Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I thinkt he biggest concern most are having is the stretch from Phoenix to Flaggstaff due to that mountain climb. I have seen many SUV's loaded with passenegrs struggling to keep up. I have seen SUV's with trailers barley making the hill. And I have seen many vehicles on the side of the road with busted transmissions. But, i understand that transmission repair shops are plentiful along that stretch. Make sure you have a talk with your own mechanic about the vehicle, towing a trailer and get their honest opinion.
Yes, that stretch from Phoenix to Flagstaff can be a long one.
Neither - driving w/a roof top carrier, shipping my stuff w/Upack - which was cheaper than doing a u haul.
Ok, good. You won't have any problems.
I-25 to Denver, then I-70 to St. Louis, MO. I-70 is the Kansas Turnpike from Topeka to Kansas City, but you really don't have any other alternative. It only costs a few bucks.
Don't get on I-635 in Kansas City. You'll be fine staying on 70. Don't bother going around St. Louis on I-270/255 either, just go right through the middle on I-64, which you'll exit off onto at Wentzville, MO, several miles west of St. Louis. Stay underneath the I-64 signs as you cross the Mississippi River and you'll be alright. Don't panic when you see TWO overhead signs pointing to I-64 east. Just pick either one because the highway divides for a mile or so, then comes right back together. God knows why.
I-64 east to Mt. Vernon, MO, then south on I-57 about 40 or 50 miles to its junction with I-24 east. Stay on that to Nashville, then I-40 east as far into eastern NC as you care to go. In Nashville, I-24 merges with I-65 for awhile. After you go through that merge, just get in the left lane and stay there all the way through town. You'll naturally end up on I-40 east. But...keep your speed up as you ARE in the passing lane.
Knoxville, TN is always a challenge because the town is long and narrow, which means anybody who needs to go anywhere in on I-40/75. It can get pretty crowded, but the road is several lanes wide. You can take the I-640 bypass or stay on I-40 through downtown. It makes no difference traffic wise, but 40 is shorter. Watch your speed. They patrol it aggressively.
The canyon leading into NC and Black Mountain east of Asheville shouldn't give you any problems. After that, it's just traffic from Winston-Salem to Raleigh which will give you fits. It's always clogged and subject to sudden slow-downs. Keep a good following distance.
Motels, gas, food. Those won't be a problem anywhere along that route, though eastern Colorado and western Kansas are pretty sparsely settled. Any town of any size will have what you need, though.
There are other, more scenic routes, but that's the quickest and best in my opinion.
If I plan on taking my time, I don't think I could afford or want to spend between 90 - 120 a night. I am definitely a budget kind of girl and don't require much. A fellow teacher made this haul (well NC to AZ) and he has two big dogs. He said that he got a Motel 6 Book and it gave him tons of options of where to spend the night. He said he would drive and make the decision around lunch time about which hotel that they would stay. He would call from on the road and make the decision of where to stay.
We can afford to pay that, but don't feel any need to. And I don't like the extra $25 per pet fee that most Hampton Inns charge at the facilities that allow pets. Also keep in mind that Best Western has erratic pet policies - each facility will be different from the last.
La Quinta has always served us well, and never a fee for the dog. 100% pet friendly chain. Red Roof's and Motel 6 are the same way, but admittedly a step down the ladder, quality wise. Sometimes two steps down the ladder with Motel 6's.
I'd still book in advance - you'll also get cheaper internet rates and have the advantage of a plan, which to my mind, is more relaxing. Do remember you're traveling during the summer season, which may make it more difficult to find last minute vacancies.
I took this as a challenge, and plotted it with additional destinations using Google maps.
1. Phoenix to Tucumcari, NM
2. Tucumcari to Clarksville, Arkansas
3. Clarksville, AR to Knoxville, TN
4. Knoxville, TN to Garner, NC.
The last leg is only 6 hours, but it's a little harder over the mountains.
Good Luck!
Ok, if I avoid the Phoenix to Flagstaff route, which cities would you all recommend that we stop in, if we do eight hours of driving a day (give or take).
I took this as a challenge, and plotted it with additional destinations using Google maps.
