Hi all - my husband and I and our 2 dogs will be going to CA soon. We would like to take the most direct and "fastest" route going out and then we'll take longer and see some sites on the way back. Can someone recommend the best route to take? We are starting from Long Island and ending in the Oakland area. We figure on driving a few hundred miles everyday, staying in a campground for the night, etc, We will be in a C class (diesel). Thanks for any tips! Dawn

I-80 across Nebraska is a major truck route and I would avoid it if possible. bumpy

3000 miles and several hundred miles/day is going to take over 10 days to get to CA on I-80 which is what I'd use... trucks and all. Even doing closer to 500 miles/day will take a week. Hope you have more than a month for this trip. I have not found truck on 80 to be a problem.

I just traveled 80 from Colorado to Illinois. I must say it was rather easy. Good trip. See no reason you should not consider it. Truck traffic was rather moderate.

A good GPS, Mountain Directory West, a bunch of audio tapes and good tires should get you there.I believe easterners don't understand how BIG the west is. Once past the Mississippi River one is only 1/3 of the way!Adventure Caravans takes the entire month of September just to tour the Western National Parks. What sights do you plan to see on the way back?Is there a compelling reason to make this trip in a Class C?

New York to California - best route | Good Sam Community

41 Replies

nystitcher
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
DrewE wrote:
Tom/Barb wrote:
Our normal trip from Seattle to Albany NY is 5 days. We have done it is as little as 48 hours (5 drivers) and fuel stops only, that doesn't happen any more.
I don't like I80 & 90 east of Chicago, I'd do the I-70 & I-74 to 80 at Davenport.

That's probably what I would do as well. If I could spare a little more time, I'd probably think about staying on I-70 all the way to its terminus and then take US-50. That would undoubtedly be slower, and I think involves more grades and other potentially dangerous roads. However, the chance to go through Glenwood Canyon on what is arguably the most scenic bit of Interstate highway in the country alone would make it well worth consideration for me.

Edit: Whoops, really late to the party. Sorry about that.

Thanks for the reply DrewE! No worries about being late though I have never heard of Glenwood Canyon so now I will look it up. I'm learning so much from everyone on this forum, it's great. It was kind of crazy to do our trip in such a short time. We definitely want to get out West again and I hope we can have more time to take scenic routes. :-) Enjoy the weekend!
nystitcher
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
Escargot wrote:
I'm from NYC, relocated to Berkeley, CA. (Berkeley is adjacent to Oakland.)
I take 80 all the way whenever I return to NY. The trip usually takes me 5 days.

I've considered 70 but I'm unfamiliar with the weather patterns and prefer to avoid tornadoes and other "exciting" weather.

Thanks! Yes we did take 80 all the way out and really had no problems except for the usual construction all over. Took us 5 days also. Went up to Montana and through Yellowstone on the way back and then took 90 to Il and back to 80. Hit so much traffic in Chicago - definitely did not time that right!
nystitcher
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
Oh I love that photo Busskipper - very cool! Yes my photo is through the front window - have a good zoom on the camera. Here's a photo from our family's house (ranch!) in Cali. That's GoldenBoy upfront and the RV in the background!
Escargot
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
I'm from NYC, relocated to Berkeley, CA. (Berkeley is adjacent to Oakland.)
I take 80 all the way whenever I return to NY. The trip usually takes me 5 days.

I've considered 70 but I'm unfamiliar with the weather patterns and prefer to avoid tornadoes and other "exciting" weather.
DrewE
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2016
Tom/Barb wrote:
Our normal trip from Seattle to Albany NY is 5 days. We have done it is as little as 48 hours (5 drivers) and fuel stops only, that doesn't happen any more.
I don't like I80 & 90 east of Chicago, I'd do the I-70 & I-74 to 80 at Davenport.

That's probably what I would do as well. If I could spare a little more time, I'd probably think about staying on I-70 all the way to its terminus and then take US-50. That would undoubtedly be slower, and I think involves more grades and other potentially dangerous roads. However, the chance to go through Glenwood Canyon on what is arguably the most scenic bit of Interstate highway in the country alone would make it well worth consideration for me.

Edit: Whoops, really late to the party. Sorry about that.
Busskipper
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
nystitcher wrote:
testing to see if this works! Photo from Wyoming

WORKS! no mirror - is that through the front window - No hood -

This Family is the example of yes you can, or "I Will" after all those trips they moved with the Kids to the West Coast

Continue to share your trip, you might find it's a lot of fun the second time TOO!

Busskipper

Some of the roads are not Straight.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jul 01, 2016
...and they said it couldn't be done....you showed 'em! 16 days cross-country with NO reservations. Congratulations and a beautiful pic of Wyoming. Great job on driving, too. :)
nystitcher
Explorer
Jul 01, 2016
testing to see if this works! Photo from Wyoming
Busskipper
Explorer
Jun 30, 2016
nystitcher wrote:
Thanks Busskipper!! Yeah some days 400miles but I think we did have some 600+ days too! What's the trick to post photos here??

Should be Easy - just follow these directions.
nystitcher
Explorer
Jun 30, 2016
Thanks Busskipper!! Yeah some days 400miles but I think we did have some 600+ days too! What's the trick to post photos here??