The forecast said snow, and my parents weren't subtle about making sure we left early. Thank God we listened. By mid-afternoon, conditions had deteriorated enough that we were grateful for every minute of head start.
Slept well at the Hampton Inn. Got up early the next morning knowing the longest leg was ahead.
This was the long one. Nearly 1,000 km. The border crossing was totally fine—dodged some awkward commentary with the patrol, got our I-94s signed, and we were through.
Stopped in Indianapolis around lunch. Not the most impressive stop, to be honest. Not much going on there. But we did find a bridge that had been paved over with art sculptures—some kind of park right near a zoo. Nice place to stretch our legs and breathe for a bit. Didn't see any animals.
The Bar Moment
Arrived in St. Louis and checked into the hotel. Later that night, I sat down at the bar with my mom for non-alcoholic drinks. This sounds mundane but it hit different. It's not often you just get to sit with your mom at a bar and talk about life. Felt very human. I'm going to remember that for a while.
One note: I asked about walking to the Arch at sunset and the front desk gently suggested that might not be the best idea "with current times." First and only time on the trip where we caught wind of anything feeling less than completely safe. Take it with a grain of salt—could've been general caution, could've been specific. We stayed in.
This is when Route 66 started. And honestly, about 16 hours in with the dogs at this point—they were absolute rock stars. Behaved beautifully the whole way.
Cars on Route 66
Stopped at Cars on Route 66—the actual place that inspired the Pixar movie. There's a whole backstory here. The pit stop inspired the creation of Mater (Tow Mater). There's a build out there called Tow Mater. One of the famous guys in town could turn his double-jointed legs all the way around—that's what inspired Mater's ability to drive backwards as well as forwards.
The red fire truck character, Red, was supposed to be voiced by one of the film's creators who loved fire trucks. He passed away during production, which is why Red doesn't have many lines in the final movie. They kept him quiet as a tribute.
The shop is owned by a husband-wife duo now. It used to be called "Ladies on Route 66" because four women ran it. The current owner's friend—an investor—agreed to invest only if they changed the name. He didn't want to own a place called Ladies on Route 66. So they switched it to Cars on Route 66. She used to be the town clerk. Her husband used to be the town sheriff. Now he flips burgers in the back. They have food, too.
All of this is documented in the "Art of Cars" book. Every Disney movie has one. Worth looking up.
Suzanne's / Queen's Bee
Restaurant of the trip. Right in Joplin, we stopped at Suzanne's Natural Foods with Queen's Bee Coffee and Creperie inside. Completely fresh food. Huge servings. So accommodating to the dogs. The store itself was interesting enough to browse. Could not recommend it enough. If you're driving through Joplin, stop here.
The Fordson Hotel
Oklahoma City's highlight: the Fordson Hotel. Used to be an old truck factory. High ceilings, swivel tables that point to the history, great atmosphere. My family went to the hotel restaurant for a nice dinner—highly recommend. But we had dietary restrictions and the dogs to deal with, so we walked 10 minutes to Loaded Bowls.
Loaded Bowls was genuinely delicious. The portions were massive. Their soy curls are so well seasoned. Very much recommend if you need something hearty and plant-based.
The Texas Panhandle. Not much to see, honestly. A lot of empty fields. I did get a very big pickle at one of the stops, which was the highlight of several hours of driving.
Yellow City Street Food
In Amarillo (the "Yellow City"), we had what might have been the tastiest vegan comfort food of the trip. Not fast food—just solid, well-made food. Worth a stop if you're passing through.
Cadillac Ranch
Stopped to see the Cadillacs stuck in the ground. Made for a cool picture. Grab a spray can, add your mark, move on. Classic Route 66 stuff.
Arrive Albuquerque
By far one of the highlights of the trip. We happened to get there during an artsy pop-up—Kooler matchas, beautiful art, a secret gallery downstairs. The pool had just been refurbished. Rooms were on the smaller side, but the vibe made up for it completely.
Best part: they shut down the streets on weekends. We had hot rods riding up and down all night, whistling past with the coolest cars. Just standing on the sidewalk watching them cruise by was a moment.
Food hall right around the corner. Park across the road for the dogs. Really enjoyed dinner that night.
Also: the gym at Arrive was amazing. Empty. Got a great workout in.
Shortest driving day. Also the most visually spectacular.
Leaving Albuquerque
The drive out of Albuquerque through Grants was beautiful. Classic New Mexico landscape.
Gallup Detour
Stopped briefly in Gallup. Unfortunately, this was the one place we saw real poverty in a way we hadn't seen in other towns. People asking for money. Just be ready for that if you stop there.
