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[noelbotevera]

So, for next summer, I've been thinking of a couple road trips. Here are options I've been considering.
Note: Time Allocated is not definite yet.

Option 1: Detroit - Cedar Point - Cleveland
Time Allocated: 1 week?
Synopsis: So, these areas have been on my bucket list for a while, and my father hasn't visited Detroit since the early 90's. So it will probably take about 5 hours to get there, probably spending a day just getting there. Then a day or two in Detroit, two to three in Cedar Point, and a day in Cleveland. Hotel might be near Cedar Point, since it's roughly equidistant from Detroit and Cleveland.

Option 2: Hampton Roads area (incl. Williamsburg, Suffolk?, and Outer Banks)
Time Allocated: 1-2 week(s)?
Note: Not sure if anything is of interest is in Suffolk. I just want to go there to check out the US 58 bypass, and old US 58/US 460.
Synopsis: This area is something I've wanted to check out too, because I have never seen a beach in about a year or two. I've also never been to the Outer Banks (unless you consider New Bern to be in the Outer Banks). So basically, I'll dedicate a day to each city in the Hampton Roads area (Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake), NC 12 along the Outer Banks, and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Maybe Suffolk.

Option 3: Boston area (incl. Nashua - Manchester - Concord NH and Cape Cod)
Time Allocated: 1-2 week(s)?
Note: New Hampshire is just in here so I can brag to classmates that I have been to New England (though I already have - I went to Providence once in 2009, and does New York City count as New England?). Though I might find something interesting.
Synopsis: It's something I've wanted to do in a long time. Besides, tons of interesting places in Boston, and signs for roadgeeks (black background button copy "RIGHT TURN AHEAD", you will be photographed!). I'll dedicate maybe two days to New Hampshire, two days to Cape Cod, eight to the Boston area, and two days for going there and return.

Option 4: Toronto area (incl. Barrie and Niagara Falls, NY-ON)
Time Allocated: 2 weeks?
Synopsis: My first visit to Canada. It's something for a breath of fresh air, and I've wanted to see Niagara Falls in person. This will be an adventure, and it'll be fun. I can also see the main roadgeek attractions: QEW's directions and Ontario Highway 401 through Toronto.

More things will come later whenever I edit this post, or some interesting suggestions come along.

[US 41]

I haven't even thought about road trips for next year yet. I'm still planning this years road trips. A friend of mine wants me to come out to Salt Lake City sometime, so maybe that will eventually be on the list.

This winter (most likely in Feb 2017) I might make a trip back down to the southwest / Mexico, but I still haven't decided on that yet and I most likely won't for a while.

[7/8]

Option 3: Boston area (incl. Nashua - Manchester - Concord NH and Cape Cod)
Time Allocated: 1-2 week(s)?
Note: New Hampshire is just in here so I can brag to classmates that I have been to New England (though I already have - I went to Providence once in 2009, and does New York City count as New England?). Though I might find something interesting.
Synopsis: It's something I've wanted to do in a long time. Besides, tons of interesting places in Boston, and signs for roadgeeks (black background button copy "RIGHT TURN AHEAD", you will be photographed!). I'll dedicate maybe two days to New Hampshire, two days to Cape Cod, eight to the Boston area, and two days for going there and return.

No, most people say New England is VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, and CT only. In fact I've heard some people say SW CT isn't truly New England due to NYC's influence (this is probably debatable).

I would definitely like to take a roadtrip to Boston! It's not that far from home, but for whatever reason I've never gone out that way.

Whichever one you end up choosing, I would like to see some of the roadgeek photos

I haven't even thought about road trips for next year yet. I'm still planning this years road trips. A friend of mine wants me to come out to Salt Lake City sometime, so maybe that will eventually be on the list.

Same, I'm still hoping to take a short trip this summer (in August or early September)

[kphoger]

I'm planning our family's first just-for-fun vacation.  We'll have been married 11 years by then, but all our vacations have been to visit family, to attend weddings or funerals, for mission trips, or along with another couple or family.  This will be the first no-strings-attached vacation.  I'm thinking it'll be an eight-day road trip.

Here are the plans so far...

US-400 to Dodge City (KS), visit Boot Hill Museum, US-400 & US-54 to John Martin Reservoir State Park (CO), campground overnight.

US-50 through Cañon City (CO), side trip to Royal Gorge Bridge, US-50 across Monarch Pass & US-550 to Amphitheater Campground @ Ouray (CO); visit Box Canyon Falls, hot springs, etc.

