Kentucky to Nevada and back has been my longest road trip to date, hitting 14 states in the end. I did this trip in one week, and I highly advise NOT doing that! It was very strenuous, and there were a lot of things to see that I didn't have time for, but the main purpose of this trip was to see Roswell, NM and Las Vegas, NV.
On the way there, I went through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico to get to Nevada. You'll see the St. Louis arch, the Lewis and Clark trail, and drive parallel to Route 66 for a good part of this trip. I stopped in Mclean, TX to see a Rt. 66 museum, and also found an old creepy abandoned motel close by which offered awesome pictures.
Next stop was Roswell, NM, a top spot on my list of places to go. The town has embraced it's legacy of UFO's and honestly, it's awesome! There a UFO themed McDonald's, UFO Museum, and alien head lamp posts! There was also a R2-D2 mailbox! Roswell has a lot of little quirky alien related things to do, but is very much still a small town.
Driving from Roswell to Vegas I saw quite a few interesting, and peculiar things. There was the Petrified Museum and Forest, and lots of random, misplaced things along the highway. For example, a dinosaur with a half eaten person in it's mouth! It was not advertising anything and not near any stores...Strange...The drive through Arizona and Nevada was pretty flat and boring as would be expected, and there are stretches where there isn't anywhere to stop, so make sure you stock up on gas, snacks and water!
Next stop Las Vegas! Along the way you pass through Hoover Dam, and about 45 minutes later you are smack dab in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. This was my first trip to Vegas so it was a little overwhelming but definitely exciting to take it all in. I'm not a big gambler and there was still plenty for me to see and do. I could go on for days about the Strip, so instead I'll say this: each hotel has it's own theme both inside and outside and they are all over-the-top flashy and amazing to see. It is 100% worth going down to the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas to see the Space Frame.
Onward from Vegas I went by Nellis AFB (AKA Area 51), or as close as you can get without getting shot. Literally. I just couldn't resist! If you haven't noticed yet, I'm a fan of UFO's. Then on to find the infamous "ET Highway sign." If you choose to go looking for this sign, be advised, it's not a quick trip. It's just outside of the town of Rachel (if you are a UFO fan, you'll know what this town is), so just when you're about to give up, keep going and you'll see it. Also be on the lookout for cows in the road! After my detour to see the ET sign, I headed home through Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri. There wasn't much to see in Utah, and in Colorado I got caught in a blizzard and a 70 car pile-up. There wasn't much more to see because the drive was at night. There is so much more I'd like to go back and see at some point, but in multiple smaller trips next time!
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