Raleigh, NC to Seattle, WA mid-January HELP
 

Traveling from Raleigh to Seattle. Leaving January 17 (very early) and must arrive by January 21 for new job.

What is the best route to take? There are two of us and a dog. Traveling in a Subaru Outback. We don't mind long days of driving. Would rather just get there as early as possible. Hope to do 750 miles per day.

Advice appreciated.

Don't do more than 500 miles per day. Be safe for yourself and others on the road. LaQuintas are great for traveling with pups. I'll be back with a route suggestion.

Here's one option. I'd slow it down and see things along the waym but you don't have time.
Each city has a LQ -
Jan. 17 - Charlotte to Clarksville TN - 7 h 13 min (454 mi)
Jan 18 - Clarkesville to Omaha NE - 10 h 23 min (695 mi) - long drive day
Jan 19 - Omaha to Rapid City - 7 h 23 min (524 mi)
Jan 20 - RC to Bozeman MT - 7 h 10 min (459 mi)
Jan 21 - Bozeman to Seatte - 10 h 11 min (677 mi - long drive day
Use Google maps to see the route.
LQ locations -
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquin...BoCP5wQAvD_BwE

But that won't work for your new job.

42 hours of driving in 4 days is hard driving. In January, you may run into big storms/ blizzards. You really need another day for the drive - to drive it safely. Don't drive more than professional drivers are allowed to drive - safely.

750 miles on some days in rural America isn't offensive, with two drivers.

The problematic part is the mid-January element.

A random online map service listed two alternatives (as perhaps the fastest - AT the moment I made the query)

And it is far more sensible to take the southern-most of those two paths, than to take the northern path among them.


Somebody with the OP's time constraints need not bother enlisting others for scenic routes or interesting stops...

You've just gotta GET (here) - a-LIVE!

Best to monitor the weather AS you travel, and improvise sensibly along the way.

A path through Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming has the true test when trying to get through the Rockies east of Salt Lake City on I-84. The rest of that path is likely to be decent.

Another reason to HAUL A#% on days when you can, is so that you have 12-24 hours to stop and wait for weather if need be.


On the final leg, when you reach... Pendleton, Oregon... be monitoring the weather along I-90 into Seattle... and at/near Pendleton, go west on I-84 toward Portland IF weather is threatening on Snoqualmie Pass, which is I-90.

Indeed it could be terrible weather on that route too, but the Columbia River would likely be more tame than the mountain pass (not always - as ice storms come to Portland now and again using the Columbia River Gorge as a feeder of cold air).

IF you got to the Portland area that way, bad weather from there to Seattle is most often RAIN... which you're going to have to get used to anyway.

New 4 day version -
Raleigh to Evansville IN - 10 h 26 min (688 mi)
Evansville to Sioux Falls - 11 h 31 min (774 mi)
SF to Bozeman - 11 h 55 min (802 mi)
Bozeman to Seattle - 10 h 11 min (677 mi)

Make hotel reservations. You don't want to be making this drive with a dog without reservations.

And what if you run into weather?? That is VERY likely. You really do need to leave a day or two earlier . . . and still pray to he weather gods.

Having driven to Denver (1600 miles from Charlotte in two days) regularly for 30 years, and sometimes in the winter, NWmate has the best ideas. And as a parent of kids who have done it non-stop by switching drivers, it is possible. Equip your car for winter--food, water, blankets, safety kit, flashlights, etc. PHONE CHARGER. Keep Booking.com on speed dial if you are going to stop at a motel.

I looked at google and from Raleigh they take you up through a lot of crowded places--Indianapolis/Chicago. If you take that route, DON"T do the Chicago part.

I looked at going straight acrosss to Denver and then up to Seattle and it might be only an hour or so "longer". From my experience, St. Louis is the only metropolitan area of note on that and it is easy to navigate. The motels along I70 (and probably most interstates out west) can be very economical and many allow dogs. I've done the trip with a dog also.

