drive from PA(east coast) to AZ(west coast) (Phoenix: real estate market, rental)

[shiraz72]

Just wondering what your experience was driving from east to west?

[kytoaz]

incredible. it was, however, the first time i had been west so it was very exciting and new. i had never seen real mountains or desert. I had fun. It took me three days from kentucky to l.a. via houston. the speed limit was 55 back then, so maybe not as long today.

[bolt32]

We just moved here this past July from Ohio. 2 adults, 2 teenagers, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 turtle and a 4 bedroom home in a U-Haul. Took us 3 solid 12 hour days, but thats because of our animals. I loved it as well! Had never been "out West", and loved showing my kids how the terrain changes while crossing the country. Its totally do-able, but it is long!

[shiraz72]

Thanks everyone! BTW Bolt32 since your new to the area how do you guys like it? Are you adjusting well?

[PoppySead]

It's a better trip in the winter than the summer. It gets warmer and more inviting the longer you drive that way. Instead of hotter and hotter. Otherwise it's an adventure but for the most part a nice one. I once did it round trip by train, that was great! I love the train and really affordable.

[tripper76]

I made a trip from Pa to AZ in January to move my mom out here. I did all the driving and was not in any big rush. It took us 3.5 days. I think we made it to St. Louis on day 1.

[Bondurant]

I made the drive from Scranton to Phoenix with stops in Lexington, KY, Tulsa, OK and Gallup, NM. While not a horrible drive I found it tedious until I hit Texas. I enjoyed the drive thru New Mexico. My time was limited and my funds were short so I did not have the opportunity to see all of the sites along the way. I bet the drive is, overall, much better if there's on opportunity to really see the land.

[SmurfOnABoat]

I've driven it from Detroit to AZ, it was awesome, but didn't have much time to sight-see as we drove it straight through. 31 Hours! Although before I permanently move down there, I plan on driving it again and taking my time and going the Route 66 passage. Now that will be fun!!!!

[dacubz]

Drove from Chicago to Phoenix a few years ago, and will be doing it again the end of March for spring training. Day one got us to Amarillo TX, after about 16 hours. Then we drove down to historic Tombstone, and up to Phoenix, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon. Drove home the northern route through Colorado afterwards. We put nearly 4000 miles on our rental Rav4 from Hertz. Thank god for unlimited mileage!

You will definitely enjoy the drive, the southern route is beautiful. We loved Arizona so much, we bought a rental home in Peoria, and hope to move out west in a few years if the Chicago real estate market ever rebounds.

[magnum0417]

I moved here permanently a month ago and it took me 4 days. Could of been four but wanted to stay over in Flagstaff.

Day One. New York to Columbus OH. About 8 hours. Pretty boring.

Day Two. Columbus to Springfield, MO.11 hours. BORING through Indiana and Illinois. Got more interesting going through St Louis and the hills of the Ozarks towards Springfield.

Day Three. Springfield,MO to Amarillo, TX. 8 hours. Amarillo was neat and enjoyed the high plains out towards Amarillo. Went to the Big Texan Steakhouse, home of the 72 ounce steak.You felt like you were in the SW as you approached Amaillo with the tumbleweed and sagebrush. OKC to Amarillo was a 2400 ft incline in elevation but so gradual you barely notice until you get to McLean, TX on I 40 where you rise probably about 700 feet very quickly to the Llano Estacado.

Day 4.Amarillo to Flagstaff. 8 hours. Always love I 40 from Amarillo to Flag. Have done that trip for 20 years sporadically. The plains become mesas and valleys around Tucumcari to Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa to Moriarty is all uphill and you go from sabebrush to Junipers and Ponderosa. After Moriarty you go through Tijeras Canyon to Albuquerque. On a clear day, absolutely stunning carving through the Sandias. West of Albuquerque, pretty much up hill to the 7200 Continental Divide on I 40 between Grants and Gallup. Decent scenery but not as stunning as AZ's North Country or the Sandias near ABQ.Holbrook and Winslow are dusty towns with Sagebrush. I considered investing in raw land up that way because I thought that area with its barrenness was neat when I was younger. Not now. On all sides of I 40, trailers and dust galore in those areas. You see a sign $395 an acre, call (forgot the #) near Holbrook. No thanks ! Winslow to Flagstaff is cool. Just west of Winslow you see the SF Peaks clearly despite being 50 miles from Flag. Vegetation gets greener too.

Day 5. Flag to PHX. 2 hours. Mostly downhill except for the Camp Verde to Cordes Jct area. Awesome scenery as one goes down from Flag past Sedona towards Camp Verde. Sedona red rocks and Bradshaws are very visible. South of Cordes Jct mostly the landscape seen here in The Valley.