Seattle to Raleigh - PLEASE HELP
 

Travel nurses going from Seattle to Raleigh leaving next week.

What is the best route for ease and weather. Will be traveling with a dog.

Would like to do the trip in 5 days if possible.

Please help. We do not have much time to plan.

I'd google it and take a look. Watch the weather channel for possible storms that might make you go further south.

Make reservations for the night as you go--look on booking.com for motels.

I'd plan to stay in places where there is a La Quinta cause they are dog friendly.

I just looked at the I-90 corridor on RoadNow - https://roadnow.com/i90/weather-conditions - and things look fairly decent for the next week or more. So I'd just head east on I-90 then adjust southbound after South Dakota, something like this - https://goo.gl/maps/GG5TU2Ff1kzZiHkH8 .

I would definitely settle on a route and pre-book hotel space using something like Pets Welcome - https://www.petswelcome.com/ - as there will undoubtedly be some closures.

Thanks, everyone!

I have looked at the routes, but they are all so unfamiliar to me. I think it might be best to go l-90 to l-64 But I do not know.

I could drive 550 miles per day. If someone familiar with these routes could help me break it down, then I could look into hotels.

Please help. I am young and inexperienced on road trips, so I want to be safe.

(Have family in Asheville, NC - Maybe I could do the route to there, first)

How do you guys feel about this route?

Continue on I-90 E. Take I-29 S, I-70 E, I-64 E, I-24 E and I-40 E to Asheville.

Where should I try to break up stays? Which cities?

Seattle to Butte, MT (592 miles) via I -90E

Butte to Rapid CIty, IA (542 miles) via I -90E

Rapid City, IA to Omaha, NE (523 miles) via I- 90E I- 29S

Omaha, NE to Mt Vernon, IL (509 miles) vis I-29S I-70E I-64

Mt Vernon, IL to Asheville, NC (525 miles) I-64E I-75S I 640E I 40E (Lexington) OR I-24 to I-40 (Nashville) which one???




What do you guys think of this route?

I can check pet friendly hotels around these areas if they are safe areas

If there are 2 drivers (I hope) each driving at least 260 miles each day, your plan will work. Rapid City is in western South Dakota. You should try for Des Moines Iowa)(625 miles) on the third day which will make the other 2 days easier.
End of 4th day near Cincinnati or at least as far as Indianapolis. Don't go through the Smokies!

Rapid City, Iowa?

I think you mean Rapid City, South Dakota... I'm pretty sure there's no Rapid City in Iowa.

Those are really long days, one after another. If you're working from Google Maps drive times, you need to add at least 10% to every estimate.

I would definitely be watching the weather.

I think you will find you can drive further than 500 miles per day (if you want to) in the west. And these days the traffic will be MUCH lighter in any large city you pass through. As an older adult driving by myself I drive to Denver from Charlotte in 2 days (1600 miles).. I am not saying you should do that but the roads and speed limits are liberal.
I would try to drop further south to I70 sooner unless you are sure there is not bad weather predicted. And stay tuned to weather as you go. As you get further east fronts can come up from Texas that heavily affect Tennessee and the Carolinas.
It is easy to search for pet friendly, and I have found along the I70 corridor there are cheap motels that allow dogs. Think truck drivers. I'd be pretty sure that is true on I90 and (80.
I would also not agree with google maps not being accurate in drive time. I have found them to be amazingly accurate and again in this time of restricted travel, traffic will be less.

YOu will want to get your playlists, podcasts, books on tape organized!! It is just drive drive drive.

You ask -- Mt Vernon, IL to Asheville, NC (525 miles) I-64E I-75S I 640E I 40E (Lexington) OR I-24 to I-40 (Nashville) which one???
I have driven the I24 to I40 many times on the Denver trips and this is a good route.

From one point of view, I would actually try to make this in the least number of stops that is possible (= drive more each day). BECAUSE you will stay in fewer motel rooms, stop in fewer restaurants (although these will be drive thrus) and have less exposure to possible virus contamination.

Good advice so far. You will be stopping more often than others to give the dog a break, so not doing extra long drives makes sense. I am a morning person, so usually get up pretty early, grab some breakfast and then head out. We also try to limit driving to daylight hours to avoid driving in unfamiliar areas after dark.

do keep an eye on the weather, there have been some fearsome tornado outbreaks already this year.