Watch the weather channel 4-5 days in advance of your start and perhaps make your decision on that.
One year I did this trip in February and started a day later than I meant to. Coming across Kansas was a sheet of ice and after going off the road twice I stopped in western Kansas short of my Denver goal that day. However I80 to the north was having a blizzard (real blizzard). I knew about the waather in advance and hoped.
Colorado is good about keeping the interstates open in snow --better than Kansas was that trip, I discovered!!

The other thing you will do is "gain" time as you go through the time zones and a little more daylight, but in winter that isn't a whole lot of help. But it helps psychologically!!

It certainly is possible.
Is it a good idea? Debatable.
I drove non-stop to Denver for about a decade but I was a lot younger then. My brother drove 30 hours non-stop (switching drivers once for a nap) several times a year for 30 years. Certainly doable. But when he got "home" (in both directions) he went to bed while the wife and kids enjoyed visiting with family.

It appears the OP is trying to make a strenuous drive to get to Seattle in time for a new job. As a hiring manager, I'd be concerned about how sharp s/he will be for the first week on the job. As a new employee, I'd be stressed about what happens if there is a storm and a delay. I flew from Greece to Chicago (with a short stop at home for a few hours) and I know I was dragging in that week's meetings. Is that a good way to start a new job? IMO it's better to have 1) some sort of cushion of time and 2) not start a new job after four days of 11 hours of driving each day. We are all adults and can make our own calls. I have weeks in which I fly/drive to work in four states in one week. There's a big difference between "doable" and "smart", especially when a new job is at stake.

But drive straight through if that works for you.

Re finding a hotel that accepts dogs along that stretch without reservations = others are far luckier than I have been. But Motel 6 and Red Roof Inns accept dogs. I don't feel comfortable staying at those motels but it adds to the options.

So, if we drive on the 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 (arriving mid afternoon) - would it be best to try to get a really long drive day in on the first day, if possible?

What is the consensus on the best route to take?

I am nervous about weather. Afraid of getting snowed in with nowhere to stay. I don't want to book hotels in advance because if the weather is good, and we can keep driving - I would like to do that.

We have made the drive a few times from the east coast to/from Seattle. There is no way I would opt for anything but the southern route in January. We always had limited time for these drives as they were part of our military moves, so I definitely understand needing to just get to your destination. If this were me, I would basically take 10 across the south and then I-5 up north. You still have to deal with a few areas, such as the Grapevine in southern CA and then the passes at the OR/WA border. You would want to plan your driving so that you are coming through those areas as the warmest time of the day.

With 2 drivers you can definitely make good time, but a route with better weather odds will be a major safety factor.

I most recently drove the 2 days to Denver at age 83 with my husband who does not drive.. I do like to drive--it is basically relaxing to me. I said NOTHING about driving "non-stop". Our kids did it a few times with multiple drivers.
Oh, one more thing I would have for this trip--A AAA membership.

The point about western driving is that the speed limits are high and the expanses are long. I stand by the suggestion to take the I70 route--take a look, OP. You may have to do two searches to get it to work--Raleigh to Denver and Denver Seattle.
I have not had any problem staying at the cheaper motels along I70. Columbia Missouri (about an hour west of St. Louis) is a college town and has a boatload of motels. And one time when I was there, there was a dog show in town and they were all there!!
From Raleigh if you wanted to dial in a motel there it could work pretty well--it would make a long day's drive but with 2 drivers,
might not be bad. On Booking.com you don't have to pay until you get there but can reserve. If you choose this route I would try to get past St. Louis. Do not stay in East St. Louis.
You just can't do anything about the weather except watch it days in advance and then as you go. The time it happened to me I easily found a motel because there had already been a decrease in traffic--and in these western expanses, there just may not be that much traffic.
Sorry about this link--pet friendly motels on I70
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels...S0xMi0yNVICWAU

The fastest I've ever driven cross country (Philly to Seattle) was in 4 1/2 days in early April. The big problem as I see it with your plan is the combination of bad weather and darkness. In mid-January Seattle has over an hour less of daylight than, say, Los Angeles. If you take a diagonal route (as suggested by the likes of Google Maps) you're going to have shorter daylight hours as you head west and north; if you took more of an "L-" shaped route (stay south for as long as possible) you'd have more daylight hours for driving as well as a better chance of snow- (and, importantly, ice-) free passage.

