5 Awesome US Northwest Summer Road Trip Ideas

We love visiting the northern states in the summer. It is still warm but usually not scorching hot which is the perfect weather we look for in an adventure road trip where we will be out hiking and exploring!



Here are our 5 recommended Northwest US Summer Road Trip Ideas:



Northwest Road Trip 1: Yellowstone – Glacier







If you haven’t visited Yellowstone or Glacier this is the trip you will want to take and is our top recommended Northwest Road Trip.



5 Days In Yellowstone



Day 1 in Yellowstone:




Stop 1: West Yellowstone Visitor Center



Drive: Firehole Canyon Drive



Stop 2: Fountain Paint Pots Nature Trail



Stop 3: Grand Prismatic



Stop 4: Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook



Stop 5: Biscuit Basin Trail



Stop 6: Old Faithful Inn and Visitors Center



Stop 7: Old Faithful



Stop 8: Old Faithful Geyser Trail



Stop 9: Kepler Cascades



Stop 10: Lone Star Geyser Basin




Day 2 in Yellowstone:




Stop 1: Artist Paintpots Trail



Stop 2: Visitor Center and Fort in Mammoth



Stop 3: Roosevelt Arch



Stop 4: Yellowstone Hot Springs



Stop 5: Boiling River Hike and Swim*



Stop 6: Mammoth Hot Springs Lower Terraces



Stop 7: Mammoth Hot Springs Upper Terraces



Stop 8: Hike Bunsen Peak (optional)




Day 3 in Yellowstone:




Stop 1: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – South Rim



Stop 2: Artist Point



Stop 3: Brink of the Lower Falls Hike



Scenic Drive: Hayden Valley



Stop 4: Mud Volcano



Stop 5: LeHardy Rapids



Stop 6: Hayden Valley Wildlife




Day 4 in Yellowstone:




Stop 1: Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and Museum



Stop 2: Fishing Bridge Store



Optional Activity 1: Hike Storm Point



Optional Activity 2: Boating on Yellowstone Lake



Stop 3: Yellowstone Lake Beach – Sand Point



Scenic Drive: Sylvan Pass



Stop 4: Lake Lodge for Sunset




Day 5 in Yellowstone:




Stop 1: Tower Roosevelt Waterfall Hike



Stop 2: Calcite Springs Overlook



Stop 3: Specimen Ridge



Stop 4: Roosevelt Lodge (Lunch)



Scenic Drive: Blacktail Plateau Drive



Stop 5: Hellroaring Suspension Bridge Hike



Stop 6: Lamar Valley for Wildlife at Sunset



Optional: Cowboy Cookout (plus Horseback Riding or Stagecoach Ride)




Bonus options in Yellowstone:




Lamar Valley



Hike Mount Washburn



Lamar Valley Wildlife Tour



Lake Yellowstone Kayak Tour



Visit the town of West Yellowstone



Bike the Basin




Feeling overwhelmed by all the awesomeness that is Yellowstone?! We get it! The park is huge and there is so much to see and do. We have visited the park over 6 different times and have put together 1, 3 and 7 day guides to help you plan your ultimate trip to Yellowstone:























Get Your Guide To Yellowstone



3 Days In Glacier National Park



Day 1 in Glacier National








Start West Glacier (West Entrance)



Stop 1: Agpar Visitor Center



Stop 2: Lake McDonald Lodge



Stop 3: Trail of the Cedars Trailhead



Stop 4: Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road



Stop 5: Logans Pass Visitor Center and Hidden Lake Overlook Trail



Stop 6: Jackson’s Glacier



Stop 7: St. Mary Falls Trailhead



(extra stop if you have time/energy for another hike)



Stop 8: Wild Goose Island Overlook



DINNER St. Mary Village



END St. Mary Lodge & Resort (East Entrance)




Day 2 in Glacier National Park




Start at St. Mary Lodge & Resort (East Entrance)



Stop 1: Grinnell Glacier Hike (Including Shuttle Boat)



Lunch: Many Glacier Hotel



Stop 2: Josephine Lake Horseback Riding



Stop 2B: Apikuni Waterfall Hike (ALTERNATIVE OPTION)



Dinner: Nell’s at Swiftcurrent Restaurant



Dessert: Soft serve huckleberry ice cream in Swiftcurrent General Store



End at St. Mary Lodge & Resort (East Entrance)




Day 3 in Glacier National Park




Start at: St. Mary Lodge (East Entrance)



Stop 1: St. Mary Falls Hike (if you didn’t do it on day 1)



Stop 2: Going-to-the-Sun Road



Lunch: Picnic lunch at pull-out



Stop 3: Highline Trail Hike



Stop 4: Lake McDonald Beach



Dinner: Great Northern Bar & Grill



End at West Glacier (West Entrance)
































Planning a trip to Glacier? We put together a series of digital guides that take the guesswork out of planning. Stop-by-stop itineraries for making the most of 1, 3 or 7 days in Glacier National Park including where to stay, where to eat, what hikes to take and the best driving routes.



