Roadtrip California - Canada - California 2018

[Heiner Fees]

Thank you for this great hints . With your input I always optimize my planed tour.
Here in Germany i could not find very detailed road maps (including the small windy roads)
Does anybody know good map material.
I prefere to use during my road trip (like in the good old time) paper maps
=> more fun with the person on the passenger seat

[Gary Carriveau]

If you join AAA (as already suggested) they provide a wonderful map (paper) provider service.
The AAA membership is also recognized by ADAC so you can use their map providing service also.

Gary

[Cliff Hanson]

Lots of good suggestions. You are going to have a wonderful trip seeing some of the best parts of this country, with lots of time for winding around and visiting so many fantastic places. AAA has all the maps of the states you will be in and free if you are a member. It's probably worth the membership to get the maps and have the roadside assistance and towing. They also have tour or guide books for each state. This might be a little long but I'm going to list a route I would take having seen a lot of these western states. Stay off the Interstate highways as much as possible an on the state and local routes.

Leaving SAC take CA128 to the CA coast, Mendocino (great road across the cost range) and north along Hwy 1 back to US 101. Then N through the redwoods. Get off on the scenic loops along there that parallel 101. If you want a really out of the way back road take off 101 at Garberville to Shelter Cove and then to Honeydew and Ferndale (seldom traveled) and 101. N to Eureka and Crescent City and then NE on 199 to Grants Pass if you want to see Crater Lake. Go S on I-5 and then OR 234 and 62 to CL. Head N on US97. If you want to see the OR coast take 58 to EUG and then to Florence or Corvallis and then Newport. But I'd stay on 97 N to Madras then 26 and past Mt. Hood on OR 35 to Hood River and across the bridge to WA state. W on WA14 to 30 (past Mt St. Helens) then N on25 to Randle and W to I-5. From there go W to Hoquiam and around the Olympic peninsula. From Port Townsend you can take the ferry to Whidbey Island and then E on WA20 (from Burlington on I-5) across N Cascades Hwy (very scenic). Get back on US97 and go N through Oroville to Canada and intercept HWY 1 (beautiful hwy) through Revelstoke to Calgary. S near the border there is a very nice museum called Heads Smashed In Buffalo Jump, that is worth a visit.

From there go S to Waterton Park and Glacier Nat'l Park and across the Going-to-th-Sun Hwy (must drive) to Kalispel. S on WA 83, I-90 and US 297 to W. Yellowstone. Go out the the E entrance on 212. I'd take it NE across the Beartooth Hwy at 11,000ft and reported to be one of the best "driver roads" (for Porsches) in the US. S through Cody (great western Buffalo Bill museum there) and to Green River WY on I-80. S past the Flaming Gorge to Vernal, Price and Green River UT on I-70, then S on US 191. Short side trips to Arches and Canyonlands Nat'l Parks. Go S to Blanding and then NW on 95 to Hanksville and Capitol Reef Nat'l Park and S on 12 to Escalante and Bryce Nat'l Park and to Panguitch, where I'd probably take 143 (11,300+ ft) over to I-15. Zion Nat'l Park is a short side trip off I-15 on the way the Lass Vegas. An alternate route might be S from Blanding to Monument Valley and W on 98 to Page AZ and 89 (scenic route) to Jacobs Lake. From there you can take 67 S to the N rim of the Grand Canyon, back to 89 and up N to Bryce Canyon. From I-15 to Las Vegas you might want to take off on 169 to visit Hoover Dam.

From Vegas you can take 95 NW through Death Valley (very hot this time of year!) to US395 and Bishop. Then N to Mono Lake and 120 across Tioga Pass (9,945 ft) to Yosemite Nat'l Park. From there take CA49 through the gold country back to Sacremento.

There are many alternatives to these suggestions but this will allow you to see some of the best that the western states have to offer during a good time of year weather-wise, especially after Labor Day when the traffic and tourists are less abundant. I'd guess that this will be 5-6 thousand miles or thereabouts. What a road trip in a 356 (or any Porsche)! US citizens can get a free pass at age 62 for all the national parks and monuments but I doubt anything like that is available for foreign citizens. You might want to check to see if they have something like months pass, etc.

