Suggest a 5 day road trip

[cmyden]

Originally Posted by tkflames

Yellowstone national park

Agree with this. Oregon/California coast are amazing but 5 days is way too short of a road trip to enjoy them properly (or at all). You're talking about a few days of driving each way, with a whopping 24 hours to enjoy the destination.

Yellowstone = 10 hours each way, giving you a few days to enjoy it, and it's an amazing park, albeit crowded in the summer.

Be sure to check out the view of the Grand Prismatic Spring from above (short hike up a hill):

[vtec260]

I will be driving to Winnipeg and back Thurs-Sun. Will be depressed going there and hope my SUV doesn't get stolen and will be happy to be back once I see the mountains.

Seriously, drive past 'Peg and down to Minneapolis and check out Mall of America if wifey loves shopping. Also, factory outlets in Albertville is 1/2 hour away from Minneapolis. No sales tax on clothes and shoes out there. Use Priceline to stay in hotels...last time I paid $40/night at Sheraton.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Yasa

Drive to LA or San Fran?

That is far. SF is a 24 hour drive, one-way.

Much closer is Northern Idaho - Sandpoint, Lake Pend Oreille.

[flames85]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Yeah, for some reason that one has me interested as well, if for no other reason I haven't been there. The friend who suggested it said it can be done in ten hours from the border, does that sound about right?

10 hours seems unrealistic. Phoenix is over 2100kms from the border

[cmyden]

Originally Posted by flames85

I don't mean to hijack your thread but has anyone been to yellowstone national park? Is it worth the road trip? I am also seeking an adventure this long weekend. Somewhere driving distance.. any help is appreciated!

Only if you like amazing natural beauty and some of the greatest geothermal sights in the world.

http://www.google.ca/search?um=1&hl=...18l805l1.4.1l6

See how many bad pictures you can find.

[flames85]

The yellowstone is really intriguing, is there any other places you would recommend within driving distance on a 4/5 day weekend? Thanks for the great advice/recommendations!

Edit: Or possibly flying real cheap?

[cmyden]

Originally Posted by flames85

10 hours seems unrealistic. Phoenix is over 2100kms from the border

I think unrealistic is putting it mildly, unless he meant the Idaho/Utah border.

[cmyden]

Originally Posted by flames85

The yellowstone is really intriguing, is there any other places you would recommend within driving distance on a 4/5 day weekend? Thanks for the great advice/recommendations!

Edit: Or possibly flying real cheap?

Your realistic options for anything interesting within driving distance are Kelowna, Seattle/Vancouver area, Yellowstone, maybe Idaho (Sandpoint) if you're into camping. Pushing it beyond somewhere that can be reached in a 10-12 hour drive (each way) means you're spending the entire time driving rather than enjoying.

As far as flying goes, there is one interesting last minute flight option. United or American Airlines has seemingly been dropping the price of their last minute Saturday -> Mon/Tue flights from Calgary to Chicago down by more than 50%, the 'week of' departure. They've been doing this a lot lately, dropping to to about $320 roundtrip after tax. They usually drop it on Mon/Tue.

Otherwise, expect to pay around $400-$450ish roundtrip after tax to anywhere interesting in California (LAX, San Francisco, San Diego) or Phoenix. Could maybe do Vegas if you're flying non-peak days (similar pricing). Florida is too far for 5 days in my opinion.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by cmyden

Agree with this. Oregon/California coast are amazing but 5 days is way too short of a road trip to enjoy them properly (or at all). You're talking about a few days of driving each way, with a whopping 24 hours to enjoy the destination.

Yellowstone = 10 hours each way, giving you a few days to enjoy it, and it's an amazing park, albeit crowded in the summer.

Be sure to check out the view of the Grand Prismatic Spring from above (short hike up a hill):

Now I feel shame for having never been.

[TopChed]

Depending on how often you road trip to BC, I'd say Vernon/Kelowna/Penticton.

Also would agree with Troutman's recommendation of Sandpoint, Idaho. Haven't been there for a few years, but it was always an awesome place to visit.

