[cole1982]

Overview

• Begins in mid-June in Aspen, Colorado and lasts 28 days until the final stop at Mt. Rainer National Park

• Total miles = 3,852

• Average miles per day of trip = 138

• Average miles per designated driving day = 275 (~ 4 hr average)

• Longest drive is San Francisco to Mt Rainer which is ~12 hours

• Only 4 other drives are over 400 (and all less than 500, ~7 hours)



1. Food & Wine Classic in Aspen Colorado (Special Event): Spend 3 days in scenic Aspen, Colorado at this event that brings the world’s best chefs and winemakers together for cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and panel discussions.


2. Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs, Colorado: Visit the beautiful natural hot springs in Steamboat Springs. Will enjoy an afternoon session after the drive and then come back for the Adults Only nighttime experience after dinner


3. See a Concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado: This open-air venue cut into the Colorado Rockies is flat out one of the best venues to watch any concert. In 1999 Pollstar awarded Red Rocks the title of best small outdoor venue for the ELEVENTH TIME. They then renamed the award the Red Rocks Award and took the venue out of the competition.


4. Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado (Free Admission): This natural landmark is located at the foot of Pike’s Peak and is famous for it’s massive red rock formations.


5. Purple Pie Place in Custer, South Dakota: On the drive from Colorado Springs to Deadwood we make a stop at this cozy little restaurant just outside Rushmore that serves up some of the tastiest pie I’ve ever eaten. I’ll order the Cherry but they have some other exotic flavors like Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno.


6. Deadwood, South Dakota: We will spend 2 days in Deadwood. They have historical recreations of Wild Bill Hickok’s murder while holding Aces & Eights. Other actors portray Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock, and Al Swearengen to bring the legacy of Deadwood to life. Oh, and did I mention you can gamble in the casinos?


7. Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming: We will spend 3 nights in Yellowstone National Park. The park is known for wildlife and other geothermal features including the famous Old Faithful geyser. Other must dos include Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Mammoth Hot Springs


8. Lagoon Amusement Park near Salt Lake City, Utah: This privately owned “hidden gem” is 136 years old and expertly blends classic amusement park with new age thrills. Take a ride on the ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts) Landmark wooden coaster that is the fourth oldest in the United States. And ride the imposing Cannibal, the tallest BEYOND VERTICAL drop in the world. Cannibal has been ranked in the top 50 steel coasters worldwide every year since it opened.


9. Arches National Park near Moab, Utah: We spend 2 days in this park that includes over 2,000 natural sandstone arches including the famous Delicate Arch and other famous landmarks such as Balanced Rock.


10. The Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada: We spend 4 days on the Vegas Strip. Casinos, shows, and resorts that are attractions.


11. Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California: We go 3 days to Walt’s original family destination. We will do one day at Disneyland, one at California Adventure, and another to spend in the resorts and Downtown Disney area.


12. Watch a ballgame at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California: We travel up to San Francisco to one of the most scenic ballparks in MLB. We will watch some sluggers pound the ball into McCovey Cove. I just hope it isn’t Aaron Judge unless he is still in a Yankees uniform.


13. Muir Woods National Monument just outside San Francisco, California: Less than 20 miles over Golden Gate Bridge from San Fran sits this national monument full of the world famous redwoods of California. We will stop here on the longest drive of the trip from San Francisco to Washington


14. Mt. Rainer National Park in Washington: We end the trip with 2 days in this national park which is home to the 14,410 ft Mount Rainer as well as other volcanoes including Mount Adams.



Other considerations here: The drives on this trip are top notch. Driving in Colorado is an event onto itself. The Aspen to Steamboat drive includes a trip through the breathtaking Glenwood Canyon. Steamboat to Denver includes a trip over Rabbit Ears Pass. Some of the best drives around. I never took the drive through Wyoming that would be included in Deadwood to Yellowstone but Mikey posted some gorgeous pics from when he drove his kid to college. The drive around San Francisco goes over the Golden Gate and through Sausalito which I also found great. Get yourself a great playlist and those drives which are on the shorter side add to the enjoyment of the trip.