[Cliff Hanson]

Heiner, I forgot that you mentioned you needed to stop in Vancouver, BC and Salt Lake City, so some of my route suggestions will need to change a bit. You will have lots of fun and get lots of attention wherever you are in a 356. Makes me want to tag along!

[Stephen Masefield]

As Bill said ...
If your in the (Moab, Ut. Bryce Canyon Ut.) Area, Rt 12 and 24 are AMAZING... Did that Cross country trip last summer...

Amazing drive to be sure !!!

... His maps stops at Bryce- Suggest continuing on down to Zion National Park and the 'out' to I15 and then south onto Vegas.
If you need to service or fix things I have a lift and tools that can do many (not all !!!) things...my details are on 356TAN list (I live 20 minutes west of Zion)
Steve

[Edwin Ek]

If you have any flexibility in your plans, Rennsport Reunion in September will be incredible. This is the fifth edition and will be held at the famous Laguna Seca racetrack.

[Heiner Fees]

Yes I will join AAA

Heiner

[Rhys and Karisa Haydon]

If you are coming up to Washington driving a short amount of the Columbia River Gorge, like maybe to Rowena Point, would be very pretty. I would also think that if you are headed to Canada there is a classic little road between Seattle and Bellingham called Chuckanut Drive that's really great. Reach out when you pass through Seattle and we will get some 356 out for an 'escort'!

[Edwin Ek]

Yes I will join AAA

Heiner

AAA has a rule for how soon after you join you can make a service call. In other words, you can't join on Monday and make a call on Tuesday. I don't know how long in advance you must be a member, but the requirement isn't particularly onerous.

[keith lee]

You are coming through Calgary. Good.
The drive from Vancouver to Calgary will blow you away!. Make sure you take the #1 highway through Princeton rather than the Coquihala, much more scenic and winding drive.
Depending on your timing, I will meet you in Revelstoke or Golden with my T6B and drive with you to Calgary where I would like to show you around. When you head south, I imagine we will have a convoy to escort you as far as Lethbridge anyhow.
My e mail is keith.zedtech@outlook.com Shoot me an e mail and we will set things up.
Looking forward to your adventure!

[John Brooks]

I may have missed it, but a good automobile GPS navigator that is compatable with the car. 12v cars are no problem, 6v cars will power the GPS (5v) through a USB adapter. You may need to make an power adapter cable. , I used one for a couple years using the hella accessory plug under the dash (6v). BMW Motorcycles make a good one. Then one day a lady following too close, made me used the tach red line in first and second gear, the 7.2v out of the regulator at 6000, let the smoke out of the GPS.

But a Auto GPS with USA and Canada maps and traffic alerts is a good thing. Any GARMIN with a part number that has " LMT " =( life time maps & traffic). Also blue tooth for the hands free phone. I usually buy smaller display size, 4" is fine . You can pick one up here, or bring yours and just add the maps via SIM card or up date.

I use mine all the time, the newer ones have all the available services listed by location. Calculates arrival times, speeds, distances, and speaks in several languages. It's like driving with your wife, " slow down, turn here, use the other lane" etc. I would not leave home with out it.

[Heiner Fees]

Keith
it will be awesome to drive some part of my road-trip with with a "local" 356 guy who know the area!!!! and become contact with 356 Enthusiasts over the world.
I plan to spend 2-3 days in Glacier National Park of Canada and Banf National Park.
I defenetely apreciate to drive some parts of the trip with you.
Heiner

[Harry Geddes]

Keith is correct on going through Princeton rather than the Coquihalla which is #5 . The road through Princeton is actually #3 and if followed it is the best Porsche driving road to get to where you are heading. If you take #1 which is the trans Canada hiway you would go through the Frassr Canyon, not as good as the #3 but still OK.

Depending on your timing through Vancouver, I may be able to get you pointed in the right direction as I am 60 miles east of tnere along whichever route you choose. Let me know when you will be in the Vancouver area so I can meet up with you.

[PaulAhnell]

Hey John B. - You may be leaving home without her the next time!

[Heiner Fees]

Hi Harry,
thank you I was first a little confused about #1 in Keith post.
But now with your explanation it is clear I will definitely take #3
Heiner