NYC to SEA - suggestions on fun places to stop?

[gsengle]

I'm taking the Mooney on a big ten day journey from the northeast to Seattle and back in about a month.  In Seattle, will definately stop at the Museum of Flight.  Thinking about stopping to see Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower...  Basically I'll be flying across the northern US...  I'm looking for fly in friendly suggestions to where to visit!  Any cool places to camp on field or near?  Must see destinations?

thanks in advance!

Greg

[Hank]

Rushmore is great, and a must-see. Devil's Tower is <30 Mooney minutes away, right on sectional edge, so be aware of its location and the 'suggestion' to stay >2500 agl within three miles. Allow time to drive/find Crazy Horse, too. The FBO at KRAP can get hotels at a significant discount. [Remember, it SUX to go to KRAP. At least, that was on my route.] Tell anyone that you're heading to Rapid City, and you'll get warned that KRAP is on the left, stay away from the SAC base on the right. That 13,000' runway is a tempting target.

KCOD, Cody WY, is another good stop; there or West Yellowstone will give Park access, but Cody has a rodeo every week during the summer, plus numerous hotels/restaurants. West Yellowstone is a pretty small village but has camping. Glacier Park is not far north of there, with two airports nearby, that I hope to visit in the near future.

[Skywarrior]

I second Glacier National Park. No minimum overflight altitude restrictions in the park.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Both spectacular. I've also heard great things about Flathead lake in Montana (camping and fishing), but have never been. Sounds like a fun trip!

[231flyer]

I would suggest Dayton, OH your first stop.  KMGY is a nice GA friendly airport and the Air Firce museum is a must see (up close with a SR71, F/A117, Valcurie etc). Dayton happens to be the birthplace of aviation and a must pilgrimage in my book.  The Wright brothers home is still preserved and MGY houses a flying example of the Wright B flyer.  

I second the KCOD stop and a visit to Yellowstone.  Also Jackson Hole is a very short but fun flight from COD and gateway to Grand Teton NP.  

[mooneygirl]

I learned to fly in the Columbia River Gorge.  I can think of two stops that are "Mooney close" to Seattle.  The first is Sunriver, Oregon S21 :  http://www.airnav.com/airport/S21  Sunriver is a resort nestled against the river and the lava beds.  If you fly in, a white van will come and pick you up and you could enjoy lunch at the lodge or a variety of cool river activities.

The second is my old stomping ground Hood River, OR 4S2 http://www.airnav.com/airport/4S2  Hood River is located at the base of Mount Hood in the Columbia River Gorge. It is also home to the WAAAM museum: http://www.waaamuseum.org/ that has vintage automobiles and aeroplanes.  The Twin Peaks drive in is off the 7 end of the runway. The FBO might have courtesy cars, I am not sure.  The Gorge is so beautiful and has the highest concentration of waterfalls outside of the Hawaiian Islands.

Oh yes, Packwood I cannot forget Packwood.  Located near Mount Adams, on the Washington side is Packwood a small small loging town.  Park at the airport and walk a block to town. So cool.  Very beautiful flight from the Hood River area to Packwood, past the Goat Rocks which look like Alps to me.  http://www.airnav.com/airport/55S

 

Have a blast!

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: 231flyer

I would suggest Dayton, OH your first stop.  KMGY is a nice GA friendly airport and the Air Firce museum is a must see (up close with a SR71, F/A117, Valcurie etc). Dayton happens to be the birthplace of aviation and a must pilgrimage in my book.  The Wright brothers home is still preserved and MGY houses a flying example of the Wright B flyer.  

I second the KCOD stop and a visit to Yellowstone.  Also Jackson Hole is a very short but fun flight from COD and gateway to Grand Teton NP.  

[mooneyman]

Quote: Mitch

National Museum of the AirForce is one of the best aviation museums in the world. You truly get to see the history of aviation from the Wright Bros to the F22 Raptor. If you go, get there early and sign up for the tour of the presidential hangar. It is located on the active part of Wright Patterson AFB. You get to see and walk through multiple presidential planes including SAM 2000 that president Kennedy's body was flown home on from Dallas. Museum is free, but the presidential tour fills up early.

I am based at DAY (Dayton International) which is close to the base. Very GA friendly for a class C airport. Let me know if you can stop by and I might be able to meet up.

