Road trip suggestions

[OrthoSurg]

Leaving this morning for a 28 days road trip in my Tesla model Y with my wife and the kids. Any suggestion on our ChatGPT-suggested itinerary and places to visit?

«
Day 1: Montreal, Canada - Burlington, Vermont (132km / 82 miles)
• Start your trip in Montreal and head south to Burlington, Vermont.
• Enjoy the vibrant city center, stroll along the waterfront, and visit the Church Street Marketplace.
Day 2: Burlington - Boston, Massachusetts (311km / 193 miles)
• Drive southeast to Boston, Massachusetts.
• Explore the historic Freedom Trail, visit Fenway Park, and indulge in delicious seafood.
Day 3: Boston - New York City, New York (347km / 216 miles)
• Continue south to the bustling metropolis of New York City.
• Spend the day exploring iconic landmarks such as Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty.
Day 4: New York City - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (155km / 96 miles)
• Drive southwest to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Immerse yourself in American history by visiting Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
Day 5: Philadelphia - Washington, D.C. (222km / 138 miles)
• Head south to Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.
• Explore the National Mall, home to famous monuments and museums like the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian.
Day 6: Washington, D.C. - Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (169km / 105 miles)
• Venture west to Shenandoah National Park.
• Drive along the scenic Skyline Drive, hike the trails, and enjoy breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Day 7: Shenandoah National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee (621km / 386 miles)
• Travel southwest to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
• Explore the park's diverse wildlife, hike to stunning waterfalls, and take in the natural beauty.
Day 8: Great Smoky Mountains - Nashville, Tennessee (298km / 185 miles)
• Drive northwest to the vibrant city of Nashville.
• Immerse yourself in the country music scene, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, and enjoy live performances.
Day 9: Nashville - Memphis, Tennessee (333km / 207 miles)
• Continue west to Memphis, Tennessee.
• Explore the birthplace of blues and rock 'n' roll, visit Graceland, and enjoy mouthwatering barbecue.
Day 10: Memphis - New Orleans, Louisiana (639km / 397 miles)
• Drive south to the lively city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Discover the unique culture, indulge in Cajun and Creole cuisine, and immerse yourself in the vibrant music scene.
Day 11: New Orleans - Houston, Texas (552km / 343 miles)
• Head west to Houston, Texas.
• Visit NASA's Space Center Houston, explore the Museum District, and enjoy the city's diverse culinary offerings.
Day 12: Houston - San Antonio, Texas (317km / 197 miles)
• Drive southwest to San Antonio, Texas.
• Explore the historic Alamo, stroll along the River Walk, and visit the vibrant Market Square.
Day 13: San Antonio - Austin, Texas (126km / 78 miles)
• Travel north to the state capital, Austin.
• Experience the city's live music scene, visit the State Capitol, and enjoy outdoor activities along the Colorado River.
Day 14: Austin - Dallas, Texas (310km / 193 miles)
• Continue north to Dallas, Texas.
• Explore the arts district, visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, and indulge in Tex-Mex cuisine.
Day 15: Dallas - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (330km / 205 miles)
• Drive northwest to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• Visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial, explore the Bricktown Entertainment District, and discover the city's Western heritage.
Day 16: Oklahoma City - Santa Fe, New Mexico (703km / 437 miles)
• Head west to the enchanting city of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• Immerse yourself in the vibrant art scene, visit the historic Plaza, and explore the unique adobe architecture.
Day 17: Santa Fe - Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (574km / 357 miles)
• Travel west to Grand Canyon National Park.
• Marvel at the awe-inspiring views from the rim, hike along the trails, and experience the sunset over the canyon.
Day 18: Grand Canyon - Las Vegas, Nevada (446km / 277 miles)
• Drive northwest to Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Explore the famous Las Vegas Strip, try your luck at the casinos, and enjoy world-class entertainment.
Day 19: Las Vegas - Death Valley National Park, California (200km / 124 miles)
• Venture west to Death Valley National Park.
• Discover the unique desert landscapes, visit Badwater Basin, and witness the mesmerizing starry skies.
Day 20: Death Valley - Yosemite National Park, California (469km / 291 miles)
• Drive northwest to Yosemite National Park.
• Explore the iconic granite cliffs, hike to stunning waterfalls, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty.
Day 21: Yosemite - San Francisco, California (305km / 190 miles)
• Head west to the iconic city of San Francisco.
• Visit the Golden Gate Bridge, explore Fisherman's Wharf, and take a ride on a cable car.
Day 22: San Francisco - Napa Valley, California (80km / 50 miles)
• Drive north to the renowned Napa Valley wine region.
• Enjoy wine tastings at world-class wineries, explore the scenic vineyards, and savor gourmet cuisine.
Day 23: Napa Valley - Redwood National and State Parks, California (655km / 407 miles)
• Travel north to Redwood National and State Parks.
• Marvel at the towering ancient redwoods, hike through the lush forests, and immerse yourself in nature.
Day 24: Redwood National and State Parks - Portland, Oregon (625km / 388 miles)
• Drive north to Portland, Oregon.
• Explore the vibrant city known for its unique culture, eclectic food scene, and beautiful parks.
Day 25: Portland - Seattle, Washington (280km / 174 miles)
• Continue north to Seattle, Washington.
• Visit the iconic Space Needle, explore Pike Place Market, and enjoy stunning views of the waterfront.
Day 26: Seattle - Vancouver, Canada (229km / 142 miles)
• Cross the border and drive north to Vancouver, Canada.
• Spend the day exploring this beautiful city, visit Stanley Park, and indulge in diverse culinary experiences.
Day 27: Vancouver - Whistler, Canada (121km / 75 miles)
• Venture north to Whistler, a renowned mountain resort.
• Enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, or even skiing, depending on the season.
Day 28: Whistler - Montreal, Canada (4300km / 2672 miles)
• Begin your return journey eastward, driving across Canada until you reach Montreal.
• Take breaks along the way to rest and enjoy the scenic landscapes.
Please note that this itinerary covers a considerable distance. »

 

[vanjwilson]

Leaving this morning for a 28 days road trip in my Tesla model Y with my wife and the kids. Any suggestion on our ChatGPT-suggested itinerary and places to visit?

...
Day 6: Washington, D.C. - Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (169km / 105 miles)
• Venture west to Shenandoah National Park.
• Drive along the scenic Skyline Drive, hike the trails, and enjoy breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Day 7: Shenandoah National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee (621km / 386 miles)
• Travel southwest to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
• Explore the park's diverse wildlife, hike to stunning waterfalls, and take in the natural beauty.
Day 8: Great Smoky Mountains - Nashville, Tennessee (298km / 185 miles)
• Drive northwest to the vibrant city of Nashville.
• Immerse yourself in the country music scene, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, and enjoy live performances.
...

Wow, that's a lot of driving!

I've done a few cross-country road trips myself, but I only feel qualified to comment on the part near my home in North Carolina--Virginia, North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee.

I'm biased, but pretty much anything that sounds interesting to you will be worth seeing in that leg, and there will be way more than than you could possible cover in 3 days. You will have to go through Asheville, NC, so if you like small liberal Southern tourist towns, it's a good excuse to spend time exploring there. Hiking in GSM NP is a lot harder than in Shenandoah, so don't try to overdo it. Traffic through the park in the summer is stop-and-go slow for dozens of miles; if you want to drive all the way through, be sure to allow several extra hours.

Most anywhere east of the Mississippi River, charging should be a non-issue, especially in the East Coast states. That being said, the Great Smoking Mountain NP days will require more planning than the rest of the eastern half of the country.

Coming from DC down to Shenandoah NP, you'll have plenty of options to dip down to the Charlottesville, VA, area or over into the Shenandoah Valley to charge.

The North Carolina mountains are more challenging.

• You could come down I-77 South to I-40 West and up to Asheville, NC, on your way over to Great Smokey Mountains NP, and you will find plenty of superchargers along that route.
• You could follow Skyline Drive until it turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway. While this is more direct with fewer overall miles, it will take longer because the road is scenic and winding (the average speed limit is 35mph). You can get off and supercharge in Boone, NC, and then again in Asheville, NC--there are 4 different supercharger sites around Asheville.

