Planning a trip Midwest to Pacific NW 2014

[GeocamperAS]

I'm looking for recommendations for a trip from Wisconsin to the Northwest Coast. Wanting to spend time in Oregon and Northern California. But the route is also important.
The route would be WI to MN to ND to MT to ID to WA to OR
Then OR down the coast to CA
Then CA to NV to UT to WY to SD to MN to WI
OR it could be done in reverse.
Please share your likes and dislikes on:
Places to stay,
Places to eat,
Places and things to see,
Best time. (spring, summer or fall)

Thanks
Tim

[Beaker63]

Hey Tim
We take Wi 29 to 53 and pick up US2. Du.luth to Glacier NP then drop down to 90 to the left coast.
Stop at Wallace Id the center of the universe.
We also stayed at Pacific Beach SP in Washington it was onnthe beach and fantastic.
Enjoy your trip
Tim

[polarlyse]

Along they way you may encounter a few of the Corps of Engineers locations. A couple we stayed at were at dams along the Missouri River. Nice campgrounds and very reasonable prices. Usually electric only at site. Water and dump available. If you get the chance try one. You won't be disappointed. If you're prepared for fishing that will be a plus.

Have a great trip.

[mike warren]

If you are coming accross Montana to Washington State, you might want to take HWY 395 to Hermiston and I84 westbound. Plenty of things to see in the Columbia River Gorge and spots for camping. If you come this way don`t miss Multnomah Falls about 30 miles east of Portland. The traffic in Portland is heavy in morning and afternoon rush so beware of that. Westbound out of Portland take HWY30 to Astoria and take HWY101 southbound. Lots of state parks on the coast, we have stayed at Humbug Mountain State Park and Harris Beach State Park on the southern Oregon coast and they are great. Lot`s of retaurants on the coast but our favorite is a small seafood deli type place just south of Newport, the best Fish and Chips you`ll ever find. Last spring we spent time down on the southern Oregon coast and camped in the Redwoods in northern California and realy enjoyed it. Find the Avenue of the Giants and you`ll find places to camp there. I think any time in the spring or summer would be good, August seems to be driest time especially in southern part.

[jbroedlow]

I'm going to suggest a young couple's blog called "Wheeling It." This couple travels full time in their RV (not an airstream) but have spent the summer in part of the area you're looking at. In their blog, they have a drop down state by state that you can choose and pick out your state and see where they have been. If you go deeper into the blog, you can read about things to do and some places to eat in those areas. Good luck in your travels. Our plan for next summer is to head from the Chicago area to SD, MT and then up to the beginning of the Alaskan Highway. We'll tour around Alaska for a few weeks then head over to the area you're looking at then down the CA coastline (don't forget the Hearst Castle south of Monterrey), the back to IL via old Route 66. Can't wait to get started

[Len n Jeanne]

Glacier NP via HY 2. Drop your AS at your campground to do Going-to-the-Sun Road and drive your tow vehicle or take the NPS or lodge shuttle, as vehicles over 21 feet total are not allowed. Depending on when you're there, the parking lot at the summit (Logan Pass) visitor center can be full so we recommend either driving it early in the morning or taking the free NPS shuttle. The smaller lakes are really beautiful.

Yellowstone NP if you've not been there before.

Check the nps.gov sites for details on facility opening/closing dates. CG revs. are highly recommended during the summer, as the first-come first serve campsites will up quickly. These parks do get crowded during the summer but worth a visit anyway.

Teddy Roosevelt NP in North Dakota. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Beautiful badlands and bison herds.

Coeur d'Alene, ID is a fun tourist town. We've stayed at the Blackwell Island RV park several times in nearby Post Falls.

[Stefrobrts]

I tell everyone who comes out this way - Don't miss Mt St Helens! If you like natural wonders, it is really a sight to see.

If you come in via HWY 2 you can see the N Cascades, swing through Seattle (maybe leave the trailer outside of Seattle and just drive in for the day) then head south, see Mt Rainier, St Helens, and then into Portland. Maybe hit the Columbia River Gorge (at least to Multnomah Falls), before continuing south towards Crater Lake. Of course you'll have to hit the beach and cruise down 101 at some point in your journey.

If you find yourself at the CA/OR border for the night, we like Emmigrant Lake County Campground in Ashland, OR, and usually stop to see a play while we're there (best live theater in the NW).

Gosh, so much to do - hope you've got lots of time!

[ghaynes755]

If you are into aviation/space museums the Evergreen Museum in McMinnville, OR. Home of the Herkules/Spruce Goose. Great campground next door with the best/cleanest/most spotless restrooms/showers I have ever seen.

