Driving I-80 cross country from Portland, OR to Warren, RI
What can I say about my trip? So much, actually.
But to fully give you the real-time magic and sometimes challenges of the trip, I decided I’ll share my family and friends updates here with a little more details on specifics if you’re looking to stop anywhere I did!
Please enjoy this diary style recap of my cross country drive with my cat Nila! 🐈⬛🚙
PS — If you’re a visual person you can catch the vlog post here.
Day 1
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 11, 2024:
DAY ONE: And we’re off! 🚙🤍✨🐈⬛
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 11, 2024:
As she was leaving, it felt like breathing 🤗💗
You don’t know this yet bc my vlog has not been touched for the last week but the past week especially had taken a toll on me in every which way. In the last 24 hours I spent an hour and a half crying and couldn’t stop - I was so overwhelmed and frustrated and feeling alone that I had to call my mom to make me feel better. Love you, mom!
I spent HOURS cleaning, packing, moving, repacking, repacking, repacking. Grocery shopping, working, planning, and repacking again. It was a lot and truthfully I didn’t think I would even make it to the end of the day. I felt sucker punched.
And when I tell you the moment I got in the car today to drive away (so long, Portland) it literally felt like breathing.
It felt like hope, potential, adventure— it felt like life, happiness and even though I’ve gotten collectively 8 hours of sleep over the past two nights — I drove the full 7ish hour drive wide awake, alert, and content.
It actually felt like the time flew right by- when it was time to take our exit I felt like I could’ve drove another 7 hours.
The drive itself was *perfect*. Light traffic, abundant sunshine, just an easy beautiful drive (hello Eastern Oregon who gave you the right to be so cute?!? I didn’t know— I’m sorry! But holy heck I want to take all my friends on this drive, it was incredibly beautiful!)
And yeah, The Bolter got repetitive plays.
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 11, 2024:
I can’t believe I got to end this absolutely delightful day by meeting my internet big sister!! Rachael and I have been internet friends for a few years now and she has provided some of the best big sister advice — and part of that advice is why I’m even taking this adventure in the first place!
It felt like an absolute dream to visit her at her home where she made the most delicious taco salad (she says it’s so easy, I say it’s so wonderful). We sat and talked forever, keeping an eye on her cutie kitty Geo while he kept an eye on the squirrels outside.
We ended the evening with a drive out to the Oregon Trail (lol @ me for leaving Oregon just to walk the Oregon trail but life is funny that way). It was a stunning view and a perfect orange sunset. I feel so incredibly blessed by Rachael’s friendship but also her invitation to welcome me into her home and feed me a real meal after a long day of travel.
I even got to see her art studio in real life and I am absolutely in love. Most of my very best friends I met on the internet before I ever met them irl. I’m so glad I can keep this tradition alive and well. I already can’t wait to come back and spend more time together!
Thank you, Rachael! Here’s to thriving, not just surviving. 🩷🩷🩷
Ps- do go follow @secretly.just.me to see Rachael’s beautiful collage art - she’s constantly inspiring me to create, her work is absolutely gorgeous!
POST-TRIP NOTES:
PENDLETON, OR: Visit Sisters Cafe for the most delicious coffee with a wicked cute downtown area!
BOISE, ID: The cat friendly airbnb in Boise, ID we stayed in was absolutely lovely. It was such a comfortable and beautiful stay. It made me sad that I hadn’t booked an extra night here on our trip just so I could have more time to relax here. Highly recommend this space if you’re looking for an airbnb in Boise that allows cats! (MAJOR BONUS: The owner was so kind and you weren’t hit with 12 pages of ‘to-do and not-to-do' requirements.)
You can check the availability of this cat-friendly airbnb in Boise here.
Day 2
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 12, 2024:
DAY TWO: Traveling to Ogden Utah- with a pit stop along the way that I decided on last night.🤭 got a little bit of a shorter drive today (4.5 hours total). But first: coffee!
Nila is very unhappy this morning. As soon as she figured out we were leaving she hid behind the couch at the Airbnb. It was an adventure getting her out (she is not normally a cat that hides). So send her all the positive travel vibes!
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 12, 2024:
Another day- another beautiful series of views… I just keep thinking “I can’t believe less than 48 hours ago I was feeling so overwhelmed, anxious, and sad.”
The rapidness of which my mood, mental health and outlook on life has instantly improved is nothing short of amazing.
