Our Itineraries

​2018—Lake Michigan Trip

• Number of days: 12
• Number of miles on the road: 2,109
  
• Average miles/day: 176
  
• Number of hours in the car: 34
  
• Total number of states visited: 4—Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin—plus 1 Canadian city (Ontario)
  
• Number of new states visited: 4—Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin
  
• Our stops:
  • ​​​​​​West Side Market, Cleveland, OH
  • The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI
    
  • Ford Rouge Factory tour, Dearborn, MI
    
  • Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI
    
  • Ford's Piquette Avenue plant, Detroit, MI
    
  • The Joe Louis Fist statue, Detroit, MI
  • Willis Tower and Skydeck, Chicago, IL
    
  • United Center to see Michael Jordan statue, Chicago, IL
    
  • Shoreline Sightseeing Cruise, Chicago, IL
    
  • Millenium Park, Chicago, IL
    
  • Subway ride, Chicago, IL
    
  • Wrigley Field for Cubs vs. Brewers game, Chicago, IL
    
  • Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL
    
  • Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
  • Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, WI
    
  • Miller Brewing Company tour, Milwaukee, WI​
  • National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI
    
  • Titletown Park, Green Bay, WI
    
  • Lambeau Field for Steelers vs. Packers pre-season game, Green Bay, WI
    
  • Pictured Rocks cruise, Munising, MI
    
  • Mackinac Island, MI
    
  • The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI
    
  • Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Mackinaw City, MI
    
  • Soo Locks tour, Sault Saint Marie, MI

2019—Southeast Trip

• Number of days: 17
• Number of miles on the road: 2,723
  
• Average miles/day: 160
  
• Number of hours in the car: 44
  
• Total number of states visited: 7—Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina
  
• Number of new states visited: 7—Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina
  
• Our stops:
  
  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway tour and museum, Indianapolis, IN
  • Ark Encounter, Williamstown, KY
    
  • Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
    
  • Louisville Slugger, Louisville, KY
    
  • Mega Cavern, Louisville, KY
    
  • Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, MO
    
  • Stretch of Route 66, St. Louis, MO
    
  • ​Anheuser-Busch (no tour), St. Louis, MO
    
  • City Museum, St. Louis, MO
    
  • Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis, MO
  • ​National Transportation Museum, St. Louis, MO
    
  • Graceland, Memphis, TN
    
  • Sun Studio, Memphis, TN
    
  • Peabody Hotel for the March of the Ducks, Memphis, TN
    
  • The Lorraine Motel (outside), Memphis, TN
    
  • Beale Street, Memphis, TN
    
  • Bass Pro Shops, The Pyramid, Memphis, TN
    
  • National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, KY
    
  • Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KY
    
  • Downtown Nashville, TN
    
  • Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, TN
    
  • Goo Goo Clusters store, Nashville, TN
    
  • Ryman Auditorium tour, Nashville, TN
    
  • Grand Ole Opry for show, Nashville, TN
  • Jack Daniels Distillery tour, Lynchburg, TN
    
  • ​Alabama Fan Club Museum, Fort Payne, AL
    
  • Alabama Walking Park, Fort Payne, AL
    
  • Moon Pie General Store, Chattanooga, TN
    
  • Tennessee Valley Railroad for train ride, Chattanooga, TN
    
  • Point Park, Lookout Mountain, TN
    
  • World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, GA
    
  • Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA
    
  • Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA
    
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN
    
  • Skybridge, Gatlinburg, TN
    
  • Ole Smoky Distillery, Gatlinburg, TN
    
  • Titanic Museum, Pigeon Forge, TN
    
  • Charlotte Motor Speedway tour, Charlotte, NC
    
  • Hendrick's race shops, Charlotte, NC​
    

2021—Mid-West Trip…Our most ambitious trip to date!