However, once you leave Asheville on either route--either I-40 West then US 19, or continuing on the Blue Ridge Parkway--there are no more superchargers in NC. There are a few 50kW CCS/CHAdeMO units scattered around, and more Level 2 chargers at hotels and restaurants. The next superchargers will either be at Pigeon Forge, if you drive all the way through the park, or near Knoxville, TN, if you come back to I-40.

It's doable, but you'll want to have a clear plan and a backup plan for charging, preferably wherever you are staying overnight.

 

[ewoodrick]

Simply put, it's not going to happen that way.
For example, Day 3,4,5. Boston, NYC, and Philly in one day apiece? Along with the driving??? You aren't getting out and seeing anything.
Plus there's the little fact that carrying a car into NYC is a PITA and expensive.

One day in DC? You spend that amount in the Smithsonian, let alone many of the other free museums and areas in the city. This time of the year in DC, the memorials are best viewed at night. And absolutely no time to get to the Advar Hazy museum museum at Dulles which is totally awesome. Ever seen a Space shuttle?

Truly, this will be the trip from hell !

Going from Atlanta to Los Angelos is about a 2 week trip. But that doesn't include the side excursion from Memphis to New Orleans and back up to OKC.

From Montreal, a trip down to the Florida Key and back would be an aggressive 28 day trip. But you have to stop and smell the roses along the way.

I would recommend against your itinerary, you'll regret it.

Okay, this is spam. Look at the last day. Whistler to Montreal?

 

[Rocky_H]

Yeah, I'm going to concur with @ewoodrick and say this itinerary sounds psychotic and is more for the purpose of rolling up miles on your odometer than seeing anything or enjoying your time.

 

[zoomer0056]

Yeah, I'm going to concur with @ewoodrick and say this itinerary sounds psychotic and is more for the purpose of rolling up miles on your odometer than seeing anything or enjoying your time.

ChatGPT is pretty cool. But you should've put in some prompts for leisure. Remember, chatGPT doesn't know anything of the world since 2021.

 

[israndy]

It'd be a good Supercharger Hunt, he might need all that time in areas like Austin, Dallas, and Houston, I got thru it in two, but I didn't see much that wasn't visible from the freeway or the Superchargers. Not complaining, mostly it's all the same FF restaurants and malls everywhere you go. That's what really sets the Desert West aside, the GC and Zion et al will be a big change of pace after seeing every Starbucks in the nation.

I agree with the bit about the Mall in DC, it's a three day to a week location, although if you just see Natural History and Air&Space or Native American and maybe the Mint, the rest is kinda the same vibe. If you can get into the House viewing area, it's pretty reverential, although it's a weird time w/ all the congress members on their own cloud. NYC would be best observed from public transportation as said above, over maybe a year of living there, just so much to see that isn't everywhere else. Used to be the same in LA but chains often that started in LA have killed much of the uniqueness in that megalopolis.

Speaking of which, one of my favorite driving stretches runs from San Diego to Portland along the coast, heck you can drive all the way thru Forks and around to Seattle. I am fortunate that they keep opening to Superchargers that need to be touched along that stretch. Second favorite is the Blue Ridge Parkway going from DC to Tennessee, but that needs to be done during the change of season, actually there are a ton of drives that can be done that time of year, and since it's progressive you can plan a trip to start in Canada and cover many miles following the change in color

I think that's the trick to any successful road trip, have a theme. I just got back from finally doing Rt. 66 as they have now got a Supercharger in each of the named cities in the song (well, they forgot Winona). From the looks of your itinerary I'd call your's 48 states in 35 days or whatever. When I was a kid my mom&pops got an RV and one summer we hit ever state including a 3 day trip thru Canada to touch Alaska. We didn't see much, a lotta Safeway parking lots overnight, but we hit all the states that new '73 Dodge Sightseer could get to, and then my chain-smoking dad blitzed across the country in 2.5 days to get us back to work/school on Monday.

Fun!

