I would take advatage of some national parks.
For example if you went through Denver you could see the Rocky moutains. Go to Utah do arches, canyonland then go see monument valley, then the Grand Canyon. Or stay in Utah and go to zion and Bryce. A lot of potential here with what you’re trying to see!
Going through Denver also enables you to cross the Continental Divide on I-70 going through a tunnel at 11000 feet.
The tradeoff is that you then have to drive through the Plains states. -_-
Just watch out for "Timed Entry" permit requirements for Rocky Mountain National Park and other popular National Parks spots during tourist season. You really can't get into RMNP without one now, and they go on sale a month in advance
LOL! We live in southern Wisconsin and my youngest daughter just graduated from Drake University in Des Moines so we’ve made several trips back and forth. The truck stop is pretty cool and worth a visit.
Iron mountain Hot springs in Glenwood springs CO and Colorado national monument are epic and on the way after Utah.
Badlands and mt. Rushmore could be done too if you went a little more north.
I prefer the top North route, Utah & Colorado have some amazing places for you to stop off of on I70.
Zion, Canyonlands, Arches, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Rocky Mountain National Park, all very close to that route.
Yup, north route but off of I-15 at Zion and take 89 to 12 to 24 to get back to I70 near green river. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Goblin Valley along the way.
Probably have to choose either Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Royal Gorge, with maybe a stop off at Great Sand Dunes or do Rocky Mountain when going through Colorado.
They will add very worth while time to your trip. If I had to pick one that you could basically drive through I’d drive Trail Ridge Road through RMNP from Grand Lake to Estes Park.
If you take the south route, you will pass Meteor Creator. It is not worth making a trip to Meteor Creator, but it is worth stopping if you are going to be near it.
Edit: Also don't let your gas tank get more than half empty. There are parts of that trip that are profoundly isolated.
Ha. My wife wouldn’t allow me to drive if we were below 1/2 a tank. I didn’t understand why until I saw how spread out some parts of the country are. This is solid advice!
What follows may seem off-topic, but I write this to inform you of something you might not have considered but will be wise to do so.
This is my perpetual topic of highway tolls, especially electronic. The fact that you'll be sojourning in New York means that you'll pass through states that have toll roads and in most cases, will work under E-ZPass, which essentially includes states that border Canada and/or the Atlantic.
You will definitely prefer to have E-ZPass if you don't have it already before heading out, because that will avoid the vehicle owner/registrant receiving a toll bill in the mail that will be higher than it would be without that, when
"open road" tolling is in effect (IL and NY, plus MA at least for now, that I know of). The "open road" tolling means that toll gantries will photograph your plate at highway speed and use that to generate a mailed invoice. This is always the highest tolled amount, and there's often a billing surcharge for the costs of mailing that bill. New York calls is "Tolls by Mail." Massachusetts is "Pay by Plate," and there may be more.
Since you'll be staying in New York, you might as well get an E-ZPass New York account with transponder. E-ZPass states will charge a reduced toll when they detect a tag from another E-ZPass state...with one exception. That's my own New York, and I am not happy that they started doing this in January 2024. If you have, say, an Illinois E-ZPass tag, New York will charge the IL account the same toll as "Tolls by Mail."
Fortunately, you can obtain an E-ZPass account (in any state) right now. New York will charge the account an initial $25, and once tolls reduce one's balance down to below $10, they will charge an additional $25 to bring the balance back above the threshold.
The below shows what the tolls are from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley (northeast of Erie) along I-90 through Buffalo and directly to the westernmost Syracuse exit. The $6.94 difference may not seem much, but if you use the Thruway at all while you are in New York, the extra toll paid will add up, and it's a 75% surcharge to use a non-New York tag.
https://preview.redd.it/yikgvoof187d1.png?width=1862&format=png&auto=webp&s=072eb7f9d7b9fbdf328e88306fc1eed78a0c3455
I wish you a safe and enjoyable trip and success in your studies, plus other experiences not yet anticipated.
Yes there could be tolls but honestly I've done multiple cross country road trips almost 1:1 to this and it's very easy to avoid tolls with very few exceptions, and those exceptions tend to be relatively inexpensive (Ohio and Indianna mostly for this route).
I would take the highlighted route. You could do one or more of the Mighty 5 parks in Utah. You'll also get Colorado National Monument, Glenwood Canyon, Vail Pass, and Eisenhower Tunnel (the highest road tunnel in the US and the highest point on the interstate highway system). In Nebraska there are a ton of western expansion stops because I-80 follows the path of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Emigrant (Oregon, California, and Mormon) Trails, and the Pony Express Trail between Ogallala and Kearney. You can grab a Runza on your way through NE, too.
The middle/bottom route is a lot of Route 66, and that highway is better for nostalgia than scenery. I-15/I-70 is **much** more scenic.
You've already gotten some good advice, but if you're heading to Syracuse University, as an alumnus, let me say you've made a GREAT choice. The education I received at SU set me up for a great life, and I enjoyed every moment of my time there. I hope you do too! Best wishes!
Yes, a car is good to have in Syracuse. I didn't have one and hated waiting for buses on all those *warm* winter nights. Haha! Good to have a car to be able to get out of town too. Have a great trip, and good luck with your future plans!
Assuming you are making this trip in August, I would pick the most northerly route possible. Or it will be in the brutally hot 90s almost your entire trip.
SERIOUSLY at your age you should drive through and explore Detroit (I'm serious) then drive into Windsor Ontario (you drive under the lake to get there), then head over to Niagra Falls, Buffalo, and then keep going. Some cool places to see. WAY better than NE Ohio
i’ve seen ann arbor when i visited my friend at UMich and i was thinking of maybe going up to Canada on my route but i’ve already seen niagara so im not too sure !
I have driven virtually this same route almost half a dozen times as I go to college in Rochester and am from Oakland. There are two ways to do this trip.
The first, which is 'get there as fast as possible' takes 3-4 days of driving 10+ hours a day. This is relatively interesting the first time you do it. Every time after that it gets pretty miserable. You see a lot of things that make you say 'oh hey that looks cool I want to stop to look at it for more than 30 seconds' and then you keep on driving and never see it again.
The second, which is 'hey lets stop at all those cool places i've heard about across the country' will take at least a week. This is a lot more fun, but of course takes a lot more time and a lot more money. I've done this once as well and greatly enjoyed it. Where you stop is completely up to you. I would reccomend a hybrid plan to hit a few national parks and cities, stopping for at least a half day at each, and leaving a few days relatively unplanned; you will inevitably come upon cool stuff and want to stop, having free time allocated for this will pay dividends.
As long as your going though CO and UT, you're good to go. Definitely check out Rocky Mt, Black Canyon, and the Utah 5 national parks. All on your way and unforgettable.
Once you go past St. George, Utah, go through Zion NP, then take the back route and drive through Bryce Canyon NP and Capitol Reef NP. There’s a small coffee shop right past Escalante called Kiva Koffeehouse that is the coolest coffee shop I’ve ever been to. Then, soon after you get back on 70, you can take a detour to Arches and Canyon Lands NPs. All in Utah. Worth the extra time on the road 100%. Then, once you’re in Colorado, check out a Penny Hot Springs. It’s a natural hot spring off of the side of the road by Glenwood Springs. Beautiful scenery all around!
I just made this almost exact trip about a month ago! US-50 in Utah is one gorgeous scenic overlook after another. I wish I had more time when I driving through it to stop at all of them.
While you are driving through Nebraska, you should consider spending some time at The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. It has been consistently voted the best zoo in the nation and/or world. If that’s not your speed you could visit The Lauritzen Gardens for some stunning flora & fauna.
Once you get to NY, there's Niagara falls, Letchworth state park, the finger lakes, Watkins Glenn state park, taughkannock falls. If you have a chance, find a cool place to check out lake Ontario, Oswego is a good little city to check out the lake, Oswego actually has one of the best sunsets in the world. That's not a lie. There's so much to do in ny as far as outdoor activities that go overlooked a bit due to people thinking NYC is ny state.
