This blog post is very overdue, but I want to share some highlights from our cross country move from Los Angeles to Northern Virginia in the summer of 2021. We did this trip twice (the second time a year later in 2022), so there will be another post where I share that itinerary. I’m big on planning, because the times I have thrown caution to the wind, I ended up missing out or spending more time trying to solve a problem that could have been avoided. However, I do know that problems do arise, and i’ve learned that most reputable hotels will work hard to right a wrong. I am also big on saving money, so the best time to book a hotel is well in advance.
The purpose of this trip to was to get from Point A (Los Angeles, CA) to Point B (Fairfax County, Virginia) in a decent amount of time, with minimal stops, while enjoying a few highlights along the way.
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Trip Overview
Who: 2 adults (my husband and myself), 2 children (ages 2 and 8)
What: A cross-country drive in a 4-door sedan
Where:
- Los Angeles, California
- Kingman, Arizona
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Fairfax, Virginia
When: June 2021, for 7 Days
Why: Enjoy some unique sights, stops, and hotels during our cross-country road trip.
Day 1: Los Angeles, CA -> Kingman, AZ
Goodbye, LA!
We left West L.A. before sunrise and got our last bite near Downtown LA from one of our favorite taco restaurants, HomeState. It’s advertised as “a Texas Kitchen in Southern California,” and only has locations in SoCal. I think we ate tacos and burritos all week before leaving LA. Other favorites include:
- Leo’s Taco Truck (Mid City)
- Tacos Tumbras a Tomas (Downtown: Grand Central Market)
- Eduardo’s (West L.A.)
- Loqui (Culver City)
Next stop was the first “roadside attraction” on Route 66.
Roadside Attraction: Baghdad Cafe in the Mojave Desert, California (3.5 hours from L.A.)
Stopping here was my husband’s idea, because it was where the Oscar-nominated 1987 German film Baghdad Cafe was shot. I only recently watched it on Amazon Prime video so I could get some context for this post. This foreign film has a cult-following, and possibly had some good intentions when it was created. However, almost 40 years later, one can take it another way. I’m interested to hear your take. Its kind of interesting that one of our last stops leaving Los Angeles was a former movie set-location. How “Hollywood.”
Baghdad Cafe links
Baghdad Cafe on Google Maps
Baghdad Cafe Website
Baghdad Cafe Movie streaming on Amazon Prime
Next up, a really unusual and fun stop in Arizona!
Roadside Attraction: the donkeys in Oatman, Arizona (2.25 hours from Baghdad Cafe)
Passing through Oatman, Arizona was a personal highlight of the trip. I love animals and to see them up close was a treat. This adorable historic mining town is known for the “wild burros” that roam the street. From the town website: These burros are direct descendants from the Gold Miners that brought them to the area as pack animals. Then the coming of World War Two when the gold mines surrounding Oatman and Gold Roads, Arizona was shut down the burros were set free to roam the hills.I highly recommend this stop on Route 66!
Hotel: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kingman Route 66, Kingman, Arizona (50 mins from Oatman, AZ)
I pre-booked the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kingman Route 66 for one night. It was clean and comfortable, and at a decent price point of under $200. My kids love staying at hotels because they are amused by the corded telephones.
Day 2: Kingman, Arizona -> Albuquerque, New Mexico (About 7 hours)
Route 66 scenic drive through the towns that inspired Pixar’s “Cars” movies
Day two was a “driving day,” but it was plenty scenic. If you have been to Disneyland’s California Adventure’s Cars Ride or seen the Pixar movie “Cars,” looking out the window on the drive through Arizona to New Mexico will look very familiar.
Seligman, Arizona
Holbrook, Arizona
The view from the car
Hotel: Marriott Albuquerque
One of the things my kids like the most is the hotel pool. Marriott Albuquerque has a wonderful indoor/outdoor pool. It’s a multi-story hotel and true to the Marriott brand, and has clean facilities and accommodations.
Find a hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico on hotels.com
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Dine: Nexus Brewery + Smokehouse
After all that driving, we decided to have a sit-down meal at a local restaurant. We found this interesting place that serves New Mexican Soul Food. According to the Nexus Brewery + Smokehouse’s website,
“It’s the fusion of spicy New Mexican cuisine and traditional soul food to create one unbelievable flavor experience only available at our two locations in Albuquerque. We take our time to cook our Gumbo and Red Beans & Rice then top them off with fresh pico de gallo and cajun spices to bring on the heat. When you take two of the world’s most flavorful cuisines and combine them, you get something truly special.”
Day 3: Albuquerque, New Mexico -> Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Roadside Attraction: Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas (4 hours from Albuquerque)
This was a very cool spot. We learned about it from my friend Jess who does a lot of road trips. Cadillac Ranch is located in Amarillo, Texas, and is off the beaten path. There are several Cadillac cars are half buried in the ground and are covered with graffiti. It’s very “instagrammable” and fun for artistic folks like myself. My older daughter is also an artist, and she definitely appreciated it. Visitors bring their own cans of paint (or you can purchase one from a local vendor) to make their mark.
Roadside Attraction and dining: Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas
If there’s one rest stop to take in all of Texas, it’s the Big Texan Steak Ranch. This restaurant/gift shop/entertainment venue oozes kitch. There was a “free-if-you-finish-it” 72 ounce steak, a gift shop with trinkets galore, and coin-operated carnival-style games. After our meal, they gave the kids adorable felt cowboy hats.
Find a hotel in Amarillo, Texas on hotels.com
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Hotel: Renaissance Oklahoma City, OK Downtown Bricktown Hotel (4 hours from Amarillo, Texas)
We drove right through Texas and made it to our next destination, Oklahoma City. The Renaissance Oklahoma City, OK Downtown Bricktown Hotel was the nicest hotel we stayed at, and if I remember correctly, I got a really good deal. The kids went nuts over the beautiful decor and I must say after all that driving, it was very welcoming to relax in such a nice space. I believe it was the first time my youngest (who was two at the time) had to learn how to take a shower as opposed to a bath.
