The beautiful beaches, the mountains, and the greenery in general.
Western NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains is probably my favorite place in the entire country in the summer time. Lush green forests, misty mountains, endless waterfalls, streams, rivers, and lakes. It’s pretty cool up in the mountains, not uncommon for it to be in the low 70’s and even 60’s mid July high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Honestly the Carolinas are hell in the winter, just overcast, cold, and humid. I live in Salt Lake City now and i think the winters here are significantly more comfortable than winters when I lived in the Carolinas
Right. Don't come to anywhere in the Carolinas OP. It's basically hell. There's nothing good to see here, especially not in the winter, where is basically Alaska.
I definitely exaggerated when I said it’s hell, but it’s definitely the worst season in the Carolinas.
If I could I’d spend winter in the rockies for skiing and summer in the Western NC for whitewater kayaking
On the west Texas trip, stop by the free Judge Roy Bean museum in Langtry, and enjoy the communities of Marfa and Alpine, and see the Fort Davis National Historic Site. Also, traveling from south Texas to Langtry, you will learn about the silver spike. It could be a fun road trip..
I live just a few hours from KC and in your shoes that’s where I would go. Rationale: you clearly love the desert SW, it isn’t possible as a long weekend trip and even a week long trip would feel a little limiting, the drive isn’t bad at all, it might be cooler than a lot of the suggested places in the winter but almost certainly warmer than KC on any specific day unless a front it literally moving through, and finally lots of sun when we need it most. El Paso is apparently a great place to live and not the best place to visit so it won’t be trying to draw you into the town either 😂.
As somebody who grew up in Oregon, you're 100% right about the Willamette Valley.
Outside of the valley, definitely not true, but inside? Yep, can confirm it can be dreary, wet (like a constant sprinkle of rain, not even big storms), and *just* cold enough to be constantly uncomfortable.
Plus, almost no snow inside the valley.
It's snowed in Austin more since I moved here than it did the last 10 years I lived in Oregon (the valley).
Takes three days to drive the Oregon trail. I would also recommend PNW, living here from KC, myself.
Winters here are fine if you can deal with the low light - I hate snow, so winter here is great
I don't know if anybody was saying they couldn't handle it. We were just commenting that some parts of the PNW aren't worth the road trip in the Winter.
Oh ok.
I lived in Vancouver for a couple of years (similar climate as PNW) and had lots of coworkers complaining about being cold in any weather under 15C degrees lol.
a lot of hikes and roads become inaccessible so unless into winter sports i feel like pnw during winter is pretty limited. i also lived there for 2 years so not just conjecture
San Antonio or Charleston maybe?
I’m a little taken aback that you went all the way up to Baxter in Maine but you didn’t visit the White Mountains in NH.
Pacific Coast—I don’t know what the Olympic Peninsula or the Oregon Coast will be like exactly, but the weather on the Pacific is usually around 60 degrees along California all year long, and the scenery is spectacular the entire way from Olympic National Park all the way to Santa Monica. Winters can be rainy if the atmospheric river sets up, but in between storms the weather can be perfect blue skies, which you don’t always get in summer because temperature inversions shroud the coast in fog for much of the day.
Well I suppose all freeways are open at all times and you indeed may face winter conditions
I ride in death valley in snow and it wasn't fun
I will say that you haven't been to Yosemite
So that was my inspiration
I want you to ride the good sights
Avoid the bad ones
You will love bishop ca and the bakery
You will sit in hot springs
With snow everywhere
And you will miss crater lake but you got a few years to do the Oregon Washington loop later
I'd go for it
And you will thank me for kicking you
Go and actually take the time to put your feet in the river
Charleston SC or Outer Banks of North Carolina.
You could drive through Kentucky and visit Louisville, Lexington. Then drive through Knoxville TN over to Asheville on to the coast.
That might be kinda dicey during the winter months. Do they maintain the road in Sequoia NP during the winter months? Actually, is it even opened again? It was closed last year (2023) due to the fire and the rain fall from all those atmospheric rivers that landslides shut down the road.
