Doing a road trip in a few weeks from The Woodlands to Albuquerque. What's the best route for this? Planning to do it in a day leaving at 3am and arriving about 6pm.

I assume you're trying to knock it out and limit stops along the way, so I say the dark blue route. I've taken the middle route coming back from NM and it wasn't bad.

What are your intentions ?? Get there as fast as possible or see things along the way.??

I don't mind stopping, kids are 5 and 7. Would love stuff to see. Getting up at 3am to at least get 4 hours in before they wake up and then it's not as painful!

In case you haven't been to Albuquerque before -

If you go the Amarillo/I-40 route - just a mile or two west of the TX/NM border is Russell's Truck & Travel Center. It is a pretty decent place to stop and stretch the legs, as the have a free antique car/travel/transportation museum. The restaurant is good for a quick meal too.

If you go the middle route through Lubbock/Muleshoe/Clovis/Ft. Sumner, keep a close eye on your speed between the NM border and Ft. Sumner. For some reason there is usually a large Highway Patrol presence along 60, and the Ft. Sumner police are pretty aggressive w/the radar gun too. It is possible to see pronghorn antelope between Clovis and Ft. Sumner. I've only seen them once along this route, so it isn't common, but it can happen. They are much more commonly seen along the backroads north of 60.

In Albuquerque, one place we found to be surprisingly interesting is the National Museum of Nuclear Science, near Kirtland AFB. Definitely research this if you happen to need something to do.

I would do the Amarillo route without question. Maximizes 4 lane, divided highways so safer and faster as your map shows. The roads in the oil patch in west TX and SE New Mexico are pretty bad and lined with semi and other oilfield truck. We used to go that way for years from Katy to our place in Ruidoso, but stopped after hitting slowdown, crappy roads and hearing of so many accidents. We now head out hitting Roswell from TX.

The only downside is you are hitting Ft Worth around rush hour with your departure time but a DFW could better opine on routing through that or it may not be too bad.

Love this guys, thanks.

Is the big Texan steak ranch worth a stop?

Definitely 287 to Amarillo and I-40 for speed.

Never been a fan of Cadillac Ranch, but if you want the kids to do some random vandalism, fine. It's on the south side of I-40, so you'll have to loop around to get to it.

Second Russel's Truck Stop. Always nice, and the free museum will accept donations, which are used to feed homeless in Albuquerque, so keep that in mind.

Not a lot of good, quick, stops along the way. And I'd eat lunch in Amarillo, not going to be another decent place until Santa Rosa. Tyler's BBQ is not far off I-40 and top notch. Blue Sky Hamburgers are right off I-40. Some better places out there, but for a fast stop with kids, I'd put those at the top of the list.

Charles Goodnight home in Goodnight is a good stop if you're a Lonesome Dove fan. Blue Hole in Santa Rosa isn't far off the Intestate, and interesting, but not much to do if you're not swimming. The old Route 66 alignment in Tucumcari is as well preserved as you'll ever see.

The Medical Center area in Amarillo has some nice walking paths, a splash pad, and the Discovery Center.

Estelline is famous for being a speed trap.

National Nuclear Museum is high quality. Not sure a 5 and 7 will get much out of it, but they might enjoy the planes and missiles in the back yard. The natural history museum has some dino stuff, as I recall, and the Zoo./Botanical Gardens are good.

If you want more ABQ suggests, reply or PM. Lots to do there, unless you are going further.

Always take everything out of the car at the motel, and hats and sunscreen, because the sun at that altitude (5,280) is brutal

Dill-Ag13 said:

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Is the big Texan steak ranch worth a stop?

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Uhhhhh.....maybe?

Perhaps as a bucket list, to say you've been there. As far as food, it's medium quality at premium prices. And it's a sit down restaurant, so if you're trying to make time down the highway, I wouldn't.

That being said, the owner is a tireless promoter of Amarillo and a good guy, so I'm happy for his success.

Tyler's and Blue Sky are probably more what you want, or if you want steak, Hoffbrau...it's owned by Aggies.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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Love this guys, thanks.

Is the big Texan steak ranch worth a stop?

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The steaks are average. If someone is trying the 72oz challenge the people watching can be fun.

