10 Coolest Summer Road Trips for Families in the US

• Starting Point: Seattle or Portland
• Follow 101 to Olympic Peninsula
• Camping along Wild Coast
• Special stops: La Push (good Camping, hotels, classic Washington surf spot), Hoh Rainforest
• Take the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds back to Seattle
• From Seattle, take I-90 East to Missoula area (7 hours) with good camping along Clark Fork River near Alberton
• Missoula to Yellowstone National Park via Livingston (89)
• On return trip, head back from Yellowstone via 287 along Madison River

2. Southern Appalachia to the Sea

This loop has a good mix of local towns / culture, as well as varied terrain and wilderness.

• Starting / ending point: Atlanta
• Special restaurant mention: Greenwoods in Roswell
• 85 N to 316 to Athens
• 441N from Athens through Clayton GA and Franklin, NC
• Excellent camping options in Nantahala National Forest
• Asheville via 74 / US 40
• Special family-friendly restaurant mention in Asheville: Sunny Point Café
• Blue Ridge Parkway north from Asheville
• Linville Falls (outstanding backpacking in Linville Gorge)
• Continue North via Skyline Drive into Shenandoah National Park or take I-64 East to Charlottesville
• Richmond
• Wilmington via Raleigh (I-85 to I-40)
• Coastal drive to Charleston

3. Pacific Northwest to Montana

This big loop is all about national parks, national forests, and some of the most unique terrain and wildlife anywhere in the world. Taking anywhere from 2 to 4 + weeks, you can go from the coastal rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula all the way to the alpine montane, geysers, and hot springs of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

• Starting Point: Seattle or Portland
• Follow 101 to Olympic Peninsula
• Camping along Wild Coast
• Special stops: La Push (good Camping, hotels, classic Washington surf spot), Hoh Rainforest
• Take the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds back to Seattle
• From Seattle, take I-90 East to Missoula area (7 hours) with good camping along Clark Fork River near Alberton
• Missoula to Yellowstone National Park via Livingston (89)
• On return trip, head back from Yellowstone via 287 along Madison River