BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey Everyone... Road trip in the summer planned to take a drive down through washington, oregon, california from Vancouver (definite) and possibilities including Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and back through the Canadian rockies. Any suggestions? Things to see? Things to avoid? I think 3 weeks should bee sufficient... I've done a 3 week 6500km journey through the australian outback, and I figure I can do more damage through the states then there... What do you think! Suggestions please!

Hi,

There is more to see then you can possibly see in 3 weeks. Therefore you will have to choose a route carefully. Take a look at the following page which shows routes I have driven over a number of years with my family. There are links to the various attractions from the individual route page.
Routes I have driven in western USA

It all depends on what you're looking to see. Wide-open spaces? Ocean vistas? City life? Will you be camping?

I highly recommend the Oregon coast over the Washington or California coasts.

In Idaho the Sawtooth Mountains are not to be missed, and the hot springs in that area are my favorite. And in Eastern Oregon the Hells Canyon area is often overlooked (and rarely crowded).

But that's just the tip of the iceberg--tell us more about your travel style and what you like to see.

how about a stop in portland to meet the local bootsnallers?

These all sound like great recommendations. Actually the plan is I have a friend who is living in Vancouver from Sweden with a visa, and all he's been doing is working. So essentially I want to drive my jeep down the coast with a tent, camp when I can, hostel when I can and see some of the coast, some wide open spaces, some city life, even meet some people, the plan is... go and have no plan... just drive! See where we end up, however, it would be nice to set a few places to go, people to meet along the way. But trips like the Sawtooth and the Hells Canyon would be wicked. What about all those monoliths in arizona? Any Take on those?

I don't know about the monoliths, but for me there is nothing I have encountered in 30 years of work and travel outside the US that is more awe inspiring than the Grand Canyon. It's rightfully one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and a not to be missed experience.

The North rim is the place to go in the summer to avoid crowds, camp and see wildlife that includes elk, deer,turkeys,California condors,etc.

BTW, what monoliths are you referencing? I may be heading to Oregon/Washington state, and don't know when I'll be back in Arizona, so a look at something I've missed here might be worthwhile,

Posting pics to illustrate my sentiments. First is Near Crystal Rapids, looking North, Second is from the North rim, looking South in the same area. Canyon is about 12 miles across here and over a mile deep.

Northern Arizona in the summer is quite pleasant and you could see some beautiful things. The North Rim is lovely (mentioned above), as is the area around there. There is lots of camping to be found but it will be busy! Less so, if you stay around the North Rim -- see here. I've camped at Jacob Lake and think that is a great spot, especially in the summer.

Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef and Zion are all worth a visit if you are in the area.

If it were me, I would cut across from Portland on the 84 and then hook up to the 15 and then go south. See tons of stuff along that route and then go north along the coast on your return trip. You can get the most out of the hot weather along the beach as you return to Vancouver.

Admittedly, that is a lot of driving. Maybe pick some places that you would most like to see and prioritize. Otherwise, it would be really easy to waste a lot of your time in the car.

If you are near Montana, I'd recommend stopping in at Glacier National Park. I personally think it's more spectacular than Yellowstone NP and Going to the Sun Road is one of the most thrilling drives in the country. There is lots of wildlife and beautiful trails throughout the park, along with several glaciers and lakes.

If you are traveling through Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a must. It is absolutely beautiful, not to mention really fun. Here is a link to some pictures of the area. http://www.gotahoenorth.com/photo-library.html it is absolutely amazing. A must see.

hiway 1 is a classic drive down the coast of cali. check out big sur along the way. and i second glacier nat'l park. going to the sun road is awesome!