Petrified Forest
The Painted Desert was the first real "wow" moment of the landscape. Absolutely beautiful views. Did a quick 25-minute hike—nothing crazy, just in and out. Worth the stop for sure.
Winslow (The Eagles Song)
Stopped in Winslow—the "standing on a corner" Eagles song location. Took pictures with the flatbed. Honestly, not too interesting beyond the novelty. It's cool for the historic reasons, and there's a nice park for walking the dogs, but not a trip highlight. The food there had a good veggie sandwich and gluten-free vegan options, so grab lunch if timing works out.
The 89A Drive
There is literally nothing in the world that compares to this drive. Highway 89A into Sedona. The switchbacks are amazing. The views are unreal. If you do nothing else on a southwest road trip, do this drive.
Southwest Inn
The most beautiful place we stayed. Maybe the most beautiful hotel I've stayed at period. Incredible views. Spacious rooms. Fireplaces. Hot tub and pool. Super clean. Delicious breakfast included. I could rave about this place all day.
Did a quick, basic hiking loop to get to the red rocks. No regrets. I'll share the route if I can find it.
For dinner, we hit Whole Foods hot bar. Honestly perfect at that point in the trip. Everyone was tired of takeout. Roasted veggies, lots of options, everyone got what they wanted.
Final push. Hit 4,000 km on this leg. Total trip: about 4,400 km.
Quick note about Joshua Tree: we passed through but didn't stop for long. The original plan had a Jeep tour in Sedona, and I'm very grateful we didn't book it. No appointments meant no rushing. The only thing we aimed for was arriving before sundown. That's the move—keep it flexible.
Got a car wash after leaving the winter behind. Very satisfying.
The drive through Palm Springs was pretty cool too.
And then we made it. Dogs on warm pavement. California sun. Month-long stay ahead.
The Moments That Stuck
- The bar in St. Louis — Sitting with my mom over non-alcoholic drinks, just talking about life. Simple and rare.
- Cars on Route 66 — The whole backstory, the Mater truck, the guy who could turn his legs backwards. Real American roadside history.
- Hot rods in Albuquerque — Standing on a closed street watching vintage cars cruise past at night. Felt like a movie.
- 89A into Sedona — Nothing compares. Drive it at least once.
- Suzanne's / Queen's Bee in Joplin — Unexpected best meal of the trip. Fresh, huge, dog-friendly.
- Skip the Route 66 audio guide. We paid $30 and it wasn't great because we weren't hitting every single stop. The Grand Canyon audio tour we'd done before was much better.
- No appointments. We almost booked a Jeep tour in Sedona. So glad we didn't. Rushing to make a time slot would've ruined the flexibility that made this trip work.
- Check tire pressure after entering warm states. Tires can over-pressurize from cold-to-hot changes. I had to deflate a bit once we got to Arizona.
- We overpacked. With the dogs it's hard not to—beds, food, supplies—but we brought way more than we needed. Luggage cart every day handled it, but still.
- Bring protein. Fairlife protein drinks, peanut butter sandwiches as backup, bagged popcorn. These saved us when options were limited.
- Snow tires were fine. They were older (4 years), we didn't hit much winter weather after the first day, and they're due for replacement anyway. No regrets.
| Day | Route | Sleep | Eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kemble → Sarnia (278 km) | Hampton Inn Sarnia | Paddy Flaherty's |
| 2 | Sarnia → St. Louis (990 km) | Aloft St. Louis Cortex | Red Onion Cafe (Galena) |
| 3 | St. Louis → Oklahoma City (824 km) | Fordson Hotel | Queen's Bee (Joplin), Loaded Bowls |
| 4 | Oklahoma City → Albuquerque (879 km) | Arrive Albuquerque | Yellow City Street Food |
| 5 | Albuquerque → Sedona (660 km) | Southwest Inn Sedona | Whole Foods (Sedona) |
| 6 | Sedona → Murrieta (781 km) | — | The Dez |
Total: ~4,400 km over 6 days
Don't miss: Cars on Route 66 (Galena, KS), Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo), Petrified Forest, 89A to Sedona.
There'll be a follow-up to this—we're doing the return trip and I'll document what we do differently. But for now: 4,400 km of road behind us, a month of California ahead, and the dogs finally getting to sprawl in the sun.
No regrets. Would absolutely do it again.
// QUALITY PASS
Fact Check List
- Suzanne's / Queen's Bee location: [verified — Suzanne's Natural Foods / Queen's Bee Coffee and Creperie, 3106 S. Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO]
- Indianapolis bridge/park stop: [verified — White River State Park with Washington Street Bridge, near Indianapolis Zoo]
- The route/link for the Sedona hike we did: [TBD — will add if I find it]
- Winslow vs. actual location of Eagles "corner" photo op: [verified — it's Winslow, AZ]