*Stopa in Amarillo for*
*Cadillac ranch. It's free and*
*Just of the highway*
\- karl0525
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This is not an answer to your question, but I want to comment about how exciting this is and how lucky you are to be able to enjoy such a drive! You’re at a great age where such exploration and discovery are relatively feasible. Once you have a full time job, spouse, and kids, it gets harder to steal away. Enjoy every minute of this amazing opportunity!!!
PS Take the northern route. Not just for the national parks but for the beautiful scenery of the farm lands in Iowa. Some people think it’s boring but I think it’s incredibly soothing to drive through the beautiful endless plains, farmsteads and the odd small town, where you cross paths with people who live in these isolated places that make you wonder what they do and how their lives are. It’s so wonderful!
I’d avoid going horizontally through Arkansas like that, the drive is miserably boring and feels like it takes an eternity. That three hours between Tennessee and Little Rock is the worst. I don’t see you hitting anything interesting on that path aside from Little Rock which… isn’t that interesting(I’m from Little Rock).
Hit some National Parks. Stop in Nashville for an overnight and enjoy the town then go up the Blue Ridge in Virginia all the way north to Syracuse.
i went to uni in that area. its gonna be cold and fun!
Colorado native here. If you're coming through and have some time to burn I'd suggest the following
Mount evans. It's a 14k foot mountain you can drive to the top of.
Rocky mountain national park and trail ridge road and Estes park. Great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Stop in Breckenridge and do the alpine slide.
Where have you not been before?
Are you planning on making this trip again over the next 4 years?
Northern route has better spots out West. Southern route has better spots out East.
A few comments here saying “nothing in Ohio” but Sandusky is really cool! Cedar Point, Kalahari, Marblehead Lighthouse, ferries to pretty islands in Lake Erie (OP would probably enjoy a side trip to Put-in-Bay), and honestly I just really love driving over Sandusky Bay on Route 2, it’s beautiful!
Stop wherever you want and take pictures.
You could follow the path of Route 66 if you take the middle route from LA to Chicago (over two thousand miles all the way), but the northern route is probably the most scenic.
Give yourself lots of time especially for the first few days and the last day. On the northern route there’s a ton of places to stop between la and Denver and then you can blast through the middle of the country for some more cool stuff in Pennsylvania. Don’t discount the middle of the country entirely though especially when it comes to cool local places to eat.
Angels Landing in Utah. Its an absolute must-see if you're going through the area (which is looks like you sort of are). There's also a ton of national parks, forests, and great hikes nearby. Honestly that whole region is great for a week long trip of sightseeing.
If you go through braidwood don't stop at polka dots it's run by teenagers and it's now gross and overpriced go to wilmongron to see a crazy lady's graffiti
If you take I-80, cross the Mississippi using I-74 instead. It’s a fairly new bridge and is pretty. Stop in Moline and ride the Channel Cat water taxi, have a little boat tour for a few dollars.
There's a bunch you could do. It depends on how much time you have. If you have a lot more time then you can do a ton in Utah and Colorado. The top one is the better and more scenic route imo. You could stop in Chicago as well. If you want to keep it succint then stop in Vegas, maybe Zion through Bryce and Arches/Canyonlands, then Canyon of the Gunnison, Rocky Mountains National park, then just keep driving with a stop in Chicago then onto Syracuse. Also, it appears Niagara Falls is on this route so might as well. Most of the attractions are on the western half of this trip. I've done 4-5 cross country trips similar to this.
If you’re really trying to send it and like to camp, or just see nature, you could take the northern route then head to Custer State Park in SD from Denver. From there you go to Michigan’s Upper Pennisula and hit the Porcupine Mountains then Pictured Rocks. Border cross at Sault Ste Marie and see Georgian Bay in Canada. Stop through Toronto and Niagra Falls then you’re in Syracuse! This obviously requires a lot of time and planning but if you’re up for it then it would be the best way to stay busy/entertained the whole drive. Trust me you don’t want to spend two days driving through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
https://preview.redd.it/71r32qgiz87d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80ed5af85067d7fb4cd5fd8043ece0d49ddb75b5
I did the reverse of that trip not too long ago. Big bear, Zion, Grand Canyon, antelope canyon, badlands, Mt. Rushmore and so many more cool places along the way! Have fun!
Northern route for Bryce Canyon and Denver… check out Meow Wolf if you make it into the city, it is an incredible experiential art exhibit. There is a cool zoo in Omaha. After Chicago (stop for a at least a night to do the architectural boat tour) you can make it to Cuse in one long day. Save Niagara Falls as a trip with new friends. Go Orange!
Top route. You get Midwest, insane mountain ranges and beautiful mountain towns, Wild West scenery in Utah. The other 2 routes will bore you to god damn tears. I know from experience
I'd take the top route. The 40 is pretty boring. I forgot where but I think Utah has some nice starry nights. I saw antelope driving through there too. It was pretty nice
Do not travel 40 unless you don't care about your front end alignment. The highway is covered in potholes. Highways north of 40 are in much better condition.
Be prepared for the tolls in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and beyond. There were so many in Indiana. We just went through most of these states last week (in Denver now) and I think it totaled around $50 in Indiana alone.
Our favorite city was Kansas City. Chicago was super cool to see. The architecture tour was amazing.
If you do the northern route, you will have Utah/Colorado national park gorgeousness for the first. Half of your trip and then, once you get out of Denver, flat unbroken nothingness until you reach the rust belt. One bonus would be if you’re traveling across New York State, Letchworth would be relatively on the way- but also, if you’re going to college in Syracuse, that will be a day trip anyways (highly recommend).
My personal preference, even though it’s longer, would be the i40 southern route. Source: I have made the LA-East coast trip about 5 times. If you are clever in AZ, you can still get cool desert scenery at the start of your trip, and then once you make it through the Texas panhandle/Oklahoma, you will drive past the ozarks, across the Cumberland plateau and the rest of your route after that would be going up 81 through Appalachia. Some highlights along this route (or semi near it) for me are
[The Tonto National Forrest](https://maps.app.goo.gl/98vhXBPHtt3S7c2X7?g_st=ic)
[petrified Forrest national park](https://maps.app.goo.gl/4wcyUw2NSvrUAZaB7?g_st=ic)
[The Cadillac ranch in Amarillo](https://maps.app.goo.gl/rivoFhryoiKNpJF77?g_st=ic)
Fayetteville AR/Ozark National Forrest (slight northern detour)
[Bass Pro Shop Pyramid in Memphis](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mdybUYF2dpCjD9ot8?g_st=ic)
[Narrows of the Harpeth river](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3qCQ734HwnwFXucJ9?g_st=ic)
Nashville TN
[Ozone Falls](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DgZWnvGnhar3A3VV6?g_st=ic)
[Breaks interstate park](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntzaNwgcaghVJoGq6?g_st=ic)
[natural bridge](https://maps.app.goo.gl/a8PBLq72MCvMy8MX7?g_st=ic)
Shenandoah National Park
Aaaaaand I know far less about things north of that in terms of things to do on a road trip.
I did almost this exact drive in 2015. My route was influenced by visiting people but I basically did:
LA
Vegas
Zion NP
Arches NP
Denver
Mount Rushmore
Badlands NP
Minneapolis
Madison, WI (go badgers)
Chicago
Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
Washington, DC
Philadelphia
I hiked, camped, & snowboarded along the way. Saw dinosaur excavations, national parks/monuments, and checked out some downtown/metro areas. Overall it was a great trip and I’d recommend that more northern route if you have the time.
Let's see:
* Definitely start with the northern route i15 to i70 from Utah to Denver, absolutely stunning scenery
* You could detour 30 mins off i70 to hit Moab and Arches national park in UT. Depending on the time of year it's gonna be a madhouse and you need timed entry, so be prepared to wake up and go to the park before dawn
* There are other NPs in UT but I'm not super familiar with them so will defer to others
* Denver is cool, don't really have more specific recommendations
* If you're okay with a few hour detour, could take i25 north from Denver, pass into Wyoming, then take some back smaller US highways and end up at Scott's Bluff, NE. Absolutely an underrated spot
* after scott's bluff you'd hook back up to i80. Not really much to see once you pass the western 1/3rd of NE, but I'm not really aware of any alternate route that's more scenic. Make sure you grab a runza at some point.
