Driving from location to location, the long road ahead of you gives away to diverse ecosystems. The US is big, and travelling inside of it is easy with the road system it has, so a road trip there is ideal either for US citizens or Tourists. When planning for the road it’s always good to have a destination in mind and then a rough draft with road trips essential and tips for the road.
Road Trip Essentials
Depending on when you decide to do this road trip the climate could be vastly different. Since the places you will be visiting are in the north of the US it’s important to take into consideration the seasons when deciding what to pack for the Road.
Road Trip Tip
A road trip tip that can be given here is to bring at least one piece of clothing for every weather. You never know when a thunderstorm can happen or if a cold day can become a humid one.
Weather
A summer or spring road trip will be warm and maybe a little windy in certain areas. The night would be a lot colder and you will encounter more mosquitos and insects. The things you should be sure to pack for the road trip are clothes for hot weather, a couple of sweaters and bug spray as well as sunscreen. This weather is the best for a road trip baby.
For an autumn road trip, if you decide to enjoy the beauty of the changing season be sure to bring warm clothes and some sturdy and warm boots. Don’t forget rain jackets and maybe an umbrella too. Be ready for wet grounds if you plan on camping and be sure to remember to check your tires. In places where the climate changes depending on the season, especially with cold weather, special tires are important so there will be no accidents. Whether that is four-season tires or winter tires.
For a winter road trip, be prepared for snow, and icy roads as well as closed campgrounds because of the season.
Most campgrounds are only open in the warmer seasons.
Since you will be travelling in the north of the country you should consider that gas will be more expensive than in the South. When deciding what vehicle to use for the road it is something to consider.
A road trip tip you should take into consideration is to book your hotels in advance whenever you can. While there are a couple of big cities on the road trip to Yellowstone, most cities and towns are small, so hotel occupancy and diversity might be low.
If you are planning on camping be sure to research the possible requirements and rules of the campgrounds you want to stay at, some of them might need reservations.
WHAT TO SEE
The road from Washington to Yellowstone is full of little and big gems you can visit and experience. A perfect adventure for a road trip baby that is just getting started.
Pittsburg
The closest of the possible stops is a mixt of the Gilded Age and modernity. With the Carnegie Museum of Natural Arts and the Phipps Conservatory and maybe spend an afternoon relaxing in the Botanical Gardens.
Crossing to the North Shore you can visit the Andy Warhol Museum and maybe even catch a game of football in the Heinz Field Stadium or baseball in the PNC Park Stadium if you visit during their respective seasons.
Cleveland
The City of Cleveland borders Canada and offers various attractions. You can visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
It has many museums including the Museum of Art of Cleveland. And if you feel like doing a bit of shopping you can visit the West Side Market.
Chicago
One of the largest cities on this road trip in Chicago. Here you can admire the diverse and bold architecture as well as some of the most iconic buildings such as the Willis Tower, still known to the locals as the Sears Tower, or the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower.
You can experience many events that are happening all year round and take a break from the road trip to relax in one of its many parks, like Millennium Park.
If you want to visit more museums there are diverse choices in Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago or the Museum of Science and Industry being two of them.
Shopping is also a possibility with State Street.
Madison
The Capital of Wisconsin lies right in the path of your road trip with its famous domed State Capitol and its Lake.
You can enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere in Madison. Walk the paved street of the Capitol City State Trail all the way to Monona Terrace, a convention centre.
If history is what interests you, you can visit the Wisconsin Historical Museum, where you can find the farming and immigrant history of the state and learn more about Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Dells
Staying in the same state, less than three hours on the road from Madison is Wisconsin Dell, famous for Carnivals and Amusement Parks: Noah’s Ark Water Park, Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park.
If you don’t want to pass an adrenaline-filled day, you can also visit the famous Wisconsin River with its glacier-carved sandstone formations or the forest reserve in Mirror Lake, where you can go hiking or camping.
Rochester
Famous for being the birthplace of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester offers different activities for your road trip.
For those of us who love to imagine how people lived in the past, you can visit the Mayowood Estate from 1910, which belonged to the co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, Dr Charles Mayo. You can also visit the Plummer House that remains like it would have looked in 1928 withs its beautiful garden.
Nature lovers can enjoy the Zumbro River and its view while for the art enthusiasts there is the Rochester Art Center, filled with contemporary Arts.
Austin, Minnesota
Austin, Minnesota, not to be confused with the Texas city, is home to the Spam Museum.
Where you can experience the history of the brand and various types of activity, as well as food tasting.
Sioux Falls
Leaving Minnesota for South Dakota, right on the border of both states is Sioux Falls.
The Big Sioux River has breathtaking rock faces in Fall Park and contains the ruin of an observation tower and the 19th Century Queen Bee Mill. You can also take a break from the road to visit Sertoma Park where there is a Butterfly house and an aquarium.
The Pettigrew Home and Museum, famous for the Queen Anne-Style in its architecture and decorations contain artefacts of the time period collected by Senator Richard F. Pettigrew when he still lived there.
To know the local history you can go to the Old Courthouse Museum.
Mitchell
A pit stop from the road trip to visit the Corn Palace if you are in the season is a great idea.
The hundred-year-old tradition is still followed to this day by the inhabitants and you can enjoy unique ephemeral art made of corn.
Wall
The smallest town in your possible stops for the road trip, here you can enjoy two things: nature and food.
The BadLands are rocks that have been shaped by erosion for thousands of years. The land is barren and yet full of diverse wildlife. You can enjoy a hike to see more and take in the beauty of nature.
Wall Drug has so many signs pointing to it you can’t miss it. Although it has an… unusual name, the place is famous for its ice cream and ice water. Take a moment to refresh yourself after leaving the BadLands but before departing for the road ahead.
Black Hills
There are two important places to visit: The Balck Hills National Forest full of wildlife and the amazing mountain range and Mount Rushmore and Its museum. Who hasn’t wanted to visit the famous heads of the American president carved into the stone and see them for yourself?
Yellowstone National Park
Probably the biggest drive in this road trip with no stop is to arrive at our final destination.
But a road trip tip is that you shouldn’t be expecting small drives of 2 to 5 hours every time.
The most boring part of the road trip is the road, and 7 to 10 hours might seem like a lot to a road trip baby but a road trip veteran can tell you that the most amazing places are the most remote ones.
Yellowstone is one of these places, probably one of the most famous National Parks in the United States. Tours of the park are available for diverse areas of it. Hiking is very popular and there are a couple of campgrounds and cabins available.
Nature, from the water geyser to the rivers and woods are to be admired. You can enjoy the animals that inhabit the area from a safe distance.
For adrenaline junkies, there is kayaking in the rivers and more.
The most important thing about Yellowstone, however, is to respect the land and the tribes that live there.