• Number of days: 19
• Number of miles on the road: 5,249
  
• Average miles/day: 276
  
• Number of hours in the car: 82
  
• Total number of states visited: 9—Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, and Ohio
  
• Number of new states visited: 6—Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, South Dakota, and Iowa
  
• Highlights:
  
  • Little Rock Visitor's Center, Little Rock, AR
    
  • The Anne Frank Tree, Little Rock, AR
    
  • Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, Little Rock, AR
    
  • Clinton Presidential Library Gift Shop, Little Rock, AR
    
  • ​Union Pacific Railroad Jenks Locomotive Facility (drive by), Little Rock, AR
    
  • National Memorial and Field of Empty Chairs, Oklahoma City, OK
  • ​Pop's 66, Arcadia, OK
    
  • Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton, OK
    
  • National Route 66 Museum, Elk City, OK
    
  • ​Bug Ranch, Amarillo, TX
    
  • Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX
    
  • Tower Building/U Drop Inn/Conoco, Shamrock, TX
    
  • Route 66 Midpoint, Adrian, TX
    
  • Route 66 ghost town, TX/NM border
    
  • Old Town Albuquerque, NM
    
  • Sunrise hot air balloon ride, Albuquerque, NM
    
  • Downtown Santa Fe, NM
    
  • Durango & Silverton Railroad train ride, Durango, CO
    
  • Mesa Verde National Park, Mesa Verde, CO
    
  • Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO
    
  • Pike's Peak, Colorado Springs, CO
    
  • ​Shelby American Museum, Boulder, CO
    
  • Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO
    
  • Forney Museum of Transportation, Denver, CO
    
  • ​Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO
    
  • ​Holliday Park, Cheyenne, WY
    
  • Cheyenne Depot Museum, Cheyenne, WY
    
  • Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, SD
    
  • Mount Rushmore. Keystone, SD
  • Wall Drug store, Wall, SD
    
  • Devil's Tower National Monument, Devil's Tower, WY​​
  • Custer State Park, Custer, SD
    
  • Badlands National Park, Interior, SD
    
  • The Corn Palace, Mitchell, SD
    
  • Kenefick Park, Omaha, NE
    
  • Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail National Park Visitor Center and Nebraska/Iowa state line, Omaha, NE
  • Union Station, Kansas City, MO
    
  • ​Kansas Speedway (outside of gate only), Kansas City, KS
    
  • Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, MO
    
  • Anheuser-Busch for tour, St. Louis, MO
    
  • Field of Dreams movie site, Dyersville, IA (closed)
    
  • United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH
    

2022—Texas Trip

• Number of days: 17
• Number of miles on the road: 4,123
  
• Average miles/day: 243
  
• Number of hours in the car: 65
  
• Total number of states visited: 6—Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas
  
• Number of new states visited: 3—Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas
  
• Our stops:
  
  • Rosa Parks arrest site, Montgomery, AL
    
  • ​A&M Peanut Shop, Mobile, AL
    
  • Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola, FL
  • Biloxi shrimping tour, Biloxi Sound, MS
    
