Chicago to Seattle 3 – This trip includes 6 anchors: the wonderful city of Chicago, Theodore Roosevelt, Badlands (and its surroundings), Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and the charming city of Seattle. The first half of this route leads to the least touristic, off the beaten path America – that of the small and remote towns, that of the Wild West and that of traveling through endless prairies and plains of corn and wheat – east of the Rocky Mountains. While the other half is more classic and touristic (especially in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area). In terms of scenic beauty – Theodore Roosevelt and Badlands do not have dramatic landscapes but they have an exceptional charm, and it is also a perfect place for wildlife viewing. In contrast, in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area (which are the icing on the cake of this trip) the views are more dramatic and the topography is more impressive (and the amount of wildlife you can expect to see is exceptional). This is a great route, ideal for coast-to-coast travelers. It should be noted that the route includes relatively long drives (especially in the first half).
Day 1 – Land in Chicago and enjoy the afternoon in the city
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 2 – Visit Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 3 – Enjoy one more day in Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 4 – Start driving west, on the way visit Devil’s Lake State Park and/or Mirror Lake State Park (see map), 3.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Wisconsin Dells (see attractions in Wisconsin Dells here)
Days 5,6 – Continue driving west to South Dakota, 11 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Medora
Please note: it is advised not to make reservations for the first night and to decide when to stop according to how tired you are; points of interest along the way (located from east to west) are – Lake Maria State Park, Maplewood State Park (see map, visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time); it is also possible to add a day or two to the drive a spend them in Minneapolis (if visiting the city – don’t miss this park and this huge mall – that also has a water park and more attractions).
Day 7 – Visit the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 8 – Enjoy one more day on the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 9 – Drive south to South Dakota (it is possible to add to this day activities from day 14), 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 10 – Visit Badlands National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 11 – Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park,and/or the Black Hills (including Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway), 1-2 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 12 – Visit sites in the area that you did not have enough time to visit in previous days, 1-2 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 13 – Drive west to Montana, on the way visit Devils Tower National Monument, 6 hours drive
Lodging location: Billings
Day 14 – Drive to Yellowstone National Park through the Beartooth Highway (not suitable for long RVs), 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Cooke City
Day 15 – Visit the Lamar Valley and the Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park and drive to Gardiner, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Gardiner
Day 16 – Visit Mammoth Hot Springs (it is also possible to add a rafting trip near Gardiner) and drive south in Yellowstone National Park (on the way you can stop and visit Norris Geyser Basin), 2 hours drive
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 17 – Visit the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone,1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 18 – Visit the Midway and Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 19 – Drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and enjoy this canyon’s wonderful waterfalls and views, 1 hour drive
Lodging location: Canyon (or Lake Yellowstone)
Day 20 – Drive south to Grand Teton National Park through Hayden Valley and Lake Yellowstone, 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 21 – Enjoy a day in southern Grand Teton National Park plus participate in outdoor activities (rafting, horseback riding etc.) near the town of Jackson, less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 22 – Enjoy on more day in the southern part of Grand Teton National Park and enjoy activities around Jackson, less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 23 – Drive west through Craters of the Moon National Monument, 4.5 hour drive
Lodging location: Twin Falls
Day 24,25 – Drive west to Seattle, 9.5 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Seattle
Please note: it is advised not to make reservations for the first night and to decide when to stop according to how tired you are; points of interest along the way (located from east to west) are – Shoshone Falls (in Twin Falls), Bruneau Dunes State Park; Boise, Columbia River Gorge and Mount Rainier National Park (visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time).
Day 26 – Visit Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 27 – Enjoy one more day in Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 28 – Visit the Boeing factory or go whale watching near Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 29 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Central USA and Northwest USA destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
