Road trip
 

Last summer we flew to Denver (live in Cleveland) and did a road trip to Badlands, Bighorn, Cody, Cheyenne, Yellowstone, Tetons and Rocky Mt. NP.

This summer we would like to hit some areas in Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

We want to fly to ?? to same on time, then need 2 week road trip itinerary.

Need suggestions and ideas

Hello Neuman....

We do similar trips... here's two more

Phoenix... scottsdale, Jerome, Flagstaff, Sedona, Meteor Crater, Sunset Crater, Lowell Observatory, Grand Canyon...


San Francisco... Napa/Sonoma, Yosemite, Muir Woods, Coastal Highway south along Ocean, Big Sur, Monterrey, Carmel...

You are spreading yourself out geographically, more so than on your last trip. I would concentrate on the Northwest, do a grand tour starting and ending in Seattle, which would allow you to see the Cascades (Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Crater Lake) and come back up the coast including the Olympic Peninsula. That is more than enough for 2 weeks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...th/4229833793/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...th/4235007458/

Your travel style and mine probably don't mesh but here goes:
Fly to Portland It's your choice whether you go to see Crater Lake or a long stretch of the Oregon coast (not both). Spend 2 or a max of 3 days for this. Turn in the Oregon rental car and take a Cascades (Amtrak) train to Seattle. Rent another car for 2 days to see what you want to see in the Seattle area. Return that car and then get on the Amtrak Empire Builder to Whitefish Montana. Rent another car for a week to see the parts of western Montana and northern Idaho area you want to see.
3 rental cars making loops and 2 trains beats 1 rental car with a big drop off. Fly home from Montana.

Tom,

I am liking the idea of the trains. Not sure about Seattle, we spent a couple of days there prior to Alaska Inside Passage cruise, even though I know there is more to see there.

We put 2800 miles on rental last summer, less driving would be nice.

Micheal,
Beautiful pics, looks like you take as many as we do. I told our kids their inheritance is photo albums!

Thanks. They were not all taken on the same trip. BTW, most of the known scenic sites are not particularly accessible by train.

Micheal,

LOL, the scenic ones never are, they always require a lot of "hoofing it!"

I am liking the train idea though. I am thinking flying to Portland then the train to MT maybe a good idea.