Road Trippin

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  • Mina133842
    Mina133842 Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I'm going to put in a few suggestions- places we've been - bear in mind I haven't been South much, or Back East a whole lot, but a few places in the PNW...

    FYI - we like cheesy and cheap- so we'll go to lots of stuff if it looks interesting, fun, or free....lol

    One of our trips we went from Chicago- (def visit the Field Museum there- it's awesome!!!) and headed West. we just stop wherever something looks interesting, but here's a few places we visited along the way:

    the Spam Museum- in Minnesota: http://www.spam.com/spam-101/the-spam-museum

    the Corn Palace, in SD: http://www.cornpalace.org/

    Sioux Falls, SD: http://visitsiouxfalls.com/

    Murdo, SD (1880 town) -we've driven by, but usually was closed or we didn't have time to go (we've done this road trip a few times. http://www.1880town.com/

    Wall Drug, SD (you'll see the signs everywhere once you're 100 miles away...lol ~ http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2216

    Of course there's always Mt. Rushmore, and Crazyhorse Memorial
    Mt Rushmore ~ http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
    Crazyhorse Memorial~ http://crazyhorsememorial.org/

    the Badlands : http://www.badlandsinfo.com/things-to-do-outside-the-park/wall-drug/

    Deadwood (have not been here, but have heard it's fun) http://www.deadwood.com/splash.cfm

    Devil's Tower , Wyoming http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

    Grand Teton National Park/ Jackson Hole, WY http://www.jacksonhole.com/

    OF COURSE Yellowstone National Park - it's a must! http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

    Battle of Little Bighorn (Montana): http://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm

    Lewis & Clark Caverns, Montana ~ http://visitmt.com/listing/categories_NET/MoreInfo.aspx?IDRRecordID=3088

    Glacier National Park, Montana (near Kalispell, Montana) ~ http://www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/glacier-national-park

    House of Mystery, Columbia Falls, MT : http://www.montanavortex.com/

    Coeur d'Alene, ID : http://coeurdalene.org/

    Leavenworth, WA (a little "Bavarian village" in the mountains in WA State- so pretty!) ~ http://www.leavenworth.org/modules/pages/index.php?pageid=1

    Seattle, WA ~ https://www.seattle.gov/visiting/

    Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, WA: http://funbeach.com/local-attractions/cape-disappointment-lighthouse/

    Fort Clatsop (OR) http://www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/fortclatsop.htm

    the shipwreck Peter Iredale: http://ouroregoncoast.com/astoria-warrenton/1084-oregon-coast-shipwreck-peter-iredale.html

    Astoria, OR http://www.oldoregon.com/

    Portland, OR ~ http://www.travelportland.com/

    Tillamook Cheese Factory, Tillamook, OR: http://www.tillamook.com/cheesefactory/index.html

    Lincoln City, OR, Depoe Bay, OR, Newport, OR
    http://www.oregoncoast.org/
    http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_252.php
    http://www.discovernewport.com/

    anyway, these are some of the places we've visited, or have wanted to. Hope this helps!
  • Mina133842
    Mina133842 Posts: 1,573 Member
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    Multnomah Falls, OR http://multnomahfallslodge.com/
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    Make sure to take a dump off whatever Mississippi River bridge you go across...everyone else does, that's why the water's brown.

    OK if anyone over the age of 13 would like to make a suggestion that would be appriciated.
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    Come to Canada instead :)

    Why would you leave America to go to America Jr.?

    Well we have more trees than we have McDonalds for starters..

    We have 20 different flavors of delicious Rice-A-Roni

    But you don't have M&M Meat shops or Tim Hortons.

    Are those places where Canadians sit around and discuss their long history of military victories?
    A great military does not necessarily make a good place for a road trip...just sayin'

    Not true, all of our weapons are phallic shaped

    OK look I'm driving across the US. I might go into Canada but it's not too likely. So to everyone who was in this whole US vs Canada thing.. Thaks for absolutely nothing!
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
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    Thaks for absolutely nothing!

    You're welcome!
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    Come thru Memphis,TN for the bar-b-que and the blues. Beale Street is great for both.

    If I go through the South that's not a bad idea. I've already doen the East coast from Maine to Florida, so a different route would be fun.
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    I'm gonna be boring and answer the OP's question...

    How about the Lewis & Clark trail? It's cross-country, scenic, historic, and you end up in the beautiful Pacific NW.

    That's not a bad idea.. Looks like lots of good spots to camp and hike..
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    The Oregon Coast is gorgeous!

    Well I've seen the sunrise over the atlantic plenty of times.. A sunset on the Pacific might be decent.. Seems like there is a lot of fans of the PNW. How does the climate compare to New England?

    Portland is actually named after Portland, ME. Depending on teh time of year I get there I might also be able to catch a game.. Timbers are in the MLS now right.. What is the city itself like?
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    I've made a couple of cross country trips from VA to WA and back. It all really depends on whether you want to take a northerly or southerly route. When I took the northern route, South Dakota really stands out in my mind. I know, it's not a state you'd normally think of as interesting, but the Badlands National Park is AMAZING. It's one of my top 3 all time favorite places I've been. And Mt. Rushmore is not far from there, which is another impressive landmark. The mountain passes between Montana and Idaho have some stunning scenery. And as others have said, the North West is pretty beautiful. If you make it out there, make sure to drive along the Columbia River Gorge; you will not be disappointed. The Oregon coast is also as awesome as others have said. Canon Beach was my favorite.

