Trip to the Northwest
 

My wife and I will be taking a road trip, from Michigan to Seattle, next June. I'm thinking of taking I-80 west, then cutting up 29 to South Dakota (Rushmore, etc), then Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah etc. to get to Seattle area. Then, return trip across Montana (Yellowstone for a day-I know it's in NW Wyoming), then across North Dakota and stopping at Mall of America before returning home. 2 week trip. What other cool things would you recommend seeing?

Why not take 80 west to 84 and head north that way? come back on 90 to do your Montana/SD/Minnesota stuff. You'll see a bit more of the West/NW that way.

Here are but a few places to stop and stretch on your trip.


The Steamboat Bertrand Paddle Wheel was found in 68, they now have a wonderful museum displaying all the trade goods the Steamboat was carrying. It was on its way to the Gold Fields near Fort Benton MT via the Missouri River... Worth a few hours stop Its west on US-30 off I-29.

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/desoto/

The only place that has been found where they have proof that Lewis and Clark stopped on their journey with the Corps of Discovery.

http://www.pompeyspillar.org/

The 26th president spent some of his younger years in ND.

http://www.nps.gov/thro/

If you want to get off the Interstate and venture into NE you could also visit Ashfall Fossil Beds.

http://ashfall.unl.edu/

Last but not least, The Little Bighorn Battlefield NM MT.

http://www.nps.gov/libi/

enjoy :)

Thanks to both of you! I thought staying on 80, to 84 as well. Just trying to get an idea of what is worth stopping at, or what is not all that it is cracked up to be. It's still a long way off, and as a former long haul truck driver, I wasn't able to stop at most attractions with a big rig. Nor did I really have the time. Anyway, thanks again!

We might just fly out to SEA/TAC, and rent a car and drive back. A lot less time spent driving, and a lot more time sightseeing. We will only have 2 weeks, so MLW will be happier if we get to see more things, I think. She might not want to spend 500 miles a day in a car for 2 weeks, just to get all 5,000 miles in! I'm sure she would like 2,500 miles better!

I would advise doing just that. Fly out and rent to drive back. There is a lot of stuff to see in Washington alone, plus Wyoming and Montana are favorites. I would devote at least 3 nights to Yellowstone...one day is just not doing it justice. I love Yellowstone in the evening and morning. Stay at Old Faithful Lodge and stroll in the geyser basin after sunset...you will not regret it. Everytime we go to Yellowstone, we stay a little longer. You can easily spend 2 nights in Seattle and two nights somewhere else in Washington (San Juan Islands, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades).