Hmm, if only Virgin Galactic was ready! Plenty of VX Elevate to burn :cool:

Completely forgot this is going to happen, so I'm glad I saw the thread! Will spend the eclipse in KCMO since they show as having 2:40 of eclipse time. No need for a hotel since I'm only 45~ mins West.

Would be great to meet up with anybody who makes it out to KC for the eclipse.

We are planning for Nashville, from 19th to 22th August.
I have my eyes on a lake cottage, but they will start to accept booking from Feb.

Aug 2017 Solar Eclipse
 

Want to arrange a trip to see the 2.5hr duration as it passes over the US near the Kentucky/Tennessee border, but wife is less than interested when it comes to booking 4 tickets for us and our boys. Anyone know what else is near there--maybe even in the path of the eclipse--that would have more to do than just watch it get dark? I mean, that's enough for me, but I gotta sell this somehow or else I am going alone.

Mammoth Cave National Park for one. Also Land Between the Lakes Recreational area. Several years ago, my sister was looking into renting a houseboat for a few days there for her family.

Also, don't be surprised if this thread gets moved to the appropriate US regional forum instead of TravelBuzz.

Thanks for the info! Figured it might get moved but wasn't sure where to place it; not a usual visitor to the these other forums :)

numerous FTers discussing it here

While there's much to see in that area, the weather is not very favorable for getting to see the eclipse. You should head for Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, or eastern Oregon (east of the Cascade Mountains) for that.

Seeing a total eclipse is a fantastic experience. Make sure you're very near the red line marking the maximum duration of totality on this map. While the entire eclipse event lasts up to two and a half hours, the two minutes or less of totality are the really magical part.

You really don't want to be in an enclosed space during totality. You should ideally be somewhere like an open field where you can see the shadow bands that appear to fly over the ground.

I witnessed the 1979 eclipse from The Dalles, WA, after an anxious drive over the Cascades through impenetrable fog. The experience was somewhat marred by the many light planes buzzing around -- we were near a small airport, something I suggest you avoid. I reflected afterwards that the unfortunate people in the planes had a worse experience though, not being able to appreciate the whole effect.

note the correction ... many posts upthread mention that there may indeed be decent viewing weather west of the Cascades (i.e., the Willamette Valley and along the coast), but the odds of clear skies are much higher in the eastern part of the state

Yes, of course. I was thinking east but typed "west". :(

booked a room at the DEN Aloft for 8/20-22, with plans to just rent a car and drive somewhere (Alliance? Casper?) to view.

That's what convertibles are for...

You won't be able to see the dramatic shadow bands and the effects of the sudden darkness on wildlife from a moving vehicle.

I was thinking about St Claire, Missouri, about an hour drive from St Louis where there are plenty of hotels. It gets 2min40sec of totality, but does it work weather-wise?

I'm thinking about doing a day trip, probably to BNA, with CHS as the fallback option. I chose BNA/CHS since I can just exit the airport and wait for the eclipse, no rental car needed!

I'm leaning towards this same option, plus direct flight BOS-BNA on WN with a CP for me :)

Airlines are also jacking up the costs for this weekend. Travel on this particular Sunday/Monday to/from BOI is about $100 higher round trip than any other weekend all summer, except for the 4th of July.

Those sneaky devils! :D

No biggy, it's like an 8 hour drive with some nice desert scenery along the way. If fares don't recede, I will just put some miles on my new jeep.

Not just airlines. I saw a Holiday Inn Express in Casper WY going for $428 on the night of Aug 20th! (hmm...may have been Cheyenne...)

Prices seem elevated for BNA too. This might actually be one of the few times where a domestic Y award redemption is worthwhile. :eek:

That must be a record!

Not really...BOI-PDX-SMF at a reasonable time to get back to BOI on 8/21 is 30K AS miles! :eek::td:

I think I will just drive up...gives me more flexibility...unless some better fares and/or saver space open up...

