Tennessee to California (and back) - 14 Day Trip

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN.  It can be revised to fit your location.

Day 1:

7:00AM - Leave Milan, TN

11AM to 1130AM - Toad Suck, Arkansas-Toad Suck One Stop (Shell) - 4462 Hwy 60 E, Bigelow, AR
*next to Toad Suck Park
**Eat Packed Lunch

230PM to 3PM - Gas/Rest Stop

5:30PM to 6PM - Wind Turbine Blade @ Heritage Park - 522 W Rainey Ave, Weatherford, OK

845PM - Hotel in Amarillo, TX
Travelodge Amarillo West - 2035 Paramount Blvd ($46 as of 8/23/15)
Super 8 Amarillo East - 8701 I-40 East, Amarillo
Super 8 Central - 2909 I-40 East, Amarillo
Comfort Inn and Suites - 2300 Soncy Rd, Amarillo

(832miles)($100gas)($50hotel)

Day 2:

8AM - Leave Hotel

810AM to 820AM - Cadillac Ranch - I-40, Amarillo, TX
*on frontage road after Hope Road and before Dowell Road

9AM to 910AM - Route 66 Midpoint Cafe - 305 Route 66(I-40 Business West & CoRd 22), Adrian, TX
*photo not eating
Hours: 8am to 4:30pm

12:40PM to 110PM - Petroglyph Nat'l Monument Visitor Center - Western Trl NW, Albuquerque, NM
Hours: 8am to 5pm MST
Parking: $1 weekdays, $2 weekends
*Junior Ranger Program

1:15PM to 215PM - Boca Negra Canyon - Atrisco Dr. NW, Albuquerque, NM
Hours: 8am to 5pm MST
Parking $1 weekdays, $2 weekends
*allow 1 hour

2:30PM to 3:30PM - Volcanoes Day Use Area - Atrisco Vista Blvd, Albuquerque, NM
Trail Hours: 9am to 5pm MST

8:00pm - Hotel in Flagstaff, AZ
Quality Inn Flagstaff - 2500 E Lucky Lane ($31 as of 8/23/15)
Travelodge - 1560 E Route 66, Flagstaff
America's Best Value Inn - 910 South Milton Road, Flagstaff
Days Inn - 1000 West Highway 66, Flagstaff
Snow Peak Inn - 822 West Highway 66, Flagstaff

(619miles)($75gas)($40hotel)

Day 3:

7:30AM - Leave Hotel

8:00AM to 9:00AM - Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument - Fire Road 545, Flagstaff, AZ
VC Hours: 8am to 5pm MST
Free
Lava Flow Trail - 1 mile/30 minutes
*Junior Ranger Program

9:30AM to 10:30AM - Wupatki National Monument - Loop Road, Cameron, AZ
*follow loop road north for 18 miles out of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
VC Hours: 9am to 5pm MST
Wupatki Pueblo Trail - 1/2 mile RT/45 minutes
*Junior Ranger Program

12:15PM - 7:00PM? - Grand Canyon National Park - AZ 64 & S Entrance Road, Grand Canyon, AZ
Grand Canyon Village
$30 Car
VC Hours: 9am to 5pm MST
*Junior Ranger Program

South Rim Points of Interest: map
-Mather Point(walk 0.7m to...)
-Yavapai Point and Geology Museum(8am to 8pm)
-Lookout Studio(Blue Shuttle)
-Hermit Road(Red Shuttle)
-Desert View Watch Tower(8am to 30m before sunset)

830PM - Hotel in Flagstaff, AZ

(213miles)($26gas)($40hotel)

Day 4:

7AM - Leave Hotel

10AM to 1030AM - 30 minute Pit Stop

130PM to 2PM - Gas/Rest Stop

3PM to 4PM - Check-In to Hotel in Los Angeles, CA
Howard Johnson Inn & Suites - 7432 Reseda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA ($84 as of 8/23/15)
Hawthorne Plaza Inn - 12043 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne
LAX Suites - 11838 Aviation Blvd, Inglewood