That it only takes 11ish hours to drive across Oregon, Idaho and into Utah makes one wonder why we don’t do these kinds of trips on the (somewhat) regular.
I’ve seen so much in just a short time. I can’t explain to you how much this amazes me. I’m truly baffled and so blessed.
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 12, 2024:
“And we’re all here
But nobody’s home
It’s a strange fate
Driving or by plane
A million dreams a day
Just a new place
New rainbows to chase
Hoping that the sand meets the sky”
-Rambling Heart, Hanson
Our last minute surprise detour was to Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, ID! It’s called the “Niagara Falls of the West Coast” and I think that perfectly describes it! This waterfall is the second largest in the country (behind Niagara Falls).
It was a magical detour and I’ll share more on my vlog but definitely add this to your trip if you’re driving nearby! 💗🌈✨
POST-TRIP NOTES:
SHOSHONE FALLS: An absolute dream and must see if you’re driving to or from Boise on i-80. Heading east from Boise, Shoshone Falls is only a two hour drive. There’s a few beautiful scenic overlooks on your way into the park. It’s about 25 minutes off the highway, but trust me, it’s worth the detour!
Shoshone Falls is a $5 entrance fee (and yes they take debit / credit cards!) and I highly recommend packing a lunch and picnic blanket and spending a day in the shady part of the park. You can have your dog here on a leash. There’s even a lake area which we didn’t visit due to timing but I’d definitely go back and check that out. There are restrooms and even a little gift stand. Parking was easily available when we visited Shoshone Falls on Mother’s Day. Even though it was quite busy and took about 15-20 minutes to get into the park, it never felt like there were too many people. Once you’re inside it was quite spacious and lovely.
Hansen Bridge: Not gonna lie, saw this on Google maps and clicked on it laughing “wouldn’t it be funny if I went there because it’s Hanson …errr Hansen.” But I was not actively trying to come here. Just turns out that I had to go over it on my drive out so I had to pull over and check it out. It’s a cute little lookout spot, stunning views of the Snake River Canyon below. In the vlog you’ll see some kayakers braving the river. It was really pretty to see!
OGDEN, UT: I was really looking forward to this picturesque Hallmark town (which they actually filmed some movies and shows here!). We arrived on Mother’s Day, which was also a Sunday and the town was quite sleepy which makes sense for Utah. I walked up and down the main street and was enjoying myself vlogging but my spidey-senses started to go off and I noticed a particular car/guy that I kept seeing in different parts of the main road. At one point I was standing on a side road looking up a restaurant menu to order a burger (spoiler alert: it said they were open on their sign outside the restaurant, but the website confirmed they were closed) when that same man I had seen pulled up to where I was standing and asked if I needed a ride. While he could have been harmless, it felt really off-putting. I ended up waiting til he drove away and then taking a zig-zag way back to my airbnb in case he was trying to watch me.
While the airbnb I stayed in was fine, it also wasn’t the best. One thing I didn’t love was the ceiling was leaking and there was a bucket of old rain water that had collected. It hadn’t rained in weeks so that felt unnecessary and was not disclosed. It also was loud first thing in the morning as it was above a business and they get in early to prepare for the day (like 4 or 5am early). So for these reasons I’m not going to link that particular airbnb 😚
Day 3
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 13, 2024:
DAY THREE: she’s over it. long drive today but we started it off with delicious coffee and hanging with a friend. 💗💗💗
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 13, 2024:
Let’s talk real quick about being the main character of your story.
Today I was EXHAUSTED. Thanks gluten - sun allergy - Zyrtec. And the Airbnb I was staying in tonight was *quirky* and it had a lot of information. Like pages of words of things I needed to know, remember, or do. And I decided last night that staying in airbnbs is fun if you’re there a long time and not just making one night stays when your brain is exhausted and already holding too many details in place.
And so I decided to just search for room rates for a hotel in my destination. And I found a great deal— I called them and like perfection the pieces fell into place. Once the switch had been made I felt relief.
That quirky Airbnb was definitely a “do it for the plot” situation. And while I would have loved to walk away with some interesting content and new memories, the overwhelming of it all right now felt like a burden not a gift.
Deciding that I’m the main character of my life and if I don’t like the plot that’s been written already I can change it- and then doing just that- was exactly what I needed.
