Over any 12-month period, our family typically drives lots of miles traveling from here to there. This year has been no exception, with multiple driving trips from Atlanta to New Orleans, Orlando, Ohio and in-Georgia locations. Plus, our vacation included more than 1,000 miles of driving in Oregon and Washington, circling the western portion of those states from Portland to Crater Lake to the coast to the Canadian border before ending up in Seattle.
In the past, we rarely made touring stops as we focused more on our selected destinations rather than enjoying our journeys. Now, with more time available, an insatiable hunger for discovery, and age-related bladder requirements, we’re traveling at slower speeds with more stops along the way.
This combination of factors led us to discover the Roadtrippers app. Leaving Crater Lake and headed for Eugene, OR, we faced a 2.5-hour drive on the winding mountain roads through the Willamette National Forest. Based on our travel down from Bend, anticipated great natural scenery, but wondered if there were any special attractions to be found along the way. Before going too far, we pulled into the Pilot Travel Center in Chemult, OR, to refuel the car, refill our water bottles and take care of biological necessities. I did a quick Google search for road travel apps and stumbled on Roadtrippers. Following a quick download, I plugged in our route, selected “Points of Interest,” and we were on our way to new adventures.
Roadtrippers highlighted several options for us in a 5-mile corridor along our planned route on Oregon Highway 59. The app provided written and pictorial descriptions of each, marked them on our route, and provided driving guidance. We selected four locations for potential quick stops — a waterfall, a covered bridge, natural hot springs and a scenic dam and lake – and eventually stopped at two of these based on time and weather.
Our first stop was Salt Creek Falls, Oregon’s second-highest waterfall which plunges 286-feet into a deep canyon. A National Park Sign marked the park entrance, but without the app information and guidance, we likely would have driven past. A short walk from a parking area led us to the cliff-side viewing area, where we watched and listened to the roaring water.
A steady rain was falling by the time we got back on the road, so we skipped the next suggested stop at McCreadie Hot Springs. As the rain slowed, we turned off the highway near the tiny town of Westfir, OR, (population 253 or 258, depending on which census you consult) to explore the Office Covered Bridge. After nearly 20 years in the Midwest, we had come to appreciate the utility, longevity and engineering of covered bridges, making this a good stop for us.
We continued using the app along the Pacific Coast in Oregon and beyond, discovering places like Thor’s Well, the Haystack Rock at Cape Kiwanda, hang gliders at Cape Lookout, and Keyhole Arch in Ocean City.
Since returning from our PacNW vacation, we’ve used the app twice on other drives. On a drive back from Ohio, we found the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, KY, across the river from Cincinnati. Despite living from 1987 to 2004 no more than 90 miles away from the cathedral and traveling I-75 countless times in that period, we had never heard of or visited this spectacular church. Thanks to Roadtrippers, we veered off the interstate for a 2-hour stop, a great lesson in immigrant history, and impressive photo opportunities that rivaled those we experienced in European cathedrals.
Just a week later, as we were heading to Northeast Georgia for some hiking, winery visits and a stay at the Beechwood Inn in Clayton, GA, we fired up Roadtrippers and identified stops at the new Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville, GA; Toccoa Falls on the campus of a small university, and Tallulah Gorge State Park. It also led us to Goats on the Roof, a kitschy roadside attraction near Clayton, GA, that had been on our travel radar as a potential stop if we were ever nearby.
What I Like (and Dislike) About Roadtrippers
First, it’s free, which is one of my favorite travel words. So aside from the usual registration process and accepting TOCs, using it is fast, easy and virtually risk-free.
Second, I really like how you can select categories and subcategories to get tips. Primary categories include Things to Do, Outdoors, and Points of Interest along with Hotels, Food and Drink, Camping and Amusement and Nightlife. Some of my favorite subcategories are Offbeat Attractions (in Things to Do) and Photo Ops and Historic (in Points of Interest).
Third, the app allows you to set your destinations and modify your travel corridor. So, if you’re in a hurry and want only a few stops, you can set your travel corridor to a narrow 5-mile radius along your primary route, so you won’t go too far off course. If you have more time for exploration, set the radius out to 30 miles for a broader selection of travel options.
As for my dislikes, I’m not a huge fan of the navigation feature. I found it easiest to enter the suggested next stop into Google Maps and rely on my go-to navigation app for consistency and accuracy. And while the app generally is easy-to-use, it’s best to use it when you have some time and not on-the-fly.
Features I Plan to Use
So far, I’ve used RoadTrippers only to find interesting things along the way. But for those who want road trip ideas, RoadTrippers offers cool sections that suggest great options for exploring. These include The Ultimate Interstate Highway Guides, Weird Off-Beat Guides, Greatest American Roadtrips, National Parks Trips, 48-Hour City Guides and many others. I’ve already read and bookmarked the Blue Ridge Parkway, Natchez Trace, Smokey Mountains and Northern Georgia guides for future reference. Each looks interesting, and since they are nearby, they will be among our upcoming adventures.
The Summary and An Ask
RoadTrippers is a useful planning tool, especially as a supplement to your other research. I would never use it as my primary or only travel guide on a driving trip, but I do recommend it as a secondary resource.
What road trip planning tools do you use and recommend. I’d love to know, share your insights, and test them out in the future.