  • Biloxi Beach, Biloxi, MS
    
  • Canjun Encounters Swamp Tour, New Orleans, LA
    
  • Audobon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
    
  • Lafayette Square, New Orleans, LA
    
  • Whitney Plantation, Wallace, LA
    
  • Space Center Houston, Houston, TX
    
  • ​Waugh Drive bridge bats, Houston, TX
    
  • Blue Bell Creamery, Brenham, TX
    
  • Shiner Beers Brewery, Shiner, TX
    
  • River Walk, San Antonio, TX
    
  • The Alamo, San Antonio, TX
    
  • Menger Bar, San Antonio, TX
    
  • River Walk boat tour, San Antonio, TX​
    
  • Barton Springs Pool, Austin, TX
    
  • Austin capitol building tour, Austin, TX
    
  • ​Circuit of the Americas karting, Del Valle, TX
    
  • Mammoth National Monument, Waco, TX
    
  • Dr. Pepper Museum, Waco, TX
    
  • Dude Perfect headquarters, Frisco, TX
    
  • ​Museum of the American Railroad, Frisco, TX
    
  • The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas, TX
    
  • AT&T Stadium tour, Arlington, TX
    
  • Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
    
  • Buc-ees, Fort Worth, TX
    
  • Forth Worth Stockyards cattle drive, Forth Worth, TX
    
  • Cowtown Coliseum rodeo, Forth Worth, TX
    
  • Crater of Diamonds State Park, Murfreesboro, AR
    
  • Mark Martin Ford, Batesville, AR
    

2023—Northeast Trip

• Number of days: 20
• Number of miles on the road: 2,336
  
• Average miles/day: 117
  
• Number of hours in the car: 41
  
• Total number of states visited: 7—Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Vermont, and Connecticut—and 2 Canadian cities (Quebec and Montreal)
  
• Number of new states visited: 7—Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Vermont, and Connecticut
  
• Our stops:
  
  • Cliff Walk, Newport, RI
    
  • Freedom Trail Tour, Boston, MA
  • Paul Revere House, Boston, MA
    
  • The Union Oyster House, Boston, MA
    
  • Public Garden ("Make Way for Ducklings" statue), Boston, MA
  • Cheers bar, Boston, MA
    
  • Boston Tea Party ships gift shop, Boston, MA
    
  • Samuel Adams Brewery tour, Boston, MA
    
  • Treats Sugarhouse, Bow, NH
  • Downtown Bow, NH
    
  • Fenway Park for Red Sox game, Boston, MA
    
  • Veteran's Beach, Hyannis, MA​
    
  • Whale watching tour, Provincetown, MA​
  • Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA
    
  • Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown, MA
    
  • Marconi Beach and Transmission site, Wellfleet, MA
    
  • Lighthouse Beach, Chatham, MA
    
  • Chatham Fish Pier, Chatham, MA
    
  • Factory Five Racing tour, Wareham, MA
    
  • Pilgrim Memorial State Park, Plymouth, MA
    
  • Plymouth Rock, Plymouth, MA
    
  • ​Mayflower II tour, Plymouth, MA
    
  • The National Monument of the Forefathers, Plymouth, MA
    
  • USS Albacore, Portsmouth, NH
    
  • Cog Railway, Mount Washington, NH
    
  • Downtown Portland, ME
    
  • Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME
    
  • ​Bar Harbor, ME
    
  • Quartier Petit Champlain, Quebec City, Canada
    
  • Notre-Dame-de-Quebec Bascilica, Quebec City, Canada
    
  • Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Canada
    
  • Dufferin Terrace, Quebec City, Canada
  • Basilique Notre Dame, Montreal, Canada
    
  • Old Port, Montreal, Canada
    
  • Parc du Mont-Royal, Montreal, Canada
    
  • Herb Brooks Arena, Lake Placid, NY
    
  • Olympic Jumping Complex, Lake Placid, NY
    
  • Luge/bobsled facility, Lake Placid, NY
  • Ben and Jerry's, Burlington, VT
    
  • Cabot's Creamery, Waterbury, VT
    
  • Canadian Grand Prix practice, Montreal, Canada
    
  • Canadian Grand Prix race, Montreal, Canada (boys only)
    
  • Olana, Hudson, NY (girls only)
    
  • Yale University tour, New Haven, CT

2024—Southwest Trip

• Number of days: 19
• Number of hours in the air: 
  
• Number of miles on the road: 2,425
  
• Average miles/day: 128
  
• Number of hours in the car: 41
  
• Total number of states visited: 3—California, Nevada, and Arizona
  
• Number of new states visited: 3—California, Nevada, and Arizona
  
• Our stops:
  
  • San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
  • La Jolla Cove/Children's Pool Beach, La Jolla, CA
    
  • Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, CA
    
  • La Brea Tar Pits (outside only), Los Angeles, CA
    
  • Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA
    
  • Warner Brothers Studio tour, Burbank, CA
    
  • Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, CA
    
  • Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA
    
  • Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
    
  • Leo Carrillo Beach (Pacific Coast Highway), Malibu, CA
    
  • Dinosaur Caves Park (Pacific Coast Highway), Pismo Beach, CA
    
  • ​Morro Strand State Beach (Pacific Coast Highway), Morro Bay, CA
    
  • Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Viewing Area (Pacific Coast Highway), San Simeon, CA
    
  • Moonstone Beach (Pacific Coast Highway), Cambria, CA
    
  • Leguna Seca Rec Area and Raceway, Salinas, CA
    
  • Pfieffer Big Sur State Park (Pacific Coast Highway), Big Sur, CA
    
  • McWay Falls (Pacific Coast Highway), Big Sur, CA
    
  • ​17-Mile Drive (Pacific Coast Highway), Monterey, CA
    
  • Sequoia National Park, Three Rivers, CA
    
  • Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, CA
    
  • The Neon Museum, Las Vegas, NV
    
  • SpeedVegas, Las Vegas, NV
    
  • Mystere by Cirque du Soleil, Treasure Island, Las Vegas, NV
    
  • Shelby American, Las Vegas, NV
    
  • Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV
    
  • "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, Las Vegas, NV
    
  • Diamond Creek Road to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Peach Springs, AZ
    
  • Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, AZ
    
  • Petrified Forest National Park, Holbrook, AZ
    
  • Winslow, AZ
    
  • Red Rock Scenic Byway, Sedona, AZ
    
  • Montezuma Castle National Park, Camp Verde, AZ
    
  • Old Route 66 through Arizona
    
  • Kingman, AZ
    
  • Oatman, AZ
    
  • Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, CA
    
  • USS Midway Museum, San Diego, CA
    

2025—Northwest Trip

• Number of days: 20
• Number of miles on the road: 4,827
  
• Average road miles/day: 241
  
• Number of hours in the car: 75
  
• Total number of states visited: 7—Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan—and 2 Canadian cities (Niagara Falls and Toronto)
  
• Number of new states visited: 3—Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota
  
• Our stops:
  
  • ​Lincoln's Home National Historic Site, Springfield, IL
    
  • Lincoln's Tomb, Springfield, IL
    
  • Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, IL
    
  • Caterpillar Visitors Center and Museum, Peoria, IL
    
  • Field of Dreams movie site, Dyersville, IA
  • ​Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA
    
  • ​John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum, Waterloo, IA
    
  • Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SD
  • Wall Drug store, Wall, SD
  • Badlands National Park, Interior, SD
    
  • ​Keystone, SD
    
  • Bear Country USA, Rapid City, SD
  • Needles Highway, Custer, SD
    
  • Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, Custer, SD
    
  • Deadwood, SD (including both Saloon No. 10s)
    
  • Broken Boot Gold Mine tour, Deadwood, SD
    
  • Zimmerman Park, Billings, MT
    
  • Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, Glendive, MT
    
  • Makoshika State Park, Glendive, MT
    
  • Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Medora, ND
    
  • Medora, ND
    
  • Painted Canyon Overlook, TRNP, Belfield, ND
    
  • Fargo Visitors Center, Fargo, ND
    
  • Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
    
  • Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis, MN
    
  • Gooseberry Falls State Park (North Shore Scenic Drive), Two Harbors, MN
    
  • ​Iona's Beach Scientific and Natural Area (North Shore Scenic Drive), Two Harbors, MN
    
  • Presque Isle Park, Marquette, MI
    
  • Mackinac Island, Mackinac Island, MI
    
  • Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, MI
    
  • Ford Rouge Factory tour, Dearborn, MI
    
  • Polish Art Center, Hamtramck, MI
    
  • ​Voyage to the Falls boat tour, Niagara Falls, Canada
  • Skylon Tower, Niagara Falls, Canada
    
  • Journey Behind the Falls, Niagara Falls, Canada
    
  • Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto, Canada
    
  • St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Canada