Planning a road trip is as all-American as it gets. Pack your car and enjoy the freedom of the open road. A trip from Houston to Las Vegas is around 1400 miles if you stick to the major roads, but the fun of a road trip is often taking the roads less traveled and visiting places of interest en route, or within reach with a small detour. With careful research in advance and sensible packing, your road trip should be a success.
Determine the length of your trip. Decide whether you want to take a direct route on major roads such as the I-40 or get off the beaten track and explore routes using the I-10 and US-66 between the two cities. Online maps such as those found on Mapquest are useful tools for identifying routes.
Identify places of interest en route. San Antonio, El Paso and Phoenix are obvious city stops along the way but you may wish to explore cities such as Amarillo and Albuquerque. Try a visit to the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian in Amarillo, or the Border Patrol Museum in El Paso. For natural attractions, the Nevada Desert or the Grand Canyon National Park are options. If you have plenty of time, a jaunt to the Pacific coast is another possibility while the quirky old mining town of Chloride off US-93, with its colorful murals and yard art, is worth a detour.
Research the places you plan to stop at so you see the best attractions. The Arizona and Texas tourist board websites are useful for this or try the Road Trip America site. Also check for crime spots in the places where you plan to stay overnight and research places to eat in the evenings
Book accommodations in advance if you have set ideas on where you will be every night. Make sure your hotel is near your route so that you are back on the road quickly in the morning. If you want to be more flexible, ensure you take a cell phone so that you can ring ahead to your destination each day and check for last-minute accommodations.
Check route information before departure and each morning of the trip. Listen for information on closed roads or traffic problems so you can plan a diversion. Websites such as Arizona Traffic Information are useful for this.
Pack carefully. You may find yourself on routes with very little traffic. You should take equipment for vehicle maintenance and charge your cell phone every night. Make sure you always have food and plenty of water in the car. Also print off your route map before departure and have it next to you in the car to refer to when required.
