I finally found the MINI of my dreams, and I'm off to pick it up this weekend. I'm looking for some advice for the road trip home.

First off, the car: it's an '06 Cooper S with the factory JCW kit and the Checkmate package. Looks to be in excellent shape, and the local dealer gave it a clean bill of health.

Next: the trip. The car is in Phoenix. I live just outside of Seattle. I'm flying down this Saturday to pick up the car and will be driving it home.

It's the road trip of a lifetime for me. Between AZ and WA are some of the most amazing roads in the country.

I'll head north to Kingman, AZ for the first stop and crash (me, not the car) after a long day of traveling. The next morning, I cross Hoover Dam and visit Death Valley and Hwy 190, a place I've always wanted to see.

After that, I'm not sure, exactly. Where should I go next?

My current thinking is that Highway 1 in California is a must. I'm thinking of picking it up just north of LA and taking it all the way up the coast, into Oregon.

I'd hate to miss any important sights, restaurants or landmarks. Anyone else done a trip like this or live along my route home? Would love to hear where you think I should go.

 

Depends on your time table and what kind of stuff you like to see & already seen. On the coast side, santa barbara, hearst castle, monterey, carmel, big sur, santa cruz, san francisco. you can drive thru or spend a day at any of those. If you love the outdoors, you can hit yosemite or shasta, but it's off of I5. (You got to do Lombard St in San Francisco http://images.google.com/images?q=lo...title&resnum=4 )

 

How much time do you have to get from Phoenix to Seattle? Because if you are at Death Valley, it is a bit of a drive to go all the way back south to LA just to pick up Highway 1. Instead just go across California to the Pacific coast. Arguably, the "best" part of Highway 1 below San Francisco is from about Cambria to Monterey. That is the section you really want to do.

 

Agree with post above, highway 1 has the best parts just south of San Francisco and I love the whole way through Oregon as well!! I would probably take the 95 out of Vegas, pass Death Valley, join the 395 and make sure to go right through Yosemite and probably aim to join highway 1 at Monterey. Then it's along the coast all the way up to Astoria (make sure you sample the brews at the Wet Dog Saloon)!!
Maybe we can meet up at one of the PSMINI meetings, I just picked up my '04 MCS in Cincinatti, OH
Have fun!

 

Great suggestions, everyone. I really do want to see Death Valley (call me crazy).

Here's the route I've got scoped out so far:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...369ab607f9&z=6

 

jasmith001 -
Your route looks very good, make sure and check out the Avenue of the Giants , Highway 254, which parallels the 101 north of Garberville.

 

We took Highway 1 from Laguna Seca to Portland. AWESOME drive. Never forget that one!

 

I made the drive from Long Beach to Carmel in a Honda Civic back in the late 80's and it was great. The Honda was a auto and I used the brakes a lot. Just be careful of getting to "froggy" in the Cooper because a lot of folks back then made that drive slow and at most sections of Hwy 1 is hard to see on comimg traffic. If you have a chance stop off in Savaing its a great town.
Best of luck

 

Looks like you're going through Pahrump, Nv.
You should stop off at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch and check out the Phil Wicks Driving Academy.

Have a great drive!

Jim

 

My only advice is to HAVE FUN!

 

Nice route, get as much of 101 as you can.

Be sure to do a travel log here on NAM with pictures, too.

 

Just came across this older thread with pics, similar route AZ - WA.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ort-az-wa.html

 

I would skip 46 (via 99) and continue on the 58 west (for kicks try the 229 north to Creston and back) to the 101 north, then the 41 west to the 1 in Morro Bay, and continue north on the 1 to 101 in Leggett. Then 101 to Olympia, WA to the 5 to Seattle. Make sure you fill gas tank to the top at Tehachapi(58), Buttonwillow(58), Cambria(1), Big Sur(1) basically any chance you get on the 1 and 101and see top tier gas.