1. Phoenix to Tucumcari, NM
2. Tucumcari to Clarksville, Arkansas
3. Clarksville, AR to Knoxville, TN
4. Knoxville, TN to Garner, NC.
The last leg is only 6 hours, but it's a little harder over the mountains.
Good Luck!
You are good. Last year we went from North Carolina to Ventura, California and stayed in the towns you suggested exactly. Then we stayed in a town on the Arizona/California border instead of Phoenix and on to Ventura.
Just a note: Don't decide to do the Smoky Mountain side trail instead of I-40. We had neighbors do this on their way from California and ended up with a ticket for having an oversized trailer in the National Park. Who would have known there were such rules?
You are also right about the last day being hard through the mountains and you can add the added traffic on I-40 because that is just about the only way to get through the mountains. When you get to the North Carolina line there is a rest stop. Stop and check your blood pressure and know it will soon go down several points. Relax and enjoy the easy living. LOL And another note, do NOT speed through Asheville. North Carolina has extra patrols at every border on major highways. The reason is to get the speeders before they come into the state and kill our people. This is just my opinion.
We always leave I-40 and go through Lake Lure to buy chocolate at the gun shop in Bat Cave. Then we head down 74 and eat at Bridges in Shelby. Best barbecue in the world.
Ok, if I avoid the Phoenix to Flagstaff route, which cities would you all recommend that we stop in, if we do eight hours of driving a day (give or take).
If you don't do the I-17 route to Flagstaff, but still intend to go I-40, you're not leaving yourself any good options. You can go up through Payson and Heber to Holbrook, or via Globe/Show Low to Holbrook, but neither route is worth a damn for pulling a trailer and especially for a neophyte. Other than that, you'd have to go across I-10 all the way over to Las Cruces, NM then either up to Albuquerque on I-25 or cut through the country to Santa Rosa, NM or Amarillo,TX both of which routes will add a LOT of extra miles.
We can afford to pay that, but don't feel any need to. And I don't like the extra $25 per pet fee that most Hampton Inns charge at the facilities that allow pets. Also keep in mind that Best Western has erratic pet policies - each facility will be different from the last.
La Quinta has always served us well, and never a fee for the dog. 100% pet friendly chain. Red Roof's and Motel 6 are the same way, but admittedly a step down the ladder, quality wise. Sometimes two steps down the ladder with Motel 6's.
I'd still book in advance - you'll also get cheaper internet rates and have the advantage of a plan, which to my mind, is more relaxing. Do remember you're traveling during the summer season, which may make it more difficult to find last minute vacancies.
That is because Best Western is not a chain like the others but a network of individual owners who operate under the Best Western banner.
We don't have pets so I was unaware that Hampton Inns charge a fee.
If you don't do the I-17 route to Flagstaff, but still intend to go I-40, you're not leaving yourself any good options. You can go up through Payson and Heber to Holbrook, or via Globe/Show Low to Holbrook, but neither route is worth a damn for pulling a trailer and especially for a neophyte. Other than that, you'd have to go across I-10 all the way over to Las Cruces, NM then either up to Albuquerque on I-25 or cut through the country to Santa Rosa, NM or Amarillo,TX both of which routes will add a LOT of extra miles.
Whichever way you do it, you still need to climb up to 6,000 or 7,000 feet.
You could do I10 to I20 to I30 and pick up I 40 at Little Rock but that looks like a long way around and I have no idea how good the road is.
If you don't do the I-17 route to Flagstaff, but still intend to go I-40, you're not leaving yourself any good options. You can go up through Payson and Heber to Holbrook, or via Globe/Show Low to Holbrook, but neither route is worth a damn for pulling a trailer and especially for a neophyte. Other than that, you'd have to go across I-10 all the way over to Las Cruces, NM then either up to Albuquerque on I-25 or cut through the country to Santa Rosa, NM or Amarillo,TX both of which routes will add a LOT of extra miles.
NO, I am planning on not doing I-40 at all. The suggestions for cities were for the I-40 route. I was wondering what cities people would recommend if I avoid I-40 ALTOGETHER.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Avoiding I-40
