Traveling in the US

[DR1969]

Hey guys, soon to do a life long dream and travel across America, starting in New York and then heading to Indianapolis then Chicago to do Route 66.
Going to end up at Vegas for MATS and Viva Las Vegas rockabilly festival.

Just looking for some advice on must see Mopar related hot spots on the way, Car shows, car collections/museum's etc.
any help would be greatly appreciated

Arriving in New York 23rd March
Cheers David

[Mytur Binsdirti]

If you deviate from your route a little, Don Garlett's museum in FL is a great place to visit & although not auto related, the Air & Space museum at Dulles airport is along the way.  Also, the Henry Ford Museum is always great to see.

[Homerr]

FYI the Lincoln Highway is another route. 

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway

When you reach San Francisco here's a map of the Bullitt chase.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=103238008197352917460.0000011225910ccedea11&dg=feature

Vanishing point route:
http://roadtrippers.kinja.com/a-cult-car-movie-lovers-guide-to-vanishing-point-filmin-1222266938
http://users.wowway.com/~tjasiewicz/VanishingPoint/vpbehind.htm
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/featuredvehicles/e_body/1970_dodge_challenger_road_trip/

Dirty Mary Crazy Larry:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11746.0.html

[72Charger-SE]

Williams, AZ is a must see on Route 66...  'a step back in time'...  it was impressive and we saw it off season.  I can only imagine what it is like 'in season'.

[Ponch ®]

Swing by Southern California the weekend before (April 4-6) for the CPW Spring Fling Mopar Show *shameless plug*. Lots of car stuff going on that weekend.

[68X426]

David - keep in mind that it is not yet car show season in the USA.  Shows barely get started in April, MATS being the first big one to start off.  You could still be travelling thru snow, sleet, rain, and an early tornado or two.  Museums are likely your best automotive entertainment.

If possible, detour to Alabama and visit the Wellborn Museum. http://kristy-steele-e7rz.squarespace.com/the-gallery/

I think most everyone would agree it is the best Mopar experience. It's on my to-do-before-I-die list.

Also there are several big NASCAR races during your visit. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/schedule.html#nextRace

[ACUDANUT]

I would hold off until May.

[chargerboy69]

David - keep in mind that it is not yet car show season in the USA.  Shows barely get started in April, MATS being the first big one to start off.  You could still be travelling thru snow, sleet, rain, and an early tornado or two.  Museums are likely your best automotive entertainment.

I agree totally.  Coming through Indiana and then up to Chicago, you very well may see snow. The wife and I got married in April outdoors, it was 74 and sunny. . . The following weekend we got 4 inches of snow.

If coming through Indiana the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is very cool to see.  They also have a NASCAR/ Indy 500 museum there as well.  Auburn Indiana is a huge car town.  I believe there are four very large and nice car museums in that town.

[69rtse4spd]

If you do make it up around Ft, Wayne, Ind. give us a shout, Tim (chargerboy69) & Jeff (69rtse4spd). Depending on time could do lunch. 

[cudaken]

My self, hit the south and go to the Petty shop, then Big Daddy place and see some of the NASCAR stuff.

After being to Chicago many times the only good thing about Chicago is getting out of Chicago! 

Cuda Ken

[RallyeMike]

A lot of these suggestions are WAY off your planned route. America is big country, so factor that in.

Detroit and it's suburbs are not far off your route - that's where it all started if you're a car guy. The Ford Museum and others are there. Unfortunately, the Chrysler museum now only allows special functions and parties.     You might call them just to see if there is an opportunity to sneak in.  Research will tell you where old assembly plants still stand. Be prepared because the rust belt economic areas are pretty decrepit. It aint Shangri-La.

My uncle was a forklift driver at the C-body plant near Rockford and still lives in the area, but that's probably not the visitation you're after 

Route 66 as it crosses the mid west to AZ is not that inspiring. There are lots of touristy small things going on - people trying to make a few bucks off the Route 66 thing, but I can't think of any major car attractions. Hopefully some folks more familiar with those areas can chime in.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Bring a gun.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Bring a gun.

Please explain as to why they would need to bring a gun?

[Hard Charger]

you will need a bat too.

[ACUDANUT]

If you make it into Kansas City, give us a call. I have a bed and breakfast for you. No charge.

[Homerr]

Bring a gun.

Please explain as to why they would need to bring a gun?

Paranoia.

[DR1969]

Hey guys thanks heaps for the great advice, must admit the timing isn't the best but we have timed it for MATS and Viva Las Vegas, and it's not easy to get both of our holidays at the same time.

Looks like we might have to head down south a little more then expected, some real highlights by the look of it.

David - keep in mind that it is not yet car show season in the USA.  Shows barely get started in April, MATS being the first big one to start off.  You could still be travelling thru snow, sleet, rain, and an early tornado or two.  Museums are likely your best automotive entertainment.

If possible, detour to Alabama and visit the Wellborn Museum. http://kristy-steele-e7rz.squarespace.com/the-gallery/

I think most everyone would agree it is the best Mopar experience. It's on my to-do-before-I-die list.

Also there are several big NASCAR races during your visit. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/schedule.html#nextRace

Wellborn Museum looks excellent
would love to see a Nascar race

If you do make it up around Ft, Wayne, Ind. give us a shout, Tim (chargerboy69) & Jeff (69rtse4spd). Depending on time could do lunch. 

If you make it into Kansas City, give us a call. I have a bed and breakfast for you. No charge.

Thats awesome guys thanks.

Bring a gun.

you will need a bat too.

WTF !! do we need to be concerned


Thanks so much again for all the suggestions, please keep them coming, I think we are going to wear out our hire car.
Cheers David

[Daytona R/T SE]

Bring a gun.