 

[Rocky_H]

My wife and I just did a Washington D.C. trip around Christmas time for two weeks, and there was still more we wanted to see. The Smithsonian medical history museum is one not many people talk about, but it is amazing! They have the actual bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln, but a lot of the overall theme of it is that beginning in the Civil War, field surgeons realized they had an interesting opportunity to document and treat a lot of different kinds of wounds and traumas, and photography was just becoming available, so they could record a lot of these things and their treatment techniques. So they started records of these and those collections started being republished to be sent around to universities and hospitals around the world. And then things from other wars, like poison gas effects and such were documented. And of course, they have a lot of other just unusual preserved medical anomalies, and some stuff about the development of prosthetics, etc. It's a little macabre, but my wife and I were fascinated.

 

[SidetrackedSue]

I don't have much experience with road trips with kids. When we drove to NS to take some of my dad's estate items to his brother, my daughter complained, "we're a flying family, not a driving family!" and that was just a 2 day drive.

On the other hand, since the kids left home my husband and I do some road trips. Here are my tips:

For changing hotels night after night, we pack two bins (his and hers) and a small carry on and a cloth grocery bag. Each night when we arrive at the hotel we each pull out the change of clothes from our bin for the next day and put that in the cloth bag. The small carry on has our toiletries, meds, comfort stuff (like an over-the-door hook so we can hang our hats, and a night light), and our slippers and pjs. We just bring that in along with our computer backpacks if we have them with us.

Next morning we put the dirty clothes into the laundry bag in the back of the car.

Every 4 - 5 days we have a 2 - 3 day stay somewhere so we can do laundry and explore in a bit of depth and have a break from driving. (And get to sleep in a few mornings.

The Model Y related pieces of advice are:

1. Always SC before checking into your hotel so the battery is hot. (This assumes you aren't trickle charging overnight, if you do, drop by the hotel to see if it is available and if not, head to a supercharger.)

2. Always assume you won't have charging available even if your hotel comes with it; since the Model Y is the best selling vehicle this year, the chances other EV owners will want to charge overnight is rather high. Have a backup plan.

3. Get going early in the morning and eat breakfast at your first supercharging stop.

4. The bin method doesn't work as well with the Y as it did with our PriusV due to the sloped backhatch instead of station wagon design. Smaller bins would have to be bought for that to fit perfectly but we just put on side of the back down and use our old bins. You don't have that option because of the kids.

5. Put cleaning supplies (including a supply of kitchen garbage bags), charging adapters and tire pump in the frunk, so they are easy to pull out when you stop and you don't have to dig around for them. Use some of your charging time to tidy up the car and wipe down sticky spots or places where sunscreen has discoloured your seats. I keep ArmorAll wipes for that and a brush and dustpan to sweep up sand or dried mud from the floor mats. If it is raining, I take advantage of that and wipe some of the bug carcasses off my hood, lights, and the back of my mirrors. Have a glass cleaner to keep the windshield in front of the camera as clean as possible to reduce wiper activity.

6. I'd put outdoor game stuff in the frunk as well so the kids can grab a ball to kick around or a frisbee to throw, or bubble wands (if the kids are smaller).

 

[OrthoSurg]

Wow, that's a lot of driving!

I've done a few cross-country road trips myself, but I only feel qualified to comment on the part near my home in North Carolina--Virginia, North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee.

I'm biased, but pretty much anything that sounds interesting to you will be worth seeing in that leg, and there will be way more than than you could possible cover in 3 days. You will have to go through Asheville, NC, so if you like small liberal Southern tourist towns, it's a good excuse to spend time exploring there. Hiking in GSM NP is a lot harder than in Shenandoah, so don't try to overdo it. Traffic through the park in the summer is stop-and-go slow for dozens of miles; if you want to drive all the way through, be sure to allow several extra hours.

Most anywhere east of the Mississippi River, charging should be a non-issue, especially in the East Coast states. That being said, the Great Smoking Mountain NP days will require more planning than the rest of the eastern half of the country.

Coming from DC down to Shenandoah NP, you'll have plenty of options to dip down to the Charlottesville, VA, area or over into the Shenandoah Valley to charge.

The North Carolina mountains are more challenging.

