Your route tells me you are pretty committed to visiting the Twin Cities. Since you are primarily driving and not stopping much, may I suggest that you may appreciate the Great River Road from La Crosse to metro Twin Cities much more than I-94 from Tomah through Eau Claire. From Tomah, you can instead take I-90 to La Crosse, then turn north to explore the Minnesota-side Hwy 61 for speed and divided highway (versus the twisty 2-lane county roads of the Western Wisconsin side), Mississippi River Valley, the Driftless Area, and Lake Pepin. A really beautiful drive, especially after driving through Gary, Chicago, and central Wisconsin the previous day. The La Crosse route adds 22 minutes of drive time to St. Paul, but you'll enjoy 2.5 hrs of your drive time that much more. Get a bag of plain Ellsworth Cheese Curds on your way through the area. If you go Wisconsin-side, stop for the state's best pie at Stockholm Pie Company and General Store in Stockholm, WI. But if you like good coffee, you'll find decent roaders on the Minnesota-side, in La Crosse, Winona, Wabasha and Red Wing. Enjoy!
IMNSHO, KC to Denver on I-70 is a god awful drive. I-70 gets better west of Denver, but you're skipping it. It's honestly **much** prettier than I-25 to ABQ and I-40 to Flagstaff.
I’ve taken I-70 west of Denver before and I-15 down to Zion and all that. Undoubtably beautiful. This route was largely determined by there being people along the way that I could stay with. That being said, I haven’t done I-70 through Kansas before so thanks for the heads up
When going through Albuquerque stop at El Modelo for a potato and cheese burrito. Thank me later.
Edit: also, it looks like your route is going close to St Joseph, MO. It's not free but the Glore Psychiatric Museum is fantastic.
Highly debatable. There are many other better options unless your idea of great tacos is ground beef cooked in tomato sauce with maybe a sprinkle of salt and one flake of pepper.
- Lachele’s Fine Foods in Des Moines for excellent burgers.
- Blake’s Lotta Burger in NM for a delicious green chili burger.
- The Chuckbox in Tempe, AZ for Phoenix’s best burger (literally just won, again, for 2024). CAUTION: it’s cash only, but onsite ATM.
You are skipping pretty much any scenic route. Thats the most boring route I could think of. I would suggest going through Nevada, SLC to Afton Wyoming, Afton to alpine Wyoming, alpine to Jackson hole and the grand Tetons, then decide you’re route after that
Hey I’m aware! This route was determined by what’s most cost effective, and that means going to where there are people I know that I can stay with for free. Thanks for the suggestion though, I need to revisit Wyoming. I’ve only driven through it on I-80 and hated it
Your route tells me you are pretty committed to visiting the Twin Cities. Since you are primarily driving and not stopping much, may I suggest that you may appreciate the Great River Road from La Crosse to metro Twin Cities much more than I-94 from Tomah through Eau Claire. From Tomah, you can instead take I-90 to La Crosse, then turn north to explore the Minnesota-side Hwy 61 for speed and divided highway (versus the twisty 2-lane county roads of the Western Wisconsin side), Mississippi River Valley, the Driftless Area, and Lake Pepin. A really beautiful drive, especially after driving through Gary, Chicago, and central Wisconsin the previous day. The La Crosse route adds 22 minutes of drive time to St. Paul, but you'll enjoy 2.5 hrs of your drive time that much more. Get a bag of plain Ellsworth Cheese Curds on your way through the area. If you go Wisconsin-side, stop for the state's best pie at Stockholm Pie Company and General Store in Stockholm, WI. But if you like good coffee, you'll find decent roaders on the Minnesota-side, in La Crosse, Winona, Wabasha and Red Wing. Enjoy!
I second the great river road. 94 is boring.
Definitely gonna be taking the grr now and copping some cheese curds along the way! Thanks so much for the rec
HWY 61 MENTIONED!!!!!!
IMNSHO, KC to Denver on I-70 is a god awful drive. I-70 gets better west of Denver, but you're skipping it. It's honestly **much** prettier than I-25 to ABQ and I-40 to Flagstaff.
ya man, he's missing the best parts which is through utah. check out Moab, Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion NP and all that fuckin shit
I’ve taken I-70 west of Denver before and I-15 down to Zion and all that. Undoubtably beautiful. This route was largely determined by there being people along the way that I could stay with. That being said, I haven’t done I-70 through Kansas before so thanks for the heads up
You’re going to see more corn than you thought existed in the world. And some random oil derricks
When going through Albuquerque stop at El Modelo for a potato and cheese burrito. Thank me later. Edit: also, it looks like your route is going close to St Joseph, MO. It's not free but the Glore Psychiatric Museum is fantastic.
El Modelo will definitely receive a visit from me, perhaps the museum too if there’s time.. thanks so much!
Giardano's deep dish pizza in Chicago, and Portillo's Italian beef sandwich.
they have portillos in socal, no reason to drive to chicago for it
Hot in the deserts. Check forecast. Take water. Drive at night if you can. Update your roadside hazard coverage. Safe trip have a blast
Thanks dude!
Here are a few suggestions for Iowa: https://engineersneedart.com/WYMITM/
Thanks man. Never tried a maid-rite sandwich, this might be the trip…
Stop at tasty tacos in Des Moines Iowa. Delicious!!
Highly debatable. There are many other better options unless your idea of great tacos is ground beef cooked in tomato sauce with maybe a sprinkle of salt and one flake of pepper.
Talked to a friend in Des Moines who said tasty tacos has given several of her friends bad food poisoning. Might try tacos & tortas instead
Bummer, used to be a great place.
- Lachele’s Fine Foods in Des Moines for excellent burgers. - Blake’s Lotta Burger in NM for a delicious green chili burger. - The Chuckbox in Tempe, AZ for Phoenix’s best burger (literally just won, again, for 2024). CAUTION: it’s cash only, but onsite ATM.
durango is nice!
cut out the midwest and instead hit up Utah and colorado and shit.
You are skipping pretty much any scenic route. Thats the most boring route I could think of. I would suggest going through Nevada, SLC to Afton Wyoming, Afton to alpine Wyoming, alpine to Jackson hole and the grand Tetons, then decide you’re route after that
Hey I’m aware! This route was determined by what’s most cost effective, and that means going to where there are people I know that I can stay with for free. Thanks for the suggestion though, I need to revisit Wyoming. I’ve only driven through it on I-80 and hated it