Kansas City to Seattle, at Least 350miles/day

Hi fellas! I am doing an internship in Seattle this summer and decided to drive there, because of the generous relocation package provided by my employer. I live around the Kansas City area, and in order to get a full reimbursement of my driving cost + any lodging cost during the trip, I will need to drive at least 350 miles every day. My question would be what are some best spots to visit/check out during the road trip? What would be the best route to cover some of the greatest sightseeing spots? I wouldn't mind driving extra if it's reasonable.

I'm planning on leaving around May 23 and arrive at Seattle around May 29. I'm by myself, but I would love to have a travel partner as well! I drive a '07 Ford Taurus.

Thank you all!!

Hi Tony, and Welcome to the Great Americana Roadtrip Forum.

For a trip which could be covered by three hard days' driving, to have six days will allow you to stop and enjoy some (though by no means all) of the sights along the way. Get out some good maps/road atlas, and look at all the national parks and monuments along the routes, Rocky Mountain, Dinosaur and Yellowstobne are the main ones which come to mind. Even if you only get to do a drive through on some of them, you will have seen a lot of spectacular country. On the maps are most of the other attractions you pass, or on alternate routes. You will probably have time to venture off the interstates now and then and enjoy some of the scenic routes. (Scenic routes are marked on your maps/roadatlas.)

You might also find this paragraph helpful......

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Originally Posted by AZBuck

Start with maps. Not GPS, not software, not Google, but real honest-to-god paper maps that show you your entire route, that you can mark up (and erase), that you can stick pins in, and that show something about the land you'll be driving through. Those are your essential tool in any RoadTrip planning process. Start by marking all the places you know you want to visit. Then connect the dots. Then look for more places of interest and scenic routes along the lines connecting the dots. Repeat until you've got as many sites and roads as you think you want.

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Lifey

Hi Life, thanks for the reply! Since I'm a tech savvy guy, I do own a GPS, would you still recommend having a paper map and doing research on it, instead of on the internet?

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Since I'm a tech savvy guy, I do own a GPS ...

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As do all of us, but relying on electronics without paper maps can get you into serious trouble, as it has many. If you read all the disclaimers Garmin (to mention only one) puts in their gps, you will see that they do not guarantee it's accuracy, and will not be held responsible for any trouble you may get into by relying on them. When the Cretiens got into terrible trouble a couple of years back (Google 'Death by GPS'), the head of Garmin emphasised that they were never meant to be an accurate navigator. Mr Crretien lost his life relying on his gps.

Mine has shown me a U turn on a one way road, and sent me onto an interstate OFF ramp the wrong way. We have heard of folk who have been routed onto railway tracks and bush or forestry roads some of which were closed at the time, as well as the wrong way down one way streets.

Even putting in the co ordinates to find a campground had my gps lead me up some tiny bush track where it took me 65 mins to cover 1 mile. (On checking, the error was not with the user.)

Your primary navigation tool has to be good paper maps. By all means do the research into various places and routes on the internet, but be sure you have the BIG picture on your map. Gps snippets are perfect for finding addresses in urban areas, although my Garmin has not got that right all the time either..... despite updating the maps yearly.

It does not seem to matter where on earth one is, as my Garmin downunder has the same issues as the one I have in the US.

Lifey

Others that come to mind between Kansas City and Seattle: the Black Hills of South Dakota (Mt Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial), Badlands National Park, Devil's Tower National Monument, Little Big Horn National Historic Battlefield, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Coeur d'Alene, Grand Coulee Dam. If you have 6 days to cover what could be hard driven in 3 days, you don't have time for all of these, but you can pick and choose.

MAPS, PAPER MAPS. I totally agree with Lifey. You'll see all the things I just mentioned on a paper map, but your GPS will not necessarily show them to you. It's still very, very important to know how to use a paper map and to do it. My GPS has tried to send me the wrong way down a one-way road, and up a road that is clearly closed with a padlocked gate across it to find the home of a colleague, and it told me once that my destination was on the left when it was clearly on the right. (I was going to a hotel, not a senior center.)


Donna

Out of curiosity, do you have to cover 350 miles each day, or do you just have to average 350 miles? In other words, If you wanted to cover 500 miles the first day, then explore a park or city and cover just 200 miles the next day, would that be allowed?

Both options could make for a great trip, but it would certainly impact how I would approach the planning.

Donna gave you some great options for heading north to South Dakota and over, but you'd also have the option to head out towards Colorado and Utah, visiting places like Rocky Mountain NP and Arches and Canyonland, before turning North. I wouldn't recommend one route over another, as they are both fantastic.

And yes, Paper Maps are essential and provide a level of visuals that you just can't get on a computer or GPS screen.

I see what you are saying Life, thanks! So what brand of map atlas would you recommend me getting? I'm looking at a NatGeo one and it costs $15. It looks kinda like a book instead of a paper map though...

Hey Michael, I believe only need to average 350 miles a day. So yeah that means I can drive 500 miles a day and 200 on another day. I am thinking of potentially driving pass Laramie, WY to visit some friends too, but it's not a must-have. Would that impact the planning as well?

Hi Donna, thanks for the reply. I looked up all the spots on Google and they all look amazing! Just another question, would you recommend living in hotels and driving to the sites every day, or would you recommend camping out? Also, when would be the best time to drive/sightseeing each day? I'm thinking driving in dusk, and then visiting during day light.

