The Ultimate Road Trip
Jul 5th, 2006, 05:06 PM
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The Ultimate Road Trip
My best friend and I are huge fans of road trips, having done several stellar ones ourselves (and with several party stories now in our portfolios, from breaking down in Powder River Pass, WY to breaking down in Calhoun, GA... to running out of gas in Manyberries, AB). We've been slowly accumulating ideas for our next one, and so I'm wondering who else out there loves road trips, where have you gone (long hauls, preferable) and what routes are recommended? We love beautiful scenery, but also quirky towns and Roadside America style gems, as well as the 'big cities'. Also, has anyone out there ever travelled the length and bredth of US 1, which is OUR ultimate Road Trip (and which we hope to do within the next two years)? What's your advice to us?
Jul 5th, 2006, 07:34 PM
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Our two longest road trips were each 2 weeks when our sons were young teenagers.
Trip 1 - Flew into Columbus Ohio to visit family and go to a great amusement park. Drove to Cleveland area to visit family and go to Cedar Point. Drove through Pennsylvania, stopped in Philli to see historical sites. Drove on to Hershey to see Gettysburgh and Hershey park. Drove to Washington DC to see museums, government buildings, etc. Drove down to Williamsburg to see Busch Gardens and Jamestown. Drove back over to Pennsylvania to go to Kennywood and flew out of Columbus the next morning back to California.
Trip #2 - Drove So. California to Seattle to visit relatives. Went camping in Vancouver area. Took the Northern Cascade route to Spokane to visit relatives. Camped at Priest Lake, Idaho. Drove down through Yellowstone and camped. Drove from Yellowstone to Reno and then down the 395 to Yosemite. Camped in Toulumne but got snowed on and left a day early. Drove 395 home. Beautiful trip.
As you can see, we love huge loop trips.
We once did a road trip in only a few days that left us breathless. Took a red-eye into Washington DC, drove directly to New York the same day, dropping teenagers off at an amusement park in New Jersey on the way. Spent only about 6 hours in NY, then back to pick up teenagers on the way to Hersey (for Hersheypark again). Spent the night in Hershey after massive driving into the night. After a day in Hershey, hit the road around dinnertime and drove all the way to Williamsburg - again arriving really late. Spent 2 nights there. Then drove towards Washington DC, dropping teenagers off at an amusement park in Virginia on the way (don't remember the name). Toured DC for the day, and while my sis and cousin stayed in DC all day, I (having been there before) drove back to Virginia to pick up the teenagers. We met up in DC and caught a late night flight back to LA. I don't remember how many days we were gone, but I think only 5 total. It is all a blurr but was fun!
Trip 1 - Flew into Columbus Ohio to visit family and go to a great amusement park. Drove to Cleveland area to visit family and go to Cedar Point. Drove through Pennsylvania, stopped in Philli to see historical sites. Drove on to Hershey to see Gettysburgh and Hershey park. Drove to Washington DC to see museums, government buildings, etc. Drove down to Williamsburg to see Busch Gardens and Jamestown. Drove back over to Pennsylvania to go to Kennywood and flew out of Columbus the next morning back to California.
Trip #2 - Drove So. California to Seattle to visit relatives. Went camping in Vancouver area. Took the Northern Cascade route to Spokane to visit relatives. Camped at Priest Lake, Idaho. Drove down through Yellowstone and camped. Drove from Yellowstone to Reno and then down the 395 to Yosemite. Camped in Toulumne but got snowed on and left a day early. Drove 395 home. Beautiful trip.
As you can see, we love huge loop trips.
We once did a road trip in only a few days that left us breathless. Took a red-eye into Washington DC, drove directly to New York the same day, dropping teenagers off at an amusement park in New Jersey on the way. Spent only about 6 hours in NY, then back to pick up teenagers on the way to Hersey (for Hersheypark again). Spent the night in Hershey after massive driving into the night. After a day in Hershey, hit the road around dinnertime and drove all the way to Williamsburg - again arriving really late. Spent 2 nights there. Then drove towards Washington DC, dropping teenagers off at an amusement park in Virginia on the way (don't remember the name). Toured DC for the day, and while my sis and cousin stayed in DC all day, I (having been there before) drove back to Virginia to pick up the teenagers. We met up in DC and caught a late night flight back to LA. I don't remember how many days we were gone, but I think only 5 total. It is all a blurr but was fun!
Jul 5th, 2006, 07:37 PM
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But I failed to answer your question, didn't I. Both trips provided spectacular scenery, the chance to see both small towns and huge cities, and historical sites. I'd highly recommend any of the 3 - but maybe at a slower pace if you have the vacation time.