US-550 & forest roads across Ophir Pass, CO-145 & CO-141 to Gateway (CO), then forest roads west into the Manti–La Sal National Forest (UT), campground @ Warner Lake; visit Dead Horse Point State Park, Arches National Park, Mill Creek Waterfall.

UT-128, old US-6, I-70 through Glenwood Canyon and the Eisenhower Tunnel to Black Hawk (CO), tour Hidee Gold Mine, CO-119 to Golden Gate Canyon State Park (CO), Reverends Ridge Campground overnight.

CO-119, US-6, CO-58, I-70, I-135 back to Wichita (KS).

[Max Rockatansky]

Planning on starting in Seattle and working my way to the UP in Michigan and down to Detroit.  That would get me Isle Royale and Voyaguers National Parks...which would make 46 of the 47 in the continental United States.  PLUS it would let me see some family and maybe catch some games at Comerica.

[Rothman]

Planning on starting in Seattle and working my way to the UP in Michigan and down to Detroit.  That would get me Isle Royale and Voyaguers National Parks...which would make 46 of the 47 in the continental United States.  PLUS it would let me see some family and maybe catch some games at Comerica.

Real national park purists consider all 412 units managed by the National Park Service (for what does the NPS manage, if not national "parks"?).

[Max Rockatansky]

Planning on starting in Seattle and working my way to the UP in Michigan and down to Detroit.  That would get me Isle Royale and Voyaguers National Parks...which would make 46 of the 47 in the continental United States.  PLUS it would let me see some family and maybe catch some games at Comerica.

Real national park purists consider all 412 units managed by the National Park Service (for what does the NPS manage, if not national "parks"?).

They can say that all they want but there is a HUGE step down even between the National Parks and National Monuments...at least usually.  I would be 46 National Monuments and of course there is plenty of those along the way also.....Historic Sites and the rest I never bothered to count up.  I never considered myself what they might call a "purist" it's pretty good number to measure my travels through though.  Basically after I hit the 47 state side I'm going to try to tackle Alaska which might be a 2018 or 2019 thing, the main problem being is finding what planes, ships or other gets to all of them....the pace would be infinitely slower without a car also.

Funny thing is though a lot of National Monuments I've been to are out west and are managed by the BLM rather than the NPS.  I've noticed that Congress is getting really hesitant to shift some of these newer monuments to the NPS and there has been HUGE volume of them since Clinton.  Some are really deserving like the Vermillon Cliffs but there are others like the Sonoran Desert National Monument that should be rejected or turned into a wildlife refuge.  I know one of the Obama era National Monuments actually got turned back over but I can't recall which one off the top of my head.  Interestingly I was thinking about hitting on this topic for a new thread in Off-Topic...in particular National Monuments that ought to have National Park status. 

ALSO...speaking of purists, I don't do the National Park passport stamp.  I actually collect the park maps and have the National Park units mounted on a wall in my den, I used to post the National Monuments before I dug deep into the BLM managed ones.  But for the purposes of this 2017 roadtrip my route basically would be the following:

Start:  Seattle
1.  Olympic National Park
2.  Mount Rainier National Park
3.  Big Four Ice Cave
4.  WA 20/North Cascades Highway and North Cascades National Park.
5.  Seeing some friends in CDA on I-90 in Idaho.
6.  Glacier National Park and the Going-to-the-Sun Road
7.  Either Bannock or Virginia City.
8.  Yellowstone via the western entrance with a exit out of the north by Mammoth Hot Springs.
9.  TR National Park.
10.  Hitting the road hard to get out to Voyageurs National Park.
11.  Isle Royale National Park by way of boat at Copper Harbor, MI.
12.  Mackinac Island
13.  Sleeping Bear Dunes and visiting family around Traverse City.
14.  Visiting family in Lansing.
15.  Visiting family in Detroit.

Basically looking at maybe departing mid-June to ensure the Going-to-the-sun-Road is open but isn't too late to be crazy busy with tourists.  Usually there are old road alignments, rail abandonment, historic sites and ghost towns that I fill out maps with in between the major way points....including National Monuments. 

[Rothman]

They can say that all they want but there is a HUGE step down even between the National Parks and National Monuments...at least usually... 

