Road trip- what to do?

[RR]

Here is the deal- my wife and I are hitting the road from July 2 thru July 11. We are leaving south of Birmingham, Alabama and driving to Kallispel, Montana to see some friends. We love road trips and don't make any reservations- we just go. Anyway, I am looking for automotive things to do-museums, whatever. My thoughts on the drive is to go from here to Memphis, OK city, Hutchinson, KS (space museum), turn west into Colorado, go thru Yellowstone into Montana. On the way back, we want to hit Mount Rushmore and Badlands National park.

It is a long, sadistic drive, but we are looking forward to it.

Any points of interest, automotive wise, would be appreciated. Since we are not really set on our path, anything you have to offer is fair game.

[BOOOGHAR]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

if you get a chance, drive I-40 thru new mexico, the unser racing museum is in albuquerque as is route 66, and if you look at the scenery in that area, you notice it was the basis for the movie CARS, especially the area at the NM,AZ border heading towards Gallup

[oldsman71]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

we got alot of weekend racing around here but im way off your route :D

[Bamfster]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Denver ... July 3rd is the Family Fun Festival at Bandimere, lots of racing (it's a make up race for my class too), Quick & Fast series, nitro and jet cars, and probably the best fireworks show in the state when the sun goes down. That same night is the Golden Super Cruise in downtown Golden (minutes from the speedway) where you can see around 2500 hot rods cruising. Golden also has a decent fireworks display on both the 3rd and 4th of July.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Isn't Darryl Starbirds museum somewhere near OKC?

Have a great time.


I just got back from running 1200 miles off the Impala. I'll be posting pics this weekend.

[ksj1]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

http://www.darrylstarbird.com/

When in Hutchison Ks also check out the salt mine museum.If your route to Hutch has you going through Pratt Kansas check out Charlies Pizza Tacos.Great food!Pratt also is home to the Wildlife and Parks museum.

http://wichita.diningguide.com/data/d100554.htm

[JRoberts]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

If you go anywhere near Lincoln, Nebraska, either going or coming be sure to take in the Smith Collection Museum at Speedway Motors. There is really nothing like it.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Bring your camera and your sense of adventure. Don't be in such a hurry to get from point A to B. I'm finding slowing down and taking a look around there is a lot of stuff to see in this great country.

[Bamfster]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Bring your camera and your sense of adventure. Don't be in such a hurry to get from point A to B. I'm finding slowing down and taking a look around there is a lot of stuff to see in this great country.

BINGO!

[BOOOGHAR]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Bring your camera and your sense of adventure. Don't be in such a hurry to get from point A to B. I'm finding slowing down and taking a look around there is a lot of stuff to see in this great country.

BINGO!

yea, what they said, when I drove to kentucky I got there in 1 day, but took 2 days to get back, I saw alot of country I didnt get to see on the way there, made the drive well worth it coming back

[sedandelivery55]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

When you come through OKC, try to hit Soda Pops. It's a stop on Route 66 about 10 miles off I-35 on Route 66 in Arcadia, OK. They have more types of soda pop than ANYWHERE! There is also one of the oldest round barns being used as a small museum in the same town. Worth a stop if you're not in a hurry.

[RR]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Great suggestions- any more?

The wife and I have driven Route 66 from end to end in a two part vacation. We started in OK city and went to Santa Monica one year and a few years later went from OK city to Chicago. No reservations, no rush, just stopping where we wanted. We found a lot of neat places to visit. It took us 3 days to get across Missouri- very beautiful. My wife says we have seen every hole in the earth west of the Mississippi River. I liked the southwest. We want to do that again in a few years.

Any more suggestions? What about Colorado, Montanna, or the Dakota's?

I stopped at the round barn when we went thru- very cool. Soda Pops has been built since we were there.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. In So Dakota, Deadwood, Mt Rushmore (of course) but the Black Hills and badlands too.

If you really are ambitious cross the border of Montana into Canada. When I was little we went to Wateron Glacier Park in Waterton Alberta Canada. Absolutely amazing place. The old Prince of Whales Hotel was really sweet. Glacier National Park in Montana ain't so bad either.

[Bamfster]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

There's a lot of beautiful drives thru the rocky mountains that will take you into wyoming .... Southern CO (san juans/sangre de cristos) are nice in the summer but a little hot (we are heading down there this week).

[tedly]

Re: Road trip- what to do?

If you're going through Memphis, you gotta hit Beale Street at night and catch some blues while you have some kick ass food. My suggestion would be to hit Rum Boogie Cafe and get a slab of ribs with a cup of red beans and rice on the side. Their gumbo is also great, as is the Chicken Rum Boogie sandwich. If you're there on a weekend, just people watching on Beale is entertaining, but don't wander too far. The neighborhoods get mean really quick. Graceland is always on the list, and there is a car museum as an extra part of the tour. It's pricey, but worth a look at least once in your life. The Zoo is kinda small, but they did a hell of a job remodeling it in the last 10 - 15 years. I'll poke around a little and see what else is going on around there, It's been a few years since I was in Memphis so I gotta find out what is still there.