Trains, Planes, and Automobiles, and a Cruise Ship Too.

[coach softball]

Leaving tomorrow for our epic vacation so I'd thought I'd start a trip report. 

 

A little background

 

One of my bucket list items is to get to all 50 states. My father completed this task during his life time and my mother, who passed away last fall, missed it by one, Alaska.  I had already planned to go on this trip prior to her passing, but the inheritance has allowed me to splurge more than I normally would. At the moment, I need 4 more states, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Now, on to the trip plan.

 

My daughter and I will be leaving tomorrow to start our adventure. She is already packed and ready except for receiving her passport (its due to be delivered today). I have shoved stuff in the suitcase but haven't actually packed, going to finish laundry this afternoon and then finish the packing. She works till 2 tomorrow, then will drive from Columbus to my house in Southeastern Ohio. Then we will head out to Pittsburgh to leave the car at the airport and catch a cab to the Amtrak Station. After a night on the train, we will have a few hours in Chicago before boarding another train , arriving in  Portland on Sunday. (this takes care of North Dakota and Oregon). Then we will rent a car and drive to Seattle, where we have an AirBnB near Pioneer Square. We will spend 2 nights there and plan on going to Pike Place Market and MoPop among other things. Then, on Tuesday, we will drive to Vancouver for a night at the Auberge. We will check out the sights and be ready to board the Coral on Wednesday. After stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway and scenic cruising through the Inside Passage, Glaicier Bay, and Collge Fjord, we will arrive in Whittier. After a bus transfer to Anchorage, we will rent a car and drive to Denali Lakeview Inn for 2 nights. We will spend a day on a bus tour of Denali. Then we will return to Anchorage and fly back to Pittsburgh and drive back home. 

 

I am so excited and will try to update you all throughout the trip, and yes, I will have plenty of pictures and videos.

[marden1970]

Sounds exciting, can't wait to follow along with you!  We board the Grand in SF for Alaska in 10 days.

[ErLee]

Sounds fantastic!  We’ll be on the Coral with you followed by a 6 night connoisseur land tour we booked through Princess. We leave for Vancouver on Monday and couldn’t be more excited!! Have a great time getting there, see you on the ship!

[Lido deck main]

Sounds like a great trip, will be following.  Safe travels.

[Essiesmom]

We did something similar in 2013.  But not to Alaska.  We boarded Amtrak NE regional in PHL to Wash, where we boarded the Capitol Limited to Chicago, connecting to the Southwest Chief to LA, and the Pacific Surfliner to San Diego.  there we boarded Celebrity Infinity to England.  As far as seeing all 50 states...My high school best friend became a map librarian, married to a college geography prof.  They finished all states but Hawaii (he didn't do ships, she won't fly).  Then the went for every county in every state, plus all of Canada.  They drove the Alaska/Canada highway at least twice.  And they also did the Alaska Marine Highway to see those places you can't get to by road...EM

[CATGUY7]

I'm exhausted just reading about your plans!  I know it will be fantastic, and can't wait to read about it!

[MixerDave]

6 hours ago, coach softball said:

Leaving tomorrow for our epic vacation so I'd thought I'd start a trip report. 

 

A little background

 

One of my bucket list items is to get to all 50 states. My father completed this task during his life time and my mother, who passed away last fall, missed it by one, Alaska.  I had already planned to go on this trip prior to her passing, but the inheritance has allowed me to splurge more than I normally would. At the moment, I need 4 more states, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Now, on to the trip plan.

 

My daughter and I will be leaving tomorrow to start our adventure. She is already packed and ready except for receiving her passport (its due to be delivered today). I have shoved stuff in the suitcase but haven't actually packed, going to finish laundry this afternoon and then finish the packing. She works till 2 tomorrow, then will drive from Columbus to my house in Southeastern Ohio. Then we will head out to Pittsburgh to leave the car at the airport and catch a cab to the Amtrak Station. After a night on the train, we will have a few hours in Chicago before boarding another train , arriving in  Portland on Sunday. (this takes care of North Dakota and Oregon). Then we will rent a car and drive to Seattle, where we have an AirBnB near Pioneer Square. We will spend 2 nights there and plan on going to Pike Place Market and MoPop among other things. Then, on Tuesday, we will drive to Vancouver for a night at the Auberge. We will check out the sights and be ready to board the Coral on Wednesday. After stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway and scenic cruising through the Inside Passage, Glaicier Bay, and Collge Fjord, we will arrive in Whittier. After a bus transfer to Anchorage, we will rent a car and drive to Denali Lakeview Inn for 2 nights. We will spend a day on a bus tour of Denali. Then we will return to Anchorage and fly back to Pittsburgh and drive back home. 

 

I am so excited and will try to update you all throughout the trip, and yes, I will have plenty of pictures and videos.

 

 

You consider being on a train as it passes through a state " getting to a state?"

 

[coach softball]

36 minutes ago, MixerDave said:

 

 

You consider being on a train as it passes through a state " getting to a state?"

 

I consider it to be my bucket list, therefore my rules. It's the same as driving through a state. 

[MixerDave]

1 minute ago, coach softball said:

I consider it to be my bucket list, therefore my rules. It's the same as driving through a state. 

 

 

I count driving through a state IF I stop and take in some sites.