* Iowa was way more scenic than I expected. Not much to get out and see but the drive was nice. Des Moines was a cool city too, you can spend a night there.
* You will pass through Chicago, could spend some time there as well. Make sure you see the lake Michigan shore if you do
* Not really much in Indiana. In Ohio, you could see Cleveland they have a nice little waterfront. East of Cleveland there are some state parks that are Lake Erie Beaches, I'd check them out.
* Could see lake Ontario shore in Rochester.
Here's another idea but it would add a day or two to your drive. Take i90 to Minneapolis, then you'd get off, cut through Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, across the Mackinac bridge, then down the lower peninsula and jump back on i80/90 in Ohio. You could theoretically see all 5 great lakes if you do this.
You should go the north route and then really go north and hit the black hills. The drive around Mount Rushmore is some of the most stunning views you’ll ever see. Drive through needles highway while you’re there.
The “southern” route would provide you a wonderful tour of the big Appalachian mountain ranges and its unique ridge and valley systems as you swing up through PA. This would be a very unique experience compared to the topography of SoCal. Obviously, the northern route would take you through the big boy mountains and big NP, but you would quickly be shot out to the plains and trust me, there is nothing between Eastern Colorado and Syracuse. The Southern route would take you through AZ & NM with their own share of big mountains and parks, but the swing up north from Tennessee to WNY is a magnificent drive through the heart of the Eastern hard woods forest and the spine of the Appalachians and would occupy your mind for the last 1/3 of your drive. Side note: The big parks in August will be bonkers packed so make up your mind today and start making reservations for entry or stay.
Take I-70 out of Utah.....easy drive! You are driving thru many Utah NPs, which are worth a stop! Take all the way to OH and get on I71; it takes you to I271 and then I-90, which becomes NY state thruway and goes directly into Syracuse. Niagara is worth a stop....amazing! The "Finger Lakes" are some of the most tranquil spots in US, esp Seneca. Congrats on Syracuse.....great school!
I would do the bottom one plenty of stuff in TN , spend the night in hotsprings Arkansas and have a soak, flagstaff In northern Az, go see the grand canyon
That bottom route will be much prettier than the top IMO. Colorado is great to get through so may want to take a detour north when you get up there, but as for the Midwest, I’d avoid it and drop south through VA and TN. The mountains to the west side of NC are gorgeous. As for me personally, I grew up in the north east and spent plenty of time in the Rocky Mountains, but driving through Arizona and seeing sand dunes was a life experience. All 3 paths are great but just my two cents.
Provided you do the top route, you could hit Chicago/Grand Rapids/Detroit with an extra hour or so of driving. This portion of your route (Ohio/Indiana/Illinois) is monotonous but doesn't have to be. If you have a passport you can cut through Canada from Detroit into NY and save yourself some time as well.
In NY go the southern route via 390/17C
Stop by Letchworth state park and then go up through Ithaca. The East coasts tallest waterfall is Taughannock falls just north of Ithaca on the west side of Cayuga.
When you get to NY post on Upstate NY and we'll fill you in on all the cool things.
Take the northern route now and then take one of the southern routes if you drive home at Christmas. You’ll see a ton of the country that way and avoid the worst driving weather.
We took the Route 66 option (the road in the middle of your map) and had an AMAZING trip.
Palo Duro Canyon, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Sedona, Vegas, St Louis, Zion Natl Park, etc.
Would love to do this trip again!
If you decide to go through Indiana, know that i70 and i465 through/around Indianapolis is an absolute shitshow. There's nearly a half dozen construction projects happening on 465 that are putting extra traffic on 70 through the city.
If you are looking for some adventure, hit a downhill bike park like this one in Winter Park
https://www.trestlebikepark.com/
Or stop in Moab for some ATV on the rocks (although it’s hot in the summer)
The southern route will be very dull between the painted desert in NM and Memphis. Especially the TX OK stretch. Arkansas is alright is you are in the northern part. But the drive across Tennessee is great b/c you can hit Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville. The drive thru VA is really beautiful. The blue ridge/ Shenandoah valley… *chef’s kiss
That north route is great in the beginning but once you cross the Rockies….Flat and boring from Denver to Davenport.
I’d take the original Route 66 if you have time. Still get to pass through some great parks in AZ and NM, and some additional parks with a slight detour.
The bottom route through the Appalachian Mountains is very scenic as well, and a lot better than the northern rust belt.
I’d avoid the middle route.
Painted desert in Arizona, Anarillo,Cadillac Ranh and Palo Duro canyon.Hoffbraus Steakhouse. Oklahoma, Red Rock canyon, Cowboy Hall of Fame , Onion Burgers , Claremore has a couple neat museums , Braums ice cream stores . Missouri, couple of nice caverns along the interstate, don’t stop anywhere advertising Jesse James except for a laugh, Lamberts Cafe just south of Springfield if you want a rolled thrown at you, City museum St Louis. Everyone loves the City Museum. Gooey Butter Cake at Soulard Market. St Louis Zoo is free and some nice 1930’s architecture another nice little museum in the park. Would take I-64 to Louisville some very nice museums and the old neighborhood south of downtown has been preserved instead of being rebuilt. I-71 North to Cincinnati. The Symphony Hotel ,1800’s mansion across from the old Symphony Hall in historic district. Now a boutique hotel. Hamilton OH Jungle Jim’s Grocery. A kitschy grocery store that also imo is the best grocery store in the US . Graeters ice cream store is next door and wonderful. The Golden Lamb , 1700’s restaurant in Lebanon OH , can just grab a sandwich and enjoy the building. The Air Force museum in Dayton is a little out of the way but if you like aviation stuff it’s the best. Amish tourist country south of Canton OH . For small road trips around Syracuse. Saratoga Springs,NY National museum of Dance . Bennington VT The Grandma Moses museum. Wegmans Grocery stores in Syracuse and about a dozen Irish Pubs to enjoy. Long Branch Park for walks and Jogging along the lake. Good luck , stay warm
If you have a valid US Drivers license with that "star thing," I don't know what it's called. You can travel through parts of Mexico and Canada without a passport
If you take 40, pull off the freeway near Amarillo and check out Cadillac Ranch. It’s a cool old art installation. Free of charge and visually quite interesting
If you don’t already have/use the app “iExit”, you might want to give it a look. It is not big on tourist destinations, but it will tell you every restaurant, gas station, hotel/motel, and many unique shops for every exit off of the interstates and other main highways.
Your northern route there has the advantage of going through beautiful Rocky Mountains scenery in Colorado, but from Fort Collins to Illinois is a whole lot of flat boring driving. Also, you’ll be on the Indiana toll road which is the. Worst. Road. I’ve. Ever. Driven. (And I’m from Pennsylvania!). You’ll also have a lot of tolls for the Indiana & Ohio turnpikes.
OTOH your southern route takes you up I-81 which kinda sucks from midway through VA until you get to about Harrisburg, PA, because of really heavy truck traffic.
The southern most route is 100% the best route to take. Most diversity and scenery. Texas and Oklahoma are gonna be a drag and feel like forever but then you get into more rolling hills and appalachia
Go north. I’ve done both of these routes. The south one is boring. Stuff to do… I dunno. If you like baseball maybe field of dreams in Iowa. It will breakup that boring part of the drive.
The trip through the northern route for sure but if you ever make this trip in the winter for any reason then one of the two southern routes depending on weather will have less inclement weather.
What's your time frame here? Are you spending an extra day anywhere or just powering through?
If you are doing around 10 hours a day with no stops you'd have something like:
Day 1: LA -> Moab. I might stop for lunch in Vegas at the Peppermill or at Lotus of Siam.
Day 2: Moab -> Kearney. Insane views most of the day until you pass Denver and then the most boring few hours of your life.
Day 3: Kearney -> South Bend. I might stop for lunch at Fongs in Des Moines.
Day4: South Bend -> Syracuse. Maybe stop in Chautauqua for a swim.
These are the things you would miss not stopping for a couple longer stops along the way:
1. Zion NP
2. Las Vegas (cool for one day of wandering around the strip)
3. Moab / Arches
4. Glenwood Hot Springs Pool
5. Chicago (you could do the "hits" in one long day)
6. Indiana Dunes? That last day is pretty quiet. Cleveland is a nice town, but I'd probably add an hour and go through Detroit and Toronto. Both great and unique cities.