Funny thing is though a lot of National Monuments I've been to are out west and are managed by the BLM rather than the NPS.  I've noticed that Congress is getting really hesitant to shift some of these newer monuments to the NPS and there has been HUGE volume of them since Clinton... 

ALSO...speaking of purists, I don't do the National Park passport stamp...

Step down?  Not sure where the step down between, say, Wind Cave National Park and Devils Tower National Monument.  Keep in mind there are a whole variety of other designations out there (National Recreation Areas, National Memorials, National Historical Parks, etc.).

The beginning of BLM managing certain units extended from Grand Staircase-Escalante; it was actually the Executive Department/President that pushed for BLM to get involved and not Congress.  See this article.

Why not get the stamps?  They've always been a relatively easy, straightforward way of recording visits.

[Max Rockatansky]

They can say that all they want but there is a HUGE step down even between the National Parks and National Monuments...at least usually... 

Funny thing is though a lot of National Monuments I've been to are out west and are managed by the BLM rather than the NPS.  I've noticed that Congress is getting really hesitant to shift some of these newer monuments to the NPS and there has been HUGE volume of them since Clinton... 

ALSO...speaking of purists, I don't do the National Park passport stamp...

Step down?  Not sure where the step down between, say, Wind Cave National Park and Devils Tower National Monument.  Keep in mind there are a whole variety of other designations out there (National Recreation Areas, National Memorials, National Historical Parks, etc.).

The beginning of BLM managing certain units extended from Grand Staircase-Escalante; it was actually the Executive Department/President that pushed for BLM to get involved and not Congress.  See this article.

Why not get the stamps?  They've always been a relatively easy, straightforward way of recording visits.

Overall I find the Parks to usually be something a little bit more substantial than the monuments.  That's not to say that there aren't monuments just as good as the parks or parks that maybe ought to be monuments.  If I recall correctly the Wind Cave was the 6th national park?  I would view a monument more a smaller geographic feature or some sort of structure.  Mesa Verde comes to mind that regard because I didn't really view it has something "better" than say a Canyon de Chelley.  I have a feeling if it was going to be designated a park unit today it would be monument.  But at the end of the day I tend to see whatever is available reasonably no matter who manages it. 

Was it now?  Regardless a lot of the BLM involvement always seemed to be for the monuments that never got much visitation.  It doesn't seem necessary to build visitor centers and staff park rangers everywhere...I'm always up for more protected lands regardless to go explore.  Off the grid places are often the best since you really are on your own, it's actually a nice change of pace and for what it's worth I find it peaceful.

Well thing was I was about 15 national parks in before I even realized that passport stamping was a thing.  I already had the maps and have a substantial number of roads maps to go along with it.  So I just figured maps was more my speed in addition to photos being infinitely more accessible these days.  Besides, I often show up well before the visitor center is open or a gate is staffed.

[noelbotevera]

They can say that all they want but there is a HUGE step down even between the National Parks and National Monuments...at least usually... 

Funny thing is though a lot of National Monuments I've been to are out west and are managed by the BLM rather than the NPS.  I've noticed that Congress is getting really hesitant to shift some of these newer monuments to the NPS and there has been HUGE volume of them since Clinton... 

ALSO...speaking of purists, I don't do the National Park passport stamp...

Step down?  Not sure where the step down between, say, Wind Cave National Park and Devils Tower National Monument.  Keep in mind there are a whole variety of other designations out there (National Recreation Areas, National Memorials, National Historical Parks, etc.).

The beginning of BLM managing certain units extended from Grand Staircase-Escalante; it was actually the Executive Department/President that pushed for BLM to get involved and not Congress.  See this article.

Why not get the stamps?  They've always been a relatively easy, straightforward way of recording visits.

Well, some of the parks don't make sense. Gettysburg for example should be a National Historical Park, but instead it's just a plain  National Park. Most of the Civil War battlefields that the NPS maintains are National Parks instead of National Historical Parks.

[Max Rockatansky]

They can say that all they want but there is a HUGE step down even between the National Parks and National Monuments...at least usually... 

Funny thing is though a lot of National Monuments I've been to are out west and are managed by the BLM rather than the NPS.  I've noticed that Congress is getting really hesitant to shift some of these newer monuments to the NPS and there has been HUGE volume of them since Clinton... 

ALSO...speaking of purists, I don't do the National Park passport stamp...