440PM to 8PM - Griffith Park Observatory - 2840 E Observatory Ave, Hollywood, CA
*to view the Hollywood sign
Tues-Fri 12pm to 10pm, Sat&Sun 10am to 10pm
Free

840PM - Hotel

(525miles)($63gas)($100hotel)

Day 5:

9AM - Leave Hotel

930AM to 130PM - Hollywood & Highland Center (Visitor Center) - 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
VC 10am to 10pm
$2 Parking
*Hollywood Walk of Fame
Elvis Presley - 6777 Hollywood Blvd
Mary Tyler Moore - 7021 Hollywood Blvd
Robin Williams - 6925 Hollywood Blvd

430PM to 5PM - Gas/Rest Stop

730PM - Hotel in San Francisco, CA
Super 8 San Francisco/Union Square Area - 415 Ofarrell St, San Francisco
Union Square Plaza Hotel - 432 Geary Street, San Francisco
Herbert Hotel - 161 Powell Street, San Francisco
Pacifica Motor Inn - 200 Rockaway Beach Ave, Pacifica
Days Inn San Francisco South/Oyster Point Airport - 1113 Airport Blvd, South San Francisco
America's Best Value Inn - 701 Airport Blvd, South San Francisco

(392miles)($47gas)($100hotel)

Day 6, 7 & 8:

San Francisco Day 1:

San Francisco Transit

9:00am to 12:00pm - Alcatraz Island - Alcatraz Island Cruises, Pier 33, Hornblower Landing
Early Bird Tour: 9:10am
Admission: 12+ $28, Under 12 $17
Allow 2.5 hours
*Junior Ranger Program

12:00pm to 1:00pm - Hard Rock Cafe - Pier 39, Concourse #256
Hours: 11am to 10pm

2:00pm to 3:30pm - Ride the Ducks - 2766 Taylor Street
90 Minute Ride Hourly
Admission: Adults $29-34, Kids $22-25

3:30pm to 5pm - San Francisco Maritime Nat'l Historic Park - Aquatic Park Cove, 499 Jefferson St
Hours: 9:30pm to 5pm
Admission: $5 person
Balclutha Ship Tour
*Junior Ranger Program

5:00pm to 8:00pm - Fisherman's Wharf - Pier 39
Shopping - Gift Shops

Magowan's Infinate Mirror Maze - Building O, Level 2
Hours: 10am to 8pm
Admission: $5 person

Lombard Street

San Francisco Day 2:

9:00am - 9:30am - Golden Gate Park - McLaren Lodge Visitor Center - 501 Stanyan Street
Start here and get a map...

10:05am - 12:00pm - San Francisco Botanic Garden - Golden Gate Park
Hours: 9am to 5pm
Admission: Adults $7, Kids $5, Family $15
Lunch

12:06pm - 1:00pm - Japanese Tea Garden - Golden Gate Park
Hours: 9am to 6pm
Admission: Adults $7, Kids $5

1:05pm - 1:30pm - de Young Museum - Golden Gate Park
9th Floor Observatory is free and has a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge

1:40pm to 2:00pm - Pioneer Log Cabin - Golden Gate Park

2:20pm to 2:30pm - Stow Lake Bridge - Golden Gate Park

2:50pm to 3:00pm - Rainbow Falls - Golden Gate Park

3:25p to 3:30pm - Bison Paddock - Golden Gate Park

3:45pm to 4:00pm - Dutch Windmill - Golden Gate Park

4:15pm to 5:00pm - Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Lands End Lookout Visitor Center - 680 Point Lobos Avenue
Hours: 9am to 5pm
cafe and gift shop

5:00pm to 5:30pm - Sutro Baths Ruins - Lands End Lookout

5:45pm 6:30pm - Ocean Beach - Across Highway from Golden Gate Park

San Francisco Day 3:

8:00am - Leave Hotel

8:45am - 11:00am - Muir Woods National Monument - Muir Woods Road, Mill Valley, CA
Hours: Visitor Center 9am to 7:30pm, Park 8am to 8pm
Admission: Adults $7, Kids Free
Red Trail - 1 mile/1 hour
*Junior Ranger Program

11:10am to 12:30pm - Muir Beach Overlook - Seascape Drive, Muir Beach, CA
Overlook and Picnic Lunch

1:00pm to 1:30pm - Marin Headlands Visitor Center - 948 Fort Barry, Sausalito, CA
Hours: 9:30am to 4:30pm
*Junior Ranger Program

1:30pm to 3:00pm - Point Bonita Lighthouse - 948 Fort Barry, Sausalito, CA
Hours: Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays 12:30pm to 3:30pm

3:00pm  to 3:30pm - Nike Missle Site - 948 Fort Barry, Sausalito, CA
Hours: Wednesday thru Friday and First Saturday of the month, 12:30pm to 3:30pm

3:45pm to 5:00pm - Fort Point National Historic Site - end of Marine Drive, San Francisco, CA
Hours: Friday thru Sunday, 10am to 5pm

5:15pm - Let's Be Frank Hot Dog Cart - Crissy Field, San Francisco, CA

Day 9:

7AM - Leave Hotel

11AM to 2PM - Yosemite National Park - Yosemite Valley - El Portal Rd, Yosemite Valley, CA
Valley Visitor Center
Yosemite Museum
Museum Hours: 10am to 4pm
*Junior Ranger Program

Things to See:
Waterfalls
Horsetail Fall - El Capitan Picnic Area
Bridalveil Fall - 1/2 mile round trip trail - Tunnel View Area
Yosemite Falls - 1 mile loop trail - Yosemite Chapel Area
Rock Formations
Sentinel Rock - Lower Yosemite Fall Area
El Capitan - El Capitan Meadow
Cathedral Rocks - El Capitan Meadow
Three Brothers - Cathedral Beach Picnic Area
Viewpoints
Sentinel Bridge
Tunnel View

3PM to 6PM - Yosemite Nat'l Park - Mariposa Grove - Mariposa Grove Road, Fish Camp, CA
0.8 mile trail to Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel Tree

630PM - Hotel
America's Best Value Inn

48800 Royal Oaks Drive

Oakhurst, CA 93644

Day 10:

7AM - Leave Hotel

9AM to 10:30AM - King's Canyon Nat'l Park - Hwy 180, Grants Grove Village

Visitor Center: Open daily 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. through May 23, 2013, then 8 a.m.-5 p.m

 -General Giant Tree Trail - 1/3 mile

*Junior Ranger Program

11:30AM to 1:30PM - Sequoia National Park - Hwy 198(Generals Hwy), Giant Forest

Giant Forest Museum:  Opens May 11-24, 2013, 9 a.m..-5 p.m, Starting May 25, 9 a.m.-6 p.m and Closes October 15, 2013.

-General Sherman Tree Trail - 1/2 mile

8:30PM - Hotel

Travelodge Yucca Valley Inn and Suites

7500 Camino Del Cielo Trail

Yucca Valley, CA 92284

Day 11:

8:00AM - Leave Hotel

8:30AM to 9:00AM - Joshua Tree National Park - 6554 Park Blvd, Joshua Tree, CA

Visitor Center: 8am to 5pm

Admission: $15 car

*Junior Ranger Program

9:15AM to 10:00AM - Black Rock Nature Center - 9800 Black Rock Canyon Road, Yucca Valley, CA
Hours: 8am to 4pm

10:30AM to 11:30AM - Hidden Valley Picnic Area - see Joshua Tree National Park map

12:00PM to 12:30PM - Cholla Cactus Garden - see Joshua Tree National Park map

1:00PM to 1:30PM - Cottonwood Visitor Center - see Joshua Tree National Park map
Hours: Monday through Friday 9 am to 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 4 pm

7:30PM - Hotel in Flagstaff, AZ

Day 12:

7:00AM - Leave Hotel

9:00AM to  10:00AM - Petrified Forest National Park - 6492 Petrified Forest Road, Holbrook, AZ
Road Hours: 7am to 7pm
Admission: $10 car
*Junior Ranger Program
Rainbow Forest Museum - 6618 Petrified Forest Road, Holbrook, AZ 86025
Hours: Through Sept 7, 2013: 8am-6pm, After Sept 7, 2013: 8am-5pm
* Giant Logs Trail - 0.4 mile loop