Patrick

[jdrake]

If you're taking a very Northerly route, you might consider Mackinac Island.  Flew there last summer with the family and everyone enjoyed the trip.  See Ft. Mackinac, Grand Hotel, historic waterfront area.  Excellent bicycling and hiking as well as good food and entertainment options.

No cars allowed - taxis are horse and buggy with easy connections to/from the airport.

Very nice FBO, however, the downside is that there is no fuel on the island.  It requires a quick <5 mile hop across the water to the Mackinac County (St. Ignace) airport for reasonably priced fuel.  Both fields (KMCD and 83D) have instrument approaches.

[BorealOne]

Second (or third) the Jackson Hole, West Yellowstone and Glacier Park suggestions. Spokane (Felt's Field) is a great stop just west of Glacier - it's got a fantastic Art Deco-style airport building dating from the '30s that is worth a stop just to admire, but also has a great café and reasonably priced fuel. 

[gsengle]

So while I'm at it, what airport/FBO is my best bet in the Seattle area?  (not $$$, precision approach, rental car availability)?

[BorealOne]

Boeing Field - all of the above. I usu park at Aeroflight - can't say enough good stuff about them - they always comp my parking with fuel purchase.

 

 

[gsengle]

Quote: borealone

Second (or third) the Jackson Hole, West Yellowstone and Glacier Park suggestions. Spokane (Felt's Field) is a great stop just west of Glacier - it's got a fantastic Art Deco-style airport building dating from the '30s that is worth a stop just to admire, but also has a great café and reasonably priced fuel. 

[BorealOne]

-86 it is...good eye! I'll dig up some cockpit photos...only major changes on the panel have been the addition of a 530W. Everything else is pretty much as delivered from the factory.

[gsengle]

Quote: borealone

-86 it is...good eye! I'll dig up some cockpit photos...only major changes on the panel have been the addition of a 530W. Everything else is pretty much as delivered from the factory.

[Seth]

I flew from the East to West Coast and then back in my former 1967 M20F in 2010.  It was a memorable trip.  My route rest was along the Southern areas however the return trip is similar to your route.  I left from Portlant, Oregon, stopped in Bozeman, Montanta, Rapid City Falls (Mt. Rushmore), and then Minneapolis/St. Paul to visit a friend and for business.  Flew home from there. 

I will make it a point to visit Dayton, OH now!  Also, I'm planning a trip to Reno this Fall, along with stops up and down the west coast so I'm watching this thread.  The trip will be a lot faster in the Missile.  16 hours accross the country at 145 knots, 12 hours at 180 knots!

Mt. Rushmore was well worth it.  I arrived just before sunset and got there in time to see the evening program.  Very neat to see that national monument.

-Seth

[Skybrd]

Quote: mooneyman

National Museum of the AirForce is one of the best aviation museums in the world. You truly get to see the history of aviation from the Wright Bros to the F22 Raptor. If you go, get there early and sign up for the tour of the presidential hangar. It is located on the active part of Wright Patterson AFB. You get to see and walk through multiple presidential planes including SAM 2000 that president Kennedy's body was flown home on from Dallas. Museum is free, but the presidential tour fills up early.

I am based at DAY (Dayton International) which is close to the base. Very GA friendly for a class C airport. Let me know if you can stop by and I might be able to meet up.

Patrick

[mooneyman]

Skybrd-  DAY is the closest airport to the museum (15 miles vs 20 miles from Wright Bros MGY).

I would love to get permission to use the old strip behind the museum for a GA fly in. I will have to look into it.

[gsengle]

Quote: mooneyman

Skybrd-  DAY is the closest airport to the museum (15 miles vs 20 miles from Wright Bros MGY).

I would love to get permission to use the old strip behind the museum for a GA fly in. I will have to look into it.

[mooneyman]

Quote: gsengle

Any options better than renting a car just to go over to the museum for a few hours?

[Igor_U]

Quote: gsengle

So while I'm at it, what airport/FBO is my best bet in the Seattle area?  (not $$$, precision approach, rental car availability)?

[danb35]

Actually, Greene County (I19) is closer to FFO than either MGY or DAY.  I know they have rental cars available, but I don't know about a crew car.