Step down?  Not sure where the step down between, say, Wind Cave National Park and Devils Tower National Monument.  Keep in mind there are a whole variety of other designations out there (National Recreation Areas, National Memorials, National Historical Parks, etc.).

The beginning of BLM managing certain units extended from Grand Staircase-Escalante; it was actually the Executive Department/President that pushed for BLM to get involved and not Congress.  See this article.

Why not get the stamps?  They've always been a relatively easy, straightforward way of recording visits.

Well, some of the parks don't make sense. Gettysburg for example should be a National Historical Park, but instead it's just a plain  National Park. Most of the Civil War battlefields that the NPS maintains are National Parks instead of National Historical Parks.

Actually it's a National Military Park....different classification than plain ole National Park.  The Wikipedia Page on the National Park Service actually has a table showing what kinds of units they manage:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service

[SignGeek101]

Still want to go to the US next year. I'm thinking Montana, Idaho, Wyoming or western South Dakota.

I will have to get my passport updated though. There are 10 year versions here now, so once it's done, I won't have to worry about it anymore.

[Max Rockatansky]

Still want to go to the US next year. I'm thinking Montana, Idaho, Wyoming or western South Dakota.

I will have to get my passport updated though. There are 10 year versions here now, so once it's done, I won't have to worry about it anymore.

Yeah it sucks you have to use one now traveling to the states.  I can't say that I was fond of Canadian customs flying into Montreal and Toronto since it became a requirement.  Makes me....well yearn for the days where I could just cross the Detroit River and go gamble without a question at the border.

You're picking some good states if that's what you decide to roll with.

[D-Dey65]

I'm pretty sure I will go back up to the New York Tri-State area in 2017, but I don't know if it'll be the Summer of 2017 or not. I don't even have an exact month selected. I still have a little bit of money on my MetroCard, which is due New Years Eve this year, so I'll either have to renew it before that time comes, or hope that I'll find another way to go up before then. MTA rarely refunds these things.

[kphoger]

Still want to go to the US next year. I'm thinking Montana, Idaho, Wyoming or western South Dakota.

I will have to get my passport updated though. There are 10 year versions here now, so once it's done, I won't have to worry about it anymore.

Yeah it sucks you have to use one now traveling to the states.  I can't say that I was fond of Canadian customs flying into Montreal and Toronto since it became a requirement.  Makes me....well yearn for the days where I could just cross the Detroit River and go gamble without a question at the border.

You're picking some good states if that's what you decide to roll with.

I think three out of five in our family now have passport cards rather than books.  I don't believe Canada offers that option, though.  The cards are more convenient to carry around.  I'll probably always choose to get a book, because the possibility of my traveling overseas is greater than for the others in my family.  But our international travel these days is always crossing into México by land.

[TravelingBethelite]

Next summer already? I haven't even taken this year's...One summer at a time people. I did have a thought of flying out to Omaha and renting a car there then driving down and around the edge of the Western U.S., but it's just that-a concept.

[hm insulators]

I'm hoping to do a road trip to Missouri to see a friend of mine and use his house as a home base to catch a total eclipse of the sun which will be on August 21, 2017. Be advised to all roadtrippers: If you take any kind of road trip around the time of this eclipse along a path from the Oregon coast to the South Carolina coast, I understand a lot of the motel rooms and whatnot anyway near the path of the moon's shadow are spoken for.

[pianocello]

Not the summer, but a few close friends and I have been talking about taking a Midwestern road trip during our two-week Spring Break in March. Since we're cheap college students, it will likely revolve around staying overnight at the houses of people we know. Thankfully we're pretty spread out through the Midwest, so this might actually happen this year.

[GaryV]

11.  Isle Royale National Park by way of boat at Copper Harbor, MI.

Add in Apostle Islands before, and Pictured Rocks after.

12.  Mackinac Island

Which used to be a National Park (2nd one after Yellowstone).

13.  Sleeping Bear Dunes and visiting family around Traverse City.

Which is a National Lakeshore

14.  Visiting family in Lansing.
15.  Visiting family in Detroit.

And then hit Indiana Dunes on the way home, and you'll have clinched all the National Lakeshores.

[Max Rockatansky]

11.  Isle Royale National Park by way of boat at Copper Harbor, MI.

Add in Apostle Islands before, and Pictured Rocks after.

12.  Mackinac Island

Which used to be a National Park (2nd one after Yellowstone).

