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Anyone out there driven from the NW to Raleigh? If so, any recommendations as to a route? Right now I am planning on taking 90 from Seattle to Chicago, then heading southeast (forget the route #, just following AAA guide). Just wondering if there is a more scenic route this time of year.
Anyone out there driven from the NW to Raleigh? If so, any recommendations as to a route? Right now I am planning on taking 90 from Seattle to Chicago, then heading southeast (forget the route #, just following AAA guide). Just wondering if there is a more scenic route this time of year.
Thanks!
I just sent you a PM of the route I recently took from Portland to Durham.
Which ever way you go, enjoy every last second of it!!
I just sent you a PM of the route I recently took from Portland to Durham.
Wow, if you happen to still have that route, I'd love it if you'd share it with me too. I'll be driving out to Portland from Morrisville (which is for all intents and purposes for this itinerary, Durham haha) late October, early November (very soon!).
If not, if anyone else has a great scenic route from central NC to Oregon (preferably Portland) I'd LOVE for you to share. I want to get the most out the grueling drive b/c I'll be alone! And any quirky, off the beaten path, must see sights along the way would be a definite plus!
Thanks in advance!
Last edited by tyg; 10-07-2009 at 11:04 PM..
Reason: clarified that I meant Morrisville = Durham itinerary wise lol
Just in case anyone can fly and not drive.....keep looking on orbitz last year during december we had to take a trip home to washington state and i kept checking days i got 2 one-way ticks to spokane wa from raleigh nc for 120.00 yeah 60.00 ea but i looked at the dates and the next day was 450.00 one way so it may be really cheaper for you to fly and get a car when you get there it will be about a 10 th of what we spent when we drove up there the first time and with sleeping each night it took almost 4 days flying 8 hours with the time change and 1 change over! After the one time driving i will never do it again no matter how scenic it is id rather spend the other 3 days enjoying the westcoast
i got 2 one-way ticks to spokane wa from raleigh nc for 120.00 yeah 60.00 ea
Wow, that is a great price...currently Southwest has one way tickets to Seattle for $89 (from Raleigh), but I'm driving because I'm moving out there! But I need flight tips so my friends will come visit me, so thanks!
We drove from Seattle to Durham last year (and 5 years ago drove from Atlanta to Seattle). Both times we were traveling during the winter months (last year in March and 5 years ago in January) so we drove down I-5 until Bakersfield, CA and then took I-40 all the way across the bottom of the country to avoid as much winter weather as possible. It took us about 6 days both times, but mostly b/c I'm a driving wuss - we drove the speed limit the whole way and I can only stay in the car for about 8-9 hours per day.
Going down I-5 was lovely, but there are definitely some stretches across the bottom (going through Texas and Oaklahoma) that are pretty boring after a while. I ended up borrowing a BUNCH of books on CD from the Snohomish Library and listening to them on the drive across. Once we reached Durham, I just boxed them up and mailed them back.
I drove from Florida to Spokane and then, three years later, drove from Spokane to DC, both times in the summer.
The first time I drove I-10 and I-20 to Cali, where I got on I-5 north to Portland and then some back roads to Spokane. Very boring drive and I wouldn't recommend it.
The second time, tho, I drove I-90 from Spokane to I-25 (splits off in Buffalo, WY) to Denver. From there, I took I-70 across (through Kansas City and St. Louis) to I-64 (split in St. Louis). From there I took I-64 through Louisville, KY and then I-75 through Cincinnati to Columbus, OH, where I took I-70 again. Once in Md., I took I-270 to the I-495 beltway and then I-95 south (that will get you down to Richmond, and then you can take I-85 if you're coming to Durham).
I recommend the second route because there is so much more to see. I wanted to visit Denver, eat BBQ in Kansas City, and visit some friends in Louisville, KY so I got to do all of that, and it was pretty scenic. Much better than driving through 3 days of nothing but desert between Los Angeles and Dallas.
I'd do my best to avoid Chicago. Horrendous traffic in that area is almost a given.
What about taking I-90 to Ellensburg, then hopping on I84 through the TriCities and Oregon, then into Idaho and into Salt Lake City. Hop on I70 across Colorado and Kansas. once you hit Missouri things start getting scenic again all the way through that state, southern Illinois, into Kentucky, WV..etc.
If you take the northern (I-90, I-94 route) it's great through Montana but once you hit Billings it's BORING until you hit...well Chicago traffic and then Kentucky!
I have driven cross country twice in winter, and I suggest you let weax be your guide. It is gonna snow in Bozeman, MT all week.
I have driven back and forth from RDU to Des Moines too many times to count. If you end up on I-80, turn south on I-74 and then South on I-75 and then east on I-40. Good Luck.
I went from Boise to Cary last December. I-84 to SLC then I-80 to I-74 to Indy, picked up I-65 to Louisville, picked up I-64 east to I-77, then I-77 south to US 52 toward Winston-Salem, then I-40 east.
Took 4 1/2 days due to snow, ice, rain, hail and a tornado in Illinois! Low temp was -6 in Nebraska, high temp was in the 70's in KY. Have fun!
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Oh please share!
I'll be driving out to Portland from Morrisville (which is for all intents and purposes for this itinerary, Durham haha) late October, early November (very soon!).
definitely driving...moving there!