This is the atlas i'm currently looking at
http://www.campsaver.com/mount-baker...f5JxoCnE7w_wcB

I would imagine that Atlas would work just fine. My favorite is actually the Rand McNally Atlas.

I'll also mention that both the Rand McNally and the National Geographic can be purchased through the Roadtrip America Store for less money than the link you posted.

Hotels vs. camping is going to depend on your own personal preferences. My husband and I have tent-camped, owned and camped in a pop up (tent trailer), owned and "camped" in both a travel trailer and a fifth wheel trailer, and we enjoyed each of them. Now we use motels, only because storing an RV in San Diego is obnoxiously expensive -- our next one will probably be when we retire (NOT in California!).

We happen to prefer the Rand McNally atlas. Nowadays, our favorite is the large scale map - so much easier to read! You can get it through RTA store (as MWMichael pointed out) or at your local bookstore or big box store, since you're in the Kansas City area. (Walmart carries them, or most of the WM's do, anyway.)


Donna

As mentioned, the choice of accommodation is a personal one. Since you are on your own, you could even check out hostels.

Lifey

Hey guys, Thank you for the responses! I just got my Rand McRally atlas today! Super cool maps but I still have no idea how to use it. So far I only used Google Map to figure out how should I get to Seattle from KC (I will ride on I90 for a long time), and this is the fastest route https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kans...47.6062095!3e0.

So how can I decide where to visit, when and where to stop, and generally just how to plan a trip? :/

Thank you!

Google maps will show the quickest route while trying to keep you on Interstate at the same time. You only get to go exactly where you want by planning it out for yourself. The maps will show you all the other roads available and what attractions are along them. Take a look and see what appeals to you and make notes and then you can go back on-line and do some research, whether it be a small town, a City, or State or National park. Once you have some places you want to visit you can start to see how to join those dots up, you can check mileage via Google maps, but time estimates are way to optimistic. If you average a drive along the highways as covering 55miles in one hour you will get a good idea of how far you can get, but that's not allowing for major sightseeing stops, just the basics for food, fuel and rest. Once you have got those 'Waypoints' you can even drop and drag the blue route line on Google to see how much mileage it might add. You can do this multiple times for each day, you just need to start breaking things down into smaller portions and then piece it all together. When you get to this point and you have specific questions, we can help to 'fine tune' your options.

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Also, when would be the best time to drive/sightseeing each day? I'm thinking driving in dusk, and then visiting during day light

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There is no 'best' time to drive, other than it being light for the main part so you can enjoy the ride. The rest will depend on how your plan comes together. For example you might spend the night in town and your main focus for the day is 5 hours away, so you set off after breakfast. Another day yo may wake in the place you want to explore and will then set off in the afternoon /evening depending on how far your next destination is. It will come together as soon as you have started to break it down.

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Originally Posted by tonymuu

So how can I decide where to visit, when and where to stop, and generally just how to plan a trip? :/

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Originally Posted by AZBuck

Start with maps. Not GPS, not software, not Google, but real honest-to-god paper maps that show you your entire route, that you can mark up (and erase), that you can stick pins in, and that show something about the land you'll be driving through. Those are your essential tool in any RoadTrip planning process. Start by marking all the places you know you want to visit. Then connect the dots. Then look for more places of interest and scenic routes along the lines connecting the dots. Repeat until you've got as many sites and roads as you think you want.

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It takes a little practice, but at least it will be YOUR trip and not Mr Googles.

Lifey

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So how can I decide where to visit, when and where to stop, and generally just how to plan a trip?

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Lifey said it takes a little practice, but there are tips. If you aren't sure how to read a road map at all, you may want to find someone locally who can show you. Then:

In an atlas, open up to the full map of the USA. Start placing a small sticky note on every place that sounds interesting to you, especially (if you're crunched for time) along the route you want to take.

Use your electronics to figure out how far it is from point to point. Bear in mind Google, Mapquest, etc., will use the fastest route to determine mileage. DO NOT rely on the travel time they give you, as those are best case scenarios and never include time for gas, food, pitstops, stretch legs and see something from a viewpoint stops. Take the mileage and divide by 55 or 60 for interstates, and that's how many hours you can expect to take to travel, NOT INCLUDING sightseeing stops! Add time for those!

Our rule of thumb is: around 600 miles/day if traveling on an interstate and not wanting to do any sightseeing stops. Around 350-400 miles/day if towing or if traveling on 2-lane highways. If we want to sightsee something along the way, we cut back on our mileage. Yes, these are rules that we have broken here and there, especially now that we are no longer towing. Last rule about this is rarely broken: no more than 3 600-mile interstate days in a row.

Always do a little research about places you want to stop at to sight-see, either by asking us on the forum, reading websites or travel guides. It will usually give you a good idea on how much time to plan to spend at a place. Our rule of thumb is a full day for most national parks unless they're huge or we want to do some hiking or another activity. Some museum websites have shown us that "this is going to be 2-3 hours" or "this is going to be a couple of days" (National Museum of the US Air Force comes to mind, there).

Lifey's right, though, it's YOUR trip, not Mr. Google's or Mr. Mapquest's.


Donna

Hi tonymuu,

I am in the same boat as you were. Doing the KC to Seattle road trip in about 10 days. I have 6 days total. From Aug 17-23rd and 350 miles/day is the condition. What round did you end up taking ? Could you please share!

Thanks!