US Cross Country 2022

USA SOUTHERN ROAD TRIP

OCTOBER 28 - DECEMBER 18, 2022

Stu and I had long wanted to drive cross-country, but never had sufficient time to do it the way we envisaged. Stu had driven across the US with his best friend in his youth, but I had never done it. We had both visited many states already, though some only for business. We needed to be in LA to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter Kyrsten and her husband Scot, so we decided that it would be an ideal opportunity to drive rather than fly. Since we began our journey in the late fall, we chose a southern route both out and back to improve our chances of better weather, and it worked out really well until we hit Alabama. We headed south along the east coast and veered west from Asheville, NC to California. I used Google Maps to plan the itinerary because it had worked so perfectly in Ireland, and though the distances in the US are vast, we were still able to minimize driving distances each day, so it was a generally relaxing trip. We stayed at a mix of Airbnbs, hotels and B&Bs, trying to select small places with charm and character as much as possible, but relying on chain hotels when they were the best option in a location.  Most places met or exceeded our expectations, and we had some pleasant surprises as well. We enjoyed it so much that I’ve booked another cross-country trip in 2024, this time in the late spring to traverse the northern states. Driving times and distances from stop to stop as indicated are approximate, though in many cases the drives took less time (especially since we tend to hit the road early), and occasionally more. The ** ratings reflect our personal opinions about how much we enjoyed that place, hotel, restaurant, or attraction.

FRI. OCT 28 - SUN. OCT 30 WASHINGTON, DC (3hr50 - 221 mi.)

We’ve been to DC many times, and have visited all of the most popular sights. If it’s your first visit, you can’t miss the major museums and monuments. These are just the attractions we enjoyed on this trip. We were looking for the more unusual spots, as well as revisiting some of our favorites. Washington is clearly one of the great world cities, vibrant and diverse, with incredible museums, impressive monuments, beautiful green spaces, and terrific multi-cultural dining options. Since we had free parking at our lodgings, we left the car there and either walked or used Uber to get around. We walked from our apartment to The Mall every day. It’s pretty far, but we really enjoyed discovering interesting sights along the way, like George Washington University. We left home around 5 am and hit little traffic (a miracle around the Beltway), so the drive took far less time than anticipated and we arrived just after 8 am.

***AIRBNB (Ugo) 1448 Corcoran Street Northwest. Luckily we had arranged an early checkin with the wonderful host, so we lost no time getting settled. This is a very nice 1 bedroom apartment in the desirable Logan Circle neighborhood with a full kitchen, garden and a free off-street parking spot, which is worth its weight in gold.  Excellent value.

***National Museum of African American History and Culture The Mall 1400 Constitution Ave. NW, 10 - 5:30 Exceptional exhibits! Our main reason for including DC on our itinerary was to visit this highly acclaimed new museum and it exceeded our expectations. Although it’s free, it requires advance timed tickets. We had a reservation and headed here right after unpacking, yet after spending nearly a full day, we felt that we needed more time. When we tried to reserve a slot for the following day, or the day after that, they were fully booked, so it pays to plan ahead and allow a lot of time.

***NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART - SARGENT & SPAIN

6th & Constitution Ave NW Daily 10 - 5. We always squeeze in a visit to the National Gallery since the collection is so extraordinary. There was a special exhibition featuring works that Sargent did in Spain that we wanted to see and it was excellent. As a bonus we also caught an interesting exhibit about Vermeer.

**EISENHOWER MEMORIAL - Stirring tribute to World War II General and 34th U.S. President during the 1950’s

**WWI MEMORIAL - PERSHING PARK - This long overdue monument is unfinished but still interesting. It will be impressive when complete.

***RENWICK GALLERY Pennsylvania Ave @ 17th St. NW

Th - Sun 11:30 am - 7 pm - Stu and I greatly appreciate handmade crafts, so we were delighted by the marvelous creations at this small museum near the White House. It’s somewhat similar to the Museum of Arts & Design (MAD) in NYC.

*THE OCTAGON MUSEUM 1799 New York Ave. NW, - We had time so we investigated this history museum in a quirky house built in 1799 which presents an interesting slice of history. When the British destroyed the White House during the War of 1812, President James Madison and his wife, Dolley, lived here for a few months.

***HIRSCHHORN - This modern museum is always terrific and their outdoor sculpture garden alone is worth revisiting. They had Yayoi Kusama infinity rooms on display but they didn’t accept advance reservations and we weren’t willing to waste time on long lines. We’re huge fans of Kusama, but had experienced several of her infinity rooms already, and ended up seeing 2 more during this trip without any wait.

**ALBERT EINSTEIN MEMORIAL 2101 Constitution Ave. NW - I had just discovered this whimsical statue while doing my trip research and we had to see it. It’s definitely worth going out of your way to see, though it’s in the Mall area so not too far from other attractions.

