Travelling across the good ole USA

If you've got a strict schedule to keep, fly.

Otherwise, just play it by ear. The North has snow, the South has tornadoes and the middle has floods.

Right now, it's mostly stopped snowing in the North; US-2 is about as far North as you can drive east-west without going into Canada.

OK we need more info, what will you be driving, how long do you want to take each way, what type of thing do you want to see.

Generally the southern route I-10->I-20->in CA then north on I-5 or US 101. Is doable any time of the year. There are any number of variations on that basic plan. Depends on what you want to see and if you want to drive thru CA with it's horrible roads and sky high fuel costs.

Your concern about tornadoes needs to take facts into consideration. Last year for example tornado activity was at a historic LOW. This year has been more active and that's known as weather and is unpredictable as you know. But historically there has been no increase in tornado activity and there may actually be a slight decrease. Next year? Only the Lord knows for sure.

Going east, you'll probably take I-80 or possibly I-90 most of the way. Again many other ways to do it. Trucks drive those routes year round and if there is a storm just motel it for a day or two. If you want to wait until storms are unlikely then you are talking about June. Or this year it may be July. Or after a warm winter it could be April or May. Again weather rules and we do not have a crystal weather ball on hand.

If time permits, take the side roads. It's the best way to see America.

bigdon68 wrote:
We live in Maryland and our son just moved to Spokane Valley Washington.
We would like to visit him next year taking a Southern Route one way and the Northern Route the other.

When is the best time to travel. I realize that the Northern route will be difficult anywhere close to winter.

With all of the storms in the midwest --- now you see my concern.

Any help would be appreciated.

Don
Maryland

As do we, Live in MD :)

How long are you thinking - 3 months - 6 months - a year?

If you are not making this a good long trip then it really makes little difference how you go. Snowed in Denver and Yellowstone last week so that sort of tells you the season in the Rockies can be short, especially as you go Higher in Altitude and further North.

Do you have a list of Must See/Do? If you were to post them the discussion could start there.

Have you done the West Before?

So now for what I would consider the Perfect trip out to the Coast. Leave Maryland Mid -August head to Colorado up to the Black Hills and the over to Yellowstone - Might even get up to Glacier if you are moving along. That should take the better part of say 5 weeks (You do want to see these places, right)

Then on to Washington, IMHO I'd plan ThanksGiving with your Son - Probably will take a month or so to see some of Washington and Oregun - getting you down the Coast for December - might even get to see some of the Cali National Parks - as they are usually Very Crowded.

Now out to Vegas then possibly get a little of Utah before heading down to I-10 and across the bottom of the US to Florida - then back Home whenever you need to be back.

Would that work?

Best of Luck,

Seems to me there's not enough info here to afford any sort of intelligent guess as to what would be most useful to the OP, beyond "any time you've got the time is a good time to go." Every route from Maryland to Washington (state), even ones passing through the Arctic Circle in Canada as well as along the southern Mexican border have things to see and do, take varied amounts of time, and work best in certain seasons, as well as depend on the vehicle being driven. Some possible routes argue against the attempt if your rig is 65 feet long, or if it's powered by hydrogen or depends on Tesla Superchargers.

I like the flying idea if the main reason is to visit him. However, if you want to take the summer/fall to see the US AND visit him I'd suggest the northern route in July and the southern route in September.

Ditto to Dick B. Also remember this is a big country and what you are proposing will take time to do. Unless you plan to do all driving and no seeing you will need at least 2 to 3 months.

I grew up in Maryland, so in 1969 my friend and I bought a 1957 Chevy and drove to California to go surfing on Route 66. I used to live in Spokane.

It will all be brand new. I would avoid the summer, especially July and August. Fall is great. Spring would be fine. I would take the northern route to get there. Go fast until you get to SD. Then slow down and enjoy the Black Hills and driving across MT. Going home I would go south and stop at Yellowstone and spend some time in Colorado. If you have time visit northern NM. There is no right answer. Take your time and enjoy America.

prichardson wrote:
Ditto to Dick B. Also remember this is a big country and what you are proposing will take time to do. Unless you plan to do all driving and no seeing you will need at least 2 to 3 months.

Well you could take an extra week or two while traveling and see quite a bit. Let's not discourage him, you don't have to see everything all at once.

However we are wasting our time unless the OP posts more info.

Consider taking US2 east from Spokane rather than the interstates. Goes right through Glacier NP. You can stay on US2 all the way to the Mackinack Bridge in Michigan. You have a narrow window between June (last of the snow) and August (start of fire season).