Yes, Rapid City, SD. Sorry.

How do I avoid the smokies?

Can someone help me plan the best route?

Should I drive through West Virginia then come down I-64/I77?

I am open.

I am open to a route to Raleigh too. I probably should just do that and skip Asheville.

Please help. I feel even more confused now.

There is NO reason to avoid the Smokies.or more specifically I40 to Asheville. You go through the Pigeon River Gorge on I40 which is a beautiful road that is curvy for about 50 miles but is still an interstate--it isn't "through" the Smokies. I have no idea what that admonition is about.
If you don't need/want to go to Asheville you can continue on I70 to Dayton Ohio. From Dayton take Route 35 diagonally across southern Ohio to I77. This is not an interstate but is a beautiful 4 lane state highway across a very sparsely populated part of Ohio. Take I77 south to I40 and on to Raleigh. I have driven this route and it is very easy and straightforward.

I will also add that I have travelled that route to Denver I described above WITH a dog and the dog will not slow you down any more than your need to stop for your own benefit.

I can understand your anxiety of a cross country trip but I would say to relax a bit. It is late April--you should not have snow and ice anywhere which is the major problem of travelling on I80 and 90 in winter. You have plenty of time--actually more than you need. Lodging on interstates is quite easy to find and particularly now with the internet and sites like booking.com. And you are not alone which is also good.

If there are 2 drivers (I hope) each driving at least 260 miles each day, your plan will work. Rapid City is in western South Dakota. You should try for Des Moines Iowa)(625 miles) on the third day which will make the other 2 days easier.
Butte is good. Rapid City or Wall SD (see Wall Drug), Des Moines IA (avoid Omaha), Indianapolis IN end of 4th day. From Indianapolis you go through West Virginia to get to Raleigh which is hilly enough.
I understand taking a route that avoids Chicagoland.
As much as I like Memphis and Nashville it is too far out of your way on the way from Seattle to Raleigh.

Thanks, everyone.

What is wrong with Omaha? Is it unsafe?

Coming south from Sioux Falls SD the interstate comes down on the east side of the river to Council Bluffs IA to join I-70. Des Moines IA is a good goal from Wall or Rapid City SD.
Only the pharmacy part of Wall Drug is open now but you can see several interesting things on the outside including a jackalope.

How specifically would you break out the days?

From where to where each day?

You could just use whatever route you ended up using to drive from Raleigh to Seattle in mid-January in reverse.

Take a look at this route
Seattle-Twin Falls Idaho-Salt Lake City-Denver kansas City-St. Louis-Nashville Knoxville Asheville Raleigh. The towns you go through are not difficult. In St Louis just go straight through on i70--not the beltways.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Seat...35.7795897!3e0

We ended up flying. We shipped the car.

Thanks

If you believe weather models (these are usually decent) then the only big event this week are storms across the southeast Thu-Fri. But mostly south of your route.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f5804360b.jpg

Other than that it looks to be pretty clear sailing. Have a good trip.

Thanks, everyone! Nelson, Tom, Gretchen, Barbara, Gardy, Malloy, Jean, Austin

Any more thoughts?

We will probably leave Fri or Saturday, latest

Seattle after good breakfast to Spokane for lunch. Spokane to Butte stay overnight. After breakfast in Butte drive to Crow Agency MT for lunch. US 212 is 55 miles shorter and about 15 minutes faster than staying on I-90 to get to Wall SD. Wall to Sioux Falls (lunch) Sioux Falls to Des Moines via Council Bluffs IA. After breakfast in Des Moines, the next stop is near Peoria IL for lunch. Peoria to Richmond Indiana to end the 4th day. The fifth day has lunch in Charleston West Virginia and a great celebration dinner in Raleigh.

I agree with booking LaQuintas when traveling with a pet. LQs do not have pet fees.
I would not "wing it" driving cross country given current conditions when traveling with a pet.
I prefer to drive about 500 miles or 8 hours a day over multiple days.
I'll take a look at the route and offer recommendations. I was looking just a few days ago for a similar trip for a large part of your route.
I would pre-book LaQuintas in these cities -
Missoula
Rapid City
Omaha
Louisville
That gives you driving days of 7.5 to 10 hours a day.
You can get a free breakfast at the LaQuintas.
I often get veggies to go from Cracker Barrels (call ahead about 30 minutes from the next town).
Stop at gas stations for restrooms.
I often have dinner to go from Cracker Barrel and/or nearby Mexican restaurants. In our state, they are even including margaritas with their curbside food orders.