So even though it can create a time deficit on paper, I'd give strong consideration to putting in the long hours by staying south - an I-40/I-10 route ideally - until you're past the Great Plains and Rockies, then turn right and head north. Use detailed weather forecasts to see if I-40 is clear through northern Arizona (high elevation = snow and ice risk) and if it's dicey, stay on I-10 where the odds are lower that it will be wintry.

But honestly, and I know this is probably on the mind of every poster, even if they don't say it, but trying to do this route in the dead of winter and hoping to set some kind of speed record, especially with a doggie that needs to eat and pee... well, I don't like the plan. At all. Is there any way possible you would intercede with somebody - your current or future employers, etc. - to give you more time? My concern is that it sounds like you really have to make certain deadlines - when you can leave and when you must arrive, and "certainty" in cross-country drives in January - three mountain ranges (Appalachians, Rockies and Cascades or Sierras) as well as the Great Plains where there can be 60 knot crosswinds on icy highways - in the dark - is just not something you can expect. You could easily use up the time "savings" offered by a direct route with just one day of being weathered out - hunkered down in some motel next to a icy freeway for example.

Or think about this. There are several daily nonstop flights from RDU to SEA which in January will cost $99 per person. If the pup can travel with you in the passenger compartment, that's doable; if he/she needs to be crated it's done all the time, and having a nonstop will make it easy on him/her. You can ship your vehicle from Raleigh to Seattle for around $1000, maybe a bit less (lots of online shipping services for estimates) which will probably be a little more expensive than gas, food, and four or five nights' lodging during the drive, but probably not that much more.

But you'll be safe, you can take the time to stay in Raleigh or get to Seattle early. Rent a car for a few days while yours is en route, and get on with things. With all the stress of relocation, a new job in a new city, etc., why add to it with a scary, dark, cold drive? Just my 2c.

I completely agree with everything Gardyloo wrote, but in particular the above.

The southern route makes more sense at that time of year, but takes more time. In short, you need more time. If this were just an ill-advised winter vacation route, I'd be more optimistic about it. But if you need to be there to start a new job (and or to check in for a military assignment) it's a really bad idea. You need more time no matter route you take. The southern route is "smarter" but you need the time for it.

We've sent dogs back and forth via Delta Dash or similar. You may want to see about getting YOU there on time for a new job and have the other person take a more leisurely drive out with the dog. Of both of you fly out and then have someone from "home" send the dog to you when you are settled in. Not having the dog along for the ride means a lot more flexibility re hotels/ motels.

If you can move up your depature day by at least two days, you'll have a much better experience. Or you get out there on time and figure out the other details. If it weren't a new job, I'd have far fewer concerns. Getting stuck in a blizzard and having to hunker down for a day or few means you are late with no alternatives.

I would not worry at all about taking a dog along. We always had our pets with us for these drives, including a frog once. There are loads of places to stay with pets, and as kong as you have access to a phone, it is easy enough to find pet friendly lodging at a moments notice, IME.

I may plan several routes, then look at weather to determine best route.

So far:

Route 1 - TOTAL 45 hours 3000 miles
Raleigh to Denver (1691 miles, 25 hours) - This route avoids weather north (West VA)
Take I-40 W, I-24 W, I-57 N, I-64 W and I-70 W to Denver.
Denver to Seattle 20 h (1,316 miles)via I-80 W and I-84 W

Route 2- ~45 hours 2900 miles
Raleigh to Evansville, IN - 10 h 39 min (688 miles) via I-40 W
Follow I-40 W, I-24 W and I-69 to US-41 N
Evansville to Sioux Falls, SD 11 h 33 min (774 miles)
via I-70 W and I-29 N
Sioux Falls to Bozeman, MT 11 h 53 min (802 miles)
via I-90 W
Bozeman, MT to Seattle, WA - 10 h 17 min (677 miles)
via I-90 W

Route 3 51 hours, 3400 miles
Raleigh to Las Vegas 34 h (2,331 miles)
I- 40
Las Vegas to Seattle 17 h 22 min (1,125.1 mi) via US-93 N and I-84 W


Route 4 ????
Southern route I-10 to I-5
what would be the best place to pick this route up?