Jul 5th, 2006, 07:42 PM
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Why would US 1 be your ultimate Road Trip?
Would you ever be clear of people on the Eastern Seaboard?
I like the E/W US Highways-40 & 50.
I grew up 3 blocks from US50 and it will always hold a special place for me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Highway_50
Would you ever be clear of people on the Eastern Seaboard?
I like the E/W US Highways-40 & 50.
I grew up 3 blocks from US50 and it will always hold a special place for me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Highway_50
Jul 6th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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bbqboy,
I'd bet the US 1 lazuliangel is talking about is on the western coast. You will run into some big cities, and also lots of curvey roads but there is some beautiful coast line. We haven't done the WHOLE thing all at once, but have done big sections over the last 30 odd years.
Utahtea
I'd bet the US 1 lazuliangel is talking about is on the western coast. You will run into some big cities, and also lots of curvey roads but there is some beautiful coast line. We haven't done the WHOLE thing all at once, but have done big sections over the last 30 odd years.
Utahtea
Jul 6th, 2006, 07:14 AM
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UT, you might be right, but I took her at her word. I figure everybody should drive the Pacific Coast at least once.
We've done from the GGB to Victoria in one shot before, but California has TOO many people for
me these days to do the LA to Mexico stretch,
which is what I lack to be complete.
We've done from the GGB to Victoria in one shot before, but California has TOO many people for
me these days to do the LA to Mexico stretch,
which is what I lack to be complete.
Jul 6th, 2006, 07:25 AM
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We are road trip junkies. Every year for the last 33 years DH and I have gone on a road trip and sometimes we've squeezed two into one year.
Our top two longest trips:
Driving up the Alaska Highway and spending three weeks in Alaska and coming back on the Alaska Highway. This was our biggest adventure by far! 7,876 miles in 37 days.
We live in California and our first, (longest) road trip was to the East Coast. We pretty much made a fast dash across the western US on Interstate 40 (which by the way is a very nice drive...lots of historic old route 66) to the Smokey Mountains National Park, Appromattox Court House National Historical Park, Historical Williamsburg (3 day tour), Washington DC (4 days), Gettysburg National Military Park, Niagra Falls, Mammoth Caves and ended up in Zion National Park just to relax before going home. We did some other sightseeing along the way too. 8,472 mikles in 37 days.
Utahtea
Our top two longest trips:
Driving up the Alaska Highway and spending three weeks in Alaska and coming back on the Alaska Highway. This was our biggest adventure by far! 7,876 miles in 37 days.
We live in California and our first, (longest) road trip was to the East Coast. We pretty much made a fast dash across the western US on Interstate 40 (which by the way is a very nice drive...lots of historic old route 66) to the Smokey Mountains National Park, Appromattox Court House National Historical Park, Historical Williamsburg (3 day tour), Washington DC (4 days), Gettysburg National Military Park, Niagra Falls, Mammoth Caves and ended up in Zion National Park just to relax before going home. We did some other sightseeing along the way too. 8,472 mikles in 37 days.
Utahtea
Jul 8th, 2006, 01:30 PM
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It's over 20 years since we did our very biggest road trip, seven weeks, 10,000 miles from southern California to the east coast and back. We pulled a travel trailer, with three kids, 8, 10, and 12. We took the southern route east, via Yuna and Tucson, stopping off in Carlsbad Caverns, then to San Antonio and Alamo and Riverwalk, to Galveston, New Orleans and family in Pensacola. Down to Dinseyworld, then up through Atlanta to Smoky Mountains, Ashville to Williamsburgh, which the kids loved. We camped nesr Washington DC.and were there on the 4th for the firworks. We spent a week there and still didn't see everything, then headed for Gettysburgh and visited relatives in PA near Hershey. Did a day trip to Philadelphia, then headed north to Niagra Falls, crossing over into Canada for our trip back to Detroit. Loved Greenfield Village, visited relatives in Grand Rapids, then south to Indianpolis and the speedway, on to Memmphis and back through Little Rock to Albuquerque, where we visited more relatives and on home. To this day the kids will talk about the things we did and saw, including some memorable breakdowns. I planned for months ahead, trying to alternte travel days with "doing something" days, so the kids would stay happy. I consider it a real achievement that we left with three and returned with three!!
Jul 8th, 2006, 03:39 PM
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I agree with bbqboy. US50 is a nice route to do a roadtrip on. It starts from the Atlantic Ocean, pass the Bay Bridge across Chesapeake Bay, Anapolis, Washington, then a nice route through the Appalachia.
