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[QUOTE=Bogart]This is, after all, a "road trip" forum.
...is what I should have added. I'm all for travel and road trips in particular, but if you are going to try to see the whole country in 3 weeks you might was well as take the bus!
Sorry I wasn't more complete in my comment.
I'm sorry, I just fell in love with Bogart...
But thank you Clint for all the information...and yes, I understood what you were saying when you said to fly to Chicago. That is why me and my friend really hope to make it to Chi town in 3 to 4 days. We're not going to go off the main interstate or anything...
Our main purpose for this trip is to see the major cities and spend time there once we get there. What I mean is, when we get to Chicago, we plan to spend 2 to 3 days in the city, then head out to Niagra falls....and so forth...
California to Chicago... Well mapblast.com puts San Francisco to Chicago at 2,130 miles & 31 hours driving time. You know right off to add 5 hours or so to that drive time for delays / weather / road conditions / "speed traps". This does not include stops to SEE STUFF, eat, sleep.
You say the way across looks bleak? My goodness! What a lot you'll be missing!
If taking the most direct I-80, see the Bonneville Salt Flats / Great Salt Lake near Salt Lake City (where world speed records are set), spend a day & overnight in ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK (just north of Denver)... for starters.
There are many options if you want to spend some time on the way to Chicago. You could go north (Yellowstone) or south (Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon) enroute.
I agree about crossing into Canada at Point Edward / Port Huron / Sarnia Ontario. See NIAGARA FALLS from the Canadian side. The drive across ONTARIO is nice, the first few hours being through farmland.
You can easily make it to Chicago in four days via Hwy 50 and I-70.
But if you're more concerned with speed than scenery, I-80 would be the quickest.
Take US-40 instead of I-70 and make that 5 days to Chicago :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bogart
we're really looking for the quickest routes to the major cities, however, if it means a prettier, more interesteing drive taking a more time consuming route, we'll probably do it.