Road Trip: Boston to Seattle

My cousins and I are driving from Boston to Seattle. We need to make it in 5 days, but would also like to see some of the sights and tastes along the way.

What is a suggested itinerary and what stops are really worthwhile. Here%26#39;s our rough draft so far:

Boston (starting point)

Buffalo, NY (mid-day)

Cleveland, OH (spend night)

Mount Rushmore

Yellowstone

Seattle

According to my calculations, that should be about 55 hours of driving, averaging about 11 hours a day. But we might get to Mt. Rushmore at night and need to see it during the day ... and other refinements are needed.

Has anybody done a similar drive (even a subset of these cities) that can offer some hints and suggestions? I%26#39;m also interested in places to eat along the way that will enhance our experience.

Thanks!

George

Road Trip: Boston to Seattle

I%26#39;ve never made the trip, but it seems very aggressive. I don%26#39;t see being able to make it to Cleveland OH in one day. And I think you%26#39;re timeline from Cleveland to Rushmore is aggressive as well....For me, I%26#39;d say realistically Chicago in two days.

But, I%26#39;ve never done it...so I have nothing to base my thoughts off of.

Road Trip: Boston to Seattle

Yes, a bit aggressive, but we need to make good time and get to Seattle in 5 days. That%26#39;s why we need to maximize our time and plan the stops.

I think you need to decide on a couple of attractions that you really want to see and focus on getting to them with enough time to satisfy your interest. Beyond that, it%26#39;s going to be a simple (if grueling) matter of driving, eating, and sleeping.

Considering the way stations you mention, here are my thoughts:

Buffalo -- Do you want to see Niagara Falls? That is a worthwhile attraction that doesn%26#39;t take a lot of time to appreciate, but it will take you a bit out of your way (assuming that ';your way'; basically equates, as it really has to, to the most direct Interstate highways). Other than Niagara Falls, I don%26#39;t know why you would mention Buffalo. However, if you find yourself in Buffalo, it%26#39;s worth going to the Anchor Bar for the original Buffalo wings. This is my one dining suggestion for your trip.

Cleveland -- Again, why? Rock %26amp; Roll Hall of Fame, perhaps? It%26#39;s cool, but it takes a chunk of time, and you won%26#39;t be in Cleveland in time to see it on your first day.

(I want to say here that I am not one who dismisses whole cities or regions as dull or ';not worth it.'; There are things about both Buffalo and Cleveland that are appealing and interesting. However, if you%26#39;re intent on getting across the continent in five days, you need to pick your spots. If you want a shouldn%26#39;t-be-missed city en route, Chicago is the one that comes readily to mind, way ahead of any others.)

Mount Rushmore -- This is the only place on your list I haven%26#39;t been to. I assume that you could get the essence of the experience in a very short visit, and it%26#39;s not too far off I-90, so in that sense it%26#39;s probably a decent choice.

Yellowstone -- Figure at least half a day, and some extra driving time for the detour. As national parks go, Yellowstone is less about spectacular scenery and more about crazy natural phenomena. There%26#39;s nothing wrong with that, but if you want majestic peaks and the like, consider Glacier instead. (Grand Teton also fits the bill, just south of Yellowstone, but it%26#39;s the wrong direction for you.)

Okay, here%26#39;s a blast from my past that might work for you. Cody, Wyoming is maybe 70 miles east of Yellowstone on US Route 20, which is most likely the way you would approach. My experience there took place in 1973, and I have no idea whether the same conditions still apply, but I suspect they do. I was traveling east with my wife and a French couple, hell-bent on getting back to New Hampshire as fast as we could. Driving through Cody, we saw a ';Rodeo Tonight!'; banner across the main drag. Although I really had no desire to stop, it was clear that the idea of a rodeo had grabbed our overseas guests by the throat, so we went to see the show. I won%26#39;t go into any detail here, but suffice it to say the experience was absolutely priceless. Gorgeous horses, incredibly skilled riders, Wild West ambiance with an unbelievable thunderstorm and dust storm--the whole thing was amazing. I%26#39;m pretty sure they had this rodeo every night during the summer, and they probably still do. A little Googling would tell you.

Enjoy your trip. You%26#39;re only young and crazy once. I hope you are, in fact, young and crazy, or it%26#39;s gonna be a long country.

There is a road trip forum. You should probably check it out. Your post has nothing at all to do with Boston, really.

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