Seattle ---> Hershey, 2 weeks

[transeattlite]

Hi all,

I’m planning a road trip from Seattle to Hershey PA to attend medical school this fall. I want to spend 2 weeks on the road to get an adventure out of the move. My idea is to leave Seattle July 15th and end up in Hershey on Aug 1st, which gives me a week to move in before school begins.

I’m really into the outdoors, so I know I want to visit Yellowstone, and most likely the Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain NP. After the Rockies though, I can’t think of anything that I’d like to visit, save for some relatives in Chicago. I’ve already been to Mt. Rushmore and seen plenty of farms and fields in my life. Is there anything east of the Rockies close to my route that I might be interested in?

The car I’m using is a ’96 Honda Civic with 150k miles. It has had a few major cooling problems in the past such as a broken thermostat. Otherwise it runs perfectly fine, although that does not mean a future problem is imminent. The only assurance I have against a major mechanical breakdown is AAA. Money is an issue for me so I’m not interested in renting a car for this trip. Before I leave, I’ll have the car checked out by a good mechanic whom I know, but I’m still nervous about whether the Honda is going to make it through this or not.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I’m planning a road trip from Seattle to Hershey PA to attend medical school this fall. I want to spend 2 weeks on the road to get an adventure out of the move.

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! Sounds like quite an adventure you are embarking on -- not the least of which is medical school.

My idea is to leave Seattle July 15th and end up in Hershey on Aug 1st, which gives me a week to move in before school begins.

It is a solid five days to cover that distance by the fastest route and so by adding another week or so, you will have ample time to do some exploring. That being said, I think you may be a little overly optimistic about how much time you will have to wander off the beaten path.

I’m really into the outdoors, so I know I want to visit Yellowstone, and most likely the Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain NP.

I assume that you would like to do some hiking and exploring and even if you limited your time to two days in each of those parks you will be hard-pressed to find any "extra" time on the rest of the drive to Pennsylvania.

The car I’m using is a ’96 Honda Civic with 150k miles. It has had a few major cooling problems in the past such as a broken thermostat. Otherwise it runs perfectly fine, although that does not mean a future problem is imminent.

Hondas tend to be great cars and as long as your mechanic checks it out -- I would think you will be fine.

Mark

[Quebec Gen]

Is there anything east of the Rockies close to my route that I might be interested in?

There's plenty of stuff to see besides Mt Rushmore in South Dakota like Badlands National Park for instance. Here's an interesting field report on SD by one of our contributors. You could follow more or less the path of the Oregon Trail through parts of Wyoming and Nebraska (cowboy country) and visit places like Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Ash Hollow State Park, ...

Niobrara State Park by the Missouri River in Nebraska seems like a perfect place for canoeing or kayaking, so is Merrick State Park (Mississippi River) in WI. Lake Manawa State Park is a nice little park located near Council Bluffs, IA. The park connects with the Western Historic Trails Center, a museum featuring exhibitions about massive emigration to the west in the 1800's (admission free). For mountain hiking, try out Wildcat Mountain in Wisconsin. Starved Rock State Park, IL is a peaceful place to camp and offer some pleasant short and easy trails. In Pensylvania you'll find plenty of hiking opportunities.

Good luck at medical school and have a safe trip!
Gen

[transeattlite]

Thanks guys! The advice and suggestions were extremely helpful. I'm going to be looking forward to driving this summer!