What to see between Santa Monica, CA to Luverne, AL for Christmas

[KlausVanWinkle]

My wife got married recently and I are trying to get a dog this month. So this will be our first Christmas with her family. If we get the dog, then flying with her or boarding her is going to get expensive. Hopefully expensive enough that a road trip would make more sense.

I might be able to convince her if there are a fair amount of cool things to see along the way.

So are there any national land marks or noteworthy trails, etc between Los angeles and Luverne AL?

We'd probably stop by the Grand Canyon, which would also push us along the northern route instead of going through Ciudad Juarez.

I'd think that we'd spend about a week traveling and a week visiting. Plus her dad owns a ton of farm and hunting land that'd be fun to take the dog and truck out on.

Map Link: http://goo.gl/maps/dS04r

 

[Mxndrnks]

Oh my.... Luverne is in the sticks! Lol! I cant talk though... I have a bunch of land near Greensboro.

You gotta head down to the coast. After traveling the world, the Gulf coast is still the most beautiful IMHO.

Sorry I done have any better spots to recommend in between. It has been aver 15 years since I have done that road trip.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

Greensboro? Y'all have an extra 200 people? My friend lived there Amit start a pie shop with a bunch if designers for Project M. Plus Greensboro doesn't have that peanut boil.

Her brother lives in Pensacola, she loves Destin and my best friend lives in Tallahassee. Do well go down to the gulf for sure.

 

[Kofoed]

I would absolutely visit the Grand Canyon. The south rim is open all year. You can drive your personal vehicle into the park in the winter, too. Make motel reservations even if you don't plan on staying in the Park or the chessy town (Tusayan) that is just outside the park.

I'd drive straight from Santa Monica to the Grand Canyon. Ain't nothing of note along the way before that *if* you only have a week to get to AL You *could* drive to Death Valley (awesome in the winter) then head to Vegas and rejoin I-40 to the south to hit the Grand Canyon. Sedona AZ is cool. I don't have anything to add east of that.....

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

Ha thanks. I'm going on a Death Valley wheeling, or as my wife calls it , "land cruising," trip the week before thanksgiving with my dad and some 100 guys. So no need to go through there twice in a month.

Today, we found out that we can get our puppy. But my wife doesn't want to take an extra week off from work to drive to AL. Boo!