Heading west -need advice

[nowrelxn]

After spending two months escaping the cold PA winters in the Florida SP panhandle cgs, we will be traveling west in our 38' motorhome ( 2 retirees and two buddy kitties on board) starting the first week of April 2010. We will be on I 10 through Texas for 3 to 5 days depending on cg (Nat., State, county, COE or private, Walmarts and Cracker barrels are fine for overnight) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We are also continuing onto Rt. 25 N to Albuquerque and Sante Fe, NM. We are considering staying a week at Cochiti or Tetilla CG (COE) close to both towns. We understand they are making some inprovements to Tetilla during the winter months. Any advise? As this will be a long trip through the country we will be back with many more questions from the "well traveled" who are kind enough to respond. Thanks so very much!!!!!!!!!!!

[wa8yxm]

Well.. I'd avoid CA till the fires are extinguished

Beyond that. I would include Quartzsite AZ,in the last half of January

I hope to Make Las Vegas by Christmas (Daughter lives there) but it is still iffy just now.

I have seen freezing weather in Texas (Froze my hoze) Lake Havasu, AZ, has an average of ZERO freezing nights a year

[glennb100]

I'd suggest going a bit north to I-20 instead of I-10. I-10 from the LA, MS border through Houston is a terrible road - one of the worst we've driven. Either in much need of repair or endless miles of under construction. I-20 is in much better condition and merges with I-10 near Fort Stockton in west Texas.

Even though Cochiti seems to be near both Santa Fe and Albuquerque, it really is in the middle of no-where. The only thing there really of note is a nice golf course at Cochiti. Otherwise, you'l be driving 20 miles north to get to Santa Fe or 40 miles south to get to Albuquerque.

There are a number of commercial camp grounds in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Unless you really like the sound of traffic zooming by on the interstate, I'd definetly avoid the Albuquerque East KOA. It's right next to I-40 and has no redeming qualities to compensate.

Have a fun trip.

[read & learn]

Relxn do what we do as we keep driving around and around and around this great Country, never, never, never go far enough North where you cannot wear shorts.
On each circle we see things that we did not see the time before. Do not be afraid to zig-zag in a State, CA is a great State to do that. Texas is one State that to see everything would take a life time.
We have more than 3 months total of touring TX and have not been below San Antonio or into the panhandle [this year we will cover the panhandle]. We leave in a couple of days to start our next tour of the country. Pick up I-81 in PA. down to I-40 than across to CA border and winter in AZ and Rocky Point, Mexico, when the weather breaks we travel up to OR and WA than head to Cody, WY to visit and work our way back to NJ for DR and visiting family. Then the circle starts all over again as we will visit places that we have missed in the past.
Average 10. 5 to 11 months on road and try not to stay at any one area more than 2 weeks.

[H. Miller]

You might want to check the recent threads concerning I-10. It's been redone and in good condition.

[CheetahGirl]

I agree with H.Miller. We travelled along I-10 from AZ to FL this past spring and for the most part, it is in good shape. We avoided New Orleans though by staying on I-12 just north of Lake Pontchartrain for that portion of the trip.

Just across the border from Louisiana in Beaumont Texas, Gulf Coast RV Resort is a well kept, clean park with nice facilities with easy access from I-10. They will honor Passport America discount for 2 nights.

Riverbend RV park is a nice, quiet, lovely park just off I-10 in Luling, Texas which is about 1/2 way between San Antonio and Austin. We spent 3 weeks there this spring and found it to be a great place to stay. Peaceful, relaxing and a nice setting. They will honor Passport America discount for the entire length of your stay.

Another fabulous RV park with easy access to I-10 is Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville, Texas. We are planning to be there in a couple of weeks and stay for a month. We can't wait. We love this park.

For an overnight stay as you head through west Texas, Comanche Land in Fort Stockton is a good choice. No frills - basically just a big dirt/gravel parking lot with hookups - but again it has very easy access from I-10 and is a safe place to spend the night.

Safe travels!

[nowrelxn]

Thanks to all who responded, very kind of you to share! I am going to place another thread regarding New Mexico - maybe will also get some new viewers. Thanks muchly!!!!!!!!!!!

[RickO]

For an overnight stay in Fort Stockton I would add Fort Stockton RV Park. We're staying here as I write this. We drove around town checking them all out and found this to be by far the most attractive to us. It's $24/night for a 60' 30 amp pull through. The facilities are ok but the great thing is that they have an on site cafe which serves great food at very reasonable prices. We had dinner there tonight for $10/each including a glass of wine. We'll have breakfast there in the am too. It's just the thing for us when overnighting. Nice people too.

[historyljc]

I second CheetahGirl on Gulf Coast RV in Beaumont, TX. They are part of our regular stops on the way to and from San Antonio to see the boys. Another of our regular stops is Lakeside RV Park, Livingston, La (I-12 exit 22) just east of Baton Rouge. They are Good Sam and Passport America (drive up only-check PA website for other restrictions). We're at Cajun Palms in Henderson, LA, now. Will be going on to Houston tomorrow. Will try to give you the latest on the roads then.

[historyljc]

I-10 is still really rough from the end of the Atchafalaya Bridge (just east of Henderson) to Lafayette (10-12 miles - recommend a greatly reduced speed to keep from breaking you coach apart). There are a few bumps going through Lake Charles, but nothing like it once was. Most of the Texas construction is complete, thank God!, so it is pretty clear sailing on into, through, and out of Houston. West of Houston is still a fairly boring drive to San Antonio.

[paz]

Unless you WANT to go to New Orleans, take I-12 at Slidell and rejoin I-10 at Baton Rouge. Better road and less traffic.

Also, as others have suggested, there is a lot to see in Texas, so don't be in too big a hurry. Stop in San Antonio to see the Alamo and the River Walk. If you're in western Texas the latter half of April, be sure to see the bluebonnets blooming in Texas Hill Country around Fredricksburg. See our blog post on San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country from our visit in 2007. While visiting Fredricksburg and the surrounding area, we stayed at Kerrville-Schreiner Park. It used to be a state park, but now it's operated by the city of Kerrville. There are 2 camping areas - one along the Guadalupe River and the second (which was quieter) across the road where there was a lot of wildlife.

[Campingman]

Y'all are forgetting Corpus Christi and Padre Island.Or Lake Mathis on the way to San Antonio. Lots of great parks as well as the drive on Beachs.

[KIX]

We drove from jacksonville, FL to Austin, TX mostly on I-10 over Christmas. WE just returned to NE FL yesterday. I-10 is now good traveling except near Lake Charles and one other area. Probably a total of maybe 15 miles that's bumpy.

If you get near Austin there's a good COE park near Georgetown that's North of Austin off I-35. The name is Cedar Breaks.