Advice ping!
Colorado Springs should be on your list of stops.
Just be sure to carry a blanket, flashlight, and emergency food with you. If you get caught in a snowstorm, don’t run your engine to keep warm, you might get carbon monoxide poisoning by doing that. And carry tire chains.
Red Rocks is the only thing worth seeing in Denver.
If you need some info on what to do or where to stay in Houston, let me know.
I don’t think the northern leg of that trip is going to be particularly feasible that time of year unless you have unseasonably warm weather, dude.
Have you been to the WWII (D Day) Museum in New Orleans? If not, and if that type of thing interests you, I would definitely head over there on your way to Tennessee.
Good thing you’re not driving over the Sierra mountains through Nevada, we’re having a Donner Party weather year!
That said, driving through any part of the country with snow, it’s best to have a couple 50 pound bags of sand in your trunk. One bag over each back wheel. Adds weight for traction and if you do get stuck , just pull them out, spread the sand in front of all four wheels, and drive away.
While in Tucson see the Pima Air Museum, well the few bucks to get in!
The Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum is a good choice as well.
If you don;t have a lot of time, hit the Titan II missile site - you can ‘do’ that in under 2 hours.
Such a schedule looks pretty tight. If I travel alone I prefer to limit my daily trip to 300-350, maybe 400 miles for ease and comfort. If your trip is 1,500 miles long West to East and another 500 miles North to South then the round trip distance should be about 4,000 miles. (You should have the correct number in your Google route.) There is no slack in this schedule, and even if you have a replacement driver (which on such a long trip is a must) then you won't see much on the trip; and if any road is closed and you need a detour then you are even further behind. Same if the car needs servicing or you need a day of rest. You simply won't have much time to meet your friends, and if you do you will be dog tired.
There’s good numbers of things to see in every location; my concern would be that the southern route is practically chosen for you unless you’re eager to increase your risk and heighten your general anxiety level.
I don’t think you’ll have much time to enjoy many places. 11 days for this distance is too short. But when in Durango, stop in The Diamond Belle Saloon at the Strater Hotel and I’ll buy you a drink.
And when you reach Pinal County, Arizona, shoot point-blank in the head the bastards who killed our border patrol agent there.
Just be really careful. Leave a huge amount of stopping distance.
We left way more than we needed on our last winter trip, but even that didn’t help us on a sheet of ice when the car in front of us flipped.
See Salida. Its in the mountains west of Pueblo and it can be compared to the Swiss Alps. Its free of crime and has a temperate climate year around, thanks to the mountains that surround it on all sides. The “Banana Belt” of CO should be on your sight-seeing stops!
A tom tom GPS is also a good nav aid in heavy big city traffic.
AAA good.
Emergency kit good.
Maybe add couple cans of fix a flat to back up that long AAA wait.
Cable chains for surprise snow storm.
Subscribe to XM or Sirrus Sat radio so tunes an news is always there.
Load up your smartphone with tunes an podcasts an get a cord to link it to car stereo and ear buds as well.
Good bubba mug for beverage with a good cup holder.
Quality sunglasses an holder for em.
Okole seat covers.....
An of course....CHL / CCW tool for protection.
Enjoy. Stay Safe.
Btw when ya get down in San Antonio go to the old bar in the Menger hotel. That’s where Teddy Roosevelt recruited rough riders.
Good history stop with a shot of crown an steak.
You are routing through the Blue Mountains of Virginia.
I have been in there and got hit by the same storm 14 times.
Storms have a habit of getting stuck in there and bouncing around. You would have to see it to believe it.
Me personally, I would go back through Ohio and through Cincinnati rather than trying to shoot down through all those mountains in the Wintertime.
Most of your route that I have knowledge of along the southern United States is fine. I don’t know anything about your route through Colorado.
Carhenge in Alliance, NE. Yeah, I know...it isn’t on your route, but I thought I’d let ya know.
IF you have any concern about being stuck in your car somewhere in winter I advise you to buy a Mr. Heater “Buddy” heater. It is a ventless propane heater that will work on those 1# bottles. You get about six hours per bottle IIRC, but you should check that at the Mr. Heater website. A heater and a couple of six packs of 1#ers would likely be around $100. or so down there.
If you don’t need it fine, if you do it could be very important. The heater will last you for years. Just make sure that you read and heed the manual.
They are handy to have anyhow.
(Of course I’d say that, I live in Alaska.)
Also IF you like to ski, you are going right by Crested Butte Colorado. You have to go there on purpose but it beats Vail and all of the rest of them imo.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have family that lives in Crested Butte, so I’m not really “objective”.
Killer, wide, LONG runs, and smaller crowds than the rest usually.
Just my .02
Chances are high you won’t see much but dry roads on that route, except on the leg through Colorado. Of course, anything is possible, including ice.
They won’t let you up on the passes in the West without chains if it’s snowing. It’s always a good idea to have a set when you’re traveling through snow country anyhow.
Blankets. Water. A few bags of food, especially high-energy items. A shovel and ice scraper. A couple of emergency candles. Flashlight with extra batteries. Gloves. Hats. Warm coats and long johns. All are good to have.
Keep your gas tank as close to full as possible. Someone above said not to run your vehicle if you get stuck, but that’s not realistic. As long as you only run it for short periods to stay warm, and keep a window cracked open for some ventilation you should be fine.
Keep your cell phones well-charged just in case.
And don’t be afraid to hit the motel if the weather report looks bad. All it will cost you is a few bucks and some time, but that’s better than getting in mortal trouble.
Godspeed.