Top 10 To-Do's Before You Head Out...

While we've been known to love snagging an impulse road trip (or even cross-country trip) on a whim, with so many changes in the world today we can't stress enough that if there were ever a time to focus on planning, it's now. We want both our traveling guests and local residents safe and sound! When you're planning your next Cascade Loop road trip, make sure to work your way through these important to-do's before you head out:

1. Check to see if there are active Travel Advisories on our site. Whenever there is an ongoing safety risk at hand, we'll be sure to let you know
   
   
2. Determine if and when the right time frame is for your trip. Are you looking to head out in a few days, a few weeks or a few months?
   
   
3. If you're planning for a trip that is further out (more than 3 weeks out) be sure to request your Free Travel Guide to help you plan and/or view the guide instantly online
4. Think about the kinds of things you want to do on your trip. Do you want to focus on outdoor recreation? Will you be bringing gear or needing to rent?
   
   
5. Choose the regions that you will hit in order to do all the fun things on your list. We break the Cascade Loop into 9 distinct regions to help you plan
   
   
6. Take a closer look at the individual communities and natural areas that you're planning to visit. Check with each of the cities/Chambers of Commerce/tourism authorities in those areas to ensure that travel is open and safe in those areas. 
7. Create your itinerary. Are you spending multiple days or planning to only visit parts of the Loop via day trip? What area will you plan to be in each day? What will you do? Where will you eat? Make sure you have a solid, practical and safe plan
   
   
8. Book your lodging or reserve your campsites if you will be staying overnight. Do not plan to show up and hope for availability--trust us. There is nothing more uncomfortable than not finding lodging that you counted on and being forced to either drive home or smoosh yourself into your car seats overnight. Know your lodgings' cancellation policies. With natural disasters, pandemics and all the mayhem that can happen in the world, this is an absolute must-do step both to save your time and money, and that of the lodging establish where you are planning to stay
   
   
9. Take the time needed to make sure you are planning to recreate responsibly. Make sure you know how to Road Trip Safely, if you're planning to hike, visit our Hiking Guide for info on passes and permits, trail etiquette and steps related to hiking during a pandemic. Planning to picnic and feeling a little rusty? Read through our Picnic Guide.
   
   
10. Check the weather a week before you plan to head out, the day before and the day of, and plan to update your packed items accordingly. Weather can be a fickle beast and change at the drop of a hat. Ensure your comfort and safety by checking in regularly.