44 hours of driving. Pennsylvania to Washington. While it seemed intimidating at first, driving cross-country proved to be a great experience. There are so many cool stops and beautiful sights along the way, and it is well worth the time to visit some of the United States’ best national parks.
Itinerary
- Day 1: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Beverly Shores, Indiana
- Day 2: Beverly Shores, Indiana to Rochester, Minnesota
- Day 3: Rochester, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota
- Day 4: Rapid City, South Dakota to Jackson, Wyoming
- Day 5: Grand Teton National Park
- Day 6: Jackson, Wyoming to Boise, Idaho
- Day 7: Boise, Idaho to Seattle, Washington
While some of the stops listed above may not seem the most exciting, that’s because they’re not. We chose to stop in Rochester for convenience as a midway point, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t places worth visiting on the way there! Below we have detailed the highlights of each day.
Day 1: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Beverly Shores, Indiana
Driving time: 6 hours and 26 minutes
Okay, so Beverly Shores may not be on everyone’s list. We stayed here to visit family before continuing our drive, but it is actually a nice spot! Situated right on the Indiana Dunes National Park and Lake Michigan, there is some beautiful scenery and interesting ecological diversity. You can also enjoy the town’s farmers market if you’re there on a Saturday in the summer (the soft pretzels are pretty incredible). If you’re willing to drive just a bit further, you can make Chicago your first stop.
Day 2: Beverly Shores, Indiana to Rochester, Minnesota
Driving time: 6 hours and 11 minutes
The highlight of this day is a stopover in Madison, Wisconsin. Conveniently situated equidistant between Beverly Shores and Rochester, Madison is a cool college town right on the water. While there, take some time to walk along State Street and enjoy the delicious cheese curds at State Street Brats. This street connects the University of Wisconsin campus with the state capitol, and it is lined with a number of shops, restaurants, and bars. We chose to fill our cheese curds fix at State Street Brats because of its dog-friendly patio, but there are bound to be a number of options on this street where you can try the Wisconsin staple. It is also worth stepping into the state capitol to view the dome’s interior.
As for Rochester, there isn’t much to say. We used the night to watch the series finale of Game of Thrones (thoughts…) and experience burgers and shakes from Culver’s for the first time. However, we primarily chose Rochester because of its hotel options and proximity to our next stop.
Day 3: Rochester, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota
Driving time: 8 hours and 11 minutes
Start your day by driving to Sioux Falls, which is on the eastern border of South Dakota. This little town has an awesome park that straddles the Sioux River and contains, you guessed it, a waterfall. The falls are actually very impressive for a seemingly small town, and you can get some great photos from the park’s paths as well as the observation tower – all for free! We also recommend stopping at Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen for lunch. Their schnitzelwich and tuna melt are perfection.
After Sioux Falls, it is time for a long, barren drive to Badlands National Park. We opted to drive the scenic loop through the park, as we weren’t allowed to bring our dog on any hiking trails (this is true for all national parks). Despite this pet discrimination, the park is a must-visit. There are a ton of awe-inspiring lookout points along the road, and we had never seen anything like the geologic features contained within the park. All in all, we ended up spending about two hours in the park. If you plan to do any hiking, we definitely recommend taking even more time.
From the Badlands, it is a quick drive to Rapid City. Treat yourself to one of the delicious burgers and house beers at Sickies Garage Burger & Brews. If you happen to get there for a late dinner as we did, it is well worth taking advantage of the happy hour specials. They are some of the best deals we’ve seen in a while.
Days 4-5: Rapid City, South Dakota to Jackson, Wyoming
Driving time: 8 hours and 30 minutes
Get ready for some driving! This is the longest day in the car, so make sure you stock up on snacks and a good audio book. Our first stop was Mount Rushmore, just south of Rapid City. One crucial piece of advice: make sure you check the weather before heading that direction. We ended up driving through a blizzard, and the park was actually closed due to a power outage and snowed-over entryway. As a result, we ended up only getting a picture of George Washington’s profile (which is still cool!). The road conditions were objectively unsafe, though, so do yourselves a favor and make sure you plan accordingly to potential save yourself some time and some headaches.