To quote my favorite movie and one of my favorite characters, “You’re so right. You’re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God’s sake…”
And seeing the rainbow as I turned the corner to pull into my hotel lot tonight was all the confirmation I needed. 💗🌈✨😊
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 13, 2024:
DAY 3 IS A WRAP! And more importantly it was bookended by friends!! Getting to meet up with Alexis in her home state was such a joy! We shared some outdoor patio time at a cute (and delish) coffee shop with mountain views. I forgot to take pics and videos while we were together but we did capture one of us right before we hopped in our cars!
Once I arrived in Wyoming I was able to meet up with my friend Phil and of all the places you could have convinced me we’d meet up at one day- Wyoming was NOT on the bingo card 😅 we grabbed dinner at The Office and it was tasty! We ended the evening with VIP access to my hotels store so I could by a keepsake shirt.
Today was a long tired day but the beginning and end were perfectly sweet. So grateful to find so many familiar faces on this trip!!
POST-TRIP NOTES:
LITTLE AMERICA, WY: If you need a rest stop in between the Salt Lake City area and Cheyenne, WY definitely put Little America on your list. It’s such a nice rest stop and really caters to the traveler. By far the cleanest restroom stop we had on our entire trip. I loved it so much I ended up booking their hotel in Cheyenne for the evening…
CHEYENNE, WY: As you can see in my notes above, I made the switch from an airbnb in a horse trailer on a farm (seriously looked so fun, I reallyyyyy wanted to do it for the plot!) to a hotel (oh hey Little America, there you are again) and it was everything I needed. Immediately after making this decision I felt a weight lifted off me. I didn’t realize how much the unknown of this airbnb was stressing me out (also their 12 pages of rules that I was trying to memorize — it was too much on top of everything else at this time).
The Little America Hotel ended up being such a blessing and I highly recommend checking out this hotel if you’re looking for a cat friendly hotel in Cheyenne, WY! They also have other locations but I’m unsure what their pet policy is at the others. I’d think it’s the same because the whole Little America (read this, it’s fascinating!) brand exists to provide a safe haven for travelers. I’m seriously obsessed with them so much after this trip that I even bought a shirt while I was there!
One other thing. The sourdough bread I took on my road trip was not fermented long enough meaning that there was too much gluten present. You can see in the videos and pictures that over a few days I had a pretty intense gluten sun reaction. I started taking Zyrtec to stop the itching and I don’t remember this ever happening before but it made me SO sleepy! The drive from Utah to Wyoming met me halfway with pure exhaustion. I stopped at a rest stop along the highway to close my eyes for a little bit. While I never formally napped (I always have a hard time falling asleep for naps) I rested enough and looked at my phone long enough that I felt more alert and was able to finish the drive without any more drowsiness.
Take both of these things as a reminder to listen to your body and do what you need to!
Day 4
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 14, 2024:
DAY FOUR: We love this place so much I had to buy a shirt about it. I cannot wait to tell you all about Little America (I even just educated a worker and guest about some facts they wondered about).
Also this salted caramel oatmilk latte is incredible and PEEP THE GOOD ICE 🤩
Next stop, Lincoln Nebraska! 6.5 hour drive today not including stops. Nila is SO OVER this. Today was the first time I ever had to physically fight her to get in her carrier. I know some people deal with this on the regular with their cats but she’s always been so good so it hurts my heart. She’ll be happy to know we’re staying in Lincoln for a little bit so maybe she’ll forget how awful it is before I throw her back in!
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 14, 2024:
We made it to Lincoln sans tornados! 😅 so grateful for this dear birthday twin for hosting us for a little bit!! Megan has already spoiled us with our own Hanson themed room and Nila is excited to have space to explore and lounge! I didn’t take a ton of photos today bc turns out Nebraska kinda all looks the same for 7 hours literally straight lol but I have some fun horizontal pics of the gorgeous sunset we saw!!!
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 14, 2024:
Finally a sunset worth a million photos! But before you get to that beauty, enjoy Nila being miserable in the car. She fought me the hardest today but once we were on the highway she mostly slept.
You’d be surprised just how few rest stops and foodie places are along the way on this stretch of i80! I’m so used to the east coast having food stops every other exit at least. Definitely not out here!