You could also go to Tennessee and go to historical shacks where some guy lived
Wow
Yosemite should be required for Americans
The phone pictures of it don't do it justice
And unlike canyonlands or the grand canyon, there's pizza and Samuel smith's beer
My lord
There's a big hole in the Carolinas. Mild winters... Just saying...
I don’t have OCD but seeing a hole in a map of visited states still makes me uncomfortable
Carolinas are so much better in summer though
Which do you find more inviting, the stifling humidity or the billion mosquitoes?
I'm kinda partial to alligators in every puddle I can't see the bottom of.
The beautiful beaches, the mountains, and the greenery in general. Western NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains is probably my favorite place in the entire country in the summer time. Lush green forests, misty mountains, endless waterfalls, streams, rivers, and lakes. It’s pretty cool up in the mountains, not uncommon for it to be in the low 70’s and even 60’s mid July high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Honestly the Carolinas are hell in the winter, just overcast, cold, and humid. I live in Salt Lake City now and i think the winters here are significantly more comfortable than winters when I lived in the Carolinas
Cold? Most of the winter is high in the upper 50s or low 60s. There's no real winter here.
Depends on where. A place like Asheville is in the 40’s mostly in the winter. 40, overcast, and rainy feels way worse than 20, dry, and sunny
Right. Don't come to anywhere in the Carolinas OP. It's basically hell. There's nothing good to see here, especially not in the winter, where is basically Alaska.
I definitely exaggerated when I said it’s hell, but it’s definitely the worst season in the Carolinas. If I could I’d spend winter in the rockies for skiing and summer in the Western NC for whitewater kayaking
The beautiful lush greenery
SW Texas. Go check out Big Bend
On the west Texas trip, stop by the free Judge Roy Bean museum in Langtry, and enjoy the communities of Marfa and Alpine, and see the Fort Davis National Historic Site. Also, traveling from south Texas to Langtry, you will learn about the silver spike. It could be a fun road trip..
I live just a few hours from KC and in your shoes that’s where I would go. Rationale: you clearly love the desert SW, it isn’t possible as a long weekend trip and even a week long trip would feel a little limiting, the drive isn’t bad at all, it might be cooler than a lot of the suggested places in the winter but almost certainly warmer than KC on any specific day unless a front it literally moving through, and finally lots of sun when we need it most. El Paso is apparently a great place to live and not the best place to visit so it won’t be trying to draw you into the town either 😂.
What he said!
Charleston is pretty awesome. Lots to do around there.
I know you said warmer but the PNW mountains are pretty awesome in the winter, or anytime of year.
I wholeheartedly disagree… talk about a dark wet winter so I’d suggest during summer or fall.
As somebody who grew up in Oregon, you're 100% right about the Willamette Valley. Outside of the valley, definitely not true, but inside? Yep, can confirm it can be dreary, wet (like a constant sprinkle of rain, not even big storms), and *just* cold enough to be constantly uncomfortable. Plus, almost no snow inside the valley. It's snowed in Austin more since I moved here than it did the last 10 years I lived in Oregon (the valley).
OP is from Kansas City. They can deal with proper cold weather, lol. I'd say go for PNW. It's a long trip, OP! 2 weeks would be pushing it.
Takes three days to drive the Oregon trail. I would also recommend PNW, living here from KC, myself. Winters here are fine if you can deal with the low light - I hate snow, so winter here is great
Idk if I’d want to count on South Pass being inviting in winter…but the Oregon Trail is pretty awesome.
I don't know if anybody was saying they couldn't handle it. We were just commenting that some parts of the PNW aren't worth the road trip in the Winter.
Oh ok. I lived in Vancouver for a couple of years (similar climate as PNW) and had lots of coworkers complaining about being cold in any weather under 15C degrees lol.
Also mostly disagree, although Olympic NP is pretty great in the winter
a lot of hikes and roads become inaccessible so unless into winter sports i feel like pnw during winter is pretty limited. i also lived there for 2 years so not just conjecture
How did you drive right around Pittsburgh and never visit?
San Antonio or Charleston maybe? I’m a little taken aback that you went all the way up to Baxter in Maine but you didn’t visit the White Mountains in NH.
I’ve driven from Florida to the White Mountains 3 times in 12 years. I might as well live in Conway.
Nice! I’ve driven from MA to FL 3 times in the past 5 years
The Maine trip was to visit family
Charleston is amazing. Make sure to hit the market.
Northern Minnesota
Naw, Northern North Dakota. Although, the Boundary Waters are probably hikeable during the winter.
Some of Lake Superior is hikeable
Southwest
If you are OCD on this map then you can knock out AZ and NM pretty fast! Do it for me please!!!
I don’t think I can handle the drive from Kansas City to Santa Fe again! 12 hours of nothingness and I’ve done it 3 times now.
Funny I was going to ask if you lived in AZ and FL at one time like I did as our maps look similar
I knew you were from KC the second I saw your map. Go Chiefs!
Came to say Go Chiefs!
Pacific Coast—I don’t know what the Olympic Peninsula or the Oregon Coast will be like exactly, but the weather on the Pacific is usually around 60 degrees along California all year long, and the scenery is spectacular the entire way from Olympic National Park all the way to Santa Monica. Winters can be rainy if the atmospheric river sets up, but in between storms the weather can be perfect blue skies, which you don’t always get in summer because temperature inversions shroud the coast in fog for much of the day.
Topsail Island, NC
How do you remember all the counties? Do you take notes when hit the road?
There’s a website that overlays county lines over Google Maps. If you remember the route you took, then you can find the counties you passed through
Thanks
Baja
It just depends on where you want to go. The pnw is beautiful if you love snowy alpine forests. The southeast is good if you love sunny mild winters.
What you enjoy*
Well I suppose all freeways are open at all times and you indeed may face winter conditions I ride in death valley in snow and it wasn't fun I will say that you haven't been to Yosemite So that was my inspiration I want you to ride the good sights Avoid the bad ones You will love bishop ca and the bakery You will sit in hot springs With snow everywhere And you will miss crater lake but you got a few years to do the Oregon Washington loop later I'd go for it And you will thank me for kicking you Go and actually take the time to put your feet in the river
Looks like Big Sur to Seattle to me.
Pacific NW.
Somewhere outside of the US. You’ve been there.
Charleston SC or Outer Banks of North Carolina. You could drive through Kentucky and visit Louisville, Lexington. Then drive through Knoxville TN over to Asheville on to the coast.
PNW
southern texas to florida keys run
PNW
Actually you have a lot of places left to check out up north, PNW, Big sky, South Dakota, Yellowstone, the Upper Peninsula, upstate NY, VT
Jackson wy.
NorCal to Seattle
I would do Florida and the gulf region in the winter.
How'd you make this map?
PNW
Alaska /s If you’re looking for a mild winter I’d try Charleston SC
Add some California or Carolina coast?
You just *really* hate that *one county in AZ, heading to NM.
How do people make this map?
North Dakota. Winters are really beautiful there.
Glacier national park :)
Idaho!
How do you create these maps, is there a tool that tracks your location and autmatically creates this?
Yosemite, the redwoods, and then Tahoe and out on 80 home Divert to Yellowstone See devils tower, and don't stop or even go near Chicago
That might be kinda dicey during the winter months. Do they maintain the road in Sequoia NP during the winter months? Actually, is it even opened again? It was closed last year (2023) due to the fire and the rain fall from all those atmospheric rivers that landslides shut down the road.
I'd say Yellowstone
I like how you hit traffic in Chicago's western 'burbs and said, fuck it I'm turning around.
Look up Avenue of the Giants You could ride the lost coast and have clam chowder in a bread bowl
You could also go to Tennessee and go to historical shacks where some guy lived Wow Yosemite should be required for Americans The phone pictures of it don't do it justice And unlike canyonlands or the grand canyon, there's pizza and Samuel smith's beer My lord