Road trips are an essential element of the American Dream. The bustling 48 contiguous states make it the ideal place to hit the road and travel. Creating the perfect road trip isn’t as easy as it sounds. You want your route to be efficient and effective, but also fun and adventurous.
This guide is what I would consider the perfect United States road trip. We’ve split it into four segments- Western, Southern, Eastern, and Northern America.
This time, we’ll be looking at the Western states encompassing Washington, Oregon, and California. Only three states, but nearly unlimited things to do. It’s the quintessential place for a road trip with beautiful beaches, national parks, and big cities. There is something for everyone in the West.
This trip boasts approximately 1500 miles and nearly 26 hours if you were to drive straight through.
In my opinion, the ideal length for this adventure is about a week. It limits driving while still maximizing the destinations you’re able to reach. Starting in Seattle and ending in San Diego, this trip has everything you could want for a picturesque, Instagram worthy road trip.
It’s hard for most people to get multiple weeks off work at a time, so this guide is perfect for those who can only get one week off- okay well eight days. You can still take the Western road trip of a lifetime.
The days are completely a suggestion. You can take as long or as short as you’d like depending on your limitations and circumstances.
As far as where you stay, that totally depends on how adventurous you want to be. You can pull a live-in-your-car and sleep in the back seat along the way. Wal-Mart parking lots or free campgrounds are the perfect places to stop for a night. Airbnb is another great option that is usually cheaper than a classic hotel. You can also try an app like Couchsurfer if you’re feeling really daring.
I’ve included the top attractions to hit in each area, but the best part of a road trip is unplanned exploring! Walk around, talk to locals, and see what you can discover.
That’s all you need to know to get started- now pull out your Polaroid cameras, buckle up, and lets get started.
Day 1
Stop 1: Seattle, Washington
What do to:
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Museum of Pop Culture
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
Stop 2: Tacoma, Washington
Driving time to designation: 50 minutes
Miles to destination: 34
What to do:
- Tacoma Art Museum
- Point Defiance Park
- Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
- Tacoma Nature Center
Stop 3: Olympia, Washington
Driving time to destination: 50 minutes
Miles to destination: 31
What to do:
- Tolmie State Park
- Capitol Lake
- Percival Landing Park
- Olympic Flight Museum
Day 2
Stop 4: Portland, Oregon
Driving time to destination: 2 hours 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 122
What to do:
- Washington Park
- Portland Street Art
- Witch’s Castle
- Powell’s City of Books
Stop 5: Salem, Oregon
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 15 minutes
Miles to destination: 47
What to do:
- Deepwood Museum and Gardens
- Hallie Ford Museum of Art
- Salem Riverfront Carousel
- Minto-Brown Island Park
Stop 6: Eugene, Oregon
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 15 minutes
Miles to destination: 65
What to do:
- Owen Rose Garden
- McKenzie River National Recreation Trail
- Eugene Saturday Market
- Hendricks Park
Day 3
Stop 7: Redwood National Park
Driving time to destination: 5 hours 15 minutes
Miles to destination: 274
What to do:
- Fern Canyon
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail
- Gold Bluffs Beach
Stop 8: Eureka, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 56
What to do:
- Carson Mansion
- Clarke Historical Museum
- Lost Coast Trail
- Sequoia Park Zoo
Day 4
Stop 9: San Francisco, California
Driving time to destination: 5 hours 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 271
What to do:
- Pier 39
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- Golden Gate Park
Stop 10: Santa Cruz, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 75
What to do:
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Natural Bridges State Park
- Santa Cruz Wharf
Day 5
Stop 11: Monterey, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour
Miles to destination: 43
What to do:
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Cannery Row
- Pinnacles National Park
- Asilomar State Beach
Stop 12: Paso Robles, California
Driving time to destination: 2 hours
Miles to destination: 115
What to do:
- Sculpterra Winery
- The Ravine Water Park
- Tobin James Cellars
- Estrella Warbird Museum
Stop 13: San Luis Obispo, California
Driving time to destination: 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 28
What to do:
- Bishop Peak
- Madonna Inn
- Bubblegum Alley
- Architecture Graveyard
Day 6
Stop 14: Santa Barbara, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 45 minutes
Miles to destination: 95
What to do:
- Mission Santa Barbara
- Stearns Wharf
- Channel Islands
- Santa Barbara Zoo
Stop 15: Los Angeles, California
Driving time to destination: 2 hours 30 minutes
Miles to destination: 108
What to do:
- Griffith Observatory
- Hollywood Sign
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Santa Monica Pier
Day 7
Stop 16: Anaheim, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour
Miles to destination: 26
What to do:
- Disneyland
- Disney’s California Adventure
- Knott’s Berry Farm
Day 8
Stop 17: Laguna Niguel, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour 15 minutes
Miles to destination: 32
What to do:
- Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
- Laguna Niguel Regional Park
- 1000 Steps Beach
- Mission San Juan Capistrano
Stop 18: Encinitas, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour
Miles to destination: 45
What to do:
- San Diego Botanic Garden
- Moonlight State Beach
- Meditation Gardens
- Cardiff State Beach
Stop 19: San Diego, California
Driving time to destination: 1 hour
Miles to destination: 26
What to do:
- Balboa Park
- San Diego Zoo
- Sunset Cliff
- USS Midway Museum
These are just a few of the hundreds of things you can do on your road trip. I believe this route will show you the best of what each state has to offer but definitely do some research for specific destinations that may interest you on the way.
Would you take this week-long Western road trip?