***LINCOLN’S COTTAGE Eagle Gate, Rock Creek Church Road and Upshur Street NW - This compelling historical site was President Abraham Lincoln’s country home in DC, and though it’s called a cottage, it’s actually a sizable house that Lincoln accessed on horseback. The city has since grown around it, and though you can see the Capitol from there, we took an Uber since it’s pretty far afield. You can take a self-guided audio tour of the property and a guided tour of the interior, both fascinating and worthwhile. It’s on the grounds of a Veterans’ Retirement Home, so you must reserve in advance to visit.  We learned so much about Lincoln that isn’t widely known and there’s a marvelous full size statue of him with his horse in front of the house.

***DUMBARTON OAKS 1703 32nd St. NW Georgetown - Hours vary. Once the residence of U.S. Diplomat Robert Woods Bliss and his wife, where he hosted key diplomatic meetings during WWII, the building now houses an excellent art collection and research library. We especially enjoyed the amazing Pre-Columbian art. Even in late fall the gardens were lovely. The museum is free but you need a ticket for the gardens.

**KINSHIP 1015 7th St. NW Modern restaurant with excellent food, service and atmosphere.

***FIOLA 678 Indiana Ave. NW Outstanding Italian food, service and ambiance. The tasting menu is superb. We had dined here in the past and found that it’s still amazing, though prices have understandably risen. We had a lot of fun chatting with the couples around us, all celebrating special occasions. Worth the cost.

LE DIPLOMATE 1601 14th St. NW This is a very popular French-style bistro, conveniently located a couple of blocks from our apartment. We thought the food was only ok and service was sorely lacking. The trout amandine was the best thing we tried.

MON. OCT 31 - TUE. NOV 1 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

(2hr30 - 116 mi.)  Charlottesville is worth visiting to see Monticello, the former home of President Thomas Jefferson, though we weren’t as impressed with the town.

***THE CLIFTON 1296 Clifton Inn Dr.

Rivanna Suite (highly recommended). Beautiful property and helpful, kind

  team **1799 RESTAURANT Exceptional breakfasts and very good dinner

BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS 17655 Winery Rd

**LIBRARY 1821 11 - 5 Nice wines, lovely setting for tasting

***MONTICELLO PRIVATE TOUR Highly recommended. The estate is magnificent with brilliant, informative historical exhibits.  Don’t miss learning the history of the enslaved people who resided there.

*UVA CAMPUS - Lively campus with beautiful historic buildings, some designed by Jefferson.

KLUGE-RUHE ABORIGINAL ART COLLECTION

400 Worrell Drive Teensy collection in an out-of-the-way location, not worth visiting.

*C&O 515 E. Water St. 434-971-7044.  Charming team and average food

WEDNESDAY NOV 2 GREENSBORO, NC (3 hr - 180 mi.)

Convenience stop, however we ended up greatly enjoying the museums.

**PROXIMITY HOTEL 704 Green Valley Rd.

Loft King Corner. In a busy industrial park, surprisingly good. Decor is a bit dark, but our room was spacious and well appointed. Excellent amenities and front desk service, and the restaurant is beautiful.  We had a terrific breakfast there, wish we’d chosen it for dinner.

*WEATHERSPOON ART MUSEUM - UNC 500 Tate St. 10-5

Well chosen small collection. Definitely worth a visit

**INTERNATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS CENTER & MUSEUM -

134 S. Elm St.  11/2 2 pm Informative and engrossing history tour

MACHETE 600 C Battleground Ave. Total miss. Do not recommend.

THU. NOV 3 - FRI. NOV 4 ASHEVILLE, NC (2hr40 - 173)

One of our favorite towns on the trip.  Vibrant art scene, beautiful setting, walkable center city and terrific food.

***AIRBNB 45 Ashland Ave. # 300 Parking included. Stylish and comfortable apartment walking distance to restaurants and some attractions. Highly recommend

***RIVER ARTS DISTRICT - Street after street of art and crafts galleries with some schlock, but also some very fine works. Lots to see.

*WOOLWORTH WALK 25 Haywood St. Daily 11 - 6. An indoor collection of shops in an old Woolworth’s store, mildly enjoyable. The best feature is an old-fashioned soda fountain with some interesting history.

***BILTMORE ESTATE 1 Lodge St. The jaw-droppingly opulent estate of the Vanderbilts. The gates open at 8:30 am and it’s worth arriving early to get good parking and to explore the grounds before the tours.  We took the House Tour, Rooftop Tour and Backstairs tour, so we saw just about everything. All of the tours were good but we especially enjoyed the Rooftop tour.  You get a free glass of wine at their on-site winery with any of the tours.

***CURATE 13 Biltmore Ave.  Spanish tapas style dining, good wine and cocktail list.  One of the best meals we had on the trip.  Excellent service and atmosphere. We’d return to Asheville just to eat here. Must reserve well in advance.

**RHUBARB 7 SW Pack Square Another delicious meal in Asheville. We shared a roasted rabbit, which we’re still dreaming about.

SAT NOV 5 - MON NOV 7 NASHVILLE, TN (4h35 - 294 mi - 1hr time zone). We’re glad to have visited, but it wasn’t our favorite stop.

AIRBNB 501 Rep. John Lewis Way South 525 We wouldn’t recommend this apartment. It was fine overall, but a hotel would be better.