[P-Rugby]

pacific coast go along the Washington and Oregon coast then come back up through Boise and Coeur d'Alene

[ynwa03]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

A friend suggested Salt Lake City. Kind of seems a little boring, but I suppose my wife would enjoy lots of good old US shopping if nothing else there. Pretty doable distance in our timeframe as well. Havn't been. Anyone?

I drove to Salt Lake City. Not worth it. There's nothing to do there. Even for shopping it sucks.

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by flames85

10 hours seems unrealistic. Phoenix is over 2100kms from the border

Yes, I'm aware Phoenix is a good two day drive. I was referring to Salt Lake City.

[hungryhun]

Originally Posted by cmyden

Only if you like amazing natural beauty and some of the greatest geothermal sights in the world.

http://www.google.ca/search?um=1&hl=...18l805l1.4.1l6

See how many bad pictures you can find.

I highly agree with Yellowstone as well. I went last summer for the first time and cannot wait to return. In fact we are going back down again Aug. long weekend and will check out the Grand Tetons as well this time. Great hiking, fishing, camping...or if that is not your thing they have fantastic cabins throughout the park as well. I don't think it matters what time of year you go either...all the seasons are beautiful! I believe it took us just over 8hrs to get there...we left after work and stopped overnight in Great Falls. Loaded up on provisions and were there the next day by noon. Coming back we drove in one shot.

[hungryhun]

Originally Posted by cmyden

Only if you like amazing natural beauty and some of the greatest geothermal sights in the world.

http://www.google.ca/search?um=1&hl=...18l805l1.4.1l6

See how many bad pictures you can find.

I highly agree with Yellowstone as well. I went last summer for the first time and cannot wait to return. In fact we are going back down again Aug. long weekend and will check out the Grand Tetons as well this time. Great hiking, fishing, camping...or if that is not your thing they have fantastic cabins throughout the park as well. I don't think it matters what time of year you go either...all the seasons are beautiful! I believe it took us just over 8hrs to get there...we left after work and stopped overnight in Great Falls. Loaded up on provisions and were there the next day by noon. Coming back we drove in one shot.

[Fobulous]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Yeah, for some reason that one has me interested as well, if for no other reason I haven't been there. The friend who suggested it said it can be done in ten hours from the border, does that sound about right?

Definitely can. We made it down in 14 hours last time we went and that included a hour stop at the border due to some immigration crap and about 5 other stops (@ 15 min/stop) so the pregnant wife could go to the bathroom. I drove just slightly over the speed limit the whole way down and I was fine.

[peter12]

Yep, it's Yellowstone. That's easily the best suggestion here.

[Cowperson]

I wouldn't drive down there to do this on a five day ticket . . . . . . BUT if you can do the 90 minute flight to Seattle and rent a car . . . . . the drive down past Olympia is a boring freeway but then your options open up considerably and you can do some backroads driving to get to the coast or even go the other way and see Mount St. Helens.

Last September, I flew to Vancouver, spent some hours driving down to Vancouver, Washington, stayed the night, THEN headed inland along the Columbia River Gorge to roughly Hood River Crossing (I think that's the name), crossed the river into Oregon, then headed a bit south, then west to McMinnville, ran the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon, took in the amazing aerospace museum there, then took off for the coast and did some exploring, stopping in a lot of small towns and staying on two lanes only, before driving to Whistler for a conference.

The Oregon coast:









and the Washington side of the Columbia River . . . .



And, if you're there in September, sitting under the Space Needle in Seattle at Bumbershoot at one of the five or so live stages.



Don't ask . . . . they were pretty good though.



Cowperson

[Northendzone]

i am guessing that Denver would be too far to drive?

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Montana Moe

South Dakota - Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, Reptile Gardens, etc. Possibly a side trip to Medora, ND.

You could hit Little Bighorn Battlefield/Devil's Tower, WY on the way down...

I did this road trip and it was great, highly recommend it.