally focused when driving and not worried about over doing it.

[greenthinker]

Originally Posted by musicforme

We stayed at a Ramada in Van Horn. What I liked about the hotel is that we were able to park our cars right outside our hotel room. Both cars were fully loaded since my wife and I were moving from DFW to Phoenix.



You have to figure in time to stop for gas, bathroom, and getting food. Over a distance that great, three hours seemed about right for us over the two days we drove. My FIL and I drove both vehicles, and we would stop for food versus eating and driving. We wanted to be mentally focused when driving and not worried about over doing it.

Thank you. I decided to fly. It is too much to bring kids with such a long journey. By the way, do you like Phoenix better than Dallas? I am thinking to check Dallas out.

[musicforme]

Originally Posted by greenthinker

Thank you. I decided to fly. It is too much to bring kids with such a long journey. By the way, do you like Phoenix better than Dallas? I am thinking to check Dallas out.

I wouldn't say I like Phoenix better or less than Dallas. I'd say I like it differently. I will say that without a doubt the scenery here beats Dallas hands down. From what I've read, the Dallas economy seems to be more well diversified than Phoenix. I'm a telecommuter for my employer so I haven't had to experience the job market here, so I can't give any specifics between the two.

The things I used to like about Dallas were when I was single and out doing stuff on the town. Between Dallas and Fort Worth, I was always able to find things to do on a date. I'm a big fan of classical music and there is plenty to choose from between the two cities. If you like classical, you HAVE to check out Bass Hall in Fort Worth. For that matter, the Sundance Square area of Fort Worth was by far my favorite area to hang out in the DFW area.

Now that I'm married and have two young daughters (one two years old, and one two months old) my interests have changed quite a bit. My in-laws are here in the Phoenix area (including two adult-aged sisters of my wife), plus a lot of close friends of my wife.

Even though I was born and raised in the DFW area, we didn't have a lot of friends at the same place in their lives like we will here in Phoenix.

I have a lot of Phoenix to see for myself. The times I've visited over the past five years, we've stayed mostly in the part of Scottsdale where my in-laws live (east of Frank Lloyd Wright and the 101). I've up to the Desert Ridge area, and we're buying a house near I-17 and Carefree Highway.