Great American (and Canadian) Roadtrip

This summer we're moving to Pittsburgh.  While we could just fly the entire family, road tripping seemed like a decent alternative and more fitting with the Wright Way of doing things.  From Austin to Pittsburgh it is 1,419 miles, which would take 2-3 days at our usual rate.

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But you know, if we're going to go on a road trip, let's go on a road trip.

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We're probably the only family in the country which thinks the most direct route between Austin and Pittsburgh goes through Utah and Canada.  The trip we're planning on taking will last most of a month, and include stops at various friends and family, along with several state and national parks.  Some of the sights include:

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Arches National Park
• Time with family in Provo, Utah and environs
• Yellowstone National Park
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
• Devils Tower National Monument
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Badlands National Park
• Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, South Dakota (setting of some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books)
• North Dakota
• Itasca State Park, Minnesota (headwaters of the Mississippi River)
• North shore of Lake Superior
• Eagle Mountain (highest point in Minnesota)
• Grand Portage National Monument
• Isle Royale National Park
• The Trans-Canada Highway through Ontario
• Niagara Falls

The beauty of the trip is that we can be flexible enough that plans can change if we want to make better time, don't feel like doing something, or just want to get to Pittsburgh.  This trip will clock in at just under 5,000 miles.  I think our investment in the America the Beautiful pass for this summer will pay off.  (Although, unfortunately, it only covers entrance fees, not user fees.)