We made a pit stop in North Platte for gas and a McDonald’s Coke and fries. The best keep going snack. Thank you for the snack money along the way! The sustenance is much appreciated and I can’t wait to sneak out tomorrow while Megan is at work and scout out a coffee shop or two. 😊💗✨
Day 7
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 17, 2024:
Made it to Tulsa just in time for tonight’s show! Don’t worry Grandpa Bill (Megan’s dad) is watching + spoiling Nila with love back in Nebraska 😊🩷
POST-TRIP NOTES:
TULSA, OK: I don’t feel qualified to talk about Tulsa among my friends who live or frequent there on the regular. But I’m gonna. Just in case someone cares about my two cents! Here are my favorite places to shop and where we ate gluten free in Tulsa, OK. This is not extensive to everywhere I’ve loved and enjoyed in Tulsa over the years, just where we visited on this very short trip that I enjoyed.
Ida Red: If you haven’t shopped at Ida Red, you must visit! They are so great at knowing their target market (Tulsa and Hanson Fans) and always have the best products. I adore them.
The Chowhouse: The gluten free options were limited and service was spotty but I cannot resist fried pickles. They’re just the best.
Chimera: Their coffee is always delicious. I am sad that we didn’t have time on this trip to partake in their bowls. They’re incredible, so definitely add them to your list if you’re in Tulsa!
Dilly Diner: Probably my favorite meal in Tulsa this year. However, if you come here for GF be really emphatic that you have a gluten allergy. I was given flour tortillas breakfast tacos instead of the corn I ordered and didn’t realize it until I ate half of them. The waitress apologized but since I wasn’t going to have my throat close up I think she dismissed my allergy as an unfortunate situation but not a serious one. That being said, the menu is extensive, with tons of incredible sounding drinks, so I’m including it in the list because I think we just had an off experience.
Day 9
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 19, 2024:
“Remember how I said you didn’t want to see pink in the radar?” - Megan as she hands me the phone to show me we’re approaching doomsday 😂
Also the irony of Nebraska welcoming us to the good life when the good life awaiting is potential tornados and severe weather alerts interrupting the regular radio is just perfection…
But all this storming led us to the most *beautiful* sunset that gets its own post bc it was SO GOOD!
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 19, 2024:
Posting these out of order again bc I’m in my good chaos era but LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL NEBRASKA SUNSET I was gifted my last night there!!!!
I didn’t drive so idk if I’m allowed to say it was worth driving through a dose of bad weather for skies like this, but I’m gonna say it anyways 😅
Apparently the night after I left Megan got tornado sirens going off in the middle of the night. Nila and I have been skirting around all the severe weather and I couldn’t have planned it that way if I tried- so that’s kind of funny!
POST-TRIP NOTES:
LINCOLN, NE: Oh my gosh, I had a lot of favorite parts of my trip but I think my time with my friend Megan in Nebraska is the tippity top of the list!
The only thing I was concerned about with Nebraska was the fact that the US was seeing a frequent number of severe storms — including many tornados — the week before I left AND during my trip. I’ve always been terrified of tornados and I literally had nightmares before leaving that I was driving and a storm was chasing me. However, after a few days with Megan and experiencing the magical storms of Nebraska (I love me a good thunderstorm), I didn’t feel as nervous. It’s still a legit concern to be aware of, but I was very lucky that each step of our drive the storms always seemed to be just off of where we were (even when we later drive through PA! So crazy!)
I was also seriously impressed with the number of incredible eateries and gluten free options in Lincoln, NE. Here’s a short list of some places we ate gluten free in Lincoln, NE:
The Mill: OMG the coffee here?! INSANELY GOOD. But also they have THE CUTEST MERCH!!! Even just now I pulled up their website to link it here and I saw a bunch of other cutesy things I want to buy. There’s multiple locations so it’s easy for you to visit!
Goldenrod Pastries: Okay, so it’s perfectly convenient that this majorly gluten free bakery is right next door to The Mill. This place is SUCH A VIBE. And the pastries were so good you’d never know they were gluten free. Gosh, I miss this place so much. Please stop in and visit this place. I wish I took more videos/pictures inside but I was just feeling overwhelmed by how many good options there were! Please visit and tell me what you ordered. We got cream filled cookie sandwiches, a lemon bar, and a chocolate chip cookie, everything was scrumptious!
Cafe Botanica: A really cute vibey shop, lots of smoothies, salads, wraps and more! I ordered a gluten free peanut chicken wrap and it was delicious! If I lived in Lincoln, NE I’d be visiting this place often! Just peep this menu!
Honest Abe’s Burgers: I love me a place that has gluten free bread for burgers. Abe, you are a true hero. Thanks for your incredible burgers and truffle fries with various delicious dipping sauces!
