Next USA Road Trip Suggestions

[SteveUK]

After twice driving the west coast, we want something different.
Requirements -

The start and end points must have airports that could ultimately connect to the UK.

And be capable of hiring out a convertible Mustang, being tourists of course.

Driving max 4 hours a day.

Desired sites-
Some of the bijou, some texan desert and some small town America.

Any thoughts gang? Would think 5 days we could manage.


Appreciated as always.

[Judge Roy Bean]

What time of year?

Weather us a significant factor.

[SteveUK]

We generally do the trips in October or Feb...

[Pottapaug1938]

If October is your choice, you HAVE to visit New England.

[Judge Roy Bean]

October is usually a moderate time for Texas "desert" weather although you can run into extremes that don't often last very long. February is unpredictable.

The problem with trying to see a lot of Texas over just a few days is simply a matter of distance and how long you want to spend behind the wheel as opposed to actually seeing interesting things. You'll have to drive a lot more than four hours a day even if all you want to do is hit a string of the world's best BBQ places.

But limiting to October or February also means you can't explore the truly fascinating desert regions of Utah and Northern Arizona without the risk of severe weather. Given the altitudes involved a road trip isn't for the inexperienced tourist driving a Mustang convertible. You can have days of spectacular, warm weather punctuated by snow storms.

I also agree with Pottapaug's New England idea - then again, you come from a heavily-wooded country so spectacular forests of changing color may not be all that impressive and February is out of the question because of winter weather.

If you're really looking for a truly different Mustang convertible top-down non-California experience and are into cultural and food adventure (i.e., Cajun or Creole and especially seafood and music festivals), I'd recommend Louisiana but delay your trip if you can to a bit later in March. North of there things get interesting, too if you're interested in American country music, i.e., Memphis and Nashville, but again, the further north you go the more challenging the weather gets in late fall.

Good luck!

[SteveUK]

Cheers, that's really useful. I could look at the Easter break I guess and hope the weather more in my favour...

[Number Six]

I agree with others that time of years is critical for having a pleasant seasonal trip; the Northeast in the fall, but I hear that is also optimum for other northern locations; also winter months for parts of the South.

It used to be possible to travel to parts of the country for seasonal harvests, as I did a few times years ago; those days are long gone: Too much work for too little money doing fruit harvests or reforestation, even did some work at a moshav in the Dead Sea when travelling around Israel, pruning banana trees with machetes. The romantic or nostalgic trips memorialized by people like Steinbeck and Kerouac certainly have appeal as well.

[Gregg]

Fly to Tampa or Sarasota stay on Siesta Key, Sanibel Island, Key West (via the Key West Express boat) back to Fort Myers then Orlando/Kennedy Space Center, fly to the UK from Orlando.

[BoomerSooner17]

I suggest driving from Houston to Dallas/Fort Worth or vice-versa. Both Houston and DFW have international airports and lots of options for car rental, as well as many attractions, restaurants, and hotels. There are plenty of small towns along the route, some of which (such as Calvert and Hearne) still have the classic Western facades and hitch rails along Main Street.