My wife and I are planning a cross-country trip along I-40 from Tennessee to Semi Valley, California ....... we plan to take our time and need some ideas to visit some places of interest along this route.......we will begin our voyage from Bedford , Va around mid June .... thanks for any info......

You're going to see a whole lot of nothing from Texas to Arizona! It's been a while since I've been on that road, but I love driving and seeing a lot of nothing. You do pass by or through a lot of things. Monument Valley, the Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon, etc.

What he said-----lots of NOTHING on that road.

Someone who I have forgotten once said the interstates allow you to go from coast to coast and never see anything and there’s a lot of truth in that. I’m sure there’s much to see in AR, some around the OKC area, NM and AZ. But you’d have to get off I-40 to see most of it. If you stick to the freeway I can’t think of much until you get to the places mssmith1199 mentioned, though I’d add the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and maybe Sunset Crater NM to it.

So, lots of things to see and do along I-40. However, not knowing your interests this may or may not be of any help.Working our way East to West.....Nashville. Lots to do and lots to see if Country music holds any interest. I am not a country fan but had the best time at the Grand 'ole Opery.Memphis. Graceland. Interesting to me. Maybe not to you.Little Rock. Clinton library (called something else) again, if you are interested.Ft. Smith, AR. Fort Smith. Maybe more!All through OK, lots of "changes" to visit a number of Indian Casinos.OK City, OK. The Murrah building bombing museum is EXCELLENT! It could be a bit disturbing for kids (I don't know, but it's very descriptive!).Also in OK City is the Cowboy museum and is a MUST SEE. It takes a very long day to see or can be seen better with a 2 day visit.Amarillo, TX. The Big Texan Steak House. Eat more food than 5 people should and get your meal for free! You aren't going to do this but it's a great stop with good food and a "been there, done that" stamp.Albuquerque, NM. Can you be here in Oct!? If so, plan to stay for at least a week for the Balloon Fiesta. If not, plan to visit the Balloon Museum. You might also find one or two excellent casinos here. If you don't mind a detour, check into the VLA (Very Large Array) antenna farm in Socorro, NM to see if they are doing anything open to the public while you are in the area. We happened upon an annual event with scientist led tours which left me feeling very stupid but extremely curious. It was a great day.Between Albuq and Flagstaff, AZ you will pass through the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest and Meteor Crater (do not drive past Meteor Crater).Flagstaff, AZ. Plan to visit Lowell Observatory. Check online for the various activities available during your visit. There are day time viewings of the sun and evening viewings of the planets as well as historical information during the day. Lowell is the place where Pluto was discovered.Stay at the Black Bart RV Park and have dinner at the Black Bart's restaurant. Have the Prime Rib and enjoy show tunes performed by your wait staff. They are all corral students at the local college and just plain fun.Next stop, Williams, AZ. Stay here and take the train to the Grand Canyon. You can do it in a day (in a hurry) or plan an overnight at a hotel at the Canyon and return the next day. Awesome! Even more awesome is to detour your trip to include actually going to the Grand Canyon with your RV so you can spend several days exploring this amazing part of the US.Kingman, AZ. Nothing to do here.....However, less than 100 miles N of Kingman is the Hoover Dam, with a very cool side trip to VEGAS BABY! If you go to the Hoover Dam be sure to take the insiders tour and not just the "standard" tour. You go inside the dam and get much more history and detail. It's worth going out of your way.OK, finally, from there West there is not much that I find interesting until you get to the Presidential library in Simi Valley. Just a bunch of big city stuff you wish you didn't have to deal with.What more can we discuss? You should have a terrific experience and don't let anyone tell you that there's nothing to see along any road in this great Country of ours!

Southwest of Little Rock Arkansas is Hot Springs. Lots to do there. Very interesting: bathhouse row, gangster museum, mountain lookout tower. We like Catherine's Landing RV Resort on Lake Catherine. Or Lake Catherine State Park. Just North of Tulsa in Claremore OK is the J. M. Davis Gun and Historical Museum. Lots more than gun collection. Near Amarillo TX - Palo Duro Canyon. We liked Oasis RV Park there (no shade)North of Albuquerque is Taos and the Enchanted Loop. Very beautiful scenic drive.

I-40 From Tennessee to California | Good Sam Community

31 Replies

Flyfisher
Explorer
Jun 12, 2014
If you're going to take your time ,there is no way you should not head up into SW CO.
It would take several days (or months !) but it would be worth it !
Should you decide to do that just let us know and this group will come up with quite a list of things to see and do !
ezgoin
Explorer
Jun 12, 2014
Passin Thru wrote:
I lived in Yuma AZ where Temps were 199 or higher every day from June to Sept.

Damn, that is HOT!!! :h
Retired_VSP
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2014
BobGed wrote:
I can't give you any suggestions for attractions to see as we pretty much drove through with one night stops from NV to AL in February. However if it works into your schedule there was one RV park that was a stand out and one that I wish we could have spent more time at.

It is Tom Sawyer's RV Park in West Memphis, AR, which is on the west side of the Mississippi river just across from Memphis, TN. It's definitely nothing fancy. We had a river view site, and even though we had to endure a severe thunder storm with tornado warnings, once that passed it was beautiful watching the tugs handle huge lines of barges up and down the river.
Took your advise and xstopped at Catherines Landing....great place.....next stop Amarillo.
Retired_VSP
Explorer II
May 17, 2014
JQgolf wrote:
We did this route last spring/summer. 7,500 mi on MH and 2,500 on car. We stuck mostly to I-40 with lots of short side trips. We thought Williams,AZ and their Rte 66 themed downtown was nice. Walnut Canyon NM outside of Flagstaff was very nice find and nice cliff dwellings. We drove down to Sedona twice.

