One-way Drive from VA to SD...lodging recommendations? (San Diego, Jackson: motel, camp)

[Papajojo]

Ok, I've decided I can't live away from the water and sunshine anymore so next week I will be driving 2600 miles west. I've mapped everything out and made a goal of 600-750 miles per day. I'm traveling with a dog, and have found that motel 6 is pet friendly and does not have any add'l pet fees. Has anyone made this trip before? How far did you go each day and what towns/cities did you stay in? I want to make sure I'm choosing decent areas to crash at night but would like them to be relatively inexpensive as well. Here is what I've put together as my driving goals so far:

Day 1-Northern VA to Jackson, TN -758 miles- Motel 6 for $36.99
Day 2-Jackson, TN to Abilene, TX- 722 miles- Motel 6 for $36.99
Day 3-Abiline, TX to Benson, AZ- 723 miles- Motel 6 for under $50
Day 4-Benson, AZ to Ocean Beach-453 miles- Motel 6 for just over $50

I chose ocean beach as my first SD destination because after 4 days in a pickup truck, my dog will want to go to dog beach. If there are any 'better' areas nearby, I'm open to suggestions there as well. Basicly, I'm looking for the cheapest and safest trip possible. I'll be throwing enough of my savings away on the transition (temp lodging, X days of not working, etc), I'd rather conserve on the way out so I can enjoy myself a little once I get there. I appreciate any help.

[kettlepot]

I've made the trip before, though it was a long time ago.

It took me 6 days to make the trip, but I stopped for three tourist excursions along the way which slowed me down. I know you want to save motel money and make good progress, but I think your itinerary is too ambitious. Your legs and your butt won't be able to handle that much driving every single day in a row. I know when I drive long distances, the body fatigue really begins to hit at about 500 miles. You'll certainly be able to push it longer than 500 miles, but not every single day. Plus this is a major trip, sometimes you just need to make it more than a simple race to get cross-country. Bite the bullet and add at least one day to your travel time, and if you drive near some major attraction, stop and take a breather for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. At least do something like that once on your trip.

Dog Beach will be an excellent treat for your dog when you reach San Diego. He will be very relieved.

[returnednative]

What an adventure. Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this.
We did this before we moved back for good too. Sounds like we took a similar route, but we had to stop in west virginia. So from Annapolis, MD we hit:
Charleston, WV
Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
El Paso, TX
Then San Diego!
Keep in mind that there were 2 of us so one could catch up on sleep while the other drove, and we still took time to check out some sights. Took us a little over a week.
Now, we did St. Paul, MN to San Diego in 2.5 days and that was way worse!!

And I do agree that your dog will most definitely love hitting the beach after the long drive!
Good luck and happy travels!

[Papajojo]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

I've made the trip before, though it was a long time ago.

It took me 6 days to make the trip, but I stopped for three tourist excursions along the way which slowed me down. I know you want to save motel money and make good progress, but I think your itinerary is too ambitious. Your legs and your butt won't be able to handle that much driving every single day in a row. I know when I drive long distances, the body fatigue really begins to hit at about 500 miles. You'll certainly be able to push it longer than 500 miles, but not every single day. Plus this is a major trip, sometimes you just need to make it more than a simple race to get cross-country. Bite the bullet and add at least one day to your travel time, and if you drive near some major attraction, stop and take a breather for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. At least do something like that once on your trip.

Dog Beach will be an excellent treat for your dog when you reach San Diego. He will be very relieved.

But I've already printed out daily maps and driving directions Ok, you're probably right. It's been a long time since I've gone on a long road trip, and I've never tried one alone before. An extra day would probably be a good idea. That brings up another topic then: Sights to see on the way? Any must sees not too far out of the way? I've seen enough trees and farmland to last me a lifetime, so the more different from VA the scenery is, the better...

[kettlepot]

Well, I took the northerly route through AZ & NM so I was able to visit both Santa Fe, and the Grand Canyon. With your bringing a dog along, I think he'd enjoy the Grand Canyon more. Could you camp there for the night? Sleep in the cab of your truck perhaps? Yes, it will be cold, but a BIG pile of blankets and a warm dog might do the trick. It will be off-season, so not quite the crowds of tourists that show up in the summer.

Further east in the Appalachians and Mississippi Valley I can't say I have any particular sites to nominate.