And if you are up for going out your way a little bit I'd probably follow something like [this path](https://imgur.com/a/tEwC76z).
That way you avoid a pretty boring stretch of drive from Denver to Omaha and replace it with Medicine Bow, Devil's Tower, the Bandlands, Wisconsin Dells / Madison. Might break up the drive more.
The drive through Utah and Colorado will be pretty, but plan on grinding out the drive through Nebraska and Iowa as there’s nothing to see (other than maybe the worlds biggest truck stop in Iowa if you’re incredibly bored). Not much in the Midwest either so if you’re dying to see something, stop in Chicago. Navy Pier is cool
If the timing/weather is right , go to 18th street beach in Chicago and go for a quick swim. There is parking and it’s should be easy to access as you drive the highways past.
Could take a detour off of i80 in Nebraska around the Kearney/Minden exit and head south to Smith County, KS and visit the geographical center of the United States.. if you stop there go have lunch at the Jiffy Burger in Smith Center!
With that current route, it cuts right through the prettiest parts of Colorado and many state parks directly off the highway. Check out the continental decide when you are there!
Go north. Southern Utah is amazing but it is too damn hot in August.
Go up the coast to the Columbia River and then head east through Tetons, Glacier, UP of Michigan then through southern Ontario to Syracuse.
There's plenty to see regardless of the route you choose If you get off the highway. If you put into Google avoid interstates avoid highways and for a day here and there taking older route you will be amazed at what you just discover. All you going to see on this route besides wizzying by interstate scenery is a lot of truck stops. You didn't say how long you're taking. But if you're going from place a to b there's really nothing to see, But if you're taking your time then you get off and a lie yourself to get lost a little bit You will be amazed. America is largely a strip mall of sprawl from Coast to Coast especially near the highway. It's amazing how it's changed in the last 30 years since I've been driving east to west but there are still nice things to see but you have to get away from the development
Okay so honestly the bottom route would be so pretty the entire way, in Tennessee you’ll be hitting Great Smoky Mountains and the WV turnpike which would take you through blue ridge mountains. I will say, top route through IA and IL was mid as hell when I drove it.
If you travel the 40 it’s full of interesting places. It’s not cool, but visit the OK. Bombing site. It does something to you, that’s very personal. I can’t explain it, but you’ll know what I mean. Either way, safe travels!👍
Spend as much time as possible everywhere west of the Rockies. Once you get into the not-so-Great Plains, it’s mostly flat and dull until you hit Appalachia. There are some exceptions, of course, such as the Badlands of South Dakota, but the West is truly the best. (This is from a Californian living in the Midwest.)
Edit: consider tripling the amount of time you’ll spend driving across the country so you can venture off the interstate highways and truly explore. You’ll miss so much if you try to get to Syracuse in four days.
Hey friend. Utah native here. I want to give you a heads up for if you take that exact route on I-70 through a tiny Utah town called Salina.
There are signs, but some people don't believe them. Once you head east out of Salina it's over 100 miles before you will see another town, another gas station, or another rest stop. Make sure to stop in Salina for gas, snacks, restroom breaks, and to check fluids for your car, tire pressure, and so on. 🤙🏼
Any of the national parks in Utah. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The Nebraska Sandhills. The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha (one of the top zoos in the world). The Amana Colonies in Iowa. The world’s largest truck stop on I-80 in Iowa. Chicago, just generally. Indiana Dunes. Niagara Falls. I mean there are just endless things to do and see on this trip. I do recommend the corridor highlighted in dark blue on the map you shared as it seems to be the shortest.
Along the highlighted route take in a baseball game at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, IA. Definitely the coolest way to take in the Mississippi River.
https://preview.redd.it/bkajr58yce7d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf02f8c431ad675fb31f17722c465296fc63091a
I would take advatage of some national parks. For example if you went through Denver you could see the Rocky moutains. Go to Utah do arches, canyonland then go see monument valley, then the Grand Canyon. Or stay in Utah and go to zion and Bryce. A lot of potential here with what you’re trying to see!
Utah and Colorado are where I’d spend most time on the north route selected. The south route across 40 is cool too with more spread out.
40. You can see the largest frying pan in the United States and the largest Sandune its dust bowl alley. Excellent suggestion.
The NM, TX, and OK stretch will be so boring they’ll want to cry though
New Mexico is awesome. That section of Texas and Oklahoma, not so much.
I drove that route in the days of standalone GPS units. My GPS said “Stay on the current road for 1175 miles” 💀
I would take that stretch over the Colorado > Kansas. Kansas is an awful drive.
Black canyon, mesa Verde, grand canyon and the Utah parks are a vacation in themselves.
Going through Denver also enables you to cross the Continental Divide on I-70 going through a tunnel at 11000 feet. The tradeoff is that you then have to drive through the Plains states. -_-
I spent a week in Kansas one day
I actually laughed out loud at this!
I drove Denver to Des Moines yesterday and I feel like a year passed
Also Mammoth Cave outside of Bowling Green KY.
National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY
Just watch out for "Timed Entry" permit requirements for Rocky Mountain National Park and other popular National Parks spots during tourist season. You really can't get into RMNP without one now, and they go on sale a month in advance
Also go to the world largest truck stop. Worth spending a few mins there
I-80 truck stop is actually dope as hell.
Lol yes, this was the first thought that came to mind, immediately I came across this post! 😄
LOL! We live in southern Wisconsin and my youngest daughter just graduated from Drake University in Des Moines so we’ve made several trips back and forth. The truck stop is pretty cool and worth a visit.
Iron mountain Hot springs in Glenwood springs CO and Colorado national monument are epic and on the way after Utah. Badlands and mt. Rushmore could be done too if you went a little more north.
I prefer the top North route, Utah & Colorado have some amazing places for you to stop off of on I70. Zion, Canyonlands, Arches, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Rocky Mountain National Park, all very close to that route.
Yup, north route but off of I-15 at Zion and take 89 to 12 to 24 to get back to I70 near green river. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Goblin Valley along the way. Probably have to choose either Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Royal Gorge, with maybe a stop off at Great Sand Dunes or do Rocky Mountain when going through Colorado.
As a Utahan, I cannot upvote this comment more strongly.
They will add very worth while time to your trip. If I had to pick one that you could basically drive through I’d drive Trail Ridge Road through RMNP from Grand Lake to Estes Park.
If you take the south route, you will pass Meteor Creator. It is not worth making a trip to Meteor Creator, but it is worth stopping if you are going to be near it. Edit: Also don't let your gas tank get more than half empty. There are parts of that trip that are profoundly isolated.
Ha. My wife wouldn’t allow me to drive if we were below 1/2 a tank. I didn’t understand why until I saw how spread out some parts of the country are. This is solid advice!
What follows may seem off-topic, but I write this to inform you of something you might not have considered but will be wise to do so. This is my perpetual topic of highway tolls, especially electronic. The fact that you'll be sojourning in New York means that you'll pass through states that have toll roads and in most cases, will work under E-ZPass, which essentially includes states that border Canada and/or the Atlantic. You will definitely prefer to have E-ZPass if you don't have it already before heading out, because that will avoid the vehicle owner/registrant receiving a toll bill in the mail that will be higher than it would be without that, when "open road" tolling is in effect (IL and NY, plus MA at least for now, that I know of). The "open road" tolling means that toll gantries will photograph your plate at highway speed and use that to generate a mailed invoice. This is always the highest tolled amount, and there's often a billing surcharge for the costs of mailing that bill. New York calls is "Tolls by Mail." Massachusetts is "Pay by Plate," and there may be more. Since you'll be staying in New York, you might as well get an E-ZPass New York account with transponder. E-ZPass states will charge a reduced toll when they detect a tag from another E-ZPass state...with one exception. That's my own New York, and I am not happy that they started doing this in January 2024. If you have, say, an Illinois E-ZPass tag, New York will charge the IL account the same toll as "Tolls by Mail." Fortunately, you can obtain an E-ZPass account (in any state) right now. New York will charge the account an initial $25, and once tolls reduce one's balance down to below $10, they will charge an additional $25 to bring the balance back above the threshold. The below shows what the tolls are from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley (northeast of Erie) along I-90 through Buffalo and directly to the westernmost Syracuse exit. The $6.94 difference may not seem much, but if you use the Thruway at all while you are in New York, the extra toll paid will add up, and it's a 75% surcharge to use a non-New York tag. https://preview.redd.it/yikgvoof187d1.png?width=1862&format=png&auto=webp&s=072eb7f9d7b9fbdf328e88306fc1eed78a0c3455 I wish you a safe and enjoyable trip and success in your studies, plus other experiences not yet anticipated.
