Best time of year for a USA Road Trip

Chuckanut

Chuckanut

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
17,384
Location
West of the Mississippi
I have been wanting to take a road trip in the USA for years. I am thinking four to six weeks of driving. The areas I want to see are those I have never seen or seen little of. They are, in no particular order:

The South
New England
Mid Atlantic states
Nevada, Colorado
Maybe a bit of the middle part of the country like Kansas Missouri, Arkansas, etc.

I do not need to see the Pacific Coast, Southwest or the northern swath of states from about Wisconsin to Washington.

My question is when is the best time of the year to make such a trip? I think I would like to avoid the Summer if possible.

Any other suggestions or experiences people can share are welcome.
 
I’m biased because Fall is my favorite time of year, but I’d choose 4-6 weeks in Sept-Oct if it was me. That avoids Summer heat, Summer vacation crowds (w peak season pricing many places), Winter ice/snow and Spring raining. YMMV
 
Midpack said:
I’m biased because Fall is my favorite time of year, but I’d choose 4-6 weeks in Sept-Oct if it was me.
Click to expand...

+1

Fall is our favorite time of year to travel in the RV. We typically take a 3 week trip to NM/CO in September followed by a 2-3 week visit to Arkansas in October. We're there now.
 
New England ---> October. Hands down the BEST time of year.
 
I prefer to miss crowds out of school for the summer.

Also, most of the US is very hot in the summer. You have to go all the way out to the Pacific Coast, or way northeast to find cooler temps.

Really high altitude interior will give you some relief, but it still can get quite hot during the day due to the dry climate.

I like Spring and Fall for missing crowds and usually nice weather in most of the country. Yellowstone in late September is awesome.

When we were RVing we discovered that in Winter you really wanted to be south of I-10.
 
Last edited:
We did an 8 week road trip when we first got married... We did April-May which had it's pluses and minuses....

Pluses - not a lot of crowds... able to get inexpensive lodging (motels and campgrounds). Roads were fairly uncrowded... as were nat'l parks, etc.

Minuses - since our trip (unlike yours) involved northern Wyoming and Montana - we had issues with road closures and major parts of Yellowstone being closed off. Even in May yellowstone was limited to the Old Faithful area and up by Gardiner MT... Most of the lodging, in park, wasn't open yet.

Since you're heading south - this is less of an issue.

I agree with the suggestion for fall. But spring has all the blossoms. So I could argue spring, too.
 
We've taken long road trips at all times of the year, and like most non-trivial questions, the answer is - it depends.

We do not enjoy roadtrips when schools are closed for the summer holidays.

Otherwise, it really depends on the area you're visiting. The southwest is wonderful in the fall. The temps have cooled, the days are still long enough and the fall colors complement the landscape beautifully. Same with the northeast. The northwest, on the other hand gets wet in the fall, so you want to get there earlier - maybe right after the summer holidays.

Spring is better in the south because in the north, the weather can be iffy. And, here in the mountain states, you could get snowstorms as late as mid-May.

Etc. etc.
 
Anytime you have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and you're wearing sunglasses...
 
Note for the south in the fall you do have to monitor the hurricane situation, and be prepared to change plans. When an area you plan to go to is within the 3 day cone, change plans.
 
Chuckanut said:
I have been wanting to take a road trip in the USA for years. I am thinking four to six weeks of driving. The areas I want to see are those I have never seen or seen little of. They are, in no particular order:

The South
New England
Mid Atlantic states
Nevada, Colorado
Maybe a bit of the middle part of the country like Kansas Missouri, Arkansas, etc.

I do not need to see the Pacific Coast, Southwest or the northern swath of states from about Wisconsin to Washington.

My question is when is the best time of the year to make such a trip? I think I would like to avoid the Summer if possible.

Any other suggestions or experiences people can share are welcome.
Click to expand...
If doing Colorado and Nevada, you omit the state with the most scenery in between Utah. Utah has 5 National Parks (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands) In addition National Monument include Esclante Grand Staircase, Natural Bridges, etc. For Nevada are you thinking Las Vegas or the vast rest of the state. If you want to see empty country try US 50 from Carson City over to Delta Ut. (Note that Nevada outside the Las Vegas and Reno areas is very unpopulated). If you cross Utah you can end up at Grand Junction and have a lot of choices in Colorado. Note because of the elevation It can snow from Labor Day on in Colorado (get high enough and it can snow year round, I recall taking a jeep tour in the San Juans and we got a thundersnowsnow storm in Aug. (at 11 to 12 k ft)
 
I'd go for the spring and fall, specifically avoiding the 2 weeks or so associated with Spring Break.

So maybe the period between Spring Break and early May might be good, or mid-September to late October, depending on where you are going (assuming you want weather that's not like Hell or a freezer). For sure I'd want to do New England in the fall, but that will be a high season up there unlike most of the rest of the country.

I'd probably do the South in around April, avoiding Spring Break if you can -- I'd avoid May to mid-October completely there. (I have found the spring to be less humid than the fall in the South, probably since most of the air masses still come from the north and because the Gulf isn't all hot yet.)

In the high mountain areas I'd choose early fall rather than mid or even late spring, because there's still a decent chance of snow all over the place even into April and early May. Maybe after Labor Day to about mid-October?

The others? Kind of a coin toss either way.
 
Last edited:
I like fall road trips. Best weather and least crowds. We've run into snow/ice in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and northern Arizona in late winter/ early spring around April 1. Just got back from a 3000 mi New England road trip. Great weather, but fall color was not good the first week of October.
 
For those states/areas you mentioned to travel, Fall is absolutely the best time. October/November; however, it will be a bit chilly, but sooo beautiful.
 
Around here Spring Break is usually the last three weeks in March - that's when we all avoid South Padre Island like the plague. So April should be safe.
 
Fall is best going back East.

I'll be taking a Fall road trip starting the 30th of this month. Visiting a friend in Missouri, then on to Connecticut for a family visit, then to West Virginia to visit another friend and then back to Texas. Taking 10 days in all, driving by myself. SIL is taking care of DW to give me a break. :cool:
 
Senator said:
Anytime you have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and you're wearing sunglasses...
Click to expand...

Senator get's it :cool:

I just posted on the "Do You Like To Travel" topic about our intent to take spur of the moment road trips in the USA.

No schedule, no plans, no itinerary, no appointments....just the freedom of the road - really appeals to Ms. gamboolgal and I ......
 
Last edited:
http://www.kancamagushighway.com/

Check out kancamagus highway in New Hampshire in the fall. Be a leaf peeper.

"
The Kancamagus Highway is a 34.5 mile scenic drive along NH's Rt. 112 in Northern New Hampshire that is well known as one of the best Fall Foliage viewing areas in the country. The Kancamagus Highway is now designated an American Scenic Byway for its rich history, aesthetic beauty and culture."

We drove it many years ago and can recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Earl E Retyre
Washington State road trip
2 3
Replies
57
Views
2K
mountainsoft
M
T
Retired 10 years today!
Replies
20
Views
2K
walkinwood
walkinwood
M
Snowbird destinations
Replies
11
Views
873
MarcJoli
M
U
What is best form for cash for the yearly budget?
Replies
12
Views
925
H2ODude
H
Ncc1701
Timing of Inherited IRA Withdrawals
Replies
20
Views
2K
pb4uski
pb4uski

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom