Vacation suggestions needed.

[lead_magnet]

So here is the deal, I have up to two weeks off, a new motorcycle (not new to riding by any means), and nowhere to go.

Where would you guys recommend going? I'm pretty much open to anything, but there are a few things I'd like to avoid.
#1.) I don't wanna ride somewhere just to ride a specific road, so no looking for deal's gap or the twisted sisters ect., if one happens to be on the way then cool, but not my destination
#2.) Already been to San Fransisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Antonio, and I've seen about as much of Colorado to last me a lifetime so looking for something not mountainy (Just made my own word)

Other than that she's fair game. My bike doesn't have luggage or a wind screen so I can't go 800 mile days but I figure 500 - 600 is doable at max, I can do Denver and back in a day easy which is about 300.

I've got a fairly loose schedule but I'm looking at right around 14 days to pull this off, and July 4th will probably be right in the middle of my two week ride.

Some ideas I've pondered:
Jacob's well in Texas seems cool, Key West is a bit of a stretch but considering it, never been to New Orleans, or much of Arkansas, had a good time in Minnesota when I was a kid.

Other things to consider, I've got a free place to stay in Las Vegas, Columbus OH, Chicago, Virginia and New Jersey.

What can you guys come up with? Where would you go? What would you want to see or do?

[Doc45]

Sedona is incredible, also going to Seattle is a great ride (though depending on when your time is it might be rainy crossing over the hill from the east part of the state to the west). Being from NJ no way in hell I'd go there LOL.

[ruthabagah]

A North to northwest loop might be a nice road trip this time of the year. Something like Denver, mount Rushmore / black hills, yellowstone, other places to stop until you reach Seatle. Olympic NP, come back throug Oregon.

I personally rode in Virginia, MD and around DC one spring and it was nice to see all the civil war battlefield. But i would not recommend it in summer.... Way too hot on a bike to be safe.

One other place I liked: Rode from here to Nashville and spend a few day in rural Tennesse. Aside from crossing through Kansas it was a nice (but long) ride.

[vossman]

I think a NW tour would be a good idea too. The weather would be nice and there's lots to do.

[MED]

I think a NW tour would be a good idea too. The weather would be nice and there's lots to do.

We are entering the dry season in the Puget Sound area; the weather should be good. The coastal highways from WA to Astoria, Oregon are nice as well; lots to see and do up there.

[TFOGGER]

I did a trip up through Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, which included Rocky Mountain National park, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Seriously one of the best things I have done in my life. In all of that, 9 total miles of Interstate highway, the rest was all 2 lane.

[brutal]

I did a trip up through Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, which included Rocky Mountain National park, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Seriously one of the best things I have done in my life. In all of that, 9 total miles of Interstate highway, the rest was all 2 lane.

2nd, although we did it RV style and just up through the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

Don't discount a "mountainy" trip just for the sake of the boring Colorado Rocky Mountains.

The July 4 traffic is likely gonna put a damper on being alone on those popular stretches.

[asmo]

Denver -> Durango
Durango -> Sedona
Sedona -> Las Cruces
Las Cruces -> San Angelo, TX
San Angelo, TX -> Austin
Austin - > Shreveport
Shreveport -> Memphis
Memphis -> Nashville
Nashville -> St. Louis
St. Louis -> Kansas City
Kansas City -> Oklahoma, City
Oklahoma City -> Albuquerque
Albuquerque -> Denver

[MarkCO]

Did a 3 week ride a few years ago (okay over 2 decades ago) that went north to Yellowstone, hit Glacier and went to Idaho Falls, Yakima, Vancouver (Canada). Went south doing parts of the PCH and then turned west at Redding (Day at Redding Jet Center), Reno, Moab on the way back. Went fishing in the mornings, did some touristy things some days, played pool at night. Had a blast with 2 good friends.

[SideShow Bob]

Follow the "Old Route 66". Stay to the older 2 lane parts that still exist. Beautiful scenery, lots of old nearly ghost towns, and the old tourist traps abandoned or still in business.
Head toward Yuma, AZ. and visit the old territorial prison.

[SAnd]

I've always wanted to go to the Cody Firearms Museum in Cody Wyoming. It might be a good stop if you're going northwest.

http://centerofthewest.org/explore/firearms/

You might check on some of the national gun forums to see if there are any shoots that might be along the way.

Have fun.

[Dave_L]

If you decide to head south, book a night at the Blue Swallow Motel. It's on the old route 66 in Tucumcari, NM and is pretty cool. We stayed there on a road trip once and the history of it is neat. Rooms are clean and you can even get a garage. You can just sit out front in the chairs at night, get your own beer and relax.

http://blueswallowmotel.com/

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6216/6244755849_446f3aa28e_z.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3472/3211670434_c03618837c_z.jpg?zz=1

[sandman76]

A guy could spend a few days easy in the Black Hills. Then on to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Montana. Idaho. This is where I would go if I had the two weeks.