13.  Sleeping Bear Dunes and visiting family around Traverse City.

Which is a National Lakeshore

14.  Visiting family in Lansing.
15.  Visiting family in Detroit.

And then hit Indiana Dunes on the way home, and you'll have clinched all the National Lakeshores.

Yep, the only one I haven't been to is Isle Royale.  I grew up in Detroit and Lansing for the most part.  That would be one hell of a backtrack to California from Lake Michigan, I'm planning on flying out of Metro.

[Takumi]

Option 2: Hampton Roads area (incl. Williamsburg, Suffolk?, and Outer Banks)
Time Allocated: 1-2 week(s)?
Note: Not sure if anything is of interest is in Suffolk. I just want to go there to check out the US 58 bypass, and old US 58/US 460.
Synopsis: This area is something I've wanted to check out too, because I have never seen a beach in about a year or two. I've also never been to the Outer Banks (unless you consider New Bern to be in the Outer Banks). So basically, I'll dedicate a day to each city in the Hampton Roads area (Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake), NC 12 along the Outer Banks, and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Maybe Suffolk.

Suffolk is mostly rural and pretty spread out. The only interesting things I know of are the disconnected VA 125, and the VA 189/272 pair out in the western reaches. They both have some seriously old concrete, and VA 189's bridge over the Blackwater River into Southampton County is kind of interesting. NC 615 is also a nice drive.

[1995hoo]

My wife has a convention (don't know the dates) in Indianapolis, I think in September 2017. We're planning to drive out and then go visit a friend in St. Louis for a few days, then drive home. Sounds good to me because I've never been to Indiana or Missouri, and on the way home I can clinch I-64 and check off another state I've never visited (Kentucky). I'm pleasantly surprised she agreed to drive, but then, she grew up in Dayton, so she's used to the drive to there and Indianapolis isn't much further. This trip will replace our usual summer trip to visit relatives in Florida.

I haven't figured out what to do about the eclipse.


Regarding Isle Royale, check the weather, including the conditions on Lake Superior, before boarding the ferry. The trip over from Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor Lodge was the only time I've ever gotten seasick, and I got it BAD, hanging over the side of the boat puking my guts out. My mom had refused to buy motion-sickness pills because "we've all ridden ferries before." But the Isle Royale ferry is not anywhere remotely comparable to the Marine Atlantic ferries or even the Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry!

[epzik8]

I'm considering an alternate route from Maryland to Myrtle Beach that would take me through the Delmarva Peninsula.

U.S. Route 1 over the Conowingo Dam to MD-273 to MD-213 across the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to MD-313 at Galena. Then MD-313 all the way down to Mardela Springs where I would pick up U.S. 50 which I would take around Salisbury and into U.S. 13. Then, U.S. 13 into Virginia, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, through the Hampton Roads area and into North Carolina. At Windsor I would pick up U.S. 17 and follow that the rest of the way into South Carolina.

[slorydn1]

I'm considering an alternate route from Maryland to Myrtle Beach that would take me through the Delmarva Peninsula.

U.S. Route 1 over the Conowingo Dam to MD-273 to MD-213 across the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to MD-313 at Galena. Then MD-313 all the way down to Mardela Springs where I would pick up U.S. 50 which I would take around Salisbury and into U.S. 13. Then, U.S. 13 into Virginia, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, through the Hampton Roads area and into North Carolina. At Windsor I would pick up U.S. 17 and follow that the rest of the way into South Carolina.

Waive at the traffic camera on the Neuse River Bridge coming into New Bern. I may be at work and I might just see you!

[wphiii]

Option 3: Boston area (incl. Nashua - Manchester - Concord NH and Cape Cod)
Time Allocated: 1-2 week(s)?
Note: New Hampshire is just in here so I can brag to classmates that I have been to New England (though I already have - I went to Providence once in 2009, and does New York City count as New England?). Though I might find something interesting.

Nashua/Manchester/Concord are not really all that interesting, at least from a tourism standpoint. If you really want to see "New England," there are a number of routes/itineraries that would be better if you can swing them. Vermont 100 is a stone cold classic, though maybe a little far afield for you and your family. U.S. 1 up the coast is also a good option, stopping in Portsmouth and Portland and then some of the little Maine coast towns (Boothbay Harbor, Rockland, etc.). Or you could follow MA 2A out of Boston and do the Lexington and Concord thing (Minute Man National Historical Park), and if you want you can keep going on 2A as it winds through a bunch of old mill towns.