***NASHVILLE MURAL TOURS - Our favorite activity in Nashville. Highly recommended. We took a private tour and it was well worth the cost. Make sure to see the Guido Van Helten silo mural.

**GALLERY OF ICONIC GUITARS 1907 Belmont Blvd

10 - 4:30, Sun 1 - 4:30 If you enjoy stringed instruments, this small gallery is worth a visit, plus the Belmont University campus is beautiful

**RYMAN AUDITORIUM 116 5th Ave. N, We enjoyed learning the history of the venue and hearing some country music. The docents are very entertaining.

**LANE MOTOR MUSEUM 702 Murfreesboro Pike, Worth a visit for car aficionados. Lots of rare vehicles.

FRIST ART MUSEUM Sat 10 - 5:30, Sun 1 - 5:30 Fairly good collection.

***BASTION 434 Houston St.  Superb chef’s counter tasting menu

*ROLF & DAUGHTERS 700 Taylor St. Good but not great, nice atmosphere

*Hattie B's Hot Chicken - 112 19th Ave S. 4 locations, avoid the ridiculous lines at the Broadway one and go here.  Juicy fried chicken with choose-your-own heat level

TUESDAY NOV 8. MEMPHIS, TN (3hr15 - 212 mi.)

Not our first visit to Memphis. It’s a fun town with lots of historical significance. Enjoyed it more than Nashville.

***ARRIVE 477 So. Main St. Corner Loft. Loved this hotel!  Modern, stylish, great vibe, attentive and friendly service. Lively lobby cafe. Excellent value. Walking distance to Beale St. but not in the middle of it, so it’s quiet. Plus it’s right across the street from the National Civil Rights Museum

***NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM - in the former Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Unfortunately it’s closed on Tues. when we were there, but there are kiosks outside that provide a lot of history and information, and just being there is an emotional experience. Highly recommended

**STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC  10 - 5. Very entertaining slice of music history

***BB KING’S BLUES CLUB Highly recommend.  It’s touristy, but the music, drinks, and service were outstanding and the bbq ribs are luscious.

WAVERLY TN. WALL ART - Mary, our street art tour guide in Nashville, recommended this site, where artists are painting on walls in a dedicated park space. The quality is hit or miss since the art changes frequently. It was a minor detour on our way to Memphis, but not worth it if you don’t have spare time.

WEDNESDAY NOV 9 LITTLE ROCK, AR (2hr - 137 mi.)

The town in general lacks charm. We most wanted to see the Clinton Library, and that didn’t disappoint us.

THE CAPITAL HOTEL 111W. Markham St. Capital King. Wouldn’t recommend.  We wanted traditional elegant style, but it just felt old and tired.  Restaurant wasn’t very good either. Service was variable depending upon who was at the front desk.

*CAPITOL STATE HOUSE 500 Woodlane St. 8 - 5 Very well done exhibits

OLD STATE HOUSE MUSEUM 300 W. Markham 9 - 5 Interesting history

***CLINTON LIBRARY 1200 President Clinton Ave. 9 - 5 Most interesting site in town. Main reason for our stop in Little Rock and it exceeded expectations

THU NOV 10 - FRI NOV 11 BENTONVILLE, AR

(3hr15 - 215 mi.) Very pretty town that’s worth a special visit.

***21c MUSEUM HOTEL 200 NE A St. Luxury King. Highly recommended.  Art-filled public spaces, terrific service, lovely, comfortable room

***CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

600 Museum Way 11 am - 8 pm. Main reason for our visit to Arkansas and it lives up to its stellar reputation.  Easy, scenic walk from our hotel through an outdoor art park.  Stunning collection and architecture.  We visited it both days of our stay to catch everything.

***BACHMAN-WILSON HOUSE by Frank Lloyd Wright Book a tour, the museum is free but you pay a minimal fee to see the house, which is on the museum grounds.  Gorgeous!

*STREET ART Decent selection of murals, though we expected better.

https://www.visitbentonville.com/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/public-art-map/

**MUSEUM OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY

202 SW O St. 9 am - 5 pm Well curated collection of artifacts starting with prehistoric cultures to modern times intelligently annotated.

***THE HIVE in the 21c Museum Hotel We enjoyed breakfasts and a dinner at this fabulous restaurant. Terrific service and whimsical decor.

**PREACHER’S SON 201 NW A St.  5 - 9 pm Housed in a former church, this restaurant features lovely decor and atmosphere, friendly service and delicious food.

SAT NOV 12 - MON NOV 14 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

(3hr40 - 228 mi.). Another of our favorite cities on the trip, loaded with attractions.

**21c MUSEUM HOTEL 900 W. Main St. Luxury Loft Suite 1.5

Even better art collection than in Bentonville, industrial style, friendly service, though housekeeping could do better. Their restaurant, Mary Eddy’s, is closed Sun and Mon so we didn’t get to try it. They have a casual cafe, which is good, but not comparable.

***OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL & MUSEUM

620 N. Harvey Ave. Extraordinarily heart-wrenching.  Must see.

***OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART

415 Couch Dr. Excellent museum. The glass collection alone is worth visiting for, but there’s so much more.  Highly recommend

***FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM

659 First Americans Blvd.  A new museum dedicated to the history and culture of First Americans.  Some artifacts, but mostly multi-media exhibits.  Very compelling and worthwhile

**AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM - located in the trendy Bricktown section of town among restaurants, cafes, music venues, it’s a wonderful exploration of the banjo. We lucked out and caught a bluegrass jam session with local musicians that was delightful. A little gem.

**NATIONAL COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM

1700 NE 63rd St. Seniors Hour Mon 9 - 10. Enormous collection of western art, dioramas and memorabilia.  You could easily spend a full day here. Pure fun.

MUSEUM OF OSTEOLOGY 10301 S. Sunnylane Rd.  Mon 9 - 5 We had some free time and popped in to ogle all of the skeletons.

***GREY SWEATER 100 NE 4th St. World class chef’s counter tasting menu.  Creative, scrumptious food with well-paired wine and a gracious team.

LUDIVINE 320 NW 10th St. Not as good as they think they are, but pretty good

*PASEO GRILL 2909 Paseo Tasty meal in an odd setting. Very good service.

TUESDAY NOV 15 AMARILLO, TX (4 hr - 260 mi.)

Convenience stopover.  The town is not worth visiting but the hotel was a treat.

***THE BARFIELD AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION

600 S. Polk St.  Standard King. Very attractive property with Western decor.  Terrific breakfast in their restaurant, though we didn’t try dinner.

ROUTE 66 HISTORIC DISTRICT 6th Ave. btw Georgia & Western. Snooze

CADILLAC RANCH I-40 west of Amarillo. Fun art installation. It’s something you have to see if you’re in the area but not worth a special trip.

TYLER’S BARBEQUE 3301 Olsen Blvd. 11 am - 7 pm (or sold out) Highly regarded but we thought it was mediocre at best. Would not recommend.

WED NOV 16 - THU NOV 17 ALBUQUERQUE, NM (4hr15 - 288 mi - 1 hr time zone)

We love New Mexico and have visited Santa Fe and Taos more than once. We wanted to see a bit of Albuquerque, but mainly we wanted to relax at the inn given our busy touring schedule.  We chose well, it was a terrific stop.

***LOS POBLANOS HISTORIC INN & ORGANIC FARM 4803 Rio Grande Blvd NW Los Rancho de Albuquerque, NM Meem Deluxe King Patio - Greeley Suite #2. Totally charming property with helpful, personable team and deservedly popular restaurant. Our suite was comfortable and cozy.

***PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT

Western Trail NW Albuquerque 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. 3 locations. Fascinating petroglyphs in beautiful settings.  Easy hiking to see them all. We even spotted a roadrunner on the cliff.

*SANDIA PEAK AERIAL TRAMWAY 30 Tramway Rd 9 am - 8 pm Nice ride with breathtaking mountain and valley views.

**CAMPO at LOS POBLANOS - Lively, attractive space with delicious food and attentive service. Enjoyed breakfast and dinners here.

FRIDAY NOV 18 HOLBROOK, AZ (3 hr - 206 mi.)

Good stopping place to see the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, but nothing else to do here.

**LA QUINTA INN & SUITES 2705 Navajo Blvd. Holbrook, AZ Surprisingly good, very comfortable and it looked brand new. Undoubtedly the best accommodations in the area. The free breakfast was adequate.

PETRIFIED FOREST & PAINTED DESERT 8 am - 5 pm

Well worth a stop. Gorgeous scenery, easy hikes. Giant Logs .4 mi. Loop; Puerco Pueblo .3 mi. Loop; Painted Desert Rim Trail 1 mi. r/t; Blue Mesa loop.

*SOMBRERITOS 2101 Navajo Blvd. 11 am - 8 pm Family-owned Mexican restaurant with tasty food, attentive and friendly service. It’s either this or fast food and we recommend this.

SATURDAY NOV 19 GRAND CANYON (3 hr - 203 mi.)

Spectacular! Need we say more?  Hiked over 10 miles the first day and enjoyed the sunrise (though it was brutally cold) plus additional viewpoints the next morning before breakfast and checkout. It was our second visit and it far exceeded our first.

*EL TOVAR HOTEL Grand Canyon NP Deluxe King - About average for a national park hotel with lovely historic spaces and gorgeous canyon views. The room isn’t much,  but you don’t spend much time in the room anyway and it’s quiet and comfortable. A bit high priced for what you get but you’re paying for proximity to the canyon.

**EL TOVAR DINING ROOM - The food is very good (better than we expected) and the setting is wonderful.  Dinner reservations are required, book as far in advance as possible to get a canyon view.  Residents at the hotel can book earlier than non-residents. Breakfast is also terrific and no reservation is required.

SUNDAY NOV 20 LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ (3hr45 - 233)

Convenience stop - not much to do here, though the town is pretty in a manicured resort style and you can take boats, kayaks, etc. out on the water. The relocated London Bridge is the main attraction.