It cuts through the Midwest far enough away from the interstates, yet still go through the major cities like Cincinnati and St. Louis.
And of course, it cuts through the Rockies at Monarch Pass (over 11,000ft); and it's the "Loniest Highway" across Nevada before hitting Lake Tahoe and down to Sacramento.
The only parts it shares with an interstate are a short stretch in KS with I-35, and the very beautiful stretch with I-70 in Eastern Utah.
Another cool route will be US2 across the northern US. However, it disappears between Lake Champlain (NY/VT border) and the Straits of Mackinac in MI. You may go through Canada and follow the Trans-Canada for that stretch if you haven't done the Trans-Canada before.
It cuts through the Midwest far enough away from the interstates, yet still go through the major cities like Cincinnati and St. Louis.
And of course, it cuts through the Rockies at Monarch Pass (over 11,000ft); and it's the "Loniest Highway" across Nevada before hitting Lake Tahoe and down to Sacramento.
The only parts it shares with an interstate are a short stretch in KS with I-35, and the very beautiful stretch with I-70 in Eastern Utah.
Another cool route will be US2 across the northern US. However, it disappears between Lake Champlain (NY/VT border) and the Straits of Mackinac in MI. You may go through Canada and follow the Trans-Canada for that stretch if you haven't done the Trans-Canada before.
Jul 8th, 2006, 03:54 PM
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Where are you based? I'm from the east coast and always considered driving cross-country to be "the ultimate". I've done it once, but unfortunately, had to do it too quickly due to relocation timing!
My aunt and I are also fans of roadtrips. Probably the best one we've done is Atlanta, GA to Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA. The key factors for us are in-car entertainment, and it's usually a contest to see who can come up with the wackiest ways to combat boredom!
One suggestion - as a junky of all things travel, I subscribe to three travel mags. My favorite is Budget Travel, and the primary reason is because in every issue, they feature a random road trip. I usually rip out every one and save it for future reference!
My aunt and I are also fans of roadtrips. Probably the best one we've done is Atlanta, GA to Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA. The key factors for us are in-car entertainment, and it's usually a contest to see who can come up with the wackiest ways to combat boredom!
One suggestion - as a junky of all things travel, I subscribe to three travel mags. My favorite is Budget Travel, and the primary reason is because in every issue, they feature a random road trip. I usually rip out every one and save it for future reference!
Jul 10th, 2006, 03:16 PM
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rkkwan: we have done a part of US 2--a stretch of it in northern Montana when we missed a 24-hr border crossing in Saskatchewan and had to drive to farthest Alberta (Sweetgrass) to find one. Unfortunately, it was 2am when we were on it, so, whilst the drive itself was amazing, we saw so desperately little (sigh)...
bbqboy: Our main reason for US 1 (and it is the eastern 1, not the western 101, we want to do) is that it stretches from the farthest tip of Maine (and technically Canada, were we to go that far) and travels south right the way down to Key West. It does pass through quite a few heavily populated areas, but it also traverses some beautiful small towns (near as we can tell in our research) and hugs the coast a bit in places, providing ample opportunity for some small detours. We'd reckoned on taking a full month to do it, too, so we'd have time to see quite a bit.
ceb1222: thanks for the tip on the mags! We'll definitely have to check that out for the future. We've picked up a few books on the matter, including something which I think is called America's Scenic By-Ways or something such, as well as books like Roadside America and the like. There is certainly no shortage of roads for us to drive, so we're curious for the 'big' suggestions (like those we find in the guide books) as well as those of you who have the same passion we have.
We're from the greater Harrisburg, PA area originally, though I currently live abroad (Ireland) and my best friend is relocating soon. We would probably meet up back home, though, since our parents are in no great danger of moving any time soon!
We've done a few of them now, as I'd mentioned in the initial post, so that we've come to know we cannot leave the driveway without a few essentials: several dozen specially created mix CDs (for our first cross-country trek, I made a mix tape for every state we were passing through; can I just say how difficult it is to get music for or about Iowa?); journals and plenty of pens to record place names and park names and anything else we see; and a tiny voice-activated tape recorder to record impressions or to make notes on the road for when we can't grab a journal and pen. The tape recorder is also indispensable when taking pictures ("And this is picture number 42, the third of the sunset pictures in the Great Smoky Mountains"!).
