Southwest Trip

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Jeff and Anita

Jeff and Anita

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Getting ready to start planning a trip through the Southwest. We are leaving from San Diego, CA around the end of Feb. Planning on being gone for about 2 months. Hope to make it to New Orleans. Going there we are planning on taking HWY 10 and then coming home looping up through Albuquerque, NM. Anyone suggest campgrounds they loved, places not to be missed etc. We are also traveling with 2 dogs so if anyone has used doggie day care, I would love to have some recommendations. Some of the activities we like are walking, light hiking, dog friendly hikes, off leash areas. Thanks.
 
You will be passing Padre Island National Seashore but it is a bit out of your way. One of my all time favorite campgrounds is located there, Malaquite Campground. It is only $8.00 per night but you can camp for free on the beach. And I do mean on the beach.

After you leave Albuquerque you can stop off at the Grand Canyon which is one dynamite place to visit, especially in the time frame you will be passing by. It will not be crowded.
 
You need to see Tombstone at least once in your life. Rockhound SP (near Deming)  in NM has great views out over the valley and good mountain trails.  Do the San Antonio Riverwalk and don't forget the Alamo. Beaumont TX in the Golden Triangle is worth a visit. And get to town on empty. The fuel prices are almost always really good. And let me be the first to remind you, it's a long way across Texas.

Ken
 
New Mexico has Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands and lots of historical sites. 
 
Not in any specific order, and just naming a few stops.... but Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville is an outstanding RV park on I-10, and just 24 miles up the road is Fredericksburg, TX which should not be missed. Killer food and shopping.

Avery Island, home of the Tabasco brand, in Iberia Parish, LA, is worth a detour for the gardens and plant tour. If you are fan of Cajun food, this is the area to be in.

New Orleans will cause you to scratch your head for RV parks, but we stay at Lakeside RV Park in Livingston, LA and just run down into New Orleans over the causeway. I-10/I-12 however in Louisiana is the scourge of the earth for bad roads, tie ups, and insane drivers so be prepared.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, just 24 miles south of Amarillo on the way back was a better stop for us than the Grand Canyon. It was a gem!

The Acoma Pueblo west of Albuquerque is a very worthy stop and some extremely interesting history. One of the better pueblo stops we have made.

There are literally hundreds of places worthy of your time on that route and two months might be a little aggressive to get a big taste, but you have a lot of mileage to cover. Don't spend all that time just on the road.

Have a great trip!

 
Just left a few day stay at Rockhound in Demming - agree with Bucks, a wonderful stop. Highly recommended!
 
There use to be a good restaurant in Clovis nm in the stock yards called ranchers and farmers they did open at 5 am and close at 9 pm they bid on the beef in the stock yard and cure their own very good food
 
Are you interested at all in Cajun culture?  If you are a student of French (in which case you will probably be appalled) or a lover of seafood, an aficionado of Zydeco, you will probably enjoy a side trip south of New Orleans (or NOLA or Nawlins, as the locals like to call it.).  This web site is fairly comprehensive and even includes RV parks under the "Where to Stay column:  http://www.louisianatravel.com/cajun-country

Git yo'sef some Crawfish ?touff?e or some jambalaya.  Mmm Mmmm, those Cajuns sho can cook. Somewhere along the road side, find a place that sells Boudin sausage.  And if you come across a place that has boiled peanuts, you are in for a special treat.  Ask around and you can probably buy a couple of pounds of shrimp right off the boat.

In Nawlins, cross the bridge to Gretna and visit Chubby"s and order a Chubby Burger.  Of course you have to do the obligatory tourist stuff like beignets http://www.cafedumonde.com/ and muffalettas  http://www.nolacuisine.com/2009/05/24/central-grocery/at the Central Grocery Store.  If ya'll work it right, you could be there for Mardi Gras.  Don't even THINK about taking an RV into town during that time.  Parade schedule:  http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html
 
Is Silver City NM worth visiting at 5 mpg? Better to skip and go to Deming instead? I'm more into pretty vistas/photography than restaurants.
 
Silver city is very nice. In the middle of town is a RV park, Rose ranch I think is the name. Its a passport america park and very close to wal-mart and groc. stores. From there head north to the cave dwellings (38 miles I think) and there is a ghost town up the same road. then, 20 miles or so east is City of Rocks State Park, another must see!

So you have a central hub in a very clean and nice park with full hook-ups and tons of great stuff to see.
 
Thanks for the Silver City to-do suggestions.

Anybody boon-dock in/near Silver City? Galveston TX? Houston? New Orleans? the other gulf states heading toward FL? I like to avoid CGs if a safe free area is nearby.
 
You can find some by looking at the BLM website for NM. As far as further east you will be relegated to wal-marts and truck stops for the most part but there are a couple places that still allow it like Seilerbird said Padre Island Beach.
 
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