**HEAT HOTEL 1420 McCulloch Boulevard N. Lake Havasu City, AZ Ignite Suite

Attractive modern hotel with limited amenities. Excellent value.  Ignite Suite is stylish and enormous with a large patio overlooking the London Bridge and the lake.  No dining facilities but there are restaurants nearby.

**CHA BONES 112 London Bridge Rd.  928-854-5554 Popular place with bustling bar scene but also families.  Not fine dining, though the food was delicious and our server was excellent.  We booked in advance and got a terrific table.

MON NOV 21 - SUN NOV 27 PASADENA, CA

(5 hr - 300 mi - 1 hr time zone) We’ve spent lots of time in LA in the past 36 years, this time visiting our daughter and son-in-law, as well as friends, for Thanksgiving, and taking in some fun attractions.

***AIRBNB 1770 Newport Ave, Pasadena. Appealing 3 BR, 2 bathroom home with full kitchen, patio with outdoor dining, lounging and pool.  Perfect for making Thanksgiving dinner and hanging out.

***ACADEMY MUSEUM 6067 Wilshire Blvd. Enormous fun for movie fans!

***PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM 6060 Wilshire.  Impressive collection of rare and unusual automobiles, especially hypercars

**MUSEUM OF JURASSIC TECHNOLOGY 9341 Venice Blvd., Culver City. Hilarious exhibitions spoofing science museums, greatly entertaining!

***GIRL & THE GOAT 555-3 Mateo St. LA branch of the Chicago hit.  Not as loud as you’d expect given the spare, though attractive, decor and every table filled.  The food was out of this world delicious and the sommelier recommended an excellent wine to accompany it.  The 4 of us ordered a bunch of plates to share so we got to try a lot on the menu. Not a single miss.  Highly recommended.

MONDAY NOV 28 PALM SPRINGS, CA (2 hr - 106 mi.)

Convenience stop, but we enjoyed the outdoor art and browsing in the shops.  Unfortunately the art museum is closed on Monday, it looks very promising.

***THE WILLOWS 412 W Tahquitz Canyon Way - Marion Davies Room. Just a couple of short blocks from the main street but an oasis of peace and seclusion.  Hummingbirds in the garden! The suite was sumptuous in Old Hollywood style with a small balcony overlooking the garden and mountains, and exceptionally comfortable and well equipped.  Every member of the team is delightful.  Good breakfast included.  We skipped the complimentary evening drinks and hors d’oeuvres because we were going out to dinner. One of our favorite hotels on the trip. Worth the price.

***LE VALLAURIS 385 W Tahquitz Canyon Way Conveniently located steps from The Willows with cozy indoor space and beautiful patio.  The food was as excellent as the atmosphere, old style French with a perfect chocolate soufflé to finish.

TUESDAY NOV 29 PHOENIX, AZ (4hr33 - 277 mi. + 1 hr)

Not our first visit to Phoenix. Good stopping point plus we wanted to see Taliesin West

***THE HERMOSA INN 5532 North Palo Cristi Road Paradise Valley - Garden Casita  Our second stay at the inn and we enjoyed it as much as the first time.  Atmospheric casita, lovely gardens, very good restaurant (Lon’s at the Hermosa), terrific team.

***TALIESIN WEST 12345 N. Taliesin Dr. Scottsdale.  Stunning Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, worth a trip to Scottsdale just to visit it. Self-guided tour.

CHRISTOPHER’S AT WRIGLEY MANSION  2501 E Telawa Trail. Highly overrated.  Spectacular room and views, but the meal was not worth the price.  Wish we’d dined at Lon’s.

WEDNESDAY NOV 30 TUCSON, AZ (1hr50 - 113 mi.)

We had visited Tucson before, so this was mainly a convenience stop.

*CAT MOUNTAIN LODGE 2727 So. Kinney Rd. Lodge Ranch Room.  Basically a motel with themed rooms around an inner courtyard garden.  We expected basic so we were satisfied.  It has a quirky charm that appealed to us, plus we spotted hummingbirds and a magnificent Sharp-Shinned Hawk on the property.  The night sky is resplendent and there’s a small observatory steps away.  We chose it due to its proximity to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and liked it. They give you a voucher for breakfast at the cafe next door but we left too early to use it.

**ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

2021 N Kinney Rd 8:30 am - 5 pm. Our second visit, fascinating desert environment, lots of wildlife, though caged or in enclosed habitats.

**FEAST 3719 E Speedway Blvd Delicious and creative cuisine in an attractive space.  We started with a kale and Brussel sprouts salad that I could happily eat every day, and the rest was equally good. Recommended.

THURSDAY DEC 1 ALAMAGORDO, NM

(5 hr 17 - 349 mi) Stopped here only to see the White Sands

*HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES 100 Kerry Avenue - King Suite

Clean and comfortable with the essentials.  Helpful, personable front desk personnel. Recommended if you’re in the area

WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT US 70 Daily 7 am - 8 pm Somewhat interesting, but ultimately disappointing. The sand is not actually whiter than other white sand deserts and the dunes aren’t very high. Glad to have seen it, but could have skipped it.  In fairness we’re a bit spoiled having explored spectacular deserts in Australia, Chile, Peru, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and USA (Death Valley, Monument Valley, etc.)

