Driving DC to Portland - things to see

[rjsob58]

We will have 7 days to drive from DC to Portland. 4 Drivers (2 teens) so we can make some extended drive times. Looking for some interesting places to stop, things to see along the way.

 

[Philliefan33]

Portland OR, or ME?

 

[rjsob58]

Portland OR.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Idaho is full of surprises

 

[FlaGator]

Here's a few ideas:
Gateway Arch in St. Louis
Remnants of the Oregon Trail in Western Nebraska
Snake River Canyon in Idaho
Columbia River Gorge and the dams along the way.

There's a lot of treeless, open space along the way and I always enjoy that change of scenery. The sunsets are spectacular on the Great Plains.

 

[nwsteve]

Lot's of National Park on the way depending on your routing and interest. Dinosaur NP/Monument in Co., Rocky Mtn N.P Colorado, Gunnison NP S Colorado, W. Colorado Craters of the Moon in Central Idaho, Yellowstone NP, of course. Glacier NP in Montana.
Nwsteve

 

[GrayHare]

There's so much to see in the US central and southern Rockies that those can be trips themselves. I'd use a cross-country drive as an opportunity to visit areas you're less likely to otherwise, Nebraska and the Dakotas come to mind.

 

[Philliefan33]

You will be tempted to stop at Wall Drug.

 

[Gumby]

That's at least 2800 miles by the most direct route, 400 miles per day or roughly 6-7 hours per day of just driving. Add a couple hours a day for eating, sleeping, fueling, bio breaks and hotel check in and check out. That doesn't leave much time for stopping to see stuff, especially if it is not immediately adjacent to the highway. Have you thought about flying part of the way there and renting a car? If you flew to Denver, it would knock 1600 miles off your trip and allow you to take 6 days to drive the 1200 or so miles to Portland. There's plenty to see in that stretch.

 

[rodi]

+1 on the St. Louis Arch.

We did a cross country trip (start and end in Philly - but went as far west as Victoria BC.)

If you're on a northern route (I-90)- check out the corn palace in Mitchell, SD.
But I suspect you'll be on I-80. It's a lot of beautiful agricultural plains from the Rockies till you get to the east coast.

 

[Bamaman]

I always intend to purchase my next new car in Seattle and drive it back east one way. Making such a trip is not nearly as difficult as driving both ways.

What's so difficult are the massive distances in the plains with virtually nothing to see. I did drive west once, and it was 585 miles before there was any interesting scenery. I never realized that it's uphill all the way across New Mexico--from the east.

I hope your trip is uneventful and enjoyable. I suggest you take possession of the teens' cell phones and give them out only at meal stops. There's nothing that drives me as crazy as a car load of text messengers.

 

[DrRoy]

Lot's of National Park on the way depending on your routing and interest. Dinosaur NP/Monument in Co., Rocky Mtn N.P Colorado, Gunnison NP S Colorado, W. Colorado Craters of the Moon in Central Idaho, Yellowstone NP, of course. Glacier NP in Montana.
Nwsteve

All of these places I have already been to or plan to visit. Lots of great sites.

 

[Ronstar]

IMO, it would be fun to travel the Lewis and Clark route up the Missouri River and down the Columbia to Portland. Not on the rivers, but on nearby roads.