I'm so glad for so many of the memories and suggestions that you have all posted so far; keep them coming!
bbqboy: Our main reason for US 1 (and it is the eastern 1, not the western 101, we want to do) is that it stretches from the farthest tip of Maine (and technically Canada, were we to go that far) and travels south right the way down to Key West. It does pass through quite a few heavily populated areas, but it also traverses some beautiful small towns (near as we can tell in our research) and hugs the coast a bit in places, providing ample opportunity for some small detours. We'd reckoned on taking a full month to do it, too, so we'd have time to see quite a bit.
ceb1222: thanks for the tip on the mags! We'll definitely have to check that out for the future. We've picked up a few books on the matter, including something which I think is called America's Scenic By-Ways or something such, as well as books like Roadside America and the like. There is certainly no shortage of roads for us to drive, so we're curious for the 'big' suggestions (like those we find in the guide books) as well as those of you who have the same passion we have.
We're from the greater Harrisburg, PA area originally, though I currently live abroad (Ireland) and my best friend is relocating soon. We would probably meet up back home, though, since our parents are in no great danger of moving any time soon!
We've done a few of them now, as I'd mentioned in the initial post, so that we've come to know we cannot leave the driveway without a few essentials: several dozen specially created mix CDs (for our first cross-country trek, I made a mix tape for every state we were passing through; can I just say how difficult it is to get music for or about Iowa?); journals and plenty of pens to record place names and park names and anything else we see; and a tiny voice-activated tape recorder to record impressions or to make notes on the road for when we can't grab a journal and pen. The tape recorder is also indispensable when taking pictures ("And this is picture number 42, the third of the sunset pictures in the Great Smoky Mountains"!).
I'm so glad for so many of the memories and suggestions that you have all posted so far; keep them coming!
Jul 10th, 2006, 03:31 PM
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You need http://www.roadfood.com for the east coast. More dining/funky information than you can shake a stick at.
I wasn't against US 1, sounds intriguing. I've just never heard anyone refer to it as an ultimate trip, I guess because it's so heavily traveled.
Have fun.
I wasn't against US 1, sounds intriguing. I've just never heard anyone refer to it as an ultimate trip, I guess because it's so heavily traveled.
Have fun.
Jul 10th, 2006, 05:14 PM
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US1 is fine from its start at the Canadian border down to just north of Boston. After that, there's really little reason to drive it - all you find are traffic lights through urban and surburban areas through Philly. [Exception being the stretch in RI's "South County".]
It may be fine if you're writing an National Geographic article, but it's not fun traveling.
After Richmond, VA, US1 goes more inland than I-95, but other than Raleigh, Columbia and Augusta, there is really little to see. Just trees, small towns and more trees and small towns. You may be bored out of your mind driving through GA on US1.
Once you get to FL, you'll probably drive A1A instead of US1, until last part to Key West.
It may be fine if you're writing an National Geographic article, but it's not fun traveling.
After Richmond, VA, US1 goes more inland than I-95, but other than Raleigh, Columbia and Augusta, there is really little to see. Just trees, small towns and more trees and small towns. You may be bored out of your mind driving through GA on US1.
Once you get to FL, you'll probably drive A1A instead of US1, until last part to Key West.
Jul 12th, 2006, 01:22 PM
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padams: Awesome on the Oregon Trail! What a fun adventure... I'd like to one day do Route 66 the entire way - a lot of that is now dirt roads...
lazuli: I'm originally from the greater Harrisburg area as well! My parents are still there... I've since moved far and wide, but that's a great location to start from for many a road trip.
lazuli: I'm originally from the greater Harrisburg area as well! My parents are still there... I've since moved far and wide, but that's a great location to start from for many a road trip.
Jul 12th, 2006, 01:27 PM
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How about the Blue Ridge Parkway along with the Natchez Trace Parkway? You'll find everything on your list on that route. 'Course, you'll have to leave the parkway to get to a lot of them, but that's one the best features--nothing commercial on the drives themselves.
Jul 30th, 2006, 11:46 AM
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Ceb1222: we're from around Ski Roundtop. It's such a great area from which to begin; you're right. We've got 81, 83, 76, 15... we are spoilt for choice, that's for sure. We've never done 81 from start to finish, and have thought about that, particularly since we just drove a large chunk of it on our way to GA. We'd just probably be tempted to start south and work our way north, and would inevitably get off on 11 and go home!