PLEASE critique these routes and suggest other safer or better routes keeping weather in mind. Assume 5 days driving.

Thanks

Yes, I have been looking into this. I got quotes for the car ranging any where from $1100 to $1500.
Flights are cheap.
Cost for dog in Delta cargo is $371.

I am honestly trying to work this out to be the safest route. The job cannot be delayed.

Can anyone recommend a reliable auto shipper?

As I already mentioned, I would opt for route 4 for safety reasons. We always did the trip from GA and FL, so I can't make the personal recommendation on where to pick up that route from NC. Just take a look at the map and see what is fastest. Five days of driving is doable. We have done that as well. Not leisurely by any means, but doable.

I could take I85 down to Mobile and pick up I-10. Would I take I-10 into San Diego? Where would I pick up I-5?
I've been looking at the map, but I can't figure the rout without connecting cities.

Once you are on I-10, which route do you take into Seattle?

Thanks.

MUCH better than 4!

Decide 5 days before you leave by the weather report for snow. You can take rain in the east.
I recognize the "reasons" for the most southern route but it could end up being a full day longer just by the number of metropolitan areas travelled through.

I would rule out Route 1 categorically in the winter. You can hit winter weather from the very beginning.

An all wheel drive vehicle will help you but please remember, NOT in braking distance and particularly NOT ON ICE.

"Once you are on I-10, which route do you take into Seattle?"
I hope you have a GPS app on your phone or in your car. I like WAZE a lot for directions.

You don't need to go as far west as San Diego. You can cut north through the desert on US 95 and/or I-40 and bypass all the southern California (San Diego, LA) traffic, saving a lot of time, as in this case from Phoenix. https://goo.gl/maps/5CUMvbRop181AwKJA

.
From San Diego or southern CA to Seattle is by itself 1200 miles/21 hours!!. I recognize the recommendation for a southern route but this is a LOT south and adding a lot of driving IMO.

MY vibe on this is that you cover lots of ground in the early couple of days of your trip (you're 'south', the weather is '... better (?????) ', and your major weather obstacles lie well ahead).

Once you need to commit toward the north, IF you need to drive most of the night, you can DO it, with time "saved" based on how much territory you covered each day in the early going.

I too admit that they are really good at keeping the I-70 pass open west of Denver... BUT WHEN IT SNOWS there, even the bravest likely pull off the road and get a room.

IF you have 12-ish hours to spare at such a point, you pull off and get a room, and get recharged (in every way)... and then you press on.

BUT you are far more comfortable in such a scenario IF you made tracks when darting out of the Carolinas.

If you heed the couple of hotel chains mentioned here that allow dogs... maybe VISIT one and get their little "Motel 6" catalog with info/data for all Motel 6's in all states... that can be handy on the road as you're improvising on the fly.

You have SO many advantages with two drivers, and if you really go at it between, say, Raleigh and Denver, then you can create a margin for error.

I am NOT endorsing a break-neck pace that endangers your lives... only that you optimize what you have.



The "L-shaped route" (using Los Angeles, for rough guesstimates)... adds another 12 hours of driving (to 45 already)


... and even an "L-shaped route" using Fillmore, Utah adds 6 hours... WHICH WOULD BE a fine sacrifice IF guarantEED to be major-weather-free. (of course you can't know)


The critical goal (from the moment you leave your house) should be how best to get through the Rockies.

Second to that goal is how best to avoid areas with major cities and their traffic jams.

(if you've built-up a time cushion, for having been 'efficient' with your two drivers driving all day early... AND IF weather concerns don't appear to be dire up ahead... you might ONCE afford to arrive into some city at about 3pm and just get a room THEN... taking the time to re-charge and get a good meal while avoiding their rush hour traffic and getting a solid night of sleep for a change)

You can probably drive for a long while from Raleigh before you need to make critical CHOICES about the path up ahead.


I hope the weather gods are kind to you, but don't worry about it.

