Epic Road Trip: What We’re Thinking About
In the last podcast that Katherine and I recorded (getting released tomorrow), we talk about plans for our vacations this year. Planning for that episode gave me the idea that my family should go on an epic road trip this summer. Like for the entire month of June!
Matt and I went on an epic road trip when I was pregnant with Henry. And Henry, Tate, and I traveled from Austin to Indiana road-trip-style several years ago. We drove for 2-3 hours a day and then did something fun in each city. We have also done single day road trips to save money on airline tickets, like driving to see my family in Florida or Matt’s family in Indiana.
But we’ve never done a legitimate Family Road Trip. I think it’s time!
We don’t love driving in the car for long distances. We do better if we drive for a shorter period, spend the afternoon exploring a city, and then stay for at least three nights.
So I’m dreaming and scheming about how to put an epic road trip together. If I don’t use any of my sick days during this school year, then I will have three weeks of vacation in June. And I can work remotely for the fourth week.
My current thoughts are that we would drive to Bloomington in one straight shot and stay there for a week while Henry goes to the sleep away camp Matt went to as a kid. Then we would drive for an entire day to get to a western state, such as Montana. And, from there, we would drive no more than six hours at a time and stay in each place for at least three nights. Some of my top destinations currently include:
- Bozeman, Montana
- Spokane, Washington
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Vancouver, Canada
- the Oregon Coast (Astoria?)
- Eugene, Oregon
- Eureka, California (or somewhere else along the northern coast?)
- Stinson Beach, California
- Oakland, California
- San Francisco, California
- Los Angeles, California
What do you think? Any recommendations or suggestions? I would love any insight you are able to share!
5 Comments
Shawn
Hi Sara! Sounds awesome. I’d just like to recommend the Mt. Hood and then Bend/Three Sisters areas of Oregon. We did a road trip with Portland and those two areas and it was great! The drive from Portland to mt. Hood is just one waterfall hike after another. In the Mt. Hood area, we did the Fruit Loop – basically a map of all of these farms where you can drive and stop. We did berry and flower picking and had a picnic and it was a fantasitc afternoon! One of the farms even has a wood fired oven and serves pizza. Alpaca ranch and lavendar farm also in the area. Near Bend and Three Sisters, we stayed in a yurt at Rainshadow Organic Farms. I can’t tell from their website if they still have farm stays, but check them out, if even just for a day visit. Bend is so cute and would be great with the family. Three Sisters had a delicoius bakery, awesome food truck and tons of nature nearby. Deschutes River Trail, Lava cast forest, Tumalo Falls, Lava Butte, Newberry Crater, Pilot Butte – top for a view, Smith Rock – hike the backside of Misery Ridge Trail, Proxy Falls, Sahalie Falls & Koosah Falls – along the crystal blue McKenzie River and Tamolitch Blue Pool are a few nature ideas to get you started. Happy planning and hope you have a blast wherever you decide to go 🙂
Sara Cotner
That sounds fun, Shawn! One of my favorite bloggers moved to the Three Sisters area. I didn’t even think about that. You have shared so many wonderful recommendations! The Fruit Loop sounds incredible! And a farm with a wood fire oven? Swoon! Thank you so much for chiming in.
Christy
Sara!
What an amazing trip in the works!
One suggestion I have is an amazing little area in Klamath Falls, OR called Lake of the Woods: https://lakeofthewoodsresort.com/ It is just south of Crater Lake. We stayed there for my aunt’s 60th birthday a few years ago (on the same big North West trip during which Matt recommended the San Juan Islands!). They have camping, adorable cabins, water activities, a camp store, and a fun restaurant with a beautiful deck.
Sara Cotner
Ooh…it’s so nestled in the forest! Thank you for the suggestion, Christy!
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