402 Creamery: Ice Cream. Need I say more?
Freddy’s: I know it’s a chain. I don’t care. They lettuce wrap their burgers so well it feels like you’re at a restaurant — Wendy’s could never. It was seriously delicious, the burger options, the shoestring fries, more delicious dipping sauces, and their creamy frozen custard? Who do I gotta petition to get one of these near me?!
Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill: There is no evidence of my love for this place because I forgot my phone back at Megan’s place when we met her parents here for dinner. They have a separate gluten free menu (LOVE TO SEE IT) and I copied Megan and ordered the Rainbow Chicken (she said she orders it every single time, it’s that good) and I can’t deny it. That meal was perfection. It doesn’t mention it on the menu but it came with their house made honey mustard and let me tell you, you’ll want a vat of this. I was dipping every single thing in it. So good!
BONUS POST-TRIP NOTES:
As a bonus I’d be remiss to not mention the absolute joy and honor it was to lay my hands on the same black and white keys that a certain Taylor Hanson once played on the regular. Talk about magic magic magic. Enjoy these photos as a little bonus and one of me as a kid banging on some piano keys. I didn’t know what I was doing then and I still don’t. 😉
Day 10
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 20, 2024:
DAY #????: Next stop Chicago! A 7ish hour drive through Iowa, another new state for us! + This will be Nilas first time in IL! We’re checking off so many states together (in fact a majority of them we’ve done together!)
Nila is deeply sad to leave Nebraska and Megan — and I don’t blame her because I feel the exact same way. We’ve had such a joyful time and I would come back to this place and this friend a thousand times without question. I’ll share more pics of our time together later!
day 11
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 21, 2024:
“Chicago” was so sweet! (It was actually Woodstock, but if I say that most of you would say “where’s that?” So- Chicago). I got to spend time with these adorable littles that I haven’t seen in 5 years at least — and it filled my heart with so much joy.
We flew kites in the severe winds and then played Uno Attack where they both beat me lollll but they were so cute and kept trying to help me win.
They also made sure Nila felt like the queen by adorning her with a crown she nicely tolerated the attention which is an improvement for her.
Last night we had tornado warnings and I fell asleep to the sound of the wind creaking and rattling everything around but it stopped sometime around midnight and was calm the rest of the night.
The stop was short but oh so sweet. Cannot wait to come back again soon! (also I somehow completely forgot to take a pic with my friend— I am the *worst*)
Day 12
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 22, 2024:
DAY ??? LONG DRIVE TODAY, 9 hours to Pittsburgh. A friend was able to host us there so we made a slight adjustment to the original plan. Overall the driving time home is roughly the same but it’ll save us from having to spend a bunch simply for a place to sleep. Also we’re officially out of windshield spray so let’s hope the east coast is somehow less buggy than the west lol
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 22, 2024:
In haphazard order — here’s my post to tell you I think I might be in love with Pittsburgh and I’ve been here all of 4 hours and have basically seen what you see here.
It doesn’t matter. It feels like Portland of the east (in my heart- this is the vibes I’m getting) and it makes me happy, okay?? 🤗
During this drive I officially checked off Ohio from my state list and Nila checked her Illinois, Indiana, + Ohio boxes. We’ve both been to PA! (On our first big road trip!)
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 22, 2024:
Not a single stop of this drive have I been alone and when I was looking for a last minute place to stay Betsy quickly jumped in and offered for me to stay with her here in Pittsburgh! The Hanson fandom is seriously my favorite — I can’t believe just how many friends from our happy little community I was able to meet up with on this trip!!
I simply adore Betsy and before I even pulled up she had already called dinner in for us and was meeting me in the parking lot to help me get situated. So very grateful for every single friend on this trip who have made my life that much easier. Truly I don’t think I could have done this all without the help of my people. I’ve cried tears of gratitude so many times already and I’m sure I’ll do it again.
Betsy, thank you for hosting us tonight in your cutesy little neighborhood that reminds me of Portland were so thankful for you!!!
POST-TRIP NOTES:
PITTSBURGH, PA: Hi, I love Pittsburgh. I was here all of 16 hours and I can’t wait to come back! I didn’t explore much because at this point in the trip the mission was ‘Get to RI’ but I really enjoyed the coffee we got from The Coffee Tree Roasters. If you’re in the Mt. Lebanon area of Pittsburgh check it out! For all my Portland friends, it’s very Multnomah Village vibes. Such a cute little pocket of the city!