• You could come down I-77 South to I-40 West and up to Asheville, NC, on your way over to Great Smokey Mountains NP, and you will find plenty of superchargers along that route.
• You could follow Skyline Drive until it turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway. While this is more direct with fewer overall miles, it will take longer because the road is scenic and winding (the average speed limit is 35mph). You can get off and supercharge in Boone, NC, and then again in Asheville, NC--there are 4 different supercharger sites around Asheville.

However, once you leave Asheville on either route--either I-40 West then US 19, or continuing on the Blue Ridge Parkway--there are no more superchargers in NC. There are a few 50kW CCS/CHAdeMO units scattered around, and more Level 2 chargers at hotels and restaurants. The next superchargers will either be at Pigeon Forge, if you drive all the way through the park, or near Knoxville, TN, if you come back to I-40.

It's doable, but you'll want to have a clear plan and a backup plan for charging, preferably wherever you are staying overnight.

Love that part, will follow that itinerary! Thanks a lot for the info. Super appreciated

 

[OrthoSurg]

Simply put, it's not going to happen that way.
For example, Day 3,4,5. Boston, NYC, and Philly in one day apiece? Along with the driving??? You aren't getting out and seeing anything.
Plus there's the little fact that carrying a car into NYC is a PITA and expensive.

One day in DC? You spend that amount in the Smithsonian, let alone many of the other free museums and areas in the city. This time of the year in DC, the memorials are best viewed at night. And absolutely no time to get to the Advar Hazy museum museum at Dulles which is totally awesome. Ever seen a Space shuttle?

Truly, this will be the trip from hell !

Going from Atlanta to Los Angelos is about a 2 week trip. But that doesn't include the side excursion from Memphis to New Orleans and back up to OKC.

From Montreal, a trip down to the Florida Key and back would be an aggressive 28 day trip. But you have to stop and smell the roses along the way.

I would recommend against your itinerary, you'll regret it.

Okay, this is spam. Look at the last day. Whistler to Montreal?

Well ChatGPT was the fun part to suggest a road trip.

We adapt on the road

Spent the full day at the Smithsonian zoo today. Gonna do the Dalle air and space museum tomorrow.

The truth is that I already did Boston 7 years ago, NYC 5 years ago in my Model 3 and Washington DC 3 years ago. I visited almost everything, we just going back with the kids and trying to enjoy the 4000 supercharging miles before they expire.

Don’t feel like taking the plane with the kids and don’t feel like rushing the amount of road. Driving around 4 jours a day is just fine.

 

[theothertom]

You're trying to cram too much into one day. There are many examples, here's one:

Day 11: New Orleans - Houston, Texas (552km / 343 miles)
• Head west to Houston, Texas.
• Visit NASA's Space Center Houston, explore the Museum District, and enjoy the city's diverse culinary offerings.

Viviting NASA's Space Center is an all day affair. And you're doing this after driving 343 miles, with kids?

 

[OrthoSurg]

You're trying to cram too much into one day. There are many examples, here's one:


Viviting NASA's Space Center is an all day affair. And you're doing this after driving 343 miles, with kids?

Well that was the template ChatGPT made from scratch, we are adapting the days depending on the mood of everyone.

We realized the kids don’t care how long the drive is, as long as there is a pool in the new hotel we are arriving. They are having the fun of their lives. Restaurants, Smithsonian zoos, pools and hotels every day. Never saw them so excited in the morning to jump in the car and head for a new place. The 2-3 first days they keot asking if they could do see their grand parents now they just ask the picture of the next hotel with the pool

Already spoiled brats

 

[OrthoSurg]

I packed my road bike in the trunk and in the morning I go for a bike ride from 6AM to 8AM when my wife and the kids are still asleep. In NJ new the hotel in Cherry Hill started to speak to another cyclist at the light and he invited me to his cycling club bike ride. Finished with a 60 miles ride, talked to many fellow cyclists and made good friends there. Super interesting how sport make us meet nice people.

And if course we got insulted by a pick up truck driver who called us inconsiderate bastards for laying our bikes on the sidewalk of the convenience store and obstructing partially the sidewall.

Happy nobody has guns