We’ve even included links for you to book your stays and buy your park passes. Everything you need in one convenient digital guide. Just download and go!




GET YOUR GUIDE TO GLACIER








If you want to extend your trip you could look to add Grand Teton’s National Park on to your trip. It is located south of Yellowstone so you could do this order: Grand Tetons – Yellowstone – Glacier or the opposite way: Glacier – Yellowstone – Grand Tetons.



Northwest Road Trip 2: Montana Road Trip







Day 1 in Bozeman, Montana (this is also where you can fly into)




Hotel: Lewis and Clark Motel



Stop 1: Bozeman Hot Springs



Dinner in Bozeman (multiple options)




Day 2 in Bozeman, Montana




Stop 1: Museum of the Rockies



Stop 2: American Computer And Robotics



Stop 3: Rock Climbing with Montana Alpine Guides




Day 3: Bozeman to Livingston, Montana




Stop 1: Float, Fish or Both on the Yellowstone River



Stop 2: Yellowstone Gateway Museum



Dinner: Mint Bar and Grill



Hotel: Travelodge




Day 4: Livingston To Red Lodge, Montana




Breakfast: The Other Cafe



Stop 1: Rent an UTV from Red Lodge Power Sports



Stop 2: Clay Class at Red Lodge Clay Center



Stop 3: Golfing at Red Lodge Mountain



Stop 4: Walk Around Downtown



Hotel: The Pollard Hotel




Day 5: Red Lodge to Cooke City




Breakfast: The Pollard Hotel



Stop 1: Horseback Riding with Elk River Outfitters



Stop 2: Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary



Stop 3: Drive: The Bear Tooth Highway



Dinner: Miners Saloon



Hotel: Soda Butte Lodge




Day 6: Cooke City, MT into Yellowstone To Gardiner, MT




Breakfast: Pilots Perk



Stop 1: Cooke City – Visitor Center



Stop 2: Head into Yellowstone National Park



Stop 3: Tower Roosevelt Area – Towers Fall Hike



Lunch: Roosevelt Lodge



Stop 4: Hike Mount Washburn



Stop 5: Stagecoach or Horseback Riding



Stay: Sunny Slope House




Day 7: Yellowstone Wildlife Tour and Hot Springs




Stop 1: Yellowstone Wild Tour (full day tour)



Stop 2: Yellowstone Hot Springs



Stay: Sunny Slope House




Day 8: Explore More Of Yellowstone




Stop 1: Roosevelt Arch



Stop 2: Hike Bunsen Peak



Stop 3: Visitor Center and Fort in Mammoth Hot Springs



Stop 4: Mammoth Terraces



Stay: Sunny Slope House



Added Stay and Activity: Sage Lodge and Chico Hot Springs




Day 9: Drive to West Yellowstone



Stop 1: Canyon Area of Yellowstone Stop 2: Lookout: Artist Point Stop 3: Hike Uncle Tom’s Trail Stop 4: IMax Show on Yellowstone Hotel: Kelly Inn



Day 10: Explore West Yellowstone and YNP




Stop 1: Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center



Stop 2: Museum of the Yellowstone



Drive into Yellowstone to explore

1st Stop: Grand Prismatic



2nd Stop: Overlook Hike



3rd Stop: Old Faithful and Old Faithful Geysers hike



4th Stop West Thumb





Hotel: Kelly Inn




Day 11: Biking and Yellowstone Lake




Stop 1: Rent Bikes at Free Wheel And Heel



Stop 2: Drive Over To The Yellowstone Lake Area

Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and the Beach



Hike: Storm Point



Lake Lodge





Hotel: Kelly Inn




You can click here for full details on this road trip!



Northwest Road Trip 3 – Oregon Coast Road Trip







Stop 1: Southern Oregon Coast




Humbug Mountain State Park



Coquille Point



Bandon



Jerry’s Rogue Jets




Where To Stay: Coast Haven



Stop 2: Mid Oregon Coast




Florence

Play at the Sand Dunes



Rent ATV’s





Yahacts town and Yahacts Brewery



Thor’s Well



Tide Pools – to right of Thors well



Cape Perpetua Visitor Center



Hobbit Beach Trail



Newport to go crabbing!




Where To Stay: Overleaf Lodge and Spa



Stop 3: Northern Oregon Coast




Tillamook



Seaside



Indian Beach – Tide Pools



Ecola Viewpoint and Ecola State Park and Crescent Beach



Cannon Beach



Astoria

Pier 39



Goonies House



Riverwalk



Buoys Brewery



Astoria Brewing Company





Fort Stevens State Park




Where To Stay: Rivertide Suites Hotel.



Click here to get all the details for this trip.



Northwest Road Trip 4 – Central Oregon







Stop 1: Bend, Oregon



You could stay here for a full week or stay for a couple days and pick and choose what you would like to do.




