Coast to coast

[jenwoodjw]

Hi!

We (husband and I) are traveling from the Adirondacks in New York to the West Coast in late July to early August. We'd like to stop at Cedar Point in Ohio and Mount Rushmore; otherwise are open to suggestions. We have about 25 days, traveling in a 40-foot Class A with three teen-agers (easy kids to travel with) and two dogs. We've owned our motorhome for two years and have been up and down the East Coast. Any ideas/suggestions/past experiences would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

[tbutler]

Sounds like you'll be taking a northern trek across the country going west. Doing this in 25 days sounds like a lot of driving but here are a few of the things I wouldn't miss. The Badlands of South Dakota are just east of Mount Rushmore. You could drive through there on your way. There is an exit for the Badlands on the eastern end of the park and another on the western end of the park. So you could drive through and not extend your trip by too much distance. It will be a slow drive but we have done it in our rig. Most parking lots are drive through so you can pull through them and back onto the main road. There is only one main road through. Best seen in early morning light or late evening but quite scenic in any light. Be aware that the July-August temperature can be really hot in mid-day! We were through there several years ago when there were thunderstorms in the distance, quite spectacular. The western access to I-80 is at the town of Wall which has a rather famous drug store. This is typical of the highway curiousity of the 1950's. Even the kids may get a kick out of some of the stuff there! Besides you'll need the free ice water!

I wouldn't miss Yellowstone NP, too much to see here in a lifetime. Glacier NP is a little north but worth your stop if what you want to see is scenery. You won't see any glaciers in Glacier NP, its name comes from the glacial features that make it so spectacular. You might luck into seeing a Grizzly Bear!

In the northwest, Oregon and Washington, Mount Rainier is great scenery. Going south take a look at Crater Lake, a brilliant blue lake in a collapsed volcano. Going south on I-5 through Oregon and northern California you will pass a number of scenic volcanoes. Go west to the coast to see the west coast of Oregon and northern California. The Redwoods are along the coast and the best places to see them are to drive the Old Redwood Highway. It passes Redwood State Park and you can walk trails among the Redwoods. You have to see the redwoods. Even your teenagers will be awed at these monsters.

San Francisco is a great city to visit. We stayed at the RV park at Candlestick Park several years ago. From there you can tour the city, see the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, tour Alcatraz. Drive through some of the hills in and around San Francisco and see how they build houses in California!

There are places along the coast north and south of San Francisco where you can see wildlife. Seals and Sea Lions in the wild. We love the aquarium at Monterrey. The old cannery town has a certain charm. East of San Francisco is California Gold Country. The town of Columbia, California is a state park with all the old buildings and historic tours. You can pan for gold. We stayed at a park near there, can't remember the name, they even had a gold miner on the property working a stake on the hillside! The town of San Andreas, California is the home of the jumping frog contest of Mark Twain fame. The sidewalks have brass panels to commemorate each years winner! Don't tell the kids but there are some great wineries in this area. Murphy just up the road has many shops and stores and numerous wine shops. Of course if wine is your thing, the Napa Valley is north of San Francisco. There are over 100 wineries in the Napa Valley.

On to the south of the gold country is the not-to-be-missed Yosemite NP and more giant trees at Sequoia National Park. Stay out of Death Valley in July and August! Great in winter, early spring or late fall but you could be caught dead in the middle of the summer! There are other desert areas to explore but all will be quite uncomfortable in the summer heat. LA has all the big city stuff plus Hollywood and Disneyland. Palm Springs is interesting. San Diego has the Navy Yards. On the way back, not far from Death Valley is Las Vegas. Or if you go further north, Reno. Both offer lots of entertainment, some of which is suitable for the teens. I-80 across Nevada is mostly desert and not much else to see. Every truck stop and grocery store will have slot machines!

In Utah, you will pass the Bonenville Salt Flats on I-80 and then it is right into Salt Lake City. If you can drive through town to see the Morman Temple. The drive up I-80 east of Salt Lake is a good up hill run but this offers the best way back across the Rocky Mountains through Wyoming. I-70 coming out of Las Vegas will give you some real mountain driving through Colorado and the scenery can't be beat so that is an alternate route. Cheyenne and Denver offer different looks at large western cities. Across southern Kansas you can stop at Boot Hill in Dodge City, KS. Southern Missouri has Branson with it's large entertainment area but most of these entertainers are foreign to your teenagers. See the zoo in St. Louis and take a trip up the Gateway Arch in the Western Expansion Museum. If you have been through Ohio, try Kentucky or Tennessee. Memphis has Elvis and a pyramid along with a great model of the Mississippi River in a park along the river. Louisville and Nashville have horses and music. The Grand Old Oprey Hotel is an eye opening experience.

You can't begin to see all of this but I offer these as some suggestions to consider depending on your interest.