Planning a drive down to AZ for July 4th

[ToXicXxX]

Looking to drive down to my family's home in San Tan Valley for July 4th. I'm trying to think of the best way to drive there/best roads to hit/sites to see on the way, and where to stay, as I don't want to drive 24hr's straight. Longest road trip I've taken otherwise was down to Idaho, so this is a bit of a step up. Would probably leave Sunday the 28th and come back 1.5-2 weeks later.

I was thinking I would bypass through the mountains in Montana, but I wanted to hit Cali on the way... So many ideas, but hard to formulate a good trip. I'm traveling with one other person as well.

I'll be doing the trip in my M3, probably end up tracking it on Raw Hide when I'm down in AZ, so I need to plan around that as well. I have another vehicle available once I'm in AZ, so I will likely use that around town to give the M3 a bit of a breather (I don't want to full service it down there, I will give it a full service before leaving, and once I'm back, and perhaps a set of tires and a brake fluid flush down there after tracking, I have contacts at VividRacing. I was also contemplating letting ESS throw a blower on it!).

Has anyone made a trip similar and have any suggestions of routes/places to hit?

[ExtraSlow]

Screw around on google maps a bit, you may rethink your idea to drop in to California.
It'll add at least 10 hours to your drive.

If it was me, I'd stick mostly to the interstates, with a couple carefully selected detours to hit some highlights.

You are going past all sorts of awesome shit in southern Utah. Zion National park is sweet. Grande Staircase national monument has some very neat hikes.
you'll be going pretty close to Craters Of the Moon in Idaho, and Yellowstone national park as well. Could enter Yellowstone on the beartooth Highway, that's pretty amazing.

[killramos]

I did the same trip last June ( albeit in a much shittier car) one way form pheonix to Calgary.

I would stop in Vegas personally, that's what i did. Its only 5 hours out of phoenix. The Valet service is great at most hotels ( they even brought the top down on my car for me when i picked it up lol)

The roads are very straight and generally very good. When you see a good gas station ( Shell, BP, Chevron, etc) Fill up. I found some stations that consider 87 to be premium along the way (who knew 85 was still a thing).

I didn't find there being to much between Calgary and SLC ( personally) so i drove that in one long go. Utah is quite nice but i didn't spend any time there aside from sleeping, left Vegas later in the day and drove right to SLC.

Should be a fun time

[taemo]

we drove to Palm Spring over the Xmas holidays, on our way to Cali we stopped one night in Monument Valley and one night in South Rim Grand Canyon.

other nice national parks to hit are
Yellowstone
Bryce
Zion
Arches

Antelope Canyon is awesome too

just google all the NP that you see between Montana and Arizona and see if they are worth a stop

[mr2mike]

Pussy, just drive it 24hrs. You'll end up doing that on the way back.

Zion is nice, you can drive straight there and time that appropriate. But to hit the G.C. you'll need to work out some timing or you'll get there at dusk.

Don't bother with driving over the Hoover Dam. Can't see anything unless you drive down to the dam.

Use the Hwy 20 cross over to 89. But it's dicey in the winter. Summer you'll be fine.

When you're getting into Phx. TAKE THE 303 EXIT. It looks longer but no way. Traffic on the 101 depending on time can be bad and at a stand still.
Haven't been on the 303 when it hits a stand still yet.
If it's 11pm or really off hours, then 101 is fine.

[bjstare]

Depends how far into Cali you want to go. The coast road anywhere between Big Sur and Santa Barbara is absolutely fantastic. It'll add a bunch of time to your drive, but I've done it twice (once on a bike, and once in my car) and it was fully worth the extra day. Beautiful views, fun driving.

[mr2mike]

+1 for that big sur area road, tuned suspension is a must too. But I suspect that's another trip in itself.

[austic]

Originally posted by killramos
I did the same trip last June ( albeit in a much shittier car) one way form pheonix to Calgary.

I would stop in Vegas personally, that's what i did. Its only 5 hours out of phoenix. The Valet service is great at most hotels ( they even brought the top down on my car for me when i picked it up lol)

The roads are very straight and generally very good. When you see a good gas station ( Shell, BP, Chevron, etc) Fill up. I found some stations that consider 87 to be premium along the way (who knew 85 was still a thing).

I didn't find there being to much between Calgary and SLC ( personally) so i drove that in one long go. Utah is quite nice but i didn't spend any time there aside from sleeping, left Vegas later in the day and drove right to SLC.

Should be a fun time

Did the exact trip picking up a SLK 350 for summer. Utah was great but stock up on booze in Nevada or you will be sorry.

[ToXicXxX]

Originally posted by killramos
I did the same trip last June ( albeit in a much shittier car) one way form pheonix to Calgary.

I would stop in Vegas personally, that's what i did. Its only 5 hours out of phoenix. The Valet service is great at most hotels ( they even brought the top down on my car for me when i picked it up lol)

The roads are very straight and generally very good. When you see a good gas station ( Shell, BP, Chevron, etc) Fill up. I found some stations that consider 87 to be premium along the way (who knew 85 was still a thing).

I didn't find there being to much between Calgary and SLC ( personally) so i drove that in one long go. Utah is quite nice but i didn't spend any time there aside from sleeping, left Vegas later in the day and drove right to SLC.

Should be a fun time

I'm 20, so Vegas is a pretty dull place for me. When I was there for SEMA I was basically walking around or sitting in the hotel when I wasn't at the show, because I couldn't go anywhere. Even though I look 30 or so, I didn't want to try anything.

I don't mind the extra time dipping into Cali, I want to really enjoy my trip and get to have fun in my car. I haven't been to most states, and I've always wanted to go to Cali. Maybe visit Laguna Seca.

I don't want to do a full 24 hour trip because I don't want to put that strain on the M, or be sitting that long. I found even the drive to Kalispell I had to stop a few times to walk around, but that was in the less comfortable AMG seats.

I'm gonna skip Highway to the Sun in lue of the less used windy Montana mountain roads (Route 110 I think?), and I've been through highway to the sun dozens of times.

I've driven all over AZ and down to Mexico from there, so I know my path once I hit Pheonix. I usually fly out to Sky Harbour then use the E46 M3 we have down there, she's a supercharged convertible I'm trying to think of where else to visit in AZ though, I've been to PIMA, and a bunch of other interesting spots.

As for gas, I hear yeah. Even the 91 in Montana caused problems with my C63 (which was tuned for 94... Dumb choice!). I might grab a tank of 110 at the gas station beside Raw Hide in AZ, could be a fun time.

[killramos]

Originally posted by ToXicXxX


I'm 20,

I don't want to put that strain on the M,

but that was in the less comfortable AMG seats.

the E46 M3 we have down there, she's a supercharged convertible

my C63

Sorry I'm a bit add but that is all I got from your post

Kids these days.

Where were you when we did the car price / age poll

On a more serious note I have nothing to add about California.

The only place in that state I have ever been is Disneyland. You could go there, they totally let 20 year olds in

[ToXicXxX]

Originally posted by killramos


Sorry I'm a bit add but that is all I got from your post

Kids these days.

Where were you when we did the car price / age poll

On a more serious note I have nothing to add about California.

The only place in that state I have ever been is Disneyland. You could go there, they totally let 20 year olds in

Haha... I like to play, as they say, I guess. I swapped cars around a lot until I found something I really liked. Should have just kept the first M3 and left it at that.

[FixedGear]

CA is way out of your way, I wouldn't even consider that.

If you want to do it as quick as possible while still sleeping, drive long days and sleep in Pocatello, Idaho.

[ToXicXxX]

Originally posted by FixedGear
CA is way out of your way, I wouldn't even consider that.

If you want to do it as quick as possible while still sleeping, drive long days and sleep in Pocatello, Idaho.

I want to draw out the trip and really enjoy the sights. I just picked AZ as a final destination to keep down on total costs, because I have somewhere to stay there. And I really do love AZ.

[killramos]

Seriously though. Disneyland is the shit. Bring a girl. That's a done deal.

[ToXicXxX]

Originally posted by killramos
Seriously though. Disneyland is the shit. Bring a girl. That's a done deal.

Been to World in Florida. Not a fan of amusement parks. The crowds drive me insane.

[FixedGear]

Not sure how much time you have, but Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Fran, Los Angeles, to phoenix would be a killer road trip. I'd spend at least a week one way to really enjoy it though.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Maybe a stop to watch some Bonneville Salt Flats races might be interesting on the way back:

http://saltflats.com

And as suggested, in Utah some counties are dry, it is hit or miss and the extremes are there. After a hot day on the road and being primed for a few cold beers only to find my over night stop was in a very dry county and basically no caffeine drinks (hot or cold) as well.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by FixedGear
Not sure how much time you have, but Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Fran, Los Angeles, to phoenix would be a killer road trip. I'd spend at least a week one way to really enjoy it though.

If taking the PCH, you need more than a week to really experience it. We thought that's all we would need, but could definitely enjoyed it more if we did 10+ days on it.

[ToXicXxX]

Little update, bumped my trip to end of next week, had to deal with some stuff.

If I drive through Cali, am I gonna get shit for emissions?

[Jlude]

Originally posted by ToXicXxX
Little update, bumped my trip to end of next week, had to deal with some stuff.

If I drive through Cali, am I gonna get shit for emissions?

99% sure you won't have any problems.