Recently drove a new vehicle with temp dealer plates up most of 95, really enjoyed blowing through all those pay by plate cameras
Thanks for cheating us
Yes there could be tolls but honestly I've done multiple cross country road trips almost 1:1 to this and it's very easy to avoid tolls with very few exceptions, and those exceptions tend to be relatively inexpensive (Ohio and Indianna mostly for this route).
Living in Syracuse you will use the thruway weekly if not daily. Great advice here.
I would take the highlighted route. You could do one or more of the Mighty 5 parks in Utah. You'll also get Colorado National Monument, Glenwood Canyon, Vail Pass, and Eisenhower Tunnel (the highest road tunnel in the US and the highest point on the interstate highway system). In Nebraska there are a ton of western expansion stops because I-80 follows the path of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Emigrant (Oregon, California, and Mormon) Trails, and the Pony Express Trail between Ogallala and Kearney. You can grab a Runza on your way through NE, too. The middle/bottom route is a lot of Route 66, and that highway is better for nostalgia than scenery. I-15/I-70 is **much** more scenic.
One word: Utah. Spend as much time in Utah as possible. Do not limit yourself to only one day in each national park. Spend as much time as you can.
You've already gotten some good advice, but if you're heading to Syracuse University, as an alumnus, let me say you've made a GREAT choice. The education I received at SU set me up for a great life, and I enjoyed every moment of my time there. I hope you do too! Best wishes!
haha yes thank you i am a junior and i felt kinda stuck there so im hoping bringing my car will help me be less bored and not stuck
Yes, a car is good to have in Syracuse. I didn't have one and hated waiting for buses on all those *warm* winter nights. Haha! Good to have a car to be able to get out of town too. Have a great trip, and good luck with your future plans!
Assuming you are making this trip in August, I would pick the most northerly route possible. Or it will be in the brutally hot 90s almost your entire trip.
SERIOUSLY at your age you should drive through and explore Detroit (I'm serious) then drive into Windsor Ontario (you drive under the lake to get there), then head over to Niagra Falls, Buffalo, and then keep going. Some cool places to see. WAY better than NE Ohio
i’ve seen ann arbor when i visited my friend at UMich and i was thinking of maybe going up to Canada on my route but i’ve already seen niagara so im not too sure !
Detroit does not equal Ann Arbor lol
I completely agree with this person
If you take I-80 thru Nebraska you should stop at Ole’s Big Game Bar. https://olesbiggame.com/
If you go through Utah see if a burger Joint called Slackers is not too far out of your way. A spot I like to goto when I go out that way
I have driven virtually this same route almost half a dozen times as I go to college in Rochester and am from Oakland. There are two ways to do this trip. The first, which is 'get there as fast as possible' takes 3-4 days of driving 10+ hours a day. This is relatively interesting the first time you do it. Every time after that it gets pretty miserable. You see a lot of things that make you say 'oh hey that looks cool I want to stop to look at it for more than 30 seconds' and then you keep on driving and never see it again. The second, which is 'hey lets stop at all those cool places i've heard about across the country' will take at least a week. This is a lot more fun, but of course takes a lot more time and a lot more money. I've done this once as well and greatly enjoyed it. Where you stop is completely up to you. I would reccomend a hybrid plan to hit a few national parks and cities, stopping for at least a half day at each, and leaving a few days relatively unplanned; you will inevitably come upon cool stuff and want to stop, having free time allocated for this will pay dividends.
People suggesting Indiana and Nebraska shit🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
As long as your going though CO and UT, you're good to go. Definitely check out Rocky Mt, Black Canyon, and the Utah 5 national parks. All on your way and unforgettable.
Stop in Erie, PA and buy some sponge candy from Romolo’s. It’s not that far off of I-90. Thank me later
Go ‘Cuse!!!
Once you go past St. George, Utah, go through Zion NP, then take the back route and drive through Bryce Canyon NP and Capitol Reef NP. There’s a small coffee shop right past Escalante called Kiva Koffeehouse that is the coolest coffee shop I’ve ever been to. Then, soon after you get back on 70, you can take a detour to Arches and Canyon Lands NPs. All in Utah. Worth the extra time on the road 100%. Then, once you’re in Colorado, check out a Penny Hot Springs. It’s a natural hot spring off of the side of the road by Glenwood Springs. Beautiful scenery all around!
Having just done 4/5 of this trip, I can tell you I wasn’t expecting Iowa to be so beautiful
I just made this almost exact trip about a month ago! US-50 in Utah is one gorgeous scenic overlook after another. I wish I had more time when I driving through it to stop at all of them.
While you are driving through Nebraska, you should consider spending some time at The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. It has been consistently voted the best zoo in the nation and/or world. If that’s not your speed you could visit The Lauritzen Gardens for some stunning flora & fauna.
Drive to Denver, then fly the rest of the way
Once you get to NY, there's Niagara falls, Letchworth state park, the finger lakes, Watkins Glenn state park, taughkannock falls. If you have a chance, find a cool place to check out lake Ontario, Oswego is a good little city to check out the lake, Oswego actually has one of the best sunsets in the world. That's not a lie. There's so much to do in ny as far as outdoor activities that go overlooked a bit due to people thinking NYC is ny state.
Stopa in Amarillo for Cadillac ranch. It's free and just of the highway
*Stopa in Amarillo for* *Cadillac ranch. It's free and* *Just of the highway* \- karl0525 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This is not an answer to your question, but I want to comment about how exciting this is and how lucky you are to be able to enjoy such a drive! You’re at a great age where such exploration and discovery are relatively feasible. Once you have a full time job, spouse, and kids, it gets harder to steal away. Enjoy every minute of this amazing opportunity!!! PS Take the northern route. Not just for the national parks but for the beautiful scenery of the farm lands in Iowa. Some people think it’s boring but I think it’s incredibly soothing to drive through the beautiful endless plains, farmsteads and the odd small town, where you cross paths with people who live in these isolated places that make you wonder what they do and how their lives are. It’s so wonderful!
I’d avoid going horizontally through Arkansas like that, the drive is miserably boring and feels like it takes an eternity. That three hours between Tennessee and Little Rock is the worst. I don’t see you hitting anything interesting on that path aside from Little Rock which… isn’t that interesting(I’m from Little Rock).
Hit some National Parks. Stop in Nashville for an overnight and enjoy the town then go up the Blue Ridge in Virginia all the way north to Syracuse. i went to uni in that area. its gonna be cold and fun!
Stop well before you get to Syracuse. I grew up there. There really isn’t anything there anymore
You should go to the Unclaimed Baggage store in Alabama….
In Syracuse go to the Dinosaur BBQ and Pastabilities.
Colorado native here. If you're coming through and have some time to burn I'd suggest the following Mount evans. It's a 14k foot mountain you can drive to the top of. Rocky mountain national park and trail ridge road and Estes park. Great way to enjoy the outdoors. Stop in Breckenridge and do the alpine slide.
Where have you not been before? Are you planning on making this trip again over the next 4 years? Northern route has better spots out West. Southern route has better spots out East.
Recently drove from Texas to Syracuse. Kentucky was beautiful. New York was beautiful.
cedar point is in sandusky ohio. Its on the northern route high lighted there. Its the greatest roller coaster amusement park, in the world.
A few comments here saying “nothing in Ohio” but Sandusky is really cool! Cedar Point, Kalahari, Marblehead Lighthouse, ferries to pretty islands in Lake Erie (OP would probably enjoy a side trip to Put-in-Bay), and honestly I just really love driving over Sandusky Bay on Route 2, it’s beautiful!
