Road Trippin' I-94, I-90, I-5, I-70, & I-80
 

Hi!

My husband and I are teachers (late 20s), and we love exploring our beautiful country! This will be our fourth, and longest, Summer Road Trip. Our previous three trips include Chicago to Maine, Chicago to Yellowstone, and Route 66 out to California. Our plans & destinations are (mostly) tentative, our duration is flexible, and we're open to all suggestions!

We'll be starting and ending in Chicago, with plans of taking I-94 W & I-90 W to Seattle (visiting family), heading south on I-5 to San Francisco (visiting friends and family), attending a wedding in Reno on August 5th (which is the only mandatory date!), then hopping on I-70 E & I-80 E through Breckenridge & Denver (visiting friends & family), before heading back to Chicago. We'd like to limit our time in the car each day to around 8 hours, leaving plenty of time for exploring cities, attractions, and destinations. We obviously have accommodations in the cities mentioned above, but are open to Airbnbs, Hotels, B&Bs, or even camping/glamping along the way! We'd also love some descriptions about what these drives are like (specifically ND, MT, ID and WA, and NV to UT and CO).

We're adventurers & are willing to trek off the beaten path. We love history & National Parks, and aren't above stopping at destinations like the great Mitchell Corn Palace. We're total foodies & we'll be driving a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. So... what should we do?! Thank you!

I would want to work Yellowstone/Grand Teton NPs in a trip like this. You also might like Badlands and Mt. Rushmore while going west. Finding lodging in/near the parks might be difficult, but if you are willing to camp that might be a little easier. In any case call and keep calling as people make reservations way in advance and cancel as time gets close.

On the way back consider any of the southern Utah parks like Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands etc. Also in Colorado stop at Mesa Verde and Rocky Mt. NPs.

To avoid a long rather boring stretch of I-5 in Oregon, take I-205 in Washington into Oregon near PDX and then take I-84 east past the waterfalls to Hood River. From Hood River, south on Rt. 35 on the east side of Mt. Hood. When you get to US 26 go east to Madras and then south on US 97 to Bend.
Spend a night in Bend.
From the south end of Bend, it is 90 miles to the north entrance of Crater Lake NP. The snow at the north entrance should be melted by July 15. Leave Crater Lake by the south entrance and either go back to US 97 (east on 62) or west on 62 to get back to Medford and I-5.
If you go by US 97 you hit I-5 in Weed California.
A great stop along I-70 in Colorado is Glenwood Springs.
Try to get a dip in the world's largest hot spring fed swimming pool.

A couple suggestions at the start:

There's the modern architecture icon at St. John's University, which is free http://www.archdaily.com/255902/ad-c...-marcel-breuer

As you get across North Dakota there's a pretty wayside rest
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Me...4d-103.5243536

Both of these short stops, but worth it.

Since you've already been to Yellowstone, and given you'll be traveling in the peak period, I'd probably skip it.

I much prefer I-90 over I-94 on the road out from Chicago. You mentioned the Corn Palace, but with I-90 you can also stop at Badlands NP and the Black Hills - Deadwood, Lead, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse - and stop at the Little Bighorn battlefield in Montana - very evocative.

I would NOT take I-5 south into California. The Oregon coast and the redwoods along US 101 are world treasures and shouldn't be missed.

Here's a map embodying these suggestions - https://goo.gl/maps/pC5HhtEJzfQ2

- I-90 across the country via the Badlands and Black Hills.

- Detour to the Columbia River Gorge, Hood River Valley and Mt. Hood en route to the Oregon coast.

- US 101 from the central Oregon coast all the way to San Francisco, via the redwoods.

- Back to Chicago via Colorado as per your current plans.

There are any number of detours, side trips or spurs possible all along this route, depending on time and budget. It's worth noting that prices in some places, particularly Seattle and San Francisco, are very high in the summer, and some places, particularly near national parks, can have very limited accommodations unless booked in advance.

Happy planning!

Unless you're setting out for months I'd save SD for another trip, it's close. Assuming you miss Twin Cities traffic I-94 is the faster way west vs I-90.