As mentioned above TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF YORU CAR AT HOTEL in Amarillo. We had several family members have boxes of family keepsakes distributed after her funeral stolen out of two vehicles as they left boxes in open site on the back seat of one vehicle and then in the cargo area of an SUV. My cousins husbands work truck was then also hit at another hotel the same evening for tool and other items.

At the Texan the prime rib is pretty good and I think I've had the CFS. I like a few of their beers as well which are some kind of local brew.

Actually, I meant to take it out in Albuquerque. Of course, no place is immune, though it helps to stay on the west side of Amarillo

Thanks y'all! Love the recs.

Blue hole in santa rosa is closed.

AgCPA95 said:

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The only downside is you are hitting Ft Worth around rush hour with your departure time but a DFW could better opine on routing through that or it may not be too bad.

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Driving out on a Sunday, should be super duper quiet 3am to about 9am.

I'll be darned. For anyone who cares, a portion of the west wall of the Blue Hole collapsed, so they've closed it to swimming and diving until they assess the safety.

It's popular with divers because of the clarity of the water and you can go down to about 125 meters. The interesting thing to me, is that divers are advised to spend the night in Santa Rosa, rather than going into Albuquerque. The 5000' altitude in ABQ and 7000' over Tijeras Pass would give them the bends

That's crazy to think about with the altitude.

Hopefully blue hole opens back up in time for our mid-July trip.

Wife is headed back from ABQ today. Stuck in traffic jam caused by construction west of Tucumcari

Bad thing about I-40, if there is a slowdown, no alternate route. NMRoads.com and Google Maps are your friend. If I-40 is hosed going your direction, going to Lubbock and Ft Sumner looks better

I love the Big Texan. Yes it's a tourist trap but I'd pretty cool. Kids will love. Plus the steaks are pretty damn good.

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Yes it's a tourist trap

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That's a good attitude for lots of travel, Many famous places have been over-hyped, and are less than advertised. But if you go in accepting that, and enjoy it for what it is, you can have fun.

I dont mind tourist traps, my kids love em. I'm not a temporary local, I'm flyin through

Good to know the Albuquerque tourism billboard here in Magnolia is working.

JT's Drive Inn in Childress has a great burger, it is fairly divey though. We normally get it to go and let our kids play in the Rock Park playground in Childress to stretch their legs.

We did Tyler's once, and maybe it was a bad day or bad timing, but I have no interest in going back. It was worse than Dickey's.

Blue Sky is a nice stop for a quickish meal. Donut Stop is good for that kind of food.

We just drove 40 both ways in the past week, and it was in pretty good condition with good traffic flow. I'd suggest filling up on gas in Amarillo because it was $.30 more once you got out of town.

As they say, "your mileage may vary". I've never had anything but good food at Tyler's. And many places I really like will get the occasional 1-star reviews. Tastes vary, and anybody can have a bad day, I guess

DP

Did the drive on Sunday, went great up thru Amarillo. Hit the big Texan.

If anyone has a similar rec on how to get back from Carlsbad to Houston, I'd appreciate it. All the input was very helpful m.

Carlsbad -> Big Spring -> down I-20 -> down I-45

Avoid the southernmost route. Once you leave I-10 it's very dangerous due to oilfield traffic. US 285, especially the stretch from Pecos to Carlsbad, is called The Highway of Death for a reason.

Direct route probably the best. Fort Concho at San Angelo is a cool stop

Went direct, crashed at Hotel Settles which I highly recommend. Diamond in the rough of a long day. Drove through San Angelo for a stop and a stop in Temple at the Buccees which was rammed…

Following planning a potential trip to Alb for ballon festval in October and drive back either a southern or north route to begin and end

Leaving from what city, and quick trip or open for diversions

Leaving CS

tentative plan is for me to drive up and have daughter possible son to fly into alb after school. They have Thurs-Mon off from the 10th til the 14th starting back to school on the 15th

Very tempted to drive from Alb back home hitting up Carlsbad White Sands and McDonalds Observatory plus other things on way home
I personally wanna hit up Palo Duro so I could do that on drive up there

I have no major timeline at this time other than wanting to hit up as many places they might be interested in

Food wise they are very basic...burgers etc but open to other food thoughts also