After Mount Rushmore, we made our way to Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. I have to say that pictures don’t do the spectacle justice. It is incredibly surreal seeing the tower jutting out of the forest with no other elevated masses in sight. There is a nice hike around the tower (potentially including a view of some rock climbers), but we had to stay in the parking area on account of pets not being welcome on the trails. We were still able to have some great views, so this stop is recommended regardless!
Beyond Devils Tower, we drove through the seemingly endless central Wyoming. There aren’t a ton of sights or places to stop until you hit the mountains right before Jackson, but we were able to find some food in the town of Riverton in the Wind River Reservation. Once you make it through the reservation, you’ll see some truly incredibly scenery driving towards Jackson.
Day 5: Grand Teton National Park
We recommend staying in Jackson two nights to: 1) give yourself a break from the roads and 2) visit Grand Teton National Park / enjoy the town of Jackson. We hiked the Jenny Lake trail to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and we absolutely loved it. There are also a number of beautiful lookouts along the Grand Teton scenic route, so be sure to have your camera. For food in Jackson, we recommend getting some pizza at Pinky G’s and/or breakfast at Cowboy Coffee. Both are staples in the town and have some awesome dishes to offer.
If you brought a dog along for the drive, you should consider taking advantage of DogJax doggy daycare just outside of Jackson. Since dogs aren’t allowed on the trails at national parks, doing this will allow both you and your pet to get some exercise.
Day 6: Jackson, Wyoming to Boise, Idaho
Driving time: 5 hours and 45 minutes
Our first stop after Jackson was the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. While not the most dog friendly, this park was really interesting to visit and also offered some great photo opportunities. Here you are able to hike through lava tubes, which are like caves with large skyward openings (craters, if you will). It is a very cool experience descending into the cave and getting to peer through these holes at the sky above you.
After the Craters of the Moon, we made our way to Black Magic Canyon. It turns out that this canyon is not always accessible, as it is part of an irrigation system that sends water throughout the state. In order to know if the canyon is accessible and safe to traverse, be sure to call the Big Wood Canal Company. We weren’t lucky enough to see or walk through the canyon, but you may be!
Our last stop of the day before getting to Boise was the Falls Park around Shoshone Falls. By sheer volume alone, this waterfall only trailed Iguazu Falls and Niagra Falls among those that we have visited. The park itself is also quite nice, with plenty of grass to lounge in and a picturesque observation deck. It is worth taking an hour here to enjoy the falls, stretch your legs, and get some good photos.
Once you make it to Boise, we recommend staying in the West Downtown area. From here you can walk to the famous Westside Drive In and enjoy the ice cream Idaho potato along with some finger steaks. Afterwards, it is a short walk to Cloud 9 brewery, which has a nice patio and offers up some refreshing beers.
Day 7: Boise, Idaho to Seattle, Washington
Driving time: 7 hours and 45 minutes
This drive is not too long, but it doesn’t really have anything to offer along the way. Instead of making stops, we recommend getting an early start so you can walk around the Idaho state capitol, enjoy some treats from Guru Donuts, and make it to Seattle early enough for dinner. There are a ton of dining options once you are there, ranging from some delicious Mexican food at Fogon to fantastic pho at Pho Bac. Check out our separate post on Seattle for more recommendations in the city!
Tips & Tricks
- Fuel: Gas tends to get much more expensive once you hit Jackson, so do your best to fill your tank early into Wyoming.
- Weather: The weather can be somewhat unpredictable as you drive through middle America, so keep an umbrella and rain jacket handy if you plan to stretch your legs and do some hikes.
- Dog-friendly hotels: If you are bringing a furry friend with you, we recommend checking out the La Quinta hotels along the way. While not luxury hotels by any means, the ones in Rochester and Rapid City appeared to be recently renovated. Better yet, they don’t charge any pet fees, nor do they have size restrictions on dogs.
- National Parks: Buy an annual national park pass. Most parks have entry fees ranging from $15 to $35. The annual pass costs $80, so you are likely to make your money back on this trip alone.
Happy Traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan (& Arya)