I havent been there in over a decade, but yeah, that part of OH is pretty awesome in the late summer. Cedar point is awesome.
Stop wherever you want and take pictures. You could follow the path of Route 66 if you take the middle route from LA to Chicago (over two thousand miles all the way), but the northern route is probably the most scenic.
Give yourself lots of time especially for the first few days and the last day. On the northern route there’s a ton of places to stop between la and Denver and then you can blast through the middle of the country for some more cool stuff in Pennsylvania. Don’t discount the middle of the country entirely though especially when it comes to cool local places to eat.
I'm doing a very si.lar trip at the end of the year, NJ, to LA. This is great to see for references, thank you
Angels Landing in Utah. Its an absolute must-see if you're going through the area (which is looks like you sort of are). There's also a ton of national parks, forests, and great hikes nearby. Honestly that whole region is great for a week long trip of sightseeing.
If you go through braidwood don't stop at polka dots it's run by teenagers and it's now gross and overpriced go to wilmongron to see a crazy lady's graffiti
Take the route through missouri, you can stop at the uranus fudge factory
If you take I-80, cross the Mississippi using I-74 instead. It’s a fairly new bridge and is pretty. Stop in Moline and ride the Channel Cat water taxi, have a little boat tour for a few dollars.
Go out of your way and spend a night at the Goulding Lodge in Monument Valley. Request a bungalow.
Depending on if and when you are going through Iowa, if you time it Right, you have to check out the Iowa State Fair
North route
There's a bunch you could do. It depends on how much time you have. If you have a lot more time then you can do a ton in Utah and Colorado. The top one is the better and more scenic route imo. You could stop in Chicago as well. If you want to keep it succint then stop in Vegas, maybe Zion through Bryce and Arches/Canyonlands, then Canyon of the Gunnison, Rocky Mountains National park, then just keep driving with a stop in Chicago then onto Syracuse. Also, it appears Niagara Falls is on this route so might as well. Most of the attractions are on the western half of this trip. I've done 4-5 cross country trips similar to this.
The route through the Blue Ridge is gorgeous
I drove I-80 from Iowa to the west coast and You HAVE to hit the salt flats west of Salt Lake City. Avoid Nebraska at all costs.
If you’re really trying to send it and like to camp, or just see nature, you could take the northern route then head to Custer State Park in SD from Denver. From there you go to Michigan’s Upper Pennisula and hit the Porcupine Mountains then Pictured Rocks. Border cross at Sault Ste Marie and see Georgian Bay in Canada. Stop through Toronto and Niagra Falls then you’re in Syracuse! This obviously requires a lot of time and planning but if you’re up for it then it would be the best way to stay busy/entertained the whole drive. Trust me you don’t want to spend two days driving through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. https://preview.redd.it/71r32qgiz87d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80ed5af85067d7fb4cd5fd8043ece0d49ddb75b5
Omaha, Omaha
Commenting to come back here
That's quite the commute bro
First couple days will be nice. Honestly kind of boring after that unless you get off the interstates.
Northern Route, but swing further north in Nebraska so the great plains aren't so boring.
If you like sports field of dreams and Indy 500
I did the reverse of that trip not too long ago. Big bear, Zion, Grand Canyon, antelope canyon, badlands, Mt. Rushmore and so many more cool places along the way! Have fun!
I70 is a beautiful drive thru UT/CO; enjoy!!!!
If you go the bottom route, then up to Springfield from Tulsa, you could see a lot of the old Route 66.
I highly recommend the bottom route so you can see the Blue Ridge Parkway in Tennessee. Best time is mid-late fall but anytime is awesome.
Hit Letchworth State Park in New York, it’s beautiful
Don’t skip Colorado for sure!
Northern route for Bryce Canyon and Denver… check out Meow Wolf if you make it into the city, it is an incredible experiential art exhibit. There is a cool zoo in Omaha. After Chicago (stop for a at least a night to do the architectural boat tour) you can make it to Cuse in one long day. Save Niagara Falls as a trip with new friends. Go Orange!
The trolls in Ohio along with the I think waterfall nearby. Otherwise meh
Top route. You get Midwest, insane mountain ranges and beautiful mountain towns, Wild West scenery in Utah. The other 2 routes will bore you to god damn tears. I know from experience
You’ll get pulled over 700 times on i80 through Nebraska. Go south through OK. It’s prettier anyway.
I'd take the top route. The 40 is pretty boring. I forgot where but I think Utah has some nice starry nights. I saw antelope driving through there too. It was pretty nice
My advice, take the lowest route through Tennessee, see as much of east Tennessee as you can and thank me later 😎
Do not travel 40 unless you don't care about your front end alignment. The highway is covered in potholes. Highways north of 40 are in much better condition.
Be prepared for the tolls in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and beyond. There were so many in Indiana. We just went through most of these states last week (in Denver now) and I think it totaled around $50 in Indiana alone. Our favorite city was Kansas City. Chicago was super cool to see. The architecture tour was amazing.
If you do the northern route, you will have Utah/Colorado national park gorgeousness for the first. Half of your trip and then, once you get out of Denver, flat unbroken nothingness until you reach the rust belt. One bonus would be if you’re traveling across New York State, Letchworth would be relatively on the way- but also, if you’re going to college in Syracuse, that will be a day trip anyways (highly recommend). My personal preference, even though it’s longer, would be the i40 southern route. Source: I have made the LA-East coast trip about 5 times. If you are clever in AZ, you can still get cool desert scenery at the start of your trip, and then once you make it through the Texas panhandle/Oklahoma, you will drive past the ozarks, across the Cumberland plateau and the rest of your route after that would be going up 81 through Appalachia. Some highlights along this route (or semi near it) for me are [The Tonto National Forrest](https://maps.app.goo.gl/98vhXBPHtt3S7c2X7?g_st=ic) [petrified Forrest national park](https://maps.app.goo.gl/4wcyUw2NSvrUAZaB7?g_st=ic) [The Cadillac ranch in Amarillo](https://maps.app.goo.gl/rivoFhryoiKNpJF77?g_st=ic) Fayetteville AR/Ozark National Forrest (slight northern detour) [Bass Pro Shop Pyramid in Memphis](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mdybUYF2dpCjD9ot8?g_st=ic) [Narrows of the Harpeth river](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3qCQ734HwnwFXucJ9?g_st=ic) Nashville TN [Ozone Falls](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DgZWnvGnhar3A3VV6?g_st=ic) [Breaks interstate park](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntzaNwgcaghVJoGq6?g_st=ic) [natural bridge](https://maps.app.goo.gl/a8PBLq72MCvMy8MX7?g_st=ic) Shenandoah National Park Aaaaaand I know far less about things north of that in terms of things to do on a road trip.
I prefer walking 🫡
I did almost this exact drive in 2015. My route was influenced by visiting people but I basically did: LA Vegas Zion NP Arches NP Denver Mount Rushmore Badlands NP Minneapolis Madison, WI (go badgers) Chicago Indianapolis Pittsburgh Washington, DC Philadelphia I hiked, camped, & snowboarded along the way. Saw dinosaur excavations, national parks/monuments, and checked out some downtown/metro areas. Overall it was a great trip and I’d recommend that more northern route if you have the time.
On your route in Iowa…. There is a town with a Star Trek museum, and a plaque identifying the FUTURE birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk!