Please explain as to why they would need to bring a gun?

Paranoia.

Reality.

Around here ( St. Louis area-Route 66 runs through it.)

People get murdered for their phone or their shoes.

I'm sure there are parts of New York, Detroit and Chicago and other places along the way

That aren't any better.  

[six-tee-nine]

Bring a gun.

Please explain as to why they would need to bring a gun?

Paranoia.

Nothing to be ashamed for... Its the same in all large cities over the globe. Lots of European politicians try to point the USA with the finger for their firearm regulations. In real life lots of civillians over here dont feel safe in their homes with all the east European burglar gangs roaming the streets a night...
Over here sometimes its the world on his head. My sister in law is a cop in one of our large cities. When she shoots a crook that points his gun at her she probably loses her job because the public opinion cant have law enforcement waving their firearms....

Sorry fo the off topic...

[Dino]

Woah that's a whole lot of driving.  Don't underestimate this trip.  Friends of mine did this when I was still in Europe and they spent the majority of their time in a rental car, not my idea of a vacation but to each his own.  I would just go to the area you want to be, set up camp and travel out from there a bit.  A city is a city, just pick one or two.  See NY and Chicago, Detroit is interesting but dammit don't get lost in any of those places or you'll end up as a statistic.  The car stuff in Detroit is near gone, all that is left are memories.  Route 66 is probably like driving past a few hundred souvenir shops but I'm not the most nostalgic person either.  All I see there is tourist stuff and I despise being a tourist, I like to blend in and not attract any attention.  This is no longer classic car country either, you'll be traveling along all the other newer econoboxes and trucks.

This is an enormous country with countless things to see and do.  I would still pick an area to go to and travel out from there.  You can stay here an entire year and still see only a fragment.  And to be honest...a lot of the drive you plan is going to be monotonous.  I hope you like farm land!

Yes people will shoot the tourist for his shoes, and this can happen anywhere so know it and act accordingly. 

[Homerr]

Daytona, I get that you don't feel safe.

But suggesting that a traveler to the US needs a gun is way over the top.  I'm not sure where the OP is from or has ever fired a gun, but wtf is he supposed to do?  Travel here, buy a gun, get acquainted with our gun laws for each state, travel across the states, and turn in the gun to the TSA before boarding a flight home?

Sure, shit could happen.  But it probably won't and if you have any bit of street smarts you'll be fine.  Don't hang out in ghettos.  Don't run out of gas late at night.  Don't pick up hitch hikers.


As an aside - NYC is one of the safest places to be, at least Manhattan.  Was there recently and felt more safe than my own neighborhood (suburban Seattle, and fwiw I feel safe here).  People everywhere and out late, diverse crowds, and a lot of cops.  Subways were fine even at 1am.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Daytona, I get that you don't feel safe.

But suggesting that a traveler to the US needs a gun is way over the top.  I'm not sure where the OP is from or has ever fired a gun, but wtf is he supposed to do?  Travel here, buy a gun, get acquainted with our gun laws for each state, travel across the states, and turn in the gun to the TSA before boarding a flight home?

Sure, shit could happen.  But it probably won't and if you have any bit of street smarts you'll be fine.  Don't hang out in ghettos.  Don't run out of gas late at night.  Don't pick up hitch hikers.


As an aside - NYC is one of the safest places to be, at least Manhattan.  Was there recently and felt more safe than my own neighborhood (suburban Seattle, and fwiw I feel safe here).  People everywhere and out late, diverse crowds, and a lot of cops.  Subways were fine even at 1am.

I feel totaly safe.

I'm prepared.

[Mike DC]

Woah that's a whole lot of driving.  Don't underestimate this trip.  Friends of mine did this when I was still in Europe and they spent the majority of their time in a rental car, not my idea of a vacation but to each his own.  I would just go to the area you want to be, set up camp and travel out from there a bit.  A city is a city, just pick one or two.  See NY and Chicago, Detroit is interesting but dammit don't get lost in any of those places or you'll end up as a statistic.  The car stuff in Detroit is near gone, all that is left are memories.  Route 66 is probably like driving past a few hundred souvenir shops but I'm not the most nostalgic person either.  All I see there is tourist stuff and I despise being a tourist, I like to blend in and not attract any attention.  This is no longer classic car country either, you'll be traveling along all the other newer econoboxes and trucks.

This is an enormous country with countless things to see and do.  I would still pick an area to go to and travel out from there.  You can stay here an entire year and still see only a fragment.  And to be honest...a lot of the drive you plan is going to be monotonous.  I hope you like farm land!

Yes people will shoot the tourist for his shoes, and this can happen anywhere so know it and act accordingly. 

Dino is right, you're biting off a helluva lot of driving in between what you want to see.  I also vote to consider picking a region within the USA and just sticking to that.  Or even hopping across some major spaces on planes/trains once you are here.  (In many ways our long-distance train system isn't what it should be though.  Do your research on that choice before making it.)


You can get mugged and shot in the USA, and you can also get mugged & stabbed/beaten in plenty of other places in the world that don't have the USA's gun presence.  The guns raise the stakes more than they increase the frequency of the problem.  The vast, vast majority of people walking down the street here are still not carrying a gun or knife and don't have any foul intentions.  (In fact the most common personal weapon in the USA is probably single women carrying little keychain-size cans of defensive pepper spray.)

[Bob T]

Some good links in there Guys, cheers.
Some buddies are heading back to Talladega in October and have suggested I tag along, don't know yet, it'll take some planning and more saving...

[ACUDANUT]

Where from overseas are you coming from. Bring lots of women. We are in short supply.