10:30AM - 11:30AM - Blue Mesa Trail - see Petrified Forest National Park map
*1 mile loop

12:00PM to 1:00PM - Painted Desert Rim Trail - see Petrified Forest National Park map
 *1 mile round trip
*Kachina Point
 *Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

1:15PM to 1:45PM - Painted Desert Visitor Center - 1 Park Road, Petrified Forest, AZ
Hours: Through Sept 7, 2013: 8am-6pm, After Sept 7, 2013: 8am-5pm

4:00PM - 5:00PM - El Morro National Monument - off Hwy 53, Ramah, NM
Visitor Center Hours: Vary per season
Admission: Free
*Inscription Rock Trail - 0.5 mile loop
*Junior Ranger Program

7:00PM - Hotel in Albuquerque, NM

Day 13:

7:00AM - Leave Hotel

8:15AM to 10:30AM - Pecos National Historic Park - off New Mexico Hwy 63, Glorieta, NM
Visitor Center Hours: Summer 8am to 6pm, Winter 8am to 4:30pm
Admission: Ages 16 and older $3, Free under 16
*Pueblo and Mission Ruins Trail - 1.25 mile
*Junior Ranger Program

7:30PM - Hotel in Oklahoma City, OK
Travel time includes 1.5 hours of pit stops

Day 14: 

9:00AM - Leave Hotel

9:00AM to 11AM - Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum - 620 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK
Hours: 9am to 5:30pm - hours vary per season
Admission: Free
*Junior Ranger Program

2PM to 5:00PM - Fort Smith National Historic Site - 301 Parker Ave  Fort Smith, AR
Visitor Center Hours: 9am to 5pm
Admission: 16 and over $4, Free under 16
*Tour the building, which includes:Two Jails, Judge Parker's Court Room, Exhibits on the U.S. Deputy Marshals, the Military, Outlaws, and Trail of Tears.
*Visit the Gallows.
*Junior Ranger Program

8PM to 830PM - Gas/ Rest Stop

1115PM - Home

Natchez Trace Parkway #2 - 3 Day Trip

Natchez Trace Parkway - Mile Post 122 to Mile Post 145.1

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN.  It can be revised to fit your location.

For this trip it is imperative that you get yourself a Natchez Trace Parkway brochure/map.

One you learn how to navigate it, this is a really helpful site: Natchez Trace Travel

Day One:

8am: Leave

12pm to 1pm - Birthplace of Kermit the Frog - S. Deer Creek Drive, Leland, MS


Hours: Winter Hours: After Labor Day, Mon-Sat 10a.m.-4p.m. Summer Hours: After Memorial Day, Mon-Sat 10a.m.-5p.m.
Admission: Free

*Kermit's house was neat.  It took us about 30 minutes to look at the things inside.  They have display cases with old school toys and other memorabilia, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and photos relating to the Muppets.

We had a picnic lunch in the grass by the creek and took a few pictures and were on our way.  Nice stop to eat your lunch or stretch your legs.



2:30pm to 4:30pm - Mississippi Petrified Forest - 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, MS

"The Frog"

Hours: 9am to 6pm

Admission: Adults $7, Kids $6
6 Block Nature Trail
Museum

*MS Petrified Forest was a little bit of a dissapointment.  I guess for the price I was expecting a bit more than the 5 or 6 pieces of petrified wood along the trail.  There was 26 stops on the nature trail guide but even half of them had what we came to see.

"Caveman's Bench"

The gift shop was really nice...and huge...and the things weren't all that expensive either.













5pm -  Lefleur's Bluff State Park - 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS

Site 12

Mayes Lake Campground $18 night
This is where we will be camping.

This was a really great campsite. Our tent was about 12 feet from the edge of the lake and about the bathhouse was close enough but far enough.  It was perfect.

After sundown the first night we saw an alligator in the water...it was really neat to see.



Day Two:

8:30am - 9:00am - Follow Purple, Red and Yellow Trail to Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

Purple Trail - 0.49 mile
Red Trail - 0.32 mile
Yellow Trail - 0.16 mile

The trail to the museum was a little over a mile and it had A LOT of spider webs but otherwise it was a nice trail.  It was mostly flat and not strenuous at all.