Some La Quintas do have pet fees, about $10-$20 per pet per night.. Most, as Starrs said, do not.

The nastiest motel I have stayed in was a LaQuinta. And also one of the nicest was a LaQuinta
YOu can get free breakfast almost everywhere now.
If you pre-book you may have to guarantee the room. With booking sites you don't have to pay until you get there so you could plan for a few hours ahead.
Pet friendly on booking.com coulc be another resource.
https://www.booking.com/pets/index.e...8aAma7EALw_wcB

I might recommend my suggested route even more because it is in a more populated corridor than Montana, and Dakotas. I don't think lodging is going to be a problem--people are staying at home.

The last time I checked, there were 5 LQs in the nation that did not allow pets, three of which were in Manhattan.

None along their route.

Note - that was a while ago because the LQ in Koreatown is no longer an LQ.

Also, LQs are now a part of the Wyndham chain so join their loyalty group before you leave. Might as well earn some points!

Edited to add - here are the LQs that do not allow pets. Obviously, a longer list after the purchase by Wyndham. I wonder what brand some of these hotels were before the merger. They weren't LQs!
La Quinta by Wyndham Aguascalientes
La Quinta by Wyndham Brooklyn Downtown
La Quinta by Wyndham Brooklyn East
La Quinta by Wyndham Cancun
La Quinta by Wyndham Cd Juarez Near US Consulate
La Quinta by Wyndham Cincinnati Airport Florence
La Quinta by Wyndham Dallas - Richardson
La Quinta by Wyndham Dallas Downtown
La Quinta by Wyndham Inglewood
La Quinta by Wyndham Leon
La Quinta by Wyndham Medellin
La Quinta by Wyndham Monterrey Aeropuerto
La Quinta by Wyndham Monterrey Centro
La Quinta by Wyndham Monterrey Norte
La Quinta by Wyndham New York City Central Park
La Quinta by Wyndham Plano Legacy Frisco
La Quinta by Wyndham Poza Rica
La Quinta by Wyndham Puebla Ciudad Modelo
La Quinta by Wyndham Puebla Palmas Angelopolis
La Quinta by Wyndham San Antonio Medical Ctr. NW
La Quinta by Wyndham San Luis Potosi
La Quinta by Wyndham Santiago Aeropuerto
La Quinta by Wyndham White Plains - Elmsford
La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Queens (New York City)
LQ Hotel by Wyndham Tegucigalpa

Something we haven't commented on or commended you for is that you obviously travelled to a "need" during this pandemic and I guess are doing it again. That concerns me because it is Raleigh, but in the meantime, thank you for answering a call, if I am correct.

Starrs, I didn't say that some La Quintas don't allow pets, I said that some of them charge for pets. I have paid pet fees myself at La Quintas. It is the very new hotels that usually charge,

For example:

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquin...arrow/overview

Understood.

Prior to the Wyndham purchase/ merger, ALL LQs were pet-friendly, except for about 5, including the ones in Manhattan. NONE of the others charged a fee.

AFTER the purchase/merger with Wyndham, things have changed. SOME charge. Good advice to check the policy before you book.

For over 20 years, I stopped at LQs when traveling with pets. I used them instead of Hiltons or IHGs, because THEIR policies were all over the place and the pet fees could be huge. Their luxury brands could be the exception - no pet fees - but when you are paying several hundred dollars for a room, that point is moot.

I don't stay at Motel 6s or Red Roof Inns. When I travel cross country, I, personally, stay at LQs. Some are good. Some aren't so great. Some are outstanding. I DO check the reviews for a given city to choose the best one based on their ratings. For example, the one in Savannah Midtown is ancient, harkening back to the first LQ design used in Texas in the 80s, but their staff was great and greeted returning pups by name. The 3rd generation design at the airport location (Pooler) was lovely and as nice or nicer than any Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express in town. Not nicer than the Kimpton (now an IHG) but very nice, especially considering the pool. I stayed at a LQ in December in Nashville that had to be an old Baymont. A truly ugly hotel, but neat and clean inside and a staff that was wonderful and loved visiting pets. I stayed at a newer one in Chattanooga that was sparkling clean and had a fenced dog park. It's apparantly their newest (4th generation) design. I don't think I've ever driven cross-country with a dog and NOT stayed at the one in Amarillo, TX. Nothing to write home about but a good location and very dog-friendly. I was planning a cross-country trip this week (hopefully for this summer) with my pups and planned to stay in LQs. None of the ones I planned to stay in charged a pet fee.