Find a hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on hotels.com
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Day 4: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma -> Nashville, Tennessee
Roadside Attraction: Popeye Statue in Alma, Arkansas (3 hours from Oklahoma City)
This was a long driving day. We made very few stops. One was of which was the Popeye Statue in Alma, Arkansas. If you look it up on Google Maps, it’s actually listed as the “Popeye Garden.” It’s a very cute space, with a mural of the town nearby.
Stop through Memphis, Tennessee (4 hours from Alma, Arkansas)
We were supposed to stop and stay in Memphis, but there was an issue with the hotel I booked and I was not feeling great about the whole situation. We were “only” three hours from Nashville, which was our next planned stop, so I decided we should power through because we wanted to spend more time there anyway, as we have friends who live there. I was glad we did this, even though it meant we were on the road for over 10 hours. Luckily, my kids were ok with it. The older one, who was six at the time, had just gotten an iPad before the trip, so she was entertained playing games and watching shows. The younger one likes to sleep and doesn’t complain much (thank goodness), so she was good too.
Find hotels in Memphis, Tennessee on hotels.com
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Hotel: The Inn at Opryland, A Gaylord Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee (3.5 hours from Memphis, TN)
There wasn’t a convention or meeting going on when we stayed there, so our room was really affordable. We arrived super late, and we ate the Prince’s Hot Chicken we ordered to go in the seating area outside our room. The room was small, but clean and in a nice building. I’d like to stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center sometime, as it has amenities galore!
Find hotels in Nashville, Tennessee on hotels.com
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Day 5: Nashville, Tennessee
My husband and I both have good friends who live in Nashville, so this was our relaxing full day to hang and show the kids around. We stayed overnight at a friend’s house, which was nice, and really got to enjoy the entire day without driving too much! Here are some of our favorite places to check out in Nashville.
Dine: Fido Cafe, Bongo Roasting Co.
Fido Cafe is a favorite place to meet, get coffee, and good grub. My husband worked there during his college years and has very fond memories. Since then, Bongo Roasting Co. has gotten huge and expanded. We love buying beans from here and always recommend it to friends for breakfast.
Listen: Live Music
This is a great guide for live music in Nashville: Visit Music City (https://www.visitmusiccity.com/nashville-trip-ideas/guide-to-live-music), which lists the popular areas and venues. When I visited Nashville for the first time with my husband, we heard some really great music from walking up and down the famous Honky Tonk Highway on Broadway Avenue. For a more kid-friendly music venue, check out…
Explore: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
This is a really informative museum filled with the history of country music. It’s been called the “Smithsonian of country music,” and contains 350,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, archival storage, retail stores, as well as event spaces. Take a few hours to look around. You’ll learn something new. https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/
Shop & Dine: Nashville Farmer’s Market
The Nashville Farmer’s Market is a must-do for anyone who wants to really enjoy local food and wares. It’s bright, huge, and bustling with energy. Be sure to check out their website to help you plan your visit. It lists events, hours, and vendors, and a great history that dates back to the 1800s. https://www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org
Day 6: Nashville, TN -> Harrisonburg, VA (8 Hours)
This was a long driving day, and we chose Harrisonburg, Virginia because my niece lived there at the time. If you decide to stop midway instead of driving the entire way, a good stopping city would be Knoxville, Tennessee (https://www.visitknoxville.com/).
Knoxville is…
- A little under 3 hours from Nashville
- 5.5 hours to Harrisonburg
- Things to do in Knoxville, Tennessee:
- Visit Market Square
- Visit World’s Fair Park
- Take a walk by the Tennessee River
Find hotels in Knoxville, Tennessee on hotels.com
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Hotel: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Harrisonburg, Virginia
We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, which is a popular hotel, especially for families visiting students at James Madison University (JMU). We were lucky to get a hotel room when we did, because we arrived at the peak of grad season. Some students end up staying in the area after graduating, because of the outdoor, rustic vibe.
Here are some popular outdoor activities in Harrisonburg, Virginia (https://www.visitharrisonburgva.com/):
- Edith J. Carrier Arboretum: Located on James Madison University’s campus, this 125-acre botanical garden offers serene walking trails, native wildflowers, and the tranquil Plecker Pond.
- Purcell Park: This 67-acre park features walking trails, playgrounds, and sports facilities, making it ideal for families and outdoor enthusiasts.
- Massanutten Resort: This 6,000-acre resort offers year-round activities, including skiing, hiking, zip-lining, golfing, and spa services.
Find hotels in Harrisonburg, Virginia on hotels.com
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Day 7: Harrisonburg, Virginia -> Fairfax, Virginia (2 Hours)
Our final day was very exciting. As much as we enjoyed the road trip, I was also in a hurry to see our new house. Luckily, we had family to check it out before we bought it, but we purchased our house without ever having seen it. I lived in the area prior to moving to Los Angeles, so I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with where we were headed. Our realtor was amazing, patient, and fierce. It was the height of pandemic and we were one of those families that made the plunge. I’m glad we did, because despite all the heartache involved (bidding and losing bids) during that time, I learned a lot.
Fairfax County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is currently the most populous county in Virginia. It’s about a 30 minute drive to Washington, D.C. and about an hour by train (metro). Despite my move to the East Coast, I will continue this blog brand as “Westside Mommy,” because that’s where it originated.
If you ever decide to visit Northern Virginia, here are some hotels located in popular shopping districts:
- Archer Hotel Falls Church: Mosaic District shopping area
- Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center
- The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner (Tyson’s Galleria)
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