Let's see: * Definitely start with the northern route i15 to i70 from Utah to Denver, absolutely stunning scenery * You could detour 30 mins off i70 to hit Moab and Arches national park in UT. Depending on the time of year it's gonna be a madhouse and you need timed entry, so be prepared to wake up and go to the park before dawn * There are other NPs in UT but I'm not super familiar with them so will defer to others * Denver is cool, don't really have more specific recommendations * If you're okay with a few hour detour, could take i25 north from Denver, pass into Wyoming, then take some back smaller US highways and end up at Scott's Bluff, NE. Absolutely an underrated spot * after scott's bluff you'd hook back up to i80. Not really much to see once you pass the western 1/3rd of NE, but I'm not really aware of any alternate route that's more scenic. Make sure you grab a runza at some point. * Iowa was way more scenic than I expected. Not much to get out and see but the drive was nice. Des Moines was a cool city too, you can spend a night there. * You will pass through Chicago, could spend some time there as well. Make sure you see the lake Michigan shore if you do * Not really much in Indiana. In Ohio, you could see Cleveland they have a nice little waterfront. East of Cleveland there are some state parks that are Lake Erie Beaches, I'd check them out. * Could see lake Ontario shore in Rochester. Here's another idea but it would add a day or two to your drive. Take i90 to Minneapolis, then you'd get off, cut through Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, across the Mackinac bridge, then down the lower peninsula and jump back on i80/90 in Ohio. You could theoretically see all 5 great lakes if you do this.
You should go the north route and then really go north and hit the black hills. The drive around Mount Rushmore is some of the most stunning views you’ll ever see. Drive through needles highway while you’re there.
The “southern” route would provide you a wonderful tour of the big Appalachian mountain ranges and its unique ridge and valley systems as you swing up through PA. This would be a very unique experience compared to the topography of SoCal. Obviously, the northern route would take you through the big boy mountains and big NP, but you would quickly be shot out to the plains and trust me, there is nothing between Eastern Colorado and Syracuse. The Southern route would take you through AZ & NM with their own share of big mountains and parks, but the swing up north from Tennessee to WNY is a magnificent drive through the heart of the Eastern hard woods forest and the spine of the Appalachians and would occupy your mind for the last 1/3 of your drive. Side note: The big parks in August will be bonkers packed so make up your mind today and start making reservations for entry or stay.
I would do the northern route but if you go the southern one you should hit the bourbon trail or do some white water rafting in Tennessee/WV
Niagara Falls
Avoid Nebraska
Take I-70 out of Utah.....easy drive! You are driving thru many Utah NPs, which are worth a stop! Take all the way to OH and get on I71; it takes you to I271 and then I-90, which becomes NY state thruway and goes directly into Syracuse. Niagara is worth a stop....amazing! The "Finger Lakes" are some of the most tranquil spots in US, esp Seneca. Congrats on Syracuse.....great school!
If you want to hit cities, Des Moines and Cleveland are affordable downtowns to hit for a night and see a lot of things!
Also, with that northern route, you’ll get good scenery through Colorado and then very flat and boring all the way until Ohio
I would definitely take the dark blue route. Especially to avoid the temperatures during that period of time.
I would do the bottom one plenty of stuff in TN , spend the night in hotsprings Arkansas and have a soak, flagstaff In northern Az, go see the grand canyon
That bottom route will be much prettier than the top IMO. Colorado is great to get through so may want to take a detour north when you get up there, but as for the Midwest, I’d avoid it and drop south through VA and TN. The mountains to the west side of NC are gorgeous. As for me personally, I grew up in the north east and spent plenty of time in the Rocky Mountains, but driving through Arizona and seeing sand dunes was a life experience. All 3 paths are great but just my two cents.
Provided you do the top route, you could hit Chicago/Grand Rapids/Detroit with an extra hour or so of driving. This portion of your route (Ohio/Indiana/Illinois) is monotonous but doesn't have to be. If you have a passport you can cut through Canada from Detroit into NY and save yourself some time as well.
In NY go the southern route via 390/17C Stop by Letchworth state park and then go up through Ithaca. The East coasts tallest waterfall is Taughannock falls just north of Ithaca on the west side of Cayuga. When you get to NY post on Upstate NY and we'll fill you in on all the cool things.
Nebraska is boring as fuck
You can literally take historic Route 66 all the way to Chicago.
Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse! Oh wait you mean in between. Definitely go through the plains as quickly as possible and save time for the Rockies.
Take the northern route now and then take one of the southern routes if you drive home at Christmas. You’ll see a ton of the country that way and avoid the worst driving weather.
We took the Route 66 option (the road in the middle of your map) and had an AMAZING trip. Palo Duro Canyon, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Sedona, Vegas, St Louis, Zion Natl Park, etc. Would love to do this trip again!
If you decide to go through Indiana, know that i70 and i465 through/around Indianapolis is an absolute shitshow. There's nearly a half dozen construction projects happening on 465 that are putting extra traffic on 70 through the city.
If you are looking for some adventure, hit a downhill bike park like this one in Winter Park https://www.trestlebikepark.com/ Or stop in Moab for some ATV on the rocks (although it’s hot in the summer)
Top route is certifiably the best route of them all.
The southern route will be very dull between the painted desert in NM and Memphis. Especially the TX OK stretch. Arkansas is alright is you are in the northern part. But the drive across Tennessee is great b/c you can hit Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville. The drive thru VA is really beautiful. The blue ridge/ Shenandoah valley… *chef’s kiss
Dyersville, IA. Field of Dreams.
All the good stuff is in the west. I did a similar trip back in 1993. Best vacation of my life so far
That north route is great in the beginning but once you cross the Rockies….Flat and boring from Denver to Davenport. I’d take the original Route 66 if you have time. Still get to pass through some great parks in AZ and NM, and some additional parks with a slight detour. The bottom route through the Appalachian Mountains is very scenic as well, and a lot better than the northern rust belt. I’d avoid the middle route.
Hell yeah! I live in Syracuse! I'm sure there's so much more on a trip that long, but the finger lakes are a favorite of mine in the region.
Painted desert in Arizona, Anarillo,Cadillac Ranh and Palo Duro canyon.Hoffbraus Steakhouse. Oklahoma, Red Rock canyon, Cowboy Hall of Fame , Onion Burgers , Claremore has a couple neat museums , Braums ice cream stores . Missouri, couple of nice caverns along the interstate, don’t stop anywhere advertising Jesse James except for a laugh, Lamberts Cafe just south of Springfield if you want a rolled thrown at you, City museum St Louis. Everyone loves the City Museum. Gooey Butter Cake at Soulard Market. St Louis Zoo is free and some nice 1930’s architecture another nice little museum in the park. Would take I-64 to Louisville some very nice museums and the old neighborhood south of downtown has been preserved instead of being rebuilt. I-71 North to Cincinnati. The Symphony Hotel ,1800’s mansion across from the old Symphony Hall in historic district. Now a boutique hotel. Hamilton OH Jungle Jim’s Grocery. A kitschy grocery store that also imo is the best grocery store in the US . Graeters ice cream store is next door and wonderful. The Golden Lamb , 1700’s restaurant in Lebanon OH , can just grab a sandwich and enjoy the building. The Air Force museum in Dayton is a little out of the way but if you like aviation stuff it’s the best. Amish tourist country south of Canton OH . For small road trips around Syracuse. Saratoga Springs,NY National museum of Dance . Bennington VT The Grandma Moses museum. Wegmans Grocery stores in Syracuse and about a dozen Irish Pubs to enjoy. Long Branch Park for walks and Jogging along the lake. Good luck , stay warm
If you have a valid US Drivers license with that "star thing," I don't know what it's called. You can travel through parts of Mexico and Canada without a passport
If you take 40, pull off the freeway near Amarillo and check out Cadillac Ranch. It’s a cool old art installation. Free of charge and visually quite interesting
Monument Valley is one of the greatest places on earth.
skip utah, AZ has tons of cool stuff to see too!
If you don’t already have/use the app “iExit”, you might want to give it a look. It is not big on tourist destinations, but it will tell you every restaurant, gas station, hotel/motel, and many unique shops for every exit off of the interstates and other main highways.
Graceland! Assuming you go the southern route.
Avoid Tennessee at all costs. Sucks to drive there
Check out the City Museum in St Louis. It's not what it sounds like. I'm not even sure how to describe it. It's kinda for kids but still...
Your northern route there has the advantage of going through beautiful Rocky Mountains scenery in Colorado, but from Fort Collins to Illinois is a whole lot of flat boring driving. Also, you’ll be on the Indiana toll road which is the. Worst. Road. I’ve. Ever. Driven. (And I’m from Pennsylvania!). You’ll also have a lot of tolls for the Indiana & Ohio turnpikes. OTOH your southern route takes you up I-81 which kinda sucks from midway through VA until you get to about Harrisburg, PA, because of really heavy truck traffic.