And I don't expect that new employers on this end will be very harsh in a case where they know why you are so lethargic upon arrival. It isn't like you were out drinking until 3:45 am.

NWMale says I too admit that they are really good at keeping the I-70 pass open west of Denver... BUT WHEN IT SNOWS there, even the bravest likely pull off the road and get a room

Having skiied in Colorado for many years coming from Carolina, we have had to drive in snow a number of times. Colorado will tell you when to get off the interstate by saying "Chain law". When we have had to get to the airport to leave, we just kept going albeit at whatever low speed the traffic was going. But the time cushion NWmale suggests is right on.
Watch the weather ahead of you and plan accordingly.

I would not make the drive without reservations with a dog.
Others would but there's no way I would. It may be 2 or 3 hours along some stretches before you'll get to a place large enough for hotels and/or have one that allows pets. If that's 2 or 3 hours past 6pm, then pet-friendly rooms may have been booked. This happened to me in south GA last week. I THOUGHT I made a reservation at a hotel ($35 non-refundable pet fee) but when the day rolled around I realized I had not. On the verge of panic I called my vet and they had an opening for boarding. Even so, there was no decent hotel with availability for that night within three hours of my destination. If you are in an area with lots of hotels, you'll be okay. Less okay traveling with a dog. But if you've pushed to drive more, you run the risk of 1) finding a hotel for the humans and 2) maybe having the dog sleep in the car.

Others say they do it without any problems. If you decide to do it without reservations, I hope you have similar luck. That has not been my personal experience.

Make a reservation that can be cancelled by 6pm and if you are stif feeling good at 5pm, try to find a hotel 2 or 3 hours ahead and THEN cancel the hotel room. I've found that making reservations in advance helps me self-regulate and not push past the point of safe driving. If it were summer, you could pull over into a KOA and sleep in the car. I did that a lot when I was younger. I had a safe place to sleep when I was tired, and I had a car with huge sofa sized seats.

Do what works for you, but if a storm hits you won't be the person looking for a room. You'll already have a reservation. I've driven back and forth across this country,staying at LQs = no pet fees, friendly staff, free (although carb heavy) breakfasts.

Edited to add - years ago I lived a few miles off 20 in Texad and Georgia. In December, an ice storm hit both cities several days apart. I was afraid that I would not be able to get "home" for the holidays and then it looked like I may not be able to get back for work in Texas. Ice storms hit southern states too. I'll look at the route and you could dip down to 20 in GA and go across, but they are redoing the bridges in Birmingham right now. The Amariillo LQ is a good option along the TX route.

Since there are two of you, can you just try to get to Las Vegas by the 16th? and you fly up and the other finish driving?

It isn't a route that I'd contemplate in winter in a hurry. I would go as far south as possible if you MUST drive I would go approximately like this...

Raleigh to approx Dallas area in two days depending on weather. If the weather is decent maybe you'll get farther. Then one day to approx Lordsburg NM (only because I know a great Motel 6 there). Then one day to Barstow or Bakersfield (when you reach Phoenix you can decide to split up to 40). From Bakersfield to Seattle is still a two day drive (17 hours).

BTW snow isn't the only bad weather that you may run into. In California winter is "tule fog" season which can be a dangerous time to drive via the Central Valley.

With a cellphone and backup paper maps. Motel 6 allows cancellations up to 6pm on the arrival day (be sure to take into account time zone changes). I like to have them booked as a backup on road trips especially if there is touchy weather. Keep a couple of sleeping bags in the car.

For my 2 cents- Hire a third driver. Have him/her drive at least 6 hours out of 24. If the weather is iffy in northern California, I would take a southern route with I-40 all the way to Barstow (not LA or San Diego).
From Barstow it is up over the Tehachappi Pass on CA 58 to Bakersfield to tie in with CA 99 and I-5. I'm hoping you have winter tires (not all season) with plenty of tread.
Pay the airfare for your third driver home from Portland or Seattle.
I do not recommend the "cannonball run". Last month, two drivers drove from a garage in Manhattan to a famous hotel in Los Angeles in 27 hours 25 minutes at an average speed of 103 MPH with a top speed if 165 MPH. (No speeding tickets).
Pay close attention to the west coast weather forecasts as you go west and adjust your route accordingly. Have a safe trip.