In Alburqurque, we found the International Pow Wow and enjoyed a full day discovering the cultures from 4,000 plus performers, dancers, singers, exhibits. We Went to Okla City Memorial and enjoyed that. We turned off in Okla to Muskogee to Nat'l Cherokee Museum and spent the night at Lake Tenkiller. Next was visit to Presidential Library at Little Rock.

Then we spent a week plus in Tennessee to see all the tourist sites, Graceland, Nashville and Grand Ole Opry, Dollywood and Smokey Mtn NP. Then off the Charlotte, NC to see friends and tour the Speedway and NASCAR Hall of Fame. Northeast to Blue Ridge Parkway, Fancy Gap, Mt Airy (Mayberry), Natural Bridge and

finally down to Mechanicsville.

We didn't find too many stretches with nothing to see, But it was our first time past Okla. There is plenty to see and do and good places to see. We usually called ahead that morning to reserve a CG since we have a 38ft MH and it gets a little tricky otherwise.

If you have any specific questions about any of it, let me know and I will get out my journal to jog my memory. Have good trip.

Also can u recommend any places west of Arkansas we should enjoy and names of campgrounds u could recommend.....
RCMAN46
Explorer
May 15, 2014
If you stop and spend the time required to see the sights within 10 miles of I40 on your proposed trip I would guess it will take you an additional week vs driving straight through.

Example petrified forest will require a full day to see it all.

Meteor Crater a full day. A must see for many of us. Nice campground too.

Grand Canyon at least two days if you want to see a sunset and sunrise which is the best time of the day for the canyon. Camp at the canyon rim. But it is about 60 miles from I 40 to the canyon.

If you are not towing a Toad I would suggest taking the original route 66 from Kingman to Topock. This will add about one day to the trip but worth the bypass.
Passin_Thru
Explorer
May 15, 2014
I've driven it 300 or so times in big trucks. Lot's to see. It can be hot so here's my warning. Do not step out of a 70 degree camper onto 150 degree asphalt. Your knees will buckle and you will face plant and probably melt into the asphalt. Let your RV get up round 85 whilst sitting then get out. I lived in Yuma AZ where Temps were 199 or higher every day from June to Sept. Enjoy, the desert is beautiful.Blue Hole Santa Rosa NM, Lota Burger with green Chili in Tucumcari.You have to try one.
Passin_Thru
Explorer
May 15, 2014
I've driven it 300 or so times in big trucks. Lot's to see. It can be hot so here's my warning. Do not step out of a 70 degree camper onto 150 degree asphalt. Your knees will buckle and you will face plant and probably melt into the asphalt. Let your RV get up round 85 whilst sitting then get out. I lived in Yuma AZ where Temps were 199 or higher every day from June to Sept. Enjoy, the desert is beautiful.
JQgolf
Explorer
May 13, 2014
We did this route last spring/summer. 7,500 mi on MH and 2,500 on car. We stuck mostly to I-40 with lots of short side trips. We thought Williams,AZ and their Rte 66 themed downtown was nice. Walnut Canyon NM outside of Flagstaff was very nice find and nice cliff dwellings. We drove down to Sedona twice.

In Alburqurque, we found the International Pow Wow and enjoyed a full day discovering the cultures from 4,000 plus performers, dancers, singers, exhibits. We Went to Okla City Memorial and enjoyed that. We turned off in Okla to Muskogee to Nat'l Cherokee Museum and spent the night at Lake Tenkiller. Next was visit to Presidential Library at Little Rock.

Then we spent a week plus in Tennessee to see all the tourist sites, Graceland, Nashville and Grand Ole Opry, Dollywood and Smokey Mtn NP. Then off the Charlotte, NC to see friends and tour the Speedway and NASCAR Hall of Fame. Northeast to Blue Ridge Parkway, Fancy Gap, Mt Airy (Mayberry), Natural Bridge and finally down to Mechanicsville.

We didn't find too many stretches with nothing to see, But it was our first time past Okla. There is plenty to see and do and good places to see. We usually called ahead that morning to reserve a CG since we have a 38ft MH and it gets a little tricky otherwise.

If you have any specific questions about any of it, let me know and I will get out my journal to jog my memory. Have good trip.
Retired_VSP
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
dkreuzen wrote:
A couple of items worth mentioning...
Between Kingman, AZ and Barstow, CA the desert will be hot in June-August. At the AZ-CA border it could be 110-120 in July with 90-100 lows. Be prepared and don't plan on camping in the heat if you can help it. July-August is also Monsoon time in the desert.

I just came over I40 westbound from Flagstaff to the Lake Havasu turn off yesterday. The road surface is pretty poor and ADOT is not working on it. Drive in the left lane when the right is bad.

Great info.....we have a motorhome with two ac's .....so we will be plan on using them when camping.....not sure if you meant tent camping?? Anyway we will certainly be ready, if possble, for the heat....was on I-40 in July '06 and had a flat in the Mojave desert...not pleasant....
vegasfoodguy
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
Retired VSP wrote:
My wife and I are planning a cross-country trip along I-40 from Tennessee to Semi Valley, California ....... we plan to take our time and need some ideas to visit some places of interest along this route.......we will begin our voyage from Bedford , Va around mid June .... thanks for any info......

I think, When you program your GPS, It will be "SIMI Valley in California.

Terry.