Flagstaff to New Orleans

As a rough route I would take I-40 to Santa Rosa and then head diagonally towards Austin. From there I would run down to Houston and then follow the coast to New Orleans. If you are going in the spring the run from Santa Rosa to Austin may just be a wild flower delight and the coast route from H to NO is pretty cool and includes a small ferry. There is a really nice state park north of Santa Rosa about 6 miles with a great CG and numerous CG choices on your way to Austin.
Randy

First liars you know, don't have a chance. I'd go from Flag E on 40 to 99-260-Shoe Low-60 across NM all the way to Texas and if you needed anything from a large town, go to Lubbock then 84-180E to I20 E to get you around Ft Worth Dallas and go E from there. You can also run 380 across TX S of Lubbock to Ft Worth. lots of ideas but I'm goin to bed. G'Day!

I agree with your decision to avoid southwest Texas. There is really not much to see there.

When you are at the Alamo, walk over to the Post Office nearby and look at the gorgeous frescoes they have inside. They cover the history of the area in several scenes. Fortunately, one of the guards pointed them out to us or we would have missed them. The Post Office is also rather unique in its construction. It definitely reflects the architecture of the time. Plus, there are displays in the walls about some of the history of Texas. And, if you ask the guards about it, they can point out where the markers are located at the sides of the Post Office that mark the original location of the North wall of the Alamo complex.

And while you are at the Alamo you might want to visit the River Walk. We certainly enjoyed taking one of the boats around the river in downtown San Antonio. The River Walk is a very unique experience. (The river is a short walk from the Alamo.)

While you are in San Antonio you should take time to visit all five missions. They all played a part in the history of the area. They are all located about an hour's ride by horseback apart.

I would like to avoid Southwest Texas if possible. A friend of mine is from there and said it was nothing but flat, open dry desert. I do plan on passing through Fort Hood to visit a friend. Then visiting the Alamo, USS Texas in Huston.

Boy, this is a tough question. There are so many nice places along the way and it really depends on how much time you have.

I'm with Lonny, Fredricksburg is one of the most memorable spots in Texas. We added an extra day to get through the museum there. San Antonio was also a fun place to visit. Houston, on the other hand, is an acquired taste. We would skip that if we did our last trip again. What other things you do on the way really are dictated by what you like. You can add Carlsbad Caverns which we did and it was wonderful. But, be aware that a lot of smaller town campgrounds in Northeast Texas and Carlsbad are filled with oil workers and you need to confirm availability in advance. Also, we found Natchitoches to be a delighful small town worth visiting. (It is sort of like a miniature French Quarter.) And, if you end up in Winslow, AZ, for the night be sure to go to the train station and have dinner in the Turquoise Room. (You can thank me later.) We also opted to stay in Breaux Bridge, LA, versus Lafayette. It is a cute town.

As, you can see, these places are all spread out and picking a route is no easy task. But, it is a fun trip and worth the journey.

If you're looking for a route off the interstates and a bit off the beaten path try this route.....you don't say WHEN you're planning this trip so I'm assuming the snow will be gone....

Leaving Flag, e/b I-40 to Winslow Az. Pick up AZ 87 South and follow it to the 202 Loop in Mesa. Take the 202 Loop E/B to US 60 E/B. This will take you up and into Globe Az. (Nice Casino Campground with FHU) From there take US 70 E/B to Lordsburg, New Mexico where you can pick up I-10 E/B. There's not too many choices heading E/B from there. If you want, you could pick up US 180 in El Paso, which would take you north and east again through Carlsbad Caverns and drop you in Fort Worth/Dallas. Eventually, you'll have to head south but look at the above route and decide where you'll do that....

All roads indicated are a fairly easy drive which I've done with the rig in my signature plus the toad....Dennis

Monahans sand dunes state park West of Odessa, West Texas. Park right next to the dunes.

X2 on what sdianel said also. Fredericksburg and German food. Yum!

I've driven I-10, I-20 and I-40 in the past two years. If you want to stay nearby the highway, I'm afraid I-40 is the most scenic. If you don't mind straying a bit, then Lonny and Diane's advice is the way to go.

not many mountains or trees, but interesting: I would drop down I-25 to US380 through Roswell NM, Carlsbad, Fort Stockton, Pecos. At Pecos, take I-20 west to I-10 east, then stop at Balmorhea State Park. (or you can take Hwy 17 south from Pecos and then west (right) on I-10) shorter but 2 lane hwy in middle of nowhere. The state park is very unique. Then I would stop in Kerrville TX and Fredericksburg. Lots to see and do in that area. Stop in Luckenbach TX near Fredericksburg. Very small place but way cool. In Fredericksburg see National Museum of Pacific War and eat at German restaurants. To get off I-10, use US190 east to Brady then south to Fredericksburg. Then Austin and Round Rock TX. From Round Rock take US290 east to Hwy 8 outer loop through Houston. Take US90 east to Beaumont. I-10 to Lake Charles. At Vinton, take US90 to I-310 to New Orleans. Side trip to Avery Island to the Tabasco Factory off US90 south of Lafayette LA.