    When I took the southern route, I went down through CA, and Mt Shasta & Shasta Lake are gorgeous. I'd like to go back just to stay and see more than I did from the highway. Vegas is obviously a must see if you've never been before. And the Grand Canyon is only a few hours from there. Now the Grand Canyon is incredibly impressive, but personally I like the Badlands better. The Grand Canyon was a little too touristy for me, but I hear the North Rim is less so than the South Rim where I was. I also consider New Orleans a must-see, the culture and atmosphere there is awesome and I'll be going back there in the future.

    I will say from my experience, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa are nothing but corn fields (when seen from the interstate). And Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas are very flat and very brown lol.

    The best thing you can do is go to a AAA office and have them print you out a TripTik (it's free if you're a AAA member) They will also give you books on each state you're traveling through, and they have TONS of info on what to see, where to eat, hotels, etc.

    Thanks for the advice! Good suggestons..

    Your right about South Dakota.. It's not a place I would have thought about. I jumped over to the web site for the Badlands National park and it does look amazing.. It kinda reminds me a bit of the Painted Desert in AZ. The River Gorge looks really cool as well.

    Most likely I will be going through AZ at some point. I have family and a really great friend who live out that way. Plus I really wanna check out Antelope Canyon. Which means either going through Nevada from the PNW or down through California.

    No desire to go through Texas or New Mexico. So maybe the route I should go is along the Lewis & Clark to the PNW and then down to AZ via eitehr California or Vegas and then back up through the midwest over Colorado and on...

    Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois look to be fairly unavoidable as I am coming from New Engalnd. Well unless I wanna drive throguh Canada or West Virginia and Kentuckey.. One thing I do want to check out is in Chicago. Buddy Guy has a bar called Buddy Guy's Legends that I have been watning to take a look at.

    Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to check out the AAA info. Also great call on the Badlands that really looks great!
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    I'm going to put in a few suggestions- places we've been - bear in mind I haven't been South much, or Back East a whole lot, but a few places in the PNW...


    One of our trips we went from Chicago- (def visit the Field Museum there- it's awesome!!!) and headed West. we just stop wherever something looks interesting, but here's a few places we visited along the way:

    The Field Museum looks really good. Almost like a combinaiton of Boston's MFA and Museum of Science.
    Sioux Falls doesn't look bad either. .And the web site has locations for camping..
    Wall Drug SD reminds me of South of the Border in SC. Signs everywhere near and along the way. That might actually be fun!
    I'm not really psyched for Mt. Rushmore.. Sure it's there and it's most likely impressive but it's not a big priority for me.
    Devil's Tower is in WY so I would have to opt not to follow the Lewis & Clark trail throguh Montana.. But that would also give me a chance to chedk out Yellowstone. That really looks good, even just passing through would be fun.
    Coeur d'Alene looks ilike it might be a lot of fun.. Actually it looks like it might be the only thing to di in Idaho.

    I'm fairly sure I'll hit either Seattle or Portland. Not sure wich. But being that both are decent sized cities I'm sure finding something to do will be fairly easy.

    Thanks for the suggestons! I'm sure they will be helpful when the time comes. :)
  • Mina133842
    Mina133842 Posts: 1,573 Member
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    not sure where you'll be in AZ, but we went to this with the nephews - had fun for a day there. http://www.goldfieldghosttown.com/

    If you go to CA, be sure to check out this if you're near it: http://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm the Redwoods are neat!!! if you go to Oregon, and are near the coast by Newport, OR - check out the myrtlewood stuff. This store is closer to Corvallis, OR, than any other place really- http://www.myrtlewood.com/
  • dylan104373
    dylan104373 Posts: 55 Member
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    June Lake, California. We stumbled upon it when we had to go the long way to Yosemite because of construction road closures. It's definitely worth a visit!
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
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    hhh
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
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    hhhh
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
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    not sure where you'll be in AZ, but we went to this with the nephews - had fun for a day there. http://www.goldfieldghosttown.com/

    If you go to CA, be sure to check out this if you're near it: http://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm the Redwoods are neat!!! if you go to Oregon, and are near the coast by Newport, OR - check out the myrtlewood stuff. This store is closer to Corvallis, OR, than any other place really- http://www.myrtlewood.com/

    I went to that ghost town the last time I was in AZ earlier this year! It was fun but really more of a tourist trap.. Good BBQ though.
  • Dancerten
    Dancerten Posts: 237 Member
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    Coeur d'Alene looks ilike it might be a lot of fun.. Actually it looks like it might be the only thing to di in Idaho.

    I'm fairly sure I'll hit either Seattle or Portland. Not sure wich. But being that both are decent sized cities I'm sure finding something to do will be fairly easy.

    Couer d'Alene is awesome! And after living 30 min away in Spokane, WA for 2 years, I can say it's the only thing to do on that half of WA too lol. Great food, shopping, and scenery there.

    Seattle and Portland are both really neat, but I was more impressed by Portland as a whole. They have a Saturday Market there that's really cool. If you go to Seattle, of course you have to go to the Pike Place Market to see them throwing fish lol, but it also has a ton of neat little shops.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    Come to Canada instead :)

    Why would you leave America to go to America Jr.?
    Gd0Yz.gif

    :laugh: :drinker:

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