Float the Deschutes River



Newberry National Volcanic Monument



Obsidian Flow Trail



Lava River Tube



Paulina Falls



The High Desert Museum



Farmers Market



Drake Park



Music In The Park



The Last Blockbuster



Dakotas Brick Shop



Smith Rock State Park



Steelhead Falls



Sunriver



Rent Bikes for the Deschutes River Trail



Cascades Lake Scenic Drive



Alpine Lakes



Tumalo Mountain Trail



Sisters



Tumalo State Park



La Pine Natural Slides



Paulina Lake Hot Spring





Explore the Breweries

Avid Cider



SunRiver Brewery



Deschutes Brewery



Legend Cider



Silver Moon brewery



Immersion Brewery



Bend Brewing Company



Worthy Brewery



Crux



Bevel



Tumalo Cider






Here is the full post on Bend Oregon: 23 Fun Things To Do In Bend Oregon [Plus where to stay]



Stop 2: McKenzie River Area



Day 1




242 Scenic Byway



Proxy Falls Trail



Dee Wright Observatory



Belknap Hot Springs




Day 2




Blue Pool



Waterfall Loop – Sahalie and Koosah



Clear Lake




Here is our full post on the McKenzie River Area: Mckenzie River Oregon: Epic 3 Day Itinerary



Stop 3: Portland, Oregon



Day 1 in Portland:




Breakfast: Slappy Cakes for breakfast, where you can make your own pancakes at the table



Stop 1: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry



Lunch: Kachka – Enjoy authentic Russian cuisine for lunch



Stop 2: Pips and Bounce Ping Pong 12-6pm summer happy hour



Dinner: Bollywood Theatre – Indian Cuisine the whole family will love



Dessert: Salt and Straw Ice Cream – Take a walk on the wild side with these off the wall hand made ice creams




Day 2 in Portland:




Breakfast: Voodoo Doughnut and Blue Star Donuts if you want to compare them.



Stop 1: Rose Garden – Take in the huge variety of beautiful roses



Stop 2:  Portland Japanese Garden



Stop 3: Portland Children’s Museum



Lunch: Little Bird Bistro



Stop 4:   Portland Art Museum



Dinner: Mediterranean Exploration Company OR Eat at Living Room Theatre while you enjoy a show! 




Day 3 in Portland:




Breakfast: Pip’s original for donut and chai



Stop 1: Portland Saturday Market – 11 – 4:30pm



Stop 2: Waterfront Trail



Lunch: Afuri – Get some Ramen and Dumplings



Stop 3: Powells Used Book Store



Dinner: Pok Pok Thai – Take the kids to experience Thai Flavor at Pok Pok Thai



Stop 4: Oaks Park roller skating open skate: 7-9:30




Click here to see the whole post: 32 Epic Things To Do In Portland With Kids [Itinerary Included]



** You should add in a stop at the Columbia River Gorge area to see some of the amazing Oregon Waterfalls!



Stop 4: Hood River Fruit Loop Trail



This would be a 1 day adventure!




1st stop – Ground Espresso Bar and Cafe



2nd stop – Apple Valley Country Store For Scones And Breakfast



3rd stop – The Old Trunk – U-pick 10am



4th stop – Montavon’s Berries – U-pick And A Harvest Host



5th Stop – Mt. View Orchards, Cider And Winery



6th Stop – Draper Girls Cider To Grab A Growler



7th Stop – Stave and Stone Wine Estates



8th Stop – Lavender Farm Hood River Lavender



9th stop – Fox Tail Cider



10th stop – Double Mountain Brewery For Dinner




Click here to see the whole post: 10 Amazing Stops On The Hood River Fruit Loop [Map Included]



Northwest Road Trip 5 – Washington State







Stop 1: Olympic National Park



Day 1:




Arrive: Hoh Rainforest Area (make sure to arrive first thing in the morning so you have the day to explore the Hoh Rainforest)



Stay: Hoh Rainforest




Day 2:




Explore: The Olympic Coast (Ruby, Kalaloch and Rialto Beach)



Where to Stay: Forks area




Day 3:




What To Do: Explore Sol Duc Falls area, do hikes, hang out at Lake Crescent and enjoy the area



Stay:  Sol Duc Hot Springs  area




Day 4:




What To Do: Explore Hurricane Ridge



Stay: Hurricane Ridge area




You can also add on a stop in Port Townsend!



Click here to see the full post: 12 Fun and Exciting Things To Do In Olympic National Park



Stop 2: Seattle Washington



Check out this post from my friend that lives in Seattle on what to do there: Weekend In Seattle



Stop 3: North Cascades National Park



We would recommend spending 2-3 days here and picking from the following list:




Cascadian Farm Farm Stand



North Cascades Visitor Center



Gorge Creek Falls Overlook Trail



Video Of North Cascades



Diablo Lake Overlook



Ross Lake Overlook



Blue Lake Trail



North Cascades Highway



Washington Pass Overlook



Skagit General Store



Skagit Information Center and Train



Sahale Glacier Trail (Cascade Pass)




You can see the full post here: 17 Amazing Things To Do In North Cascades National Park



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