yukon311

My family has 24 days to go from nc to as far west as possible. What would you recommend we make sure we see we went to yellowstone and glacier last yr and wanted to try to go to northern ca. this yr and see the coast line but there is so much to see and so little time please help us narrow down what to see and how long it may take. Want the off the beaten path ideas for sites and suggestions on places to stay and eat.

Gardyloo

Assume you're driving? How many in your party and when would this be?

yukon311

4 total kids are 19 and 15 we are traveling in june and july and yes driving we love the ride and all the things you miss flying. Just wondered if washington and Oregon were worth it not sure everyone, talks about parks in utah and we did a couple there last yr. Just so much to see and so little time. 24 days is no where near enough but we want to cover as much as possible without killing ourselves and still enjoying it. The oldest probably wont be going again after this yr.

marvelousmouse

Well, what do your kids (especially the oldest) really want to see? I think Oregon and Washington are worth it, but the first thing that occurred to me is that 24 days is just enough time to make the drive and hit the highlights in California.

If you've seen Californian and Utah, you could always do NM, CO.

marvelousmouse

I'd do Yosemite, Tahoe, Redwoods, SF, the coast, Disney. But there are endless possibilities, and so much of it depends on what your kids like to do. Are college visits on the list?

msbtravels

You should definitely put Yellowstone on your list:
http://www.msbtravels.com/yellowston...s-go-pictures/

I am also attaching my road trip itinerary for last year. You could follow it exactly all the way to California and see most of the big highlights. It is scheduled down to the hour, but of course, could easily be changed:
http://www.msbtravels.com/us-canada-road-trip/

msbtravels

And Oregon and Washington are definitely worth it -- they are in the itinerary I listed above as well.

tomfuller

There is so much of the mid-west that you really don't want to drive across to get to the west (like Iowa and Nebraska)that I think you should fly at least as far as Denver if not Portland Oregon.
If you drive from North Carolina at least 5 of your days will be taken up by driving across what most people consider fly over country.
With about 23 days west of Denver, you can see a lot more of the west than if you drive the whole way - and back.
If you don't like flying, you can take Amtrak to Chicago and then the California Zephyr as far as Denver and then rent a car.

yukon311

Thanks for all they help we were really just lost on which direction to start out. Last yr we went to yellowstone first and then glacier down to arches on down to grand canyon and back toward nc. We didnt know if we should go across 40 and stay down on the bottom or go back up across the top of the country out to washington and down the coast line of ca. What to see and whats just not worth it. Any ideas on unusual places to stay and great hidden places to eat the must see s that dont make big travel sites.

marvelousmouse

There's a treehouse resort in the big sur that I would stay at if I had the money and there are yurts in Oregon state parks.