Fly Drive is becoming more and more popular these days, with people wanting to explore more and more places in a short amount of time. An easy way to describe a flight by car is to book a plane ticket somewhere, pick up a car at the airport, and go. Staying in hotels along the way because you can’t drive for a whole week or two without stopping!
There are many different types of fly drives. You can stay in one city and drive to other nearby cities, or you can start in one city and end in another. This would be particularly good if you plan to go to the US, as you get to see so many more cities on your vacation, rather than just staying in one.
A really wonderful fly-drive is the West Coast of the United States. Drive to places that start in San Diego, California and end in Portland, Oregon. Before leaving, reading guides about the different areas of this trip and getting some maps and studying them, I recommend finding the best routes to follow. The guide below is a rough guide, so to get the most out of your trip, do some studying!
Start in San Diego, pick up your rental car and go! I recommend that you watch the sunset over this city, there are not too many huge skyscrapers, but enough to give a wonderful view. There are also many places to stay here, which is where your guides will come in handy, as they provide information on different types of places to stay, from budget to luxury. Some of the attractions in San Diego are the variety of museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, and the District of Columbia, which has a variety of historic ship exhibits. There is also SeaWorld, Legoland and the San Diego Zoo to visit.
Your next stop is a wonderful 2-3 hour drive along the coast on Highway No.5 towards Los Angeles. Before heading into town, if you feel like relaxing on Long Beach, there are some wonderful stretches of beach along this strip. This is a must see city. You will definitely want to spend a few days here as there is so much to see. Head to Disneyland and Universal Studios for a fun-filled family park. Or go to Beverly Hills and Hollywood Boulevard and see the star-studded avenues, look inside the Kodak Theater where the famous Oscars are held, and enjoy some luxury shopping. Just make sure you have enough space in your suitcase for your next destination!
Next we’re going to take a slight detour up the coast, 4-5 hours, in fact, to Las Vegas, Nevada. Now you will have to cross states, from California to Nevada, so have all the documents from your car rental company, driver’s license and insurance documents in case you get stopped and searched. It is also advisable to have your passport at hand. Now Las Vegas is a sight to see in itself. The beautiful lights of the city at night are something to see. Also dine and eat in fine restaurants and stay in some very fancy hotels like the Bellagio or Ceaser’s Palace. Take in some of the many stage shows such as the Blue Man Group, or you may have the chance to see performances by the Pussycat Dolls. Las Vegas is a wonderful city and you can even drive to the outskirts and see the Hoover Dam.
Once you’re ready to leave Las Vegas, head down Route 95 for about 2-3 hours, again, cross the border into sunny California and you’ll find yourself in Death Valley National Park. Here you can enjoy some walking and trekking. Be careful, it can get very hot, so take plenty of water with you! You can also camp at some of the May campsites and enjoy some inspiring views! Definitely worth spending the night, if you can beat the heat.
The next destination is about 5 1/2 hours away in a beautiful city called Fresno. Here are some wonderful things to do. If you go in season, you can enjoy the Fresno Country Blossom Trail, which is home to some of the best peach, nectarine, plum, orange, and almond blossom trees. Also a must see is the Forestiere Underground Gardens which were built over 40 years and have some amazing trees growing underground. There is also a choice of hotels to stay in, after a 5 hour drive I think you will need it!
Now we are going to return towards the coast to San José. It should take about 3 hours or so. In San José there are many parks to relax and have a coffee and there are also many trails around the city to enjoy. You must visit the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, which is the oldest parish in California and also Raging Waters, the largest water park in Northern California with 23 acres and millions of gallons of water.
Now a nice short drive to San Francisco, should be there in less than an hour traffic permitting, and there’s plenty to do here. Play a round of golf if you’re on the road with the boys, then head to River Rock Casino or check out Fishermans Bay and go to the Aquarium. A must see is the Golden Gate Bridge and a tour of the Jelly Bean Factory! There are many more attractions to see in San Francisco, but I’ll let you find them, it’s part of the fun of a Fly-Drive vacation.
Get back on the roads for an hour or two to Sacramento, the capital of California. There are many things to see and do in Sacramento, some of which include drinking and dining at some fabulous restaurants, visiting the many art galleries and museums, or simply taking a city tour. A must-see is the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, which is a sundial but only 100% accurate on the summer solstice on June 21 or 22. Also Turtle Bay Exploration Park, which has 300 acres of peaceful gardens.
Another 2 hours straight, passing the Oregon border, will stop in the city of Medford. Here’s the time to kick back with Alba Park, Medford’s oldest, and also head over to Vogel Plaza to see if you can catch one of the many events hosted here.
Back on the road, you will drive for another 3 hours or so until you reach the city of Eugene. It is home to a number of cultural organizations so you will have many different shows that you can enjoy here. From dance to concerts and opera, it will cater for everyone. Here you can also meet some outdoor enthusiasts!
Go again! We are getting closer to our destination. Drive just over an hour to Salem. Bush’s Pasture Park, a 90.5-acre urban public park and botanical garden located just south of downtown, or the Enchanted Forest, a land of fairy tales where you visit medieval castles, walk wooden sidewalks in the Wild West, or maybe running into a ghost in the Haunted Mansion. This is a small theme park and has rides for kids and adults with an alpine roller coaster, bumper cars, trains and more. In one of its many restaurants there is a magnificent water show with colored lights that bounce off the water jets. Next door is another attraction, Thrillville.
It’s only an hour from Portland, which is full of wonderful parks and open spaces. Visit Mt Tabor Park which is located on an extinct volcano, Forest Park which is the largest natural park covering over 5000 acres, and also Mill End Park which is the smallest park at 2 feet in diameter. In addition to this, Portland has many cultural attractions. Visit the Portland Art Museum and the Museum of Science and History. Also go see the Opera or the Ballet.
Finally, a wonderful 3 hour drive to Seattle and you have reached your destination. Here is the birthplace of grunge music, mainly famous for Nirvana and Pearl Jam, also for big coffee drinkers, Starbucks was born. Seattle is a regional destination for the performing arts. So it is worth going to 5th Avenue to enjoy one of the musicals. Go see the Jimi Hendrix statue! Here you can lay your head down to rest before you finally fly home after such a wonderful tour of the entire West Coast.
I recommend that you spend a few days in each city if you can so that you can absorb everything and see everything you can see, if not, you will spend between 7 and 10 days spending a few hours in each city and in a few cities overnight .
It’s also a good idea to have more than one driver so everyone can alternate between cities. In this way, a person does not drive all the way.
Total distance: 1,933 miles (3,111 km)
Total driving distance time without stops: 1 day 9 hours.
I advise you to plan your trip thoroughly, making sure you have enough stops for rest, food and gas (which is very important, otherwise you won’t get anywhere!), and plan your overnight stays in advance. Also, as I said before, learn the routes! Make sure you know exactly where you are going, know the service stops and all border crossing lines.
Auto Europe offers a great car rental service for driving around the US, allowing you to pick up your car at one destination and drop it off at another.