DH LESCOMBES WINERY & BISTRO Alamogordo. There are a few of these in the region but we can only speak for this one and it was just awful.  Not sure which was worse, the food or the wine.  The service was great but couldn’t make up for the meal.  Not much other choice beyond fast food that we could find.

FRIDAY DEC 2 MARFA, TX (4 hr - 273 mi. + 1hr tz)

Unless you’re also visiting Big Bend NP, it isn’t worth going out of your way to stop here.  Somewhat cute town, but one day was enough.

***HOTEL ST. GEORGE 105 S. Highland - Deluxe King.  The hotel was the best part of town, cool public spaces and a very good restaurant and bar.  The room was terrific with wide-ranging views.  We had dinner and breakfast there and enjoyed both.

*PRADA MARFA 14880 US-90, Valentine. This famous art installation just outside town is cheeky and fun, but only worth a brief photo op.

CHINATI FOUNDATION We booked the self-guided outdoor and guided highlights tours. At the main site there were mainly works from Donald Judd and Dan Flavin and one whimsical sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.  Though we liked some of the Judd pieces, we found the tour to be a bit one-note and boring overall. We learned about the artists, but not much about the art. Our favorite installation was a few blocks away, a stunning art house designed by Robert Irwin that you get to see with the highlights tour. There’s another gallery on the main street in town with an exhibition of works by John Chamberlain (crushed autos) as well.

BALLROOM MARFA 108 E. San Antonio St. - Small gallery. There wasn’t anything on view that sparked our interest when we were there.

MARFA BURRITO 515 S. Highland Ave. 6 am - 2 pm. The burritos get raves but we suspect it’s because they’re so huge and cheap since they weren’t particularly flavorful.

SATURDAY DEC 3 SAN ANGELO, TX (4 hr - 257 mi.)

This was a convenience stop, however, we ended up really liking the town.  We were there the night of their Christmas tree lighting and parade and it was a lot of fun.

*OLD CENTRAL FIREHOUSE B&B 200 S. Magdalen St. - The Chief’s Retreat One of the most stylish and charismatic B&B’s we’ve ever seen.  The room was exceedingly comfortable, decked out in Firehouse memorabilia, and the bathroom was luxurious.  Great bargain.  The only problem is noise.  There’s a pizzeria and bar downstairs that is extremely loud, though they shut down before 10 pm even on Saturday.  However, the walls don’t block much sound and we had unusually noisy neighbors from 2 - 3 am.  Also, it’s not really a B&B since there’s no actual breakfast, just some packaged snacks they leave out in a common room. No one greets you, you communicate via text and use electronic door codes to access the rooms.

**HISTORIC MURALS - some really interesting murals throughout town, especially the blacksmith one

ART IN UNCOMMON PLACES - a few pieces of interest but mainly not very good

FORT CONCHO 630 S. Oakes St. 9 - 5 We skipped this

**HISTORIC OLD TOWN - charming old buildings and shops

MISS HATTIE’S BORDELLO MUSEUM - Sadly didn’t have time for this

SAN ANGELO MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 1 Love St. 11 am - 4 pm Handsome building and grounds but we didn’t go inside

**SUNKEN GARDEN PARK 700 Block S. Abe St./W. Ave. D We took a long pleasant walk in the park along the river. Very nicely landscaped with some appealing sculptures

*THE LATEST SCOOP 37A W. Concho Ave. 2 - 10 pm Good hand-rolled ice cream

*ANGRY CACTUS 1 W. Concho Ave. Lively bar and restaurant with good pub-style food and kitschy decor.  Front of house was abysmal but our server was excellent.

SUN DEC 4 - MON DEC 5 SAN ANTONIO, TX (3hr15 - 310 mi)

Definitely worth a visit.  Our favorite town in Texas.

***HOTEL EMMA 136 E. Grayson St. - River Suite.  It would be worth visiting San Antonio just to stay at this hotel. Vibrant location, fascinating history, cool decor and architecture, posh rooms, attentive service, fun bar. Don’t miss the concierge-led history tour of the hotel.  A top pick.

THE ALAMO 300 Alamo Plz Daily 9 am - 5:30 pm. Interesting to learn more of the history but not much to see.

**RIVER WALK - Touristy, but there are quiet sections and it’s a nice stroll in good weather.  You can walk along here to visit the main square and the San Fernando Cathedral, which merits a look.  There are boats that run along the river with narrated tours and lots of bars and restaurants.

*SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

6701 San Jose Dr. Daily 9 am - 5 pm. There are 4 missions spread out over a few miles. San Jose is the most interesting if you don’t have the time or inclination to see all 4.  There’s a nice walking trail by the river off San Juan Mission.

*SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART 200 W. Jones Ave. 10 - 5 Cl Mon Pretty decent collection if you have extra time.

**CURED 306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste. 101 Near the Emma Hotel, chill vibe, luscious charcuterie and other dishes, excellent service.  Recommended

*SUPPER Hotel Emma. Disappointing breakfast menu, but dinner was very good.

