driving san fran - seattle - vegas

the 4-5 days back could be realistic, but two days up there AND seeing stuff is not. SF to seattle is 12-14 hours just driving, taking the freeway. You could go up the coast one way, and back down the freeway the other. once in california on your way to vegas, there's not a particularly great scenic route other than the freeway (not scenic), unless you go down 395, but depending on when in autumn you plan to do this, you may have problems with snow.

ah, but our idea was not to come back to SF inbetween seattle and vegas - we were thinking there'd be a more easterly route through, I don't know, Idaho and Navada or Utah, or something? but I could be totally wrong!

For S.F.-Seattle, see FAQ post 184: "Willysnout’s Pacific Coast Drive From Seattle to San Diego." In Seattle, see FAQ post 152: "Willysnout's Biased Guide to Seattle."

From Seattle to Vegas, 4-5 days is enough. If you will answer two questions, I'll give you a lot more detail.

1. When in autumn? Are we talking September, October or November? I ask because some places close in October.

2. What is your budget for accommodations? Tell me how much, in dollars, you're comfortable spending per night for a room, and what you're upper limit is. I ask because I have some specific recommendations for places along the way, but they're expensive.

And yes, there is a more easterly route. It's glorious.

thanks for the tips - 184 looks perfect! it'll be at the very end of september - we need to get to vegas on the 1st of october for a wedding on the 2nd. and we'd be looking for budget accommodation - not stuff that would be characterized as "expensive" sadly! i think we'll pretty much be looking to go as cheap as we can without getting grotty, so any places that fit that description would also we very welcome! but we could possibly splurge one night if there is somewhere really spectacular we really must stay on our way!

Mapquest says, for the most direct Seattle-Las Vegas route, about 18 hours of driving (1260 miles), basically using Interstates 90, 82, 84 and 15. You would pass through Boise and Salt Lake City. All along the way you would have opportunities for side trips to beauitful places, including, in Utah, Zion and Bryce National Parks, without a huge amount of driving off of the basic route. Not sure it will be a relaxed trip with much time to linger at scenic spots, especially with side trips (a lot of miles, even without the side trips), but should still be enjoyable and scenic. BTW, if you wish to stay in the lodges inside parks such as Zion and Bryce, you need to reserve way ahead of time. That may take away from your spontaneity, and you could just stay in motels in nearby towns.

Okay, from Seattle to Vegas is four days, five if you linger.

First day, get up bright and early. Drive to and then through Mt Rainier National Park via I-90 to WA Hwy 167 to WA Hwy 410 to WA Hwy 123 to U.S. Hwy 12. Wind up in Yakima. If you look on Mapquest, call up a map of Yakima and use your mouse to manipulate the map and it will all become clear. From Yakima, take I-82 (for about 20 miles) to U.S. 97 and drive south to Maryhill, WA. It's on the Columbia River Gorge. There's a really interesting museum there, and nearby there is a full-scale replica of Stonehenge in its original form. The guy who built these things was a pacifist, and his Stonehenge was intended as a memorial to the pointless deaths of that war. From there, drive along the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge to the town of White Salmon, where you'll come upon a bridge that will take you across the river to the town of Hood River, Oregon. That's where you'll want to spend the night.

Second day, from Hood River take I-84 east to The Dalles, Oregon. From there, take U.S. 97 to Bend, Ore. From there, take U.S. 20 east to Riley, Ore. and U.S. 395. From there, take U.S. 395 all the way south to Reno, Nevada. (Again, MapQuest will show you.) You'll be driving through some of the remotest country in the continental United States. It has a reputation for being featureless and boring, but that's a bad rap. I think it's fascinating. Along U.S. 395 you'll drive along Lake Abert, which is stark and beautiful. From Hood River to Reno is 550 miles, a long day's drive. But this one's all about the driving. There are no reasons to stop other than for food, gas and restrooms, and there aren't any cars out there so you can go fast. If you leave by 9 a.m., you'll be in Reno by 6 or 7 in the evening.

Third day, drive from Reno to Death Valley, CA, a distance of about 375 miles. Take U.S. 395 along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which is steep, stark and utterly beautiful, to the town of Lone Pine (not to be confused with Big Pine, which comes first along your route) and Calif Hwy 136. Take Hwy 136 to Calif Hwy 190, and Hwy 190 into Death Valley. Spend the night at the Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley. This, too, is a fascinating and very beautfiful place. The drive in on Hwy 190 is stunning.

Fourth day, spend the morning walking and driving around Death Valley, and then drive to Vegas by way of Hwy 190 to Calif/Nevada Hwy 373 and U.S. 95. It takes about three and a half hours.

Detours from the route I've just given would include Crater Lake, Ore., which would entail a more westerly route toward Reno. I haven't been to Crater Lake, but I've heard all kinds of great things. Also, there is Lake Tahoe, which is near Reno and is quite beautiful. I don't think it would be realistic to incorporate Lake Tahoe into "day three" of the route I sketched out above. You'd need another day to linger there. But you've said you have four or five days. If you have a fifth day, I'd say use that day at Tahoe. As for Crater Lake, the problem is that you lose the ability to do the Eastern Oregon drive. Not having been there, I can't say whether that's a good tradeoff.

I can say, however, that I've done the whole route I sketched out above. Parts of it I've done several times. It's a classic drive, and you'd really enjoy it.

going back down the freeway actually doesn't take you back through san francisco. the route described above could be good, but i don't know if you'd have loads of time to see anything. driving 6 hours per day would give you 3 days of mostly driving, and two days to stop and see bryce or zion. but you could do it. 2 days up to seattle along the coast from SF is not enough time. I've done the drive, and just the oregon stretch alone will take you 3 days or so unless you just drive all day and don't stop to see anything. there will be some good camping along the way though.

bryce and zion are of more interest, in my opionion, than death valley