Hm, guess I'm glad I locked in some speculative 12.5 one-ways a while back (also trying to work in an east coast trip either before or after)

maybe for that property, but not for HIXs

from the discussion upthread, back in Sep

Had this in my diary since a cloudy viewing in Australia 2013
Was originally looking at a big mileage run via JFK & PHX to Denver & then a road trip.
Have had a HIX booked in north Kansas City for some time now. Only a few miles from totality.
Also booked a couple of others further West.

Our window of spare time kept getting smaller with other trips being booked so we're now only looking at only a Friday - Wednesday trip.

Last night over in the BA premium fare deals thread the flights fell in my lap.
MAN to JFK/PHL/ORD and onto a few random US destinations including MSP for £1003 in Business/AA First

Needs to be booked & ticketed today if anyone else from Europe is interested.

My family is booked for 8/18-22 at a Choice property in Boise, suite rate slightly above $100. Four will share the 12-hour drive, but I want to go to a conference in FLL starting morning of 8/22. Three will share the drive back to SoCal.

Of course Plan A is to drive <1 h westward to OR, but still I need a Plan B for eastern ID, so I can't book any BOI flight before 5 pm.

WN's schedule still ends 8/14 (to be extended to late Sep in late Feb), but if the same 8/14 flight flies on 8/21, I could fly evening WN BOI-LAS followed by a long layover then B6 redeye LAS-FLL.

The only one-ticket options, DL/AS, have been showing ~$350 or 20kmi+ (DK). Then last week BOI-PDX-ATL-FLL for 12.5 kmi popped up so I snapped it.

I was checking out VRBO and AirBNB for Casper, WY. The prices are hilarious.

We'll see how things pan out.

ATM, here's what I'm considering.

MCO
DAB
BNA
MSP

We'll see how things develop :)

Just booked flights on Southwest to Nashville for the weekend! I love Rapid Rewards for the ability to cancel later on with no issues :)

AirBnB prices in the area still look good, I'll probably get one a bit north of the city to make it closer.

Help please! We are a family of five. I have a room booked for the night of the 20th at the Hilton Garden Inn PDX that can accommodate the whole family, but Madras (the closest ideal viewing location is 113 miles away). I also have a room with only one King bed booked for that same night at a Motel 6 in Bend which is 44 miles away.
1)Do we stay in Portland which is further away, but far more comfortable?
2)Do we stay in Bend which is closer, but will be a miserable night?
3)Do we drive to Madras the night before and sleep in the car and have a really miserable night?

Assuming I go with option 1, I don't even know how early we should set out for Madras. The eclipse starts around 9am (totality closer to 10am). The whole state will be descending on that area. It typically takes 2-2.5 hours to get there however traffic could (should?) be a disaster.

Thanks!

I don't know the area well, but I'd be concerned mostly about the huge wave of Portlandians getting up early to drive out there.

Even the Motel 6 could leave you with a lot of traffic in front of you. Locals will know best, of course.

I think we'll have it easier in Missouri: people can use all of I29, I35, and I70 to reach various state parks and little towns along the line of totality, and it doesn't happen until after 1PM.

My rent a 12 Passenger van for us to sleep in instead of staying in Portland

Do you camp? Kids might actually enjoy that. :)

I've never flown with our camping gear. We're a family of four with basic gear suitable for good-weather camping in a campground. If I had to, I could probably get our gear into two 110-liter backpacks. The stuff's more bulky than heavy, but since we're talking midsummer it would be the thinnest and lightest sleeping bags.

Wouldn't be my first choice, but it would be better than sleeping in a car.

Good point...I need to rethink this.

I'm flying to PDX as well, staying in Tigard, and thought about driving towards Salem early that morning, but is that too close to the coast for potential weather concerns?

I think the Willamette Valley is likely to have some of the better viewing possibilities along the eclipse path. I'd be more concerned about the 1M+ driving southbound that morning.

Just changed my hotel from Hilton Garden Inn in Portland to the EconoLodge in Albany which still has availability because they just opened reservations this weekend (was a La Quinta). Depending on the weather, we will hike to the top of Mary's Peak which should have a spectacular view or head up to Salem to join the party there.