๐Ÿ›ฃ๏ธ 13 Road Trips
๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ 22 States Explored
๐Ÿš— 12,800+ Miles Driven
๐Ÿ”๏ธ 9 National Parks

Louisiana Loop

1000 mi
1
Waco, TX

Starting point โ€” home base in Central Texas.

2
Lake Charles, LA

Gateway to Cajun country and lakeside casinos.

3
Lafayette, LA

Heart of Acadiana โ€” zydeco music and crawfish.

4
Baton Rouge, LA

Louisiana's capital on the Mississippi River.

5
New Orleans, LA

Jazz, beignets, and the French Quarter.

6
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Nearly 24 miles straight across the water.

7
Waco, TX

Back home.

Smoky Mountain Run

2150 mi
1
Waco, TX

Heading east from home.

2
Dallas, TX

Big D โ€” the first leg north.

3
Texarkana, TX

Straddling the Texasโ€“Arkansas line.

4
Little Rock, AR

Arkansas capital along the river.

5
Memphis, TN

Beale Street, BBQ, and the birthplace of rock 'n' roll.

6
Nashville, TN

Music City โ€” honky-tonks and the Grand Ole Opry.

7
Rock Island, TN

Waterfalls and gorges at Rock Island State Park.

8
Knoxville, TN

Gateway city to the Smokies.

9
Pigeon Forge, TN

Mountain town fun and Dollywood.

10
Gatlinburg, TN

Quaint base camp at the edge of the national park.

11
Great Smoky Mountains

Misty peaks, stunning trails, and mountain views.

12
Chattanooga, TN

Lookout Mountain and the scenic Tennessee River.

13
Birmingham, AL

Alabama's largest city and civil-rights history.

14
Jackson, MS

Mississippi's capital on the way back west.

15
Shreveport, LA

Last stop in Louisiana before Texas.

16
Waco, TX

Back home.

California Coast

800 mi
1
San Francisco, CA

Golden Gate, Fisherman's Wharf, and the city by the bay.

2
Monterey, CA

Cannery Row and the famous aquarium.

3
Route 1 / Big Sur

One of the most scenic drives in the world โ€” cliffs and ocean.

4
Santa Barbara, CA

The American Riviera โ€” wine country meets the Pacific.

5
Los Angeles, CA

Hollywood, beaches, and endless urban energy.

6
Las Vegas, NV

The desert oasis โ€” lights, shows, and the Strip.

Southwest Loop

800 mi
1
Las Vegas, NV

Starting from Vegas into the red rocks.

2
Sedona, AZ

Red rock formations and energy vortexes.

3
Flagstaff, AZ

Mountain town charm along Route 66.

4
Grand Canyon, AZ

One of the Seven Natural Wonders โ€” breathtaking at every angle.

5
Page, AZ

Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

6
Zion National Park, UT

Towering sandstone cliffs and the Narrows.

7
Las Vegas, NV

Back to Vegas.

Yosemite & Tahoe

1000 mi
1
Las Vegas, NV

Starting from Vegas heading north.

2
Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

Crystal-clear alpine lake straddling two states.

3
Yosemite National Park, CA

El Capitan, Half Dome, and waterfalls everywhere.

4
Las Vegas, NV

Back to Vegas.

Colorado & New Mexico

2200 mi
1
Waco, TX

Heading northwest from home.

2
Colorado Springs, CO

Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak.

3
Denver, CO

Mile High City โ€” craft beer, art, and mountain views.

4
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Trail Ridge Road and alpine tundra above the clouds.

5
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Legendary open-air concert venue among the rocks.

6
Pueblo, CO

Historic Riverwalk and southern Colorado charm.

7
Great Sand Dunes, CO

Tallest sand dunes in North America against the Rockies.

8
Mesa Verde, CO

Ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans.

9
Cortez, CO

Base for exploring the Four Corners region.

10
Four Corners Monument

Standing in four states at once.

11
Albuquerque, NM

Hot air balloons, green chile, and Route 66.

12
Lubbock, TX

Hub City of the South Plains on the way home.

13
Waco, TX

Back home.

Colorado Mountain Towns

610 mi
1
Denver, CO

Starting from the Mile High City.

2
Granby, CO

Gateway to the western slope of the Rockies.

3
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Elk, alpine lakes, and sweeping panoramas.

4
Estes Park, CO

Charming base town at the park's eastern entrance.

5
Denver, CO

Back through Denver.

6
Idaho Springs, CO

Historic mining town and hot springs.

7
Leadville, CO

Highest incorporated city in the U.S.

8
Twin Lakes, CO

Glassy alpine lakes beneath Mount Elbert.

9
Independence Pass

Stunning Continental Divide crossing at 12,095 ft.

10
Aspen, CO

World-class ski town with golden fall aspens.

11
Glenwood Springs, CO

Hot springs and the Colorado River canyon.

12
Vail, CO

Iconic ski village nestled in the Gore Range.

13
Denver, CO

Back to Denver.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

1520 mi
1
Waco, TX

Setting off west from home.

2
Alamogordo, NM

Desert town near the Sacramento Mountains.

3
White Sands National Park

Surreal dunes of glistening white gypsum sand.

4
Albuquerque, NM

Hundreds of balloons fill the dawn sky at the Fiesta.

5
Amarillo, TX

Cadillac Ranch and Route 66 nostalgia.

6
Dallas, TX

Big city stop on the way home.

7
Waco, TX

Back home.

Destin's Emerald Beach

1320 mi
1
Austin, TX

Starting from the Live Music Capital.

2
Houston, TX

Passing through the Bayou City.

3
Destin, FL

Emerald-green waters and sugar-white sand.

4
Miramar Beach, FL

Laid-back Gulf Coast resort beaches.

5
Seaside, FL

Picture-perfect planned town on 30A.

6
Rosemary Beach, FL

Cobblestone streets and coastal elegance.

7
Austin, TX

The long drive home.

Niagara Falls

425 mi
1
Cleveland, OH

Lake Erie shoreline and rock 'n' roll history.

2
Buffalo, NY

Wings, waterfront, and the road to the falls.

3
Niagara Falls

Thundering water and the Maid of the Mist.

4
Cleveland, OH

Back to Cleveland.

Washington DC

425 mi
1
Philadelphia, PA

Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

2
Wilmington, DE

Quick stop in the First State.

3
Baltimore, MD

Inner Harbor and Maryland crab.

4
Washington, DC

Monuments, museums, and the nation's capital.

5
Shenandoah National Park, VA

Skyline Drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

6
Camden, NJ

Waterfront views across from Philadelphia.

7
Philadelphia, PA

Back where it began.

KubeCon 2022

0 mi
1
Detroit, MI

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2022.

550 mi
1
Waco, TX

Setting off north from home.

2
Dallas, TX

Quick stop in the metroplex.

3
Wichita Mountains, OK

Bison, longhorns, and granite peaks at the wildlife refuge.

4
Waco, TX

Back home.