Route recommendation

Roadside America will take you to some very interesting places but it's more for using your toad after settling in somewhere. If you use the route above, you can swing up out of El Paso and visit the White Sands proving grounds, Carlsbad Caverns and Roswell NM. Bottomless Lakes SP is a great place to stay outside Roswell. Be sure to visit their free zoo while there. 380 east out of Roswell will take you outside Lubbock if you've never been. Continue east to Lake Bridgeport. Camping at Chico County park is $20/night. (FCFS) but there are other excellent campgrounds in the area. Black bass fishing on the lake is excellent. Should you elect to head into the Dallas area, Hickory Park COE park on Lewiston Lake is awesome! $7-15/night if you have the geezer card. No sewer but there is a dump station. Eventually you'll want to get back to I40. We paralleled I-40 using backroads and found it more relaxing and way more interesting.

Tip: Break your trip into sections. Say two to three states at a time. Lots of back roads await. Much to see. This way you can tailor your trip and things to see an do in each area. Almost all Texas roads are excellent. You're also going into lots of Corps of Engineers parks areas. These parks offer cheap camping, usually right on the water and are excellent facilities. If you don't already have it, grab the America the Beautiful card (geezer card) before you go. 1/2 price camping at COE parks.....Dennis

On edit: If you want to see pictures etc of these areas, go to my blog and type in what you're looking for in the search box. I.E. If you want to see Hickory NC type that into the search box and it'll take you to several pages of things to see and do in Hickory....D

I like to use Roadside America when traveling.
Maybe you can find something interesting along your route.

Interstate Highways are good if you're in a hurry. Otherwise, I like to travel the side roads and see America.

Enjoy your trip.

Thank you folks for your suggestions. I should have been clearer as far as time frames go but time is not a factor as the wife and I are both retired. We do plan to get some sightseeing in along the way and if we like an area, we would stay 4-6 days before moving on. We've traveled the western US over the years but this is our first cross country adventure in the rig. So any info, campgrounds, cities etc.,is greatly appreciated. Maybe different routes to and from would be best for exploration purposes.

Again, thanks for any info/advise you may have.

Straight down 99 to 210 and travel east to San Bernardino. Pick up Interstate 10 and head east from there. Only snow issue would be the Grapevine but you'll be escorted through there if a freak snowstorm shows up. May should be good traveling weather. Not too much to see until you get out of California. Assuming a full tank of fuel you won't have to fill up again until you're in Arizona. Go thru Blythe and fill up at the Chevron off Tom Wells road, about 5 miles east of Blythe. Better prices-currently $2.93 for diesel. East on 10 will take you to Phoenix. You can bypass Phoenix by taking Loop 202 toward South Mountain. It's open now. 202 will take you back to 10 near Wild Horse. WH may be a stop depending on what is going on in May. Casino, race track, small city. Interesting place. Continue down 10 to Tucson. Tons of stuff to do in Tucson. If you plan a layover that's the place I'd do it. I can give you some 'stuff' to see if you ask. From there stay on 10 east. Not much to see until you get to Texas and even then there's a lot of desert to get thru. Build a better itinerary and I can help you with campgrounds. We travel 250-300 miles/day when moving but usually stay put for 4-5 days once arriving. Gives us time to explore. The area around Fredricksburg Texas is interesting and there are State Parks for bunking down. Stay along the Gulf the rest of the way and the weather should be a non factor. Build your itinerary around this route and come back with some timelines for better advice....Dennis

I could tell ya but then I'd have to charge you a consulting fee, lol. Funny how everyone wants the 'best way' to get somewhere. You don't define what you consider to be the best way for you. My best way may not be someone else's best way; it's so very subjective. I like interstates while other avoid interstates. Do you want to sightsee? Get there quickly? Not enuf info.

That's about 5500 miles round trip using I-80 (iffy in May weather wise). You'll average about 50 miles an hour so an 8 hour day (that's a loooonnnngggg day) gets you 400 miles down the road. That's 2 weeks on the road, stopping only for overnights and not seeing anything along the way. I would think a month is not enough time. Six weeks not much better.

Route wise, I'd do the southern route (CA99/CA58 or US395 to Barstow to pick up I-40) on the way east and I-80 west. The snow in the mountain passes in WY should be gone by time you head for home.

This would be a grind for me. I'd just fly. Flying would probably be cheaper too unless you're a big family.