Raleigh to Amarillo is 22 hours and 19 minutes. I would make a reervation at that LQ for night 2 and something 11 miles in for night 1.
Las Vegas is just under 13 hours past Amarillo. I'd make a reservation 2 hours before that. Kingsman is 11 hours past Amaraillo.
It's 17.5 hours from Las Vegas to Seattle. That's too far for one day's drive and splitting it in half = 2 short days.
Kingsman to Seattle is 19.5 or 21.75 hours depending on which route you take. I'd take the risk of not making a reservation on that north/south route. I would not on the east to west route.
That would give you -
Raleigt to Amarillo = 22 hours.
Amarillo to Kingsman = 11 hours
Kingsman to Seattle = about 20 hours
I'd definitely make a reservation in the desert.
I'd make it for night 1 too. I'd pick something near Memphis.
I simply don't see a reason NOT to make a reservation at 11 hour drive intervals. IMO it's smart for many reasons. The problem, is...you may THINK you are ready to drive 2 more hours, but what if there's no room at the inn for you and your pup. Cancel before 6 if you want. We all have different levels of risk tolerance but for me it's nonsensical to think 11 hours of driving for 5 days won't impact you physically.. It's your health and safety at stake. Well, and that of your dog.

If you do get off I-40 at Kingman AZ (no s) you might want to go for an extra hour to the Hoover Dam Lodge. They do have pet friendly rooms. The lodge is soon after you go over the high bridge that is above Hoover Dam on the Nevada side. Top off the tank in Kingman. I would be leery of driving north on US 95 from Las Vegas to I-80 east of Reno. It is farther to go through Barstow but safer to drive across the Mojave Desert instead of over the Donner Pass (I-80).
The midway point between Kingman and Seattle is near Corning CA along I-5.

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all of the great input.

Get your playlists up to date and maybe a couple of books on tape. You have NO idea how long these roads are!! My first drive to Denver is when I stopped and bought an audio tape half way across Kansas.

I drive a LOT for work. I love audio books on Audible. If you need to buy something, stop at a Cracker Barrel, just off the interstates. Clean bathrooms. Good food. If you won't want to stop for a "sit down" meal, call ahead and place an order to go.

I always look for McDonalds and Starbucks for bathrooms and wifi (and coffee).

Fill up before you leave Arizona..gas is a lot cheaper than in California! Kingman is as good a place for a pitstop or overnight as any, if the timing works out. The is a choice of La Quinta or two Motel 6's.

For me, I try to get farther (Barstow etc, if I'm not too tired). One problem is that driving toward California you will find the sun in your eyes on those stretches of highway in the late afternoon before you're ready to stop. So it might be just as well to stop early and get up early the next day.

I love everyone's continued suggestions.

I decided to book one way tickets to Seattle, Delta cargo for my dog (nonstop flight, of course) and ship the car. The time constraints and the weather were stressing. We will do the cross country trip on our return back to Raleigh in a few months (end of April). Better planning, more time (10 days), and better weather.

We will be heading back to the West Coast (Silicon Valley area) afterwards - so we will have to fly and ship the car again. (This permanent job has much better relocation benefits than the temp job in Seattle, so we will move our household stuff then).



Can anyone recommend a reliable automobile shipper? Personal experience would be helpful. I am getting lots of quotes ranging from $1100 to $1500. - small SUV. Reviews are all over the place for most of the companies.

That is SUCH a good decision.

I'll see if I can find the company our fleet uses. If so, I'll send via PM.

For 3 months could you rent a car, use public transportation, etc. Fly back and drive to silicon Valley?

Flying is a good option for you. Hopefully there won't be temperature restrictions for your dog though. We do get cold here in Seattle, so that could very well be an issue so make sure you plan ahead for that just in case.

Gretchen, I was going to drive back and then fly to Silicon Valley.

Mms, The temperature for the dog travel is 20 degrees. Delta said it should not be a problem on this route.

Starr, thank you! I would appreciate that.