Elaine

We are newly retired, living in central Arkansas. We hope to take an Alaskan cruise out of Seattle in September. We are thinking of driving because we've never seen any of that part of the country. We're considering a northern route going and a southern route coming home. Are we biting off more than we can chew? What are some spots that we shouldn't miss seeing either way? Are there are drawbacks that we don't know of?
Thanks for any and all advice!!

Bill

Do you mean that you are considering these options?:
1) flying to Seattle, then the cruise
2) driving Seattle on one route, cruising, then driving a different route back to AR.

Depends on how much time you have. After the tourist drive to Seattle, the cruise boat would be relaxing, I would think. You would be rejuvenated, I hope, for your tourist drive back.

Here is an ambitious plan. There are ferryboats out of Seattle and Vancouver that go up the Inland Passage to Skagway and/or other towns (It's been a long time since I researched the trip, which I never took). You could drive to Seattle, get the ferry north, then drive all the way back trough the Northwest Territories of Canada and on south home. This would be more of motor-home trip, not a Honda Civic!

I would fly to Seattle & hopefully find a one-way cruise north. Then fly back from Anchorage or Fairbanks (or NW Territories) after seeing Alaska and/or N.W.T.

xxx

I think Elaine means drive from Arkansas to Seattle and then do the cruise. It think seeing different parts of the US coming and going to Seattle would be fun as long as you like driving and aren't in a hurry. It's a drive I'd like to do someday too. I've never seen the Dakotas and Montana etc. You could go down the coast on the way home and across Las Vegas, Utah and Colorado, even hit a bit of New Mexico on your way home. Go for it!

x

I have driven across the country many times...I think anyone would enjoy it. Each time we took a different route. We did it for moves so did not get to wander as much as we wanted to, but every route has its own interesting things. September is a good time too as you are not apt to hit extreme weather anywhere.

cd

If we were retired, I'd do it in a heartbeat! I would take a couple months. But you got to like driving. If one of you don't then it would not be a good idea.

Connie

To really SEE the best parts of the west, you would need time to get off the interstates and sometimes go way out of your way to get to them.

Without the cruise, we do the same thing every year. There are so many things to see that we always go somewhere new as well as return to our favorite places.

IMO, the highlights of the West are mainly the national parks and SW Colorado.

X Bellman

Go for it!!! You might consider renting a car, driving to Seattle then flying back home. Driving to and from might be a little tiring.

Connie

How about something like this--

Arkansas to Denver (Rocky Mountain National Park)

Denver to Mt. Rushmore

Mt. Rushmore to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons via Beartooth Hwy

Yellowstone to Glacier

Glacier to Seattle

Seattle to Salt Lake City

SLC to SW Colorado

SW Colorado to home

Just a rough sketch.

Don't mean to drive to each destination in one day though it would be possible sometimes. You would need to give yourself at least a few days in some of these places.

Just depends on how much you want to do.

travellyn

Like other posters, I'd love to have the opportunity to do what you're describing.

I like Connie's itenerary. I'd probably throw in Moab (2 national parks and a great state park) on the way from SLC to SW Colorado. From SW Colorado, I'd drive through Santa Fe and/or Abuquerque (if you can get there for the Ballon Fiesta), then down to Carlsbad Caverns before returning to Arkansas.

If this has any thing to do with your planning, the peak colors in SW Colorado happen from about September 15 through the 30th, depending on altitude. Even if you don't catch the aspen in SW Colorado, you ought to see some great colors in RMNP, and possibly hear the elk bugling there.

Gardyloo

It's totally feasible, Elaine.

I'd recommend basing your northern (westbound) route around I-90, joining that route somewhere around eastern S. Dakota so you can stop at the Badlands and Black Hills before hitting Wyoming and Montana. There are umpteen spurs off I-90 - Yellowstone or the Grand Coulee Dam for example, that won't slow you down appreciably.

More ambitiously, you could also head north to Calgary then west through the Canadian Rockies (Banff & Jasper NP) if you have the time.

Following the cruise, I'd recommend heading south along the coast all the way to San Francisco, before heading east on I-80. That way you can include the Washington and Oregon coasts, the redwoods, and the beautiful northen part of California (either the coast or the wine country) before crossing the Sierras and on toward Utah and the red rock parks, wonderful in the autumn.

Sounds like a splendid itinerary. Go for it.

DixieChick

Elaine,
Can I go with you? (In other words, go for it!)

SaraLou

I love driving across country. If you enjoy driving and don't get to uptight about running into an occasional traffic jam, thunderstorm, etc. then I think you'll love it. Assuming your time schedule is not limited as you are retired, it sounds like a wonderful trip. Take your time and don't stick to the interstate all the time...find scenic byways to break up the trip sometimes. We've found that a wonderful way to travel when time is not critical.

olsen1503

i agree with most,the drive can be so memorable...my retired parents(in Arizona) drive up to see us in Victoria bc canada...every 2 years and love it...with your own vehicle you have so many more options...and hey,dont forget about Canada,while your in Seattle...it is beautiful up here...take care...oh,i forgot...places not to misss....1. vancouver island..2.california coastal drive...say on the way back...3.if you can ,on the way...vegas..4.Whistler..day trip out of vancouverbbc 5...any small town diner on the way...oh,this is all of course,if you have enough time for your trip..if you dont have much time...seattle itself..has alot to do

olsen1503

i agree with most,the drive can be so memorable...my retired parents(in Arizona) drive up to see us in Victoria bc canada...every 2 years and love it...with your own vehicle you have so many more options...and hey,dont forget about Canada,while your in Seattle...it is beautiful up here...take care...oh,i forgot...places not to misss....1. vancouver island..2.california coastal drive...say on the way back...3.if you can ,on the way...vegas..4.Whistler..day trip out of vancouverbbc 5...any small town diner on the way...oh,this is all of course,if you have enough time for your trip..if you dont have much time...seattle itself..has alot to do