[brutal]

If you decide to head south, book a night at the Blue Swallow Motel. It's on the old route 66 in Tucumcari, NM and is pretty cool. We stayed there on a road trip once and the history of it is neat. Rooms are clean and you can even get a garage. You can just sit out front in the chairs at night, get your own beer and relax.

http://blueswallowmotel.com/

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6216/6244755849_446f3aa28e_z.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3472/3211670434_c03618837c_z.jpg?zz=1

We frequent Conchas Dam down that way. We've only been to Tu'ncari during the day and I can't tell you how many times we've made raucous fun of that hotel name.

[Dave_L]

We frequent Conchas Dam down that way. We've only been to Tu'ncari during the day and I can't tell you how many times we've made raucous fun of that hotel name.

Haha yeah it's not a place you'd probably stop at out of the blue. But super nice people and its a funky part of route 66 history. Definitely a funny name though.

[brutal]

We generally went in for fuel - or parts - or groceries/beer, and almost always stopped at Lena's Cafe on Main just off 104 for lunch on our way out. Super people, ranch family with lots of history in the area. Hadn't been back to the area in 4 years until a few weeks back and then we didn't make it into Tucumcari. Sadly, the internets is reporting them as closed. The lack of water at Conchas and the general economics of that area likely contributed to their demise. The food was OK, but they were always slow being off Route 66.

[TEAMRICO]

Ask RCCrawler for some travel tips.

[Jer]

Bike week in Monterey CA will be the following week (17th?) of your window. If you can bump your 2 week window to this I would HIGHLY recommend planning to attend. In all of my years of riding my two weeks we spent there for that event (in 2000) and touring the coast line of California will stand out as one of the greatest times on my motorcycle in my life. When we went it was around July 4th and we even got to see the fireworks show on the Golden Gate bridge which was spectacular. Running a lap on Laguna Seca. Hurst Castle. Endless hidden canyon roads and amazing coastline twisties. Perfect weather. Hundreds of thousands of bikers descending on the area for the week. The list goes on but I can say that if you choose to do this, you likely won't regret your decision. We trucked our bikes out and put tons of miles on the bikes once there but our buddy had a Goldwing and he rode his out and came with us on all of our journeys. If you don't mind long stretches of flat-land highway it wouldn't be a bad ride but in this suggestion the destination isn't the journey. Once you get there the journey begin and you can go north one day and south another. There isn't a bad choice once you're there and you can easily fill 2 weeks with adventures especially if you're open to staying the night along the way places so you can further your destinations. Might not be what you're looking for at all but thought I'd throw my experience out there.

If you're considering riding to Key West and then riding Key West you're talking about a loooooooooong ride. We were already in Miami w/a rental car and once we realized how long of a drive it was we scratched the idea.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Ask RCCrawler for some travel tips.

Lmao


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[Aloha_Shooter]

Alaskan Highway using the ferry system to shorten your return: http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/motorcycling-alaska-highway
(http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/motorcycling-alaska-highway)

[funkymonkey1111]

The Oregon coast is amazing. Frankly, I'd start in LA and just go as far north as you could until you had to head back.

[Ridge]

You might hate the politics, but few drives are as gorgeous as the PCH in the summer. Warm days, cool sea breeze. The classic 1940s and 50s architecture...

http://i.imgur.com/MhN67IXh.jpg

[Spdu4ia]

One thing about the New Orleans area ... If you ride your bike, have a place to store it inside, the theft rate of motorcycles was crazy when I lived down there.

West coast sounds like the place to go.

Sorry if I missed it but what kind of bike are we talking about?

[blacklabel]

The Oregon coast is amazing. Frankly, I'd start in LA and just go as far north as you could until you had to head back.

This gets my vote.

[SouthPark]

I think a trip through NW Wyoming, MT, ID would be a lot of fun, lots of non-interstates to choose from but you can get on one if you need to. Visit the Flathead Valley and you may never come back.

[lead_magnet]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The west coast sounds awesome, but I'm being driven east just by circumstances. I found a guy in New York that wants that is willing to trade the blue wheels off of his bike for my black ones. Also, I make a trade with my brother who lives in Columbus, OH, so I need to deliver some stuff to him so eastbound I go. I'll start a thread about the trip, I'll be leaving on the 28th, have to return by the 14th.

The guy in NY is right at about 1,800 miles one way, so I should be there in four days relatively easy as long as weather cooperates.

[cstone]

Look forward to reading about your trip.

Safe travels.