9:00am to 12:00pm - Mississippi Museum of Natural Science - 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS

Two-Headed Snake

Admission: Adults $6, Kids $4
Hours: Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

We went for the Special Exhibit: "Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly"

The museum was good but it wouldn't have been much with out the special exhibit...which was awesome.

Ari made friends with a 20 foot Reticulated Python.

We saw a cobra, alligator, crocodile, lots of different snakes, geckos, chameleon, gila monster, a bearded dragon and a snake-necked turtle.

12:00pm to 12:30pm - Blue Trail and Yellow Trail

12:30pm to 1:00pm - Follow Red and Purple Trails back to Camp

1:00pm to 2:00pm - *Have Lunch

2:30pm - 4:00pm - Cypress Swamp - MP 122 on Natchez Trace Parkway

We saw 3 alligators here and it was AWESOME!


4:30pm - Camp

Day Three:

8:00am - Leave Camp

9:00am to 1:30pm - Vicksburg National Military Park - 3201 Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS

Illinois Monument

Hours: Daily 8am to 5pm
Admission: $8 Car
Allow 2 hours Driving Tour and Extra time for gift shop and museum.

This was a really nice military park...it was huge.  It took us about 3 hours to drive the whole park.

The Illinois Monument was our favoite.  It was absolutely beautiful, inside and out.

USS Cairo Exhibit and Museum, Hours: 930am to 5pm

The USS Cairo was really cool.  The museum had a lot of information and the actually ship was fun to get on and imagine what it would have been like before it was sunk.






3:30pm to 4:00pm - Kosciusko Museum and Visitor Center - Exit 160 on Natchez Trace Parkway

4:10pm to 4:30pm - Redbud Springs Park - approx. 207 S Natchez St, Kosciusko, MS

Tadeusz Kosciuszko statue

4:40pm to 5:00pm -  Buffalo United Methodist Church - Mississippi 12, Kosciusko, MS

Oprah Winfrey's First Church

About 2 blocks up the road, Oprah Winfrey Road, it a big white sign that marks the site of Oprah's First Home.  There isn't anything there but the sign and a woodsy area.









9:00pm - Home

We had a really fun time.  And we would have been home right on time...except that the headlights on our car stopped working and we ended up having to stay in a hotel in Senatobia, MS for the night.

 or Alternative 2-Day Trip:

Day One:

7am - Leave Jackson, TN

12:00pm to 1:30pm - Lefleur's Bluff State Park - 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS
Mayes Lake Campground $18 night
This is where we will be camping.  The plan is to set up our tent and have some lunch.

1:30pm to 2:00pm - Follow Purple, Red and Yellow Trail to Mississippii Museum of Natural Science

Purple Trail - 0.49 mile
Red Trail - 0.32 mile
Yellow Trail - 0.16 mile

2:00pm to 4:30pm - Mississippi Museum of Natural Science - 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS
Admission: Adults $6, Kids $4
Hours: Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

4:30pm to 5:00pm - Blue Trail

5:00pm to 5:30pm - Follow Red and Purple Trails back to Camp

Day Two:

8:30am - Leave Camp

9:00am to 12:00pm - Mississippi Petrified Forest - 124 Forest Park Road, Flora, MS

Hours: 9am to 6pm

Admission: Adults $7, Kids $6
6 Block Nature Trail
Museum
Gem Mining - $4 per person
 

1:30pm to 2:30pm - Cypress Swamp - MP 122

1/2 mile Trail

3:30pm to 4:15pm - Kosciusko Museum and Visitor Center - Exit 160 on Natchez Trace Parkway
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Free

4:30pm to 4:45pm - Redbud Springs Park - approx. 207 S Natchez St, Kosciusko, MS
Tadeusz Kosciuszko statue

5:00pm to 5:15pm - Buffalo United Methodist Church - Mississippi 12, Kosciusko, MS
Oprah Winfrey's First Church

9pm - Arrive Jackson, TN

If you would like to make it a longer trip, Holly Springs National Forest isn't far.