Cross Country Road Trip - What's your favorite destination?

Headed cross country from MA with the wife & kid in a week and have no real itinerary except to get to the Grand Canyon and ramble the southwest. What's your favorite spot?

We're light overlanding and cap camping and the wife just put the kibosh on any real wheeling. So, nothing too hardcore.

Looking forward to some suggestions.

 

Come check out Chicago and take route 66 to San Diego

Also Zion Utah

 

My favorite was driving from the Bay Area to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and back a cpl years ago. That was an awesome road trip. If you haven't been to those 2 spots I'd recommend it, depending on your route.

Cool spots in southwest specifically, close proximity to Grand Canyon:

Antelope Canyon
Zion
Bryce

 

What does the route look like? Maybe you can pass through Moab or some cool spots in Colorado before heading further south west

 

I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction is a spectacular drive imo, not sure about this time of year though ( I drove it this last October ).

 

I agree, get the "book" and take the "old" road. You could pick up Rte 66 in St. Louis and go north at Williams AZ for the canyon.

 

Thinking of heading to CO first, perhaps the Great Sand Dunes if possible. Been to Zion, Canyonland, & Arches and would check them out again.

Very interested in NM & AZ spots, ruins, & campsites.

 

Just thought of another option - drive down to Washington DC, pick up US 50 at Arlington - take US 50 west to St. Louis - Pick up Rte 66. After the canyon, Monument valley, Bryce, Zion, etc....

 

The more rural I got in OK the more I liked it. AZ needs it's own trip. The Rt66 idea has merit, I wish I stayed on it more - "The Mother Road"
Work payed for a lot of travel but I'll make a short list of places I will pay my own way to go back:
St Simons Island GA
Oklahoma - the not-city parts
Nashville TN
Texas - I've been to Austin a bunch, never seen Texas...Brazos County Fair for BBQ has my attention tho.
Michigan - UP, didn't get there - I know I should

I've visited 27 states for work and a couple others for fun - Me I'd stay north and fish for trouts and such, that's me...