Stay off the highways and take the back roads. Amazing scenery, places to explore and sights to see.

[Zymurbrian]

Tim, I love the idea of hitting the Evergreen Aviation Museum as well. We lived in the Portland area for a few years and I miss the PNW. Heading west to the coast on Hwy 18 you will hit the wide spot of Otis just prior to Hwy 101. The Otis cafe is a great spot for lunch (best clam chowder and chicken fried steak on the West Coast). We picked our unit up at the dealership in Portland and stopped intentionally at the Otis Cafe for lunch before staying at Beverly Beach SP in Newport, OR for the first night. I've attached a shot of us at the Otis cafe with a fellow streamer who happened by. If you start farther north in OR, you must stop at the Pelican Bay brewery in Pacific City, OR. Heading south you need to check out the Rogue Brewery in Newport (yes, I'm a fellow brewer and lover of good beverage).

[vwilleford]

I don't know if you have made your trip yet, but do stop in Portland and check it out. Great places to eat. Shop in the Pearl District downtown. Stay 17 mi east in Troutdale at the Sandy Riverfront RV park. Very clean, nice and on the Sandy river.
Also check out the Mali Mish blog. They have travelled from northern Washington down to southern California. Good tips on where to stay towards the coast.

[GeocamperAS]

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas so far. We are still planning the trip. Although do to the curve balls of life, it may be later than sooner.
Please keep the ideas coming.

[kscherzi]

I would be wary of travelling to California this year. Basically there has been no significant rain for over a year. There is no snow to speak of in the mountains, which is the states primary water source. I would expect the waterfalls to be dry in Yosemite. The paper today says its the dryest in recorded history.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Airstream Forums mobile app

[T1NCAN]

Tim -
Lots of Washington campgrounds are fantastic...depending on the time of the year you could catch a concert at the Gorge amphitheatre and camp there!

Mt Rainer has a lot of awesome parks, and its hard to go wrong with any of them.

Eastern Washington has several camping spots along the columbia river. One of my favorites is a BLM campground called "BIG PINES" campground. Camping on the cheap, and excellent fly fishing near Ellensburg WA.

Going down the Oregon Coast, Fort Stevens is on the Northwest Tip of Oregon, and huge! Very close to Astoria, OR. - The goonies and Kindergarten cop were filmed there....

I had a good time at Beverly Beach Oregon, on the 101. Direct access to the beach...

[T1NCAN]

Also, in the summer time the Puget Sound area is the prettiest. Fort Flagler State Park is really fun too!

When in Ellensburg, grab a burger at "Campus Utotem" and a shake.

[Chaplain Kent]

To a fellow Tosa resident. I took this trip a couple years ago. Here's the story:
Driving U.S. Route 2 Across the High Plains of Montana - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

[GeocamperAS]

Originally Posted by Chaplain Kent

To a fellow Tosa resident. I took this trip a couple years ago. Here's the story:
Driving U.S. Route 2 Across the High Plains of Montana - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Thanks Kent.
I enjoyed the story as well as a few others you wrote.
Tim

[pmclemore]

We are history buffs so we headed out roughly following Lewis and Clark out to the Pacific.

Pat

[grumpy]

Great Falls MT to visit the "Lewis and Clark National Trail Interpretive Center". This is an all time favorite of mine. While in GF you may want to see the Charles Russell museum.

If you go the northern route and stop at Glacier NP, I highly recommend going into Canada to check out Waterton Lakes National Park. The US Canada border divides Glacier and Waterton parks.

[Len n Jeanne]

Right-- so bring your passport. If you want to camp at the Waterton Townsite CG, reservations are recommended during the high season. There is a nice commercial boat ride from Waterton Townsite back into the US side of Glacier, and dog-lovers can take their dogs on the hiking trails, unlike in the US National Parks.

[Jim Foster]

We spend some of July and most all of August in the Pacific northwest.
First thing, about your route. The Oregon coast is one of the nicest drives in the country. It is best done from north to south as there are many sights along the coast and the pullouts will be on your right. Otherwise, you would have cross the road each time, and it is one lane in each direction much of the way.
Don't know when or for how long you intend to be in the Northwest, but this will be our eleventh year at the Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach Washington, just across the Columbia River and north a few miles from Astoria, Washington. Fliers and kite makers from all over the world. A most colorful event. Third full week of August.
Plan several days to bump down the Oregon Coast.
When you get into California, don't miss the drive through the "Avenue of the Giants". It starts a few miles south of Eureka and takes you through the groves of giant Red Wood trees. Not to be messed.