[sygazelle]

My wife and I are thinking about taking a cross country road trip from Northern California this Fall if things open up or next year if the shut down continues.

Here is a map of one of the routes I'm thinking about taking. For sure, we want to see:

The New England states
Washington DC
Niagra Falls
Victoria, MN (visit my sis. I miss her cooking!)

Everything else is open to ideas.

We picked up her X5 in Spartanburg last year and drove the Southern route back to California. We took 3 weeks and had a blast. This time we want to go a more Northern route and take 8 weeks or so.

I'd love any advice you all have on routes, roads, highways, locations, B&Bs, unique bars or restaurants. Our plans are wide open. We just want to see the country by car and not be in a hurry.

Thanks in advance for any ideas you offer.


Here is one possible route I am thinking about that would include Southern Canada also. Happy to stay in the US also. This is just an idea.

[chassis]

Go for it! Have fun and post photos.

[miiipilot]

Can you cross the border yet?

[N54Yankee]

Sounds like a great trip you have semi planned. When you do it post up pics and anecdotes along the way for us.

[M_Six]

Is the Canadian national speed limit still something like 100KPH? I remember a long, boring, mostly empty road from Detroit to London, ONT. And that's a tiny fraction of what you're planning.

[phantomcoupe]

Absolutely go through the Black Hills, South Dakota. Spearfish Canyon is one of the finest drives ever. Check out Needles Highway and Custer State Park. Enjoy!

[archerz]

This is my trip when we're allowed out again!

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Newc...52.5504827!3e0

[dreamingat30fps]

Couple of places we really liked along your route. Not sure where you have been already so. Also we have only been on the US side of your route. Haven't done the Canada side apart from Vancouver.

- Mt St Helen in WA. Boeing is near Seattle and does a cool factory tour.

- Acadia National Park ME

- If you go to Niagara Falls I would stop in Ithaca NY and check out the various parks with their own waterfalls. I personally found all the falls and parks in Ithaca way better than Niagara Falls. One park I can recall that was very cool was Robert H. Treman.

- Elkhart IN is pretty cool to see all the Amish. They also make some crazy good doughnuts. Lots of RV factories there that offer free tours if you are into that thing. If you make it to Indianapolis gotta try St Elmos Steakhouse.

- Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville make a nice side trip. We enjoyed all 3 a lot. Amazing market in Cincinnati... although I guess if you ain't cooking...

- A bit away from your route but Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in WY are a must if you have not been. Being from CA you've probably been to all that nearby stuff already.

That's all I got off the top of my head.

[W///]

What a cool trip. It's on my bucket list to do something like this, even if it's by myself. I struggle to think what car I'd take. Maybe my Z4M Roadster so that I can drop the top in all these amazing places, but the ride would probably kill my back a few days in

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

.....
- If you go to Niagara Falls I would stop in Ithaca NY and check out the various parks with their own waterfalls. I personally found all the falls and parks in Ithaca way better than Niagara Falls. One park I can recall that was very cool was Robert H. Treman. .

^^^This for sure, and I'd suggest revising your route to get up into the Adirondacks and the Catskills (happy to share some fav's if you get serious about this). Might want to go Ohio > DC for some Appalachian mountain routes (they call it the Pennsyltucky region) then back up into NY.

[iminhell1]

You know you're coming the wrong way into MN.
Come up closer to Winona at least, if not further down river.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by chassis

Go for it! Have fun and post photos.

We will.

When I retired after many years of working crazy hours, we would still be in the habit of taking short vacations to preserve vacation time. It took a few years to get used to stretching vacations out a bit. Old habits die hard. Now, we are taking longer and longer vacations and simply not being in a rush at all. If we want to stay somewhere longer, we just do it. My wife is a great traveler so these adventures work out great for us.

Hopefully, we can do it this year but I don't want to go until everything opens up. Whenever it is, we will post photos.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by miiipilot

Can you cross the border yet?

Don't know. We won't go until we can travel freely. It might not be until next year.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

Sounds like a great trip you have semi planned. When you do it post up pics and anecdotes along the way for us.

Will do!

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Is the Canadian national speed limit still something like 100KPH? I remember a long, boring, mostly empty road from Detroit to London, ONT. And that's a tiny fraction of what you're planning.

I'll keep that in mind. This map is just a first try at planning. We may dip back down into the US. Depends on further research and input from those who have done it. Speed limits are not an issue for me. I love going faster, but I'm no longer in a rush. Its stop and smell the flowers time. I really cannot believe I'm even saying that!

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by phantomcoupe

Absolutely go through the Black Hills, South Dakota. Spearfish Canyon is one of the finest drives ever. Check out Needles Highway and Custer State Park. Enjoy!

Will do. I've always wanted to see that area. We won't miss it. I've made note of the specific roads you mentioned. Thank you.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by archerz

This is my trip when we're allowed out again!

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Newc...52.5504827!3e0

Fu*king Hilarious! I had no idea these towns existed. When my kids were teenagers, we drove through Salsburg and the surrounding area. My kids would have given me Dad of the Century Award if if I'd taken them to that town.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Couple of places we really liked along your route. Not sure where you have been already so. Also we have only been on the US side of your route. Haven't done the Canada side apart from Vancouver.

- Mt St Helen in WA. Boeing is near Seattle and does a cool factory tour.

- Acadia National Park ME

- If you go to Niagara Falls I would stop in Ithaca NY and check out the various parks with their own waterfalls. I personally found all the falls and parks in Ithaca way better than Niagara Falls. One park I can recall that was very cool was Robert H. Treman.

- Elkhart IN is pretty cool to see all the Amish. They also make some crazy good doughnuts. Lots of RV factories there that offer free tours if you are into that thing. If you make it to Indianapolis gotta try St Elmos Steakhouse.

- Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville make a nice side trip. We enjoyed all 3 a lot. Amazing market in Cincinnati... although I guess if you ain't cooking...

- A bit away from your route but Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in WY are a must if you have not been. Being from CA you've probably been to all that nearby stuff already.

That's all I got off the top of my head.

All great ideas. Thanks so much.

[E92 M Sport]

I wasn’t wowed by Niagara Falls Canada. But if you insist, check out the town Niagara on the Lake, and get some ice wine at the wineries in the area. Good stuff. Enjoy.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by W///

What a cool trip. It's on my bucket list to do something like this, even if it's by myself. I struggle to think what car I'd take. Maybe my Z4M Roadster so that I can drop the top in all these amazing places, but the ride would probably kill my back a few days in

When I worked in Europe, my family was back home in California. It was hard at first, but I got used to getting out there and traveling on my own. I learned to really enjoy it. Go take that trip!

As for which car you should take, that's a tough one. What a problem you have! (sarcasm)

We will most likely take my wife's X5 and cruise. I love my 3er but I think X5 is begging for a long road trip.

[BimmerDimmer6]

Bless your heart going cross country with the wife. I could never.

Have fun.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by BimmerDimmer6

Bless your heart going cross country with the wife. I could never.

Have fun.

I just shared your great comment with my wife. We both got a big laugh out of it.

I am really quite lucky in that respect. We've known each other since high school. We've been married for 47 years (and counting). She and I both love traveling. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Besides, she has a G05 X5 I want to try out.