Jul 31st, 2006, 08:59 AM
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We have done the complete r.1 but on two separate tours.We're touring the States now since 1998, every two years for about 30 days.I'm retired so we can take our time. I have to agree with Utahtea, parts of the road are fine but I would not call that the ultimate road trip.Here are the tours we made so far :
1998: southwest: L.A-S.Diego-Phoenix-Flagstaff-G.Canyon-Monument valley-Lake Powell-Bryce canyon-Zion N.Park-L.Vegas-Stovepipe wells(Death valley)-Mammoth lakes-Tioga pass-Yosemite n.park-Mariposa-S.Francisco-Monterrey-Big Sur-S.Barbara-S.Monica-LA
2000: Oakland(S.franc.) Sonoma valley- Eureka-Coos bay-estuary Columbia river-Kelso-Mount Rainier-Seattle-Vancouver-Wells gray park-Jasper-Columbia icefields-Banff-Yoho park-Wateron lakes-Glacier N.Park- Kalispell-Helena-Gardiner(Yellowstone )-Jackson(G.Tetons)-S.L.City-Nevada desert-Elko-Lake Tahoe-Mono lake-Tioga pass-Yosemite-Oakland
2002
enver-R.Mountain N.Park-Steamboat springs-Torrington(Fort Laramie)-Keystone(S.Dakota)-Devils tower-Custer battlefield-Billings-Beartooth mountains-Yellowstone-W.Yellowstone-Cody-Rock springs-Torrey(Capitol reef)-Moa
Arches-Canyonlands-Nat.Bridges-4 state point-Canyon de Chelly-Petrifid forrest- Gallup-S. Fe-Taos-Chaco canyon-Durango-(Mesa Verde)-Silverton-Black canyon Gunnison-Gunnison-Aspen-Manitou springs-Colorado springs-Denver
2004; 6 N.England states-Boston-Salem-Portland-Bar Harbor-Rangeley lakes-Jackson(NH)-Shelburne(Vermont)-Bennington-Mohawk trail-Williamstown(Clark museum)-Litchfield(Conn)-N.Haven- Mystic seaport-Newport (RH.ISL)-Woods hole(Cape Cod-Provincetown-Martha's vineyard)-Plymouth- Boston
We're leaving on 9/11 for the following;
Washington DC-MT.Vernon-Annapolis-Williamsburh-Outer banks-Wilmington- Charleston-Savannah-Atlanta-Gatlinburg-Asheville-Blue ridge parkay-Roanoke-Charlottesville-arpers ferry-Washington dc.Greetings from Belgium.Paul
1998: southwest: L.A-S.Diego-Phoenix-Flagstaff-G.Canyon-Monument valley-Lake Powell-Bryce canyon-Zion N.Park-L.Vegas-Stovepipe wells(Death valley)-Mammoth lakes-Tioga pass-Yosemite n.park-Mariposa-S.Francisco-Monterrey-Big Sur-S.Barbara-S.Monica-LA
2000: Oakland(S.franc.) Sonoma valley- Eureka-Coos bay-estuary Columbia river-Kelso-Mount Rainier-Seattle-Vancouver-Wells gray park-Jasper-Columbia icefields-Banff-Yoho park-Wateron lakes-Glacier N.Park- Kalispell-Helena-Gardiner(Yellowstone )-Jackson(G.Tetons)-S.L.City-Nevada desert-Elko-Lake Tahoe-Mono lake-Tioga pass-Yosemite-Oakland
2002
enver-R.Mountain N.Park-Steamboat springs-Torrington(Fort Laramie)-Keystone(S.Dakota)-Devils tower-Custer battlefield-Billings-Beartooth mountains-Yellowstone-W.Yellowstone-Cody-Rock springs-Torrey(Capitol reef)-MoaArches-Canyonlands-Nat.Bridges-4 state point-Canyon de Chelly-Petrifid forrest- Gallup-S. Fe-Taos-Chaco canyon-Durango-(Mesa Verde)-Silverton-Black canyon Gunnison-Gunnison-Aspen-Manitou springs-Colorado springs-Denver2004; 6 N.England states-Boston-Salem-Portland-Bar Harbor-Rangeley lakes-Jackson(NH)-Shelburne(Vermont)-Bennington-Mohawk trail-Williamstown(Clark museum)-Litchfield(Conn)-N.Haven- Mystic seaport-Newport (RH.ISL)-Woods hole(Cape Cod-Provincetown-Martha's vineyard)-Plymouth- Boston
We're leaving on 9/11 for the following;
Washington DC-MT.Vernon-Annapolis-Williamsburh-Outer banks-Wilmington- Charleston-Savannah-Atlanta-Gatlinburg-Asheville-Blue ridge parkay-Roanoke-Charlottesville-arpers ferry-Washington dc.Greetings from Belgium.Paul
