2 Month Cross Country Trip

What a fabulous trip you are planning. I did a six week trip around Europe with two people that I didn't know and that went much better than a ten week trip with one of my best friends.
My best advice to you is to realise ahead of time that the going will get tough some times. One of the best ways to break things up and have a little breathing space is to take some alone time - and cities offer the perfect opportunity. As long as you feel comfortable split up for the day - it also makes for some interesting conversations over meals.

As for your destinations? As a Vancouverite (I am guessing in BC, Canada - you can ignore this if you mean in Oregon) I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit. The best way to break up the trip btw. there & Chicago would be to drive through the southern part of BC (Hwy #3) - its is gorgeous (be forewarned though that this is a meandering 2 lane highway, you won't be able to go much faster than 65 mph for most of the trip), then in Southern Alberta cut south through Waterton National Park (AB) into Glacier National Park (MT), which puts you in a good position to access Yellowstone (and the NW entry to the park is supposed to be spectacular).

I appreciate the tip about highway 3 through BC - that sounds like a great idea. Originally we were just thinking of heading back down to Seattle after Vancouver, but I would love to travel through more of Canada.

As a native, are there any specific activities or destinations in Vancouver that you would reccomend?

With everyone talking about problems between friends, I've been thinking more about going with people I don't know. Are there any websites / forums dedicated specifically to that? And if anyone else has had experiences along those lines I would be interested in your opinion.

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Originally Posted by JimiHendrix

With everyone talking about problems between friends, I've been thinking more about going with people I don't know. Are there any websites / forums dedicated specifically to that? And if anyone else has had experiences along those lines I would be interested in your opinion.

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I am working on such an article/column now -- it will be published ~ February 10th -- I will post a link to it when it is. I think you will find it useful, in fact, I decided to write such an article after reading your posts. and those of some of our other roadtrippers.

Mark

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Originally Posted by crazycdn

The best way to break up the trip btw. there & Chicago would be to drive through the southern part of BC (Hwy #3) - its is gorgeous (be forewarned though that this is a meandering 2 lane highway, you won't be able to go much faster than 65 mph for most of the trip), then in Southern Alberta cut south through Waterton National Park (AB) into Glacier National Park (MT), which puts you in a good position to access Yellowstone (and the NW entry to the park is supposed to be spectacular).

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I took this drive a few years ago, and it is spectacular. It took us a solid day and a half to get from the Vancouver area to Glacier, but it was well worth it. The drive across the pass as you enter Alberta is wonderful, however I would recommend dipping back into Idaho or Montana and taking the "going to the sun" road through Glacier. We would have taken it, but it was still closed at the time - in late June - because of an unusually late snowstorm.

That "Going to the Sun" Road sounds cool - we'll probably make sure to travel that.

Jimi, I am new the forum and relatively new to travel, but I love it! I would think the starter for deciding what are "must see" attractions really depends on your interests. I am a huge baseball fan, so seeing Cooperstown was a huge deal to me. On the contrary, a garden lover might find no interest in it and bypass upstate NY altogether.

Are you into sports at all? If so, are there any stadiums you would like to catch a game in? I assume from your username you are a music fan - what about halls of fame, famous theaters, birthplaces, etc? Do you appreciate history? The Northeast is loaded with historical places, many sites pertaining to the fascinating Revolutionary War. If you can give more of an idea of what you are into, I think people can push you in the right direction (of course there are those "can't miss" monuments that appeal to everyone).

I know Boston and NYC fairly well. I can also give you a few tips on the NE in general. While I'm far less experienced than many posters in here, I can emphasize two things: the country is huge and don't underestimate that even though two places may be in the same state, that doesn't mean they aren't hours apart (this goes for even the smaller states). The second is to give yourself enough time without overdoing it. If you think something will only take an hour to see, try to allot 90 minutes or two hours in your planning. That way, you stay on pace.

Let me know how I can help.

Greetings, Traveling Wilbury, and welcome to the forum!

I love the way you think. Great advice. I look forward to your contributions to our discussions.

Thank you, Judy!

Thanks for the advice Traveling Wilbury - I can see from your name that you're a music fan too.

I really have so many interests that they're hard to list. In answer to your specific suggestions, sports, music and history are check, check, check. I'm looking forward to seeing the Hendrix museum in Seattle, as well as other musical monuments. I spent last summer in Boston doing school and saw a lot of the history, caught a Sox game at Fenway, etc. but I have to say that my favorite attraction in the area was Walden Pond. Even seeing the 4th of July from the MIT bridge didn't compare to it. I plan to stop by Walden again during my trip.

Any suggestions you might have I would more than appreciate. Thanks for the response!

Hi Jimi,

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I'm looking forward to seeing the Hendrix museum in Seattle

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Are you talking about the Jimi Hendrix House or about the EMP? There are plenty of music museums in the US, like the Country Music Hall of Fame in Neashville, TN, Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, TN, the International Bluegrass Museum in Owensburg, KY, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS just to name a few.

Gen