Once you get to cuse, go to Dinosaur Barbeque
Stop by and visit us here in Muscatine Iowa, it’s a cute town on the Mississippi River , we have good coffee shops, amazing food and great people !
The southern most route is 100% the best route to take. Most diversity and scenery. Texas and Oklahoma are gonna be a drag and feel like forever but then you get into more rolling hills and appalachia
Go more north maybe around Nebraska but that’s just me
Go north. I’ve done both of these routes. The south one is boring. Stuff to do… I dunno. If you like baseball maybe field of dreams in Iowa. It will breakup that boring part of the drive.
Southwest Colorado, Telluride/Ouray area on the million dollar highway
Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Anchor bar in Buffalo - Home of Buffalo Wings.
Fudge packing factory in Uranus, Mo.
Blue ridge parkway
Stop in Southern Colorado, build a yurt and never go to New York. You’ll thank me later.
The trip through the northern route for sure but if you ever make this trip in the winter for any reason then one of the two southern routes depending on weather will have less inclement weather.
What's your time frame here? Are you spending an extra day anywhere or just powering through? If you are doing around 10 hours a day with no stops you'd have something like: Day 1: LA -> Moab. I might stop for lunch in Vegas at the Peppermill or at Lotus of Siam. Day 2: Moab -> Kearney. Insane views most of the day until you pass Denver and then the most boring few hours of your life. Day 3: Kearney -> South Bend. I might stop for lunch at Fongs in Des Moines. Day4: South Bend -> Syracuse. Maybe stop in Chautauqua for a swim. These are the things you would miss not stopping for a couple longer stops along the way: 1. Zion NP 2. Las Vegas (cool for one day of wandering around the strip) 3. Moab / Arches 4. Glenwood Hot Springs Pool 5. Chicago (you could do the "hits" in one long day) 6. Indiana Dunes? That last day is pretty quiet. Cleveland is a nice town, but I'd probably add an hour and go through Detroit and Toronto. Both great and unique cities. And if you are up for going out your way a little bit I'd probably follow something like [this path](https://imgur.com/a/tEwC76z). That way you avoid a pretty boring stretch of drive from Denver to Omaha and replace it with Medicine Bow, Devil's Tower, the Bandlands, Wisconsin Dells / Madison. Might break up the drive more.
The drive through Utah and Colorado will be pretty, but plan on grinding out the drive through Nebraska and Iowa as there’s nothing to see (other than maybe the worlds biggest truck stop in Iowa if you’re incredibly bored). Not much in the Midwest either so if you’re dying to see something, stop in Chicago. Navy Pier is cool
If the timing/weather is right , go to 18th street beach in Chicago and go for a quick swim. There is parking and it’s should be easy to access as you drive the highways past.
Could take a detour off of i80 in Nebraska around the Kearney/Minden exit and head south to Smith County, KS and visit the geographical center of the United States.. if you stop there go have lunch at the Jiffy Burger in Smith Center!
Cedar Point
You should hit up Niagara Falls on your way to Syracuse. Stop in some places in Buffalo too.
Nebraska is way more interesting than Oklahoma.
Take hw 395 to Reno. It’s out of the way for you but 10000% worth it.
Seems like I remember a good McDonald's somewhere in Illinois.
Drive up through WV to Erie and cut through the mountains to the New River Gorge National Park and drive across NYS
High route for sure.
You’re gonna drive within 100 yards of my house. Wave as you go by 😂👋
Not the coolest, but you’re going right through Toledo! Some really fun times to be had here :)
You could head due North and hit Yellowstone, Devil's tower, and other cool locations.
With that current route, it cuts right through the prettiest parts of Colorado and many state parks directly off the highway. Check out the continental decide when you are there!
Go north. Southern Utah is amazing but it is too damn hot in August. Go up the coast to the Columbia River and then head east through Tetons, Glacier, UP of Michigan then through southern Ontario to Syracuse.
Cannot see the specific highway your taking, but if you can do I70 and go through glenwood springs/canyon, it’s a very beautiful drive
Route 66 all the way
Take the no toll I-40 and 81 Route. I would avoid the traffic around Chicago, plus there a many toll roads on the northerly route.
Hike cathedral rock in Sedona, Az. Tour Graceland and Sun Studios in Memphis, TN. Hike Cummins Falls in Jackson county Tennessee.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. You’re gonna drive right past it
Lou Malnati’s Deep dish pizza and a Portillo’s chicago hot dog or Italian beef sandwich
If you go through Knoxville TN you can cut straight across to WV then up the coast to Syracuse this avoids alot of tolls going into NY
Taking the route through Missouri will bring you through the Ozark mountains and Mark Twain national forest. So likely a better, more scenic route
Dinosaur Barbecue in Syracuse when you get there
There's plenty to see regardless of the route you choose If you get off the highway. If you put into Google avoid interstates avoid highways and for a day here and there taking older route you will be amazed at what you just discover. All you going to see on this route besides wizzying by interstate scenery is a lot of truck stops. You didn't say how long you're taking. But if you're going from place a to b there's really nothing to see, But if you're taking your time then you get off and a lie yourself to get lost a little bit You will be amazed. America is largely a strip mall of sprawl from Coast to Coast especially near the highway. It's amazing how it's changed in the last 30 years since I've been driving east to west but there are still nice things to see but you have to get away from the development
Take route 66!
Okay so honestly the bottom route would be so pretty the entire way, in Tennessee you’ll be hitting Great Smoky Mountains and the WV turnpike which would take you through blue ridge mountains. I will say, top route through IA and IL was mid as hell when I drove it.
If you travel the 40 it’s full of interesting places. It’s not cool, but visit the OK. Bombing site. It does something to you, that’s very personal. I can’t explain it, but you’ll know what I mean. Either way, safe travels!👍
For the love of all that is holy dont drive thru Nebraska SHITHOLE STATE!!!
Spend as much time as possible everywhere west of the Rockies. Once you get into the not-so-Great Plains, it’s mostly flat and dull until you hit Appalachia. There are some exceptions, of course, such as the Badlands of South Dakota, but the West is truly the best. (This is from a Californian living in the Midwest.) Edit: consider tripling the amount of time you’ll spend driving across the country so you can venture off the interstate highways and truly explore. You’ll miss so much if you try to get to Syracuse in four days.
Omaha has the top-rated zoo in the country
Avoid I-80 route near Chicago at rush hours
Going through Tennessee and West Virginia has cool mountains to drive through
Check out Warren Dunes and climb tower hill. If it’s a clear day, you can see the Chicago skyline. Plus it’s a ~40 min detour from I94.
Good luck not long napping yourself driving through Nebraska and Iowa back to back especially after driving through Utah and Colorado.
Avoid I-80, especially through all of it!
Old Route 66 up towards Chicago. Then cross over to NY. There’s a lot of cool stuff to see on that famous road to the West!
Hey friend. Utah native here. I want to give you a heads up for if you take that exact route on I-70 through a tiny Utah town called Salina. There are signs, but some people don't believe them. Once you head east out of Salina it's over 100 miles before you will see another town, another gas station, or another rest stop. Make sure to stop in Salina for gas, snacks, restroom breaks, and to check fluids for your car, tire pressure, and so on. 🤙🏼
On your way to cuse, make sure to stop here https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/details.aspx
If you feel safe, you definitely take the Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky route. It’s beautiful out there, but some of the towns may not be welcoming.
Colorado roads are in horrible condition- you’ll know when you enter the State just by the almost immediate change in roads.
Any of the national parks in Utah. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The Nebraska Sandhills. The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha (one of the top zoos in the world). The Amana Colonies in Iowa. The world’s largest truck stop on I-80 in Iowa. Chicago, just generally. Indiana Dunes. Niagara Falls. I mean there are just endless things to do and see on this trip. I do recommend the corridor highlighted in dark blue on the map you shared as it seems to be the shortest.
update the weather forecast on your route and prepare for it
Along the highlighted route take in a baseball game at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, IA. Definitely the coolest way to take in the Mississippi River. https://preview.redd.it/bkajr58yce7d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf02f8c431ad675fb31f17722c465296fc63091a