TUE. DEC 6 - WED. DEC 7 AUSTIN, TX (1hr15 - 79 mi.)

The city was disappointing overall and didn’t live up to expectations, though we still enjoyed our time there.

**HEYWOOD HOTEL 1609 E. Cesar Chavez St. King Patio - Modern hip hotel with limited service but kind crew in an up-and-coming neighborhood near very good cafes and restaurants.  We loved the high style and function of our room, which included a private outdoor seating area.  High quality sheets and towels. There’s no food service but you can request drinks, coffee, tea and snacks before you arrive and they will be left in the room in clever containers and the mini-fridge. There’s also a shared coffee, tea and water station and outdoor lounging area.  Private off-street parking.  A great value.

***LBJ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY 2313 Red River St. Daily 9 - 5 Engrossing exhibits.  Our favorite attraction in Austin.

*TEXAS STATE CAPITOL 1100 Congress Ave. 7 am - 10 pm, 30 min. guided tours 9:30 - 3:30  Informative free guided tours

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN

BULLOCK MUSEUM 1800 Congress Ave. Cl Tue. Wed 10 - 5. Interesting state history museum

BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART 200 E. MLK Jr. Blvd Wed 10 - 5 Worth a look if time permits but not a special visit

*EMMER & RYE 51 Rainey St. - Very good but not sure that the quality justifies the price

**JUNIPER 2400 E. Cesar Chavez, Ste. 304 Excellent Italian cuisine

***SNOOZE AM 1109 East 5th St, Ste 180 6:30 am - 4 pm Among the best breakfasts we’ve ever eaten, terrific service and a fun ambiance. You can get booze at 6:30 am, though we skipped that. Walked to it from the Heywood.

**FRANKLIN BARBECUE 900 E. 11th St. Tue - Sun 11 am - sold out. Legendary bbq that lives up to its reputation, but be prepared to wait in a long line. We had so much fun chatting with others on line that the time went quickly.

THU. DEC 8 - FRI. DEC 9 HOUSTON, TX (2hr40 - 162 mi)

We’d visited Houston on business but this was our first leisure trip.  The attractions are wonderful but we really didn’t like the feel of the city, too spread out and nothing but highways.

LA COLOMBE D’OR 3410 Monroe’s Blvd. - Mansion Degas Room - Night owls only - their bar plays loud music and patrons make noise until around 1 am even on weeknights.  Shame because the mansion has a lot of character and the room was elegant. They moved us to a suite in their adjacent modern tower but it was disappointing.  Front desk service was excellent, but restaurant service needed improvement. Could not recommend.

***THE MENIL COLLECTION 1533 Sul Ross St. 11 - 7 Fabulous art collection in a handsome space. Worth a trip to Houston.

***THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON

1001 Bissonnet. Thu 11 - 9, Fri. 11 - 6 Extraordinary collection. Caught a terrific Giacometti special exhibit

***SPACE CENTER HOUSTON 1601 E NASA Pkwy. So exciting to tour the NASA facility. We took a VIP Mission Control tour that was well worth the cost to see areas not included on the regular tours and meet people working there. You could spend all day here if the space program enthralls you.

**HUGO’S 1600 Westheimer Rd. Boisterous upscale Mexican restaurant.  Service was excellent.  The food was tasty, though not the best Mexican food or Margarita we’ve had. Having spent much of last winter in Mexico, we may be a bit spoiled.

STATE OF GRACE 3258 Westheimer Rd.  Struggling to understand the hype around this place.  The food was good, but not extraordinary, atmosphere is appealing, and service was average.

SAT DEC 10 - SUN DEC 11 ARNAUDVILLE, LA (3hr40 - 229 mi.)

We’ve visited New Orleans a few times and thought it would be fun to see Cajun country.  Good music and food.  Breaux Bridge is a pretty town and we lucked into a street fair which included live music.  We’re glad to have visited, but still prefer The Big Easy.

*MAISON STEPHANIE 1862 Bushville Hwy Arnaudville - Clarisse room. Shabby chic B&B with the most delightful owners and easy-going charm.  Yummy home-cooked breakfast included freshly baked biscuits and scones.  We thought it was a bit overpriced, however, there’s not much choice beyond chain hotels in Lafayette and it was a nice slice of local charm.

*CAJUN CUSTOMIZED EXCURSIONS SWAMP TOUR

1908 Atchafalaya River Road, Exit 121 off I-10

Captain Mark Allemond 337-303-8060.  It was the wrong season for a swamp tour, not many birds or animals to see, but the bayou is beautiful and Mark was a fun guide with loads of good stories to tell, so we still enjoyed it.

**CAFE SYDNIE MAE 140 E. Bridge St. Breaux Bridge. Loved this restaurant!  Lively ambiance, wonderful live music and delicious food. I recommend the crawfish étouffée.

BAYOU TECHE BREWING & CAJUN SAUCER 1002 Noth Lane Arnaudville. Not a lot of restaurant choices on a Sunday. We caught a jam session in their outdoor space, so it was fun, but the food (pizza) is terrible.

