Best route to Bellingham, WA from Indianapolis, IN

paulj wrote:
WA20 is a scenic way of bypassing the Seattle area, but is a higher pass.

Beautiful drive! If you have the time to go this northern route it's hard to beat the scenery! Lots of things to see especially for a first-timer. SR20 will join I5 at Burlington about 30 miles south of Bellingham. A nice way to avoid Seattle I5. The last time we towed I5 coming home it took almost 3 hours from Tacoma to Marysville (67 miles) just because of traffic. :E

We went to Portland last year via Great Falls and Missoula. We used all kinds of roads from Indiana to there, but if you are in a hurry I suggest I-74,I-80,I-29,I-90.

I don't think it makes a big difference. I94 (and 90) is the shortest route between Chicago and Seattle. But on a 4-6 day trip a few hours driving time doesn't matter much.

The final pass over the Cascades will be as noticeable as the ones in Montana/Idaho. Not has high, but Seattle is at sea level, and the Columbia River crossing nearly so.

WA20 is a scenic way of bypassing the Seattle area, but is a higher pass.

I like to take I 80 MPG will depend a lot on the wind !!

I'd go I-90 - it's a more direct route. The worst of the mountains will be in western Montana and Idaho, and on the interstates they won't be very bad (and will be very beautiful). And anything you can do to get around Seattle will be a very good thing. As with any big city (and especially Seattle), timing is everything - avoid rush hours like the plague.

al

Both are fine. If you take I80/I84 just west of Pendelton,OR cut north on I82 to I90 into Seattle area. From there it is only an hour and a half to Bellingham.