New York to Seattle 3 – This trip includes 8 anchors: the Finger Lakes in the state of New York, the iconic Niagara Falls, 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 third of this trip leads to the more touristic destinations along the route (for example – the Niagara Falls). The second third 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 last third is more classic (especially in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area). In terms of scenic beauty – the Niagara Falls are of course spectacular; Theodore Roosevelt and Badlands do not have dramatic landscapes but they have an exceptional charm, and they are also a perfect place for wildlife viewing; and in 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 .It is of course recommended to add a few days in New York City at the beginning of this trip.
Day 1 – Land in New York and enjoy the afternoon in the city
Lodging location: New York
Day 2 – Drive to the Finger Lakes region and visit the gorges around Ithaca, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Ithaca
Day 3 – Enjoy more time to visit the gorges and waterfalls around Ithaca, short drive
Lodging location: Ithaca
Day 4 – Drive to the Niagara Falls and visit the American side of the falls and then cross to Canada, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
Day 5 – Visit the Niagara Falls, short drive
Lodging location: Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
Days 6,7 – Return to the USA and drive to Chicago, 8 hours drive divided to two days
Lodging location: first night along the way, second night Chicago
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 – Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Indiana Dunes National Park (see map, visiting these sites may add a few hours to the total driving time); it is also possible to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
Day 8 – Visit Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 9 – Enjoy one more day in Chicago
Lodging location: Chicago
Day 10 – 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 11,12 – 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 13 – Visit the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 14 – Enjoy one more day on the southern unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Medora
Day 15 – Drive south to South Dakota (it is possible to add to this day activities from day 17), 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 16 – Visit Badlands National Park, short drive
Lodging location: Rapid City
Day 17 – 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 18 – 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 19 – Drive west to Montana, on the way visit Devils Tower National Monument, 6 hours drive
Lodging location: Billings
Day 20 – Drive to Yellowstone National Park through the Beartooth Highway (not suitable for long RVs), 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Cooke City
Day 21 – Visit the Lamar Valley and the Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park and drive to Gardiner, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Gardiner
Day 22 – 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 23 – Visit the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone,1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 24 – Visit the Midway and Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 25 – 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 26 – Drive south to Grand Teton National Park through Hayden Valley and Lake Yellowstone, 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 27 – 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 28 – 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 29 – Drive west through Craters of the Moon National Monument, 4.5 hour drive
Lodging location: Twin Falls
Day 30,31 – 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 32 – Visit Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 33 – Enjoy one more day in Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 34 – Visit the Boeing factory or go whale watching near Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 35 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Northeast USA, Central USA and Northwest USA destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