MONDAY DEC 12 LAUREL, MS (3hr45 - 244 mi)

A convenience stop that we ended up really enjoying.  Laurel is an adorable town with lots of grand historic homes, antique stores and stylish shops. It was especially pretty decked out for the holidays.  There’s some fairly good street art though largely commercial. They could use some better restaurants though.

***GRANDIFLORA LUXURY B&B 705 N. Fifth Ave. 601-342-8030 - Stancill Suite. Our suite was larger than my first 2 apartments. A gorgeous historic home filled with art and antiques.  The owner took us on a tour of the house which included information about the history of the town and its inhabitants.  The young people working there are helpful and congenial.  Breakfast was delicious, including the best grits we’ve ever had.

*LAUREN ROGERS MUSEUM of ART 565 N. Fifth Ave. Located across the street from the Grandiflora, the collection is small but well curated.  Especially enjoyed the baskets display. Worth a look when in town.

BLUE CRAB GRILL 604 Carroll Gartin Blvd. Industrial setting, super-sweet server, good simple food in enormous quantities

**LEE’S COFFEE & TEA 409 W. Oak St.  All you could want in a coffee shop.  Cozy and atmospheric with exceptionally good coffee (even decaf) and hot chocolate, as well as an assortment of great-looking pastries and sandwiches. Friendly, efficient team. The owner was operating their impressive coffee bean roaster and told us about how they make the coffee. Wish they were located around the corner from us, or at least that we could have stayed in town long enough to try their sandwiches.

TUE DEC 13 - WED DEC 14 MONTGOMERY, AL (3hr35 213)

Montgomery was high on our list of places to visit, specifically to see the National Memorial for Peace & Justice and the Legacy Museum, and they did not disappoint.  We enjoyed our stay in town very much, but wish we’d lucked out with better weather.

RENAISSANCE MONTGOMERY 201 Talapoosa St. - King Junior Suite. Not bad for a typical chain hotel, the room was comfortable and had all we needed, though the breakfast buffet was abysmal and they were slow to seat guests.

***NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE & JUSTICE 417 Caroline St. Stunning and heartbreaking memorial.  Tickets include entry to the Legacy Museum and there’s a shuttle bus that takes you between the sites. The driver gave us a tour of the town on the way. We could have walked, but the weather wasn’t cooperating.

***LEGACY MUSEUM 400 N. Court St. Enlightening and inexpressibly moving.   The museum and memorial are must-sees and merit a trip to Alabama.

**ROSA PARKS MUSEUM Troy Univ. 252 Montgomery St. 9 - 5 - Well presented informative exhibits

*MONTGOMERY MUSEUM of FINE ARTS 1 Museum Dr. 10 - 5 - Lovely architecture and outdoor sculpture garden and grounds. The collection is small but worth seeing.

**CENTRAL 129 Coosa St. Around the corner from the Renaissance, a truly terrific restaurant. Stylish decor, attentive service and delicious food.

VINTAGE YEAR 405 Cloverdale Rd. Not bad, but we would have preferred to dine at Central again to try more of the menu there.

THURSDAY DEC 15 ATLANTA, GA (2hr30 172 mi + 1hr)

We’ve visited Atlanta before, we only stopped to visit my nephew Michael and his family.

MARRIOTT NORTHWEST 200 Interstate North Parkway SE Deluxe King High Floor - Not even up to basic Marriott standards, wouldn’t recommend.

FRIDAY DEC 16 CHARLOTTE, NC (4 hr 247 mi)

Convenience stop.  We didn’t find anything we wanted to do here, but if you’re into NASCAR, there’s a museum.  However, the hotel alone was worth the stop.

***THE DUKE MANSION 400 Hermitage Rd. Harris room - Refined and elegant. Our room was spacious and well appointed with a fabulous bathroom, and had a beautiful terrace with a porch swing.  The grounds are beautifully landscaped and there’s a pretty nice park nearby.  Breakfast was above average and we were treated very well by everyone.

*LEAH & LOUISE 301 Camp Rd. Ste. 101. Highly acclaimed restaurant in a happening section of town.  The menu is very limited and may not suit all tastes, but we enjoyed it.  Service was engaging.

SATURDAY DEC 17 RICHMOND, VA (4hr25 293 mi)

Another convenience stop, though we’d spent a few days here in 2019 to view a Hopper exhibit at the art museum (VMFA) and had a great time, so we were happy to return.  Wish we’d scheduled more time to explore the street art, we passed some eye-popping murals heading to the art museum.

***THE JEFFERSON HOTEL 101 W. Franklin St. 888-918-1895 Grand Premier King. Perfect place to end our trip, attractive, luxurious hotel. We had dinner at Lemaire in the hotel. It was good, but we preferred Shagbark on our last visit

***VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - Extraordinary museum including wonderful outdoor artwork.  Kehinde Wiley’s monumental sculpture, Rumors of War, blew us away both times. Well worth a second visit.

SUNDAY DEC 18 HOME (5hr30 336 mi.)

We left the hotel at 6 am and given it was an early Sunday morning in December, we hit no traffic, even around DC, and it only took 4 hrs. 40 minutes to make it home.