Roadtrip (Portland, Pendleton, La Grande: college, car, best)

[poleangel]

Hi
I am from the UK and planning a roadtrip from Seattle to Salt Lake City, through to Las Vegas then to LA. Does anyone know the best routes and little towns that would be great to stop at along the way?

Thanks

[Silverfall]

What do you like to do. There is TONS to do on the way.

[Rob Allen]

For the first part of the Seattle-to-SLC leg, there are a couple of options:

1. I-90 east from Seattle, over the Cascades to Ellensburg, then 1-82 south past Yakima and the Tri-Cities (Richland/Pasco/Kennewick) and across the Columbia to I-84. Ellensburg and Yakima are apple-growing areas, then there's an Indian reservation, and the Tri-Cities are near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

2. I-5 south from Seattle thru Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, Chehalis, Longview/Kelso, and Vancouver to Portland, then I-84 east along the Columbia River past Hood River and The Dalles to the junction with I-82. This goes past Mt. St. Helens on the way south, then of course there's lots to do in Portland. The drive along I-84 thru the Columbia Gorge is very scenic, and Hood River in particular is a lot of fun to visit.

East of the I-84/I-82 junction, you go past Pendleton (famous for its rodeo), La Grande (a college town), Baker City and Ontario before you reach the Idaho border. I've never visited Idaho, so I'll stop there.

What time of year will you be doing this? In the winter, you could run into snow in the mountains.

[seashelly]

[quote=Rob Allen;10146409]For the first part of the Seattle-to-SLC leg, there are a couple of options:........



2. I-5 south from Seattle thru Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, Chehalis, Longview/Kelso, and Vancouver to Portland, then I-84 east along the Columbia River past Hood River and The Dalles to the junction with I-82. This goes past Mt. St. Helens on the way south, then of course there's lots to do in Portland. The drive along I-84 thru the Columbia Gorge is very scenic, and Hood River in particular is a lot of fun to visit. .......

QUOTE]

A few miles East of I-5 on this stretch of your trip, exit off and check out Mount Saint Helens.

[Bendite]

Originally Posted by poleangel

Hi
I am from the UK and planning a roadtrip from Seattle to Salt Lake City, through to Las Vegas then to LA. Does anyone know the best routes and little towns that would be great to stop at along the way?

Thanks

How long do you have for your trip? If you want to see little towns and more of the U.S. then driving on Interstates is not the way to see them, but taking other roads will mean more time (there will be areas where Interstates make the only sense)

[skinem]

As mentioned before there are tons of things to see and do.

Only one piece of advice I would get---stay off of the interstates if you can. So much of America looks the same from the freeway. I guess I mean so much of the towns on the freeway look the same. By getting off the freeway, you travel at a slower pace, see more and are more likely to see some unique things.

[Leisesturm]

Agreed about avoiding Interstates. In 2001 I did much the same trip beginning in Salt Lake City following the interstates into Idaho and Oregon but then after Seattle (and Mt. St. Helen's) following the Coast Highway (101) south into San Francisco and then once again picking up the interstate into Las Vegas. I strongly recommend you give my version a think.

H

[poleangel]

We are up for anything. National parks and a ranch if possible. We kind of want to see the real america. pretty flexible with what we do

[poleangel]

we have 2 weeks in all but will be doing the first leg from san fran and back round

[PNW-type-gal]

What part of the year? Snow will be an issue in late fall/winter/early spring.

Also, do you realize how many miles that is? If you got in the car in Seattle and drove straight through to Los Angeles, it's over 1,200 miles driving, or more than 24 hours non-stop.