It's unfortunate that post-Wyndham merger that some 1) do not allow pets and 2) some charge for pets. But a $40 max is STILL lower than many hotel's minimum charge.

Re the one in your link in Tulsa - based on customer's feedback, management says they are reconsidering their policy (see below). I have not stayed in one that charged (yet) but a $20 pet/ $40 max is STILL a very reasonable charge - based on my experience with traveling with pups over the last 30 years.

My opinion only, of course.

"Always nice to my dogs.
Jan 25, 2020I have stayed here often. I always have my dogs. I love everything about this hotel except that it was sold to Wyndham. They now charge for pets. LaQuinta was always our choice because they didn’t charge for pets. I also liked their reward program. There were actual perks to it. Wyndham has taken away most of the advantages to staying at LaQuinta. I may have to start staying in other hotels if I have to pay extra for my dogs anyway. I will see which reward program gives REAL perks and doesn’t take them away every year.

GuestXperienceTeam, Guest Relations Manager at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Tulsa Broken Arrow, responded to this reviewDear Guest,

Thank you for your feedback on your recent stay with us. We are glad to hear that you had a good overall impression of your stay and we hope you were comfortable. Your comment about the changes to the reward program and pet policy is noted and we will see what we can do about this matter. We hope that everything else was in order and we hope you consider staying with us again."

What do you think of this route for going to Asheville, NC?

This seems to be the easiest on drive times and mileage.

Seattle to Butte, MT (592 miles) via I -90E

Butte to Rapid CIty, IA (542 miles) via I -90E

Rapid City, IA to Omaha, NE (523 miles) via I- 90E I- 29S

Omaha, NE to Mt Vernon, IL (509 miles) vis I-29S I-70E I-64

Mt Vernon, IL to Asheville, NC (525 miles) I-64E I-75S I 640E I 40E (Lexington) OR I-24 to I-40 (Nashville) which one???

I am feeling overwhelmed.

Thanks. :)

Good route.
Don't feel overwhelmed. You did a good job.
I'd go through Nashville, but honestly you could flip a coin and be okay. Check the day before you make the drive to see if there are any problems (construction, etc).

You'll have a good time. The Great American Road Trip, albeit during a pandemic.

Thanks for your (nursing) service!

Thanks! :)

I will go probably go through Nashville.

I looked up hotels and I can get Laquinta for all of the places except Mt Vernon. Mt Vernon is Days Inn or Super 8.

Will gas be easy to find on this route?

Please go through Nashville on the last leg. I have done both ways and it is easier through Nashville.
Gas is NO problem and it will be DIRT cheap!!
I think you need to realize that this is a network of superhighways with extensive services all along the way.. I assume you can get on Google maps and it will tell you what there is to eat at any exit.
You might think about getting the wAZE app which also has a lot of information about any road problems. It's free.

I would use TripAdvisor reviews to see which has the better reviews. I'm not a fan of either chain. Let me look at the map to see if I can see a close alternative.

Gas will be easy to find. My first choice for gas stations is Quick Trip. They have bright, clean stores and well maintained (clean) restrooms. My 2nd choice are Pilot stations that are also truck stops (in the back) but clean stores. I would fill up when you get to 1/2 a tank - and I rarely do that in real life (non-Covid).

Edited to add - There's a LQ 63 miles before Mt Vernon on the eastern side of St. Louis -
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquin...&iata=00093796
Personally, I'd stay there.

That particular part of the trip east of St. Louis is unusual--as Starrs says, there is 60 miles to Mt. Vernon and there is VERY little there.
I think it is Quik Trip that also has rather good food possibilities.

The reason I chose Mt Vernon is that we wanted to try to space out the trip of 500-600 miles per day.

If I am doing this wrong, stopping at the wrong places, could someone please help me figure out the drive and the stopping points from Rapid CIty, SD to Asheville?

I was looking at staying at the Days INN in Council Bluffs, IA (Omaha, NE leg) then continuing on to Mt Vernon. Then on to Asheville.

Added MYPLACE Hotel