DAY 13
CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 23, 2024:
DAY 1440: Next Stop — RHODE ISLAND! ⚓🌊🌞 we have a VERY long drive today 9+ hours and one us is the most tired girl ever. Stayed up late working on client tasks to stay up to date and that meant less sleep. It’ll be worth it in the long run!
CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 23, 2024:
Driving from Pittsburgh to NJ was stunning! I need to drive this route in the fall and swoon over the color changing leaves. I don’t have many pics of it because it truly wouldn’t look the same anyways- you just have to see it for yourself! It was a very easy drive and absolutely breathtaking. The views were everything. Also this side of NJ was so unexpected! Loved to see it. It was a bonus state we didn’t plan on getting! We’ve both been here before but still fun to add another state to our overall trip!
CHECK-IN 3 | MAY 23, 2024:
WE MADE IT!!!! So many photos to be shared of our last leg later- but for now I’ll share the final Nila car photo I took! We made it back to RI!! Thank you everyone for the love, encouragement, and treat money. We adore you!!
POST-TRIP NOTES:
PENNSYLVANIA: This was my first western PA drive but I hope not the last. It was stunning!!! The whole time I was thinking “This is what Taylor Swift meant when she sang ‘please picture me in the trees, I hit my peak at 7 feet in the swing over the creek, I was too scared to jump in, But I, I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me, are there still beautiful things?” because it was breathtakingly beautiful. I googled where she grew up and turns out it wasn’t far from where I was driving at the time, so now I can fully imagine what she was feeling when she wrote those lyrics.
NEW JERSEY: WHAT?! Who knew that we were going to drive through NJ? LOL not me. But wow! I’ve never seen western NJ apparently, it felt like being in Avatar! Is this NJ or the PNW?! It was gorgeous. We even turned into a scenic overlook off of 95 that had lovely views.
SOMEWHERE IN CT OFF OF 95: Do Not, I repeat Do Not stop at one of those convenient rest stops off of 95 and think 1: it’s going to be quick 2: it’s going to be normal McDonalds pricing. $12 and 25 minutes later for a fry and coke was so annoying! It’s not worth it. Trust me. Even if it’s your favorite road trip snack and there’s bumper to bumper traffic that goes on for hours. Just don’t do it, you’ll just be wildly aggravated.
This section of the northeast driving is always my least favorite. I’ve never experienced a trip through the state of Connecticut that doesn’t involve heavy traffic in either direction. Seems silly. But par for the course.
MAY 24
POST CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 24, 2024:
Nila was both unimpressed by NJ and CT. Sorry friends, we sure did try! ✨🐈⬛
POST CHECK-IN 2 | MAY 24, 2024:
The final pieces of our drive yesterday 🤍✨
MAY 30
POST CHECK-IN 1 | MAY 30, 2024:
Way to go, Tiger 🩶✨
One whole week since we landed in RI. That’s so wild! We’re both settling in, I’ve been busy this week with work — Nila has been busy stalking the birds outside my parents house and chasing their cat every time she hisses at Nila
Three weeks since we officially moved out of our Portland apartment. I don’t miss it, but we did leave on some weirdly sour feelings thanks to corporate managed properties. Ah well.
I just can’t believe that with just two weeks I was able to drive across the entire country, make a ton of memories, visit friends, attend hanson day, dodge countless tornados and storms, and see a ton of new sights unseen. It was fun! At least one of us thought so.
It did hurt my heart every time I had to pull Nila into the car again, knowing she didn’t like it and would be miserable. But she’s such a trooper and I’m so lucky she’s my cat.
Having more freedom on her leash definitely made this trip easier than the last cross country trip, so that’d be my advice to anyone wanting to do the same thing.
THANK YOU
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THANK YOU 〰️
Want more? You can watch my cross country roadtrip vlog!
If you found your way here because you’re about to embark on your own magnificent adventure taking your fur baby with you and you just wish someone would give you a list of things to make it easier, I got you!
here’s what i used to take a cross country road trip (twice!) with my kitty
LOOKING TO TRAVEL CROSS COUNTRY WITH A CAT?:
Here’s a few links to the products that we used and loved on our cross country drive. Some of these I loved so much in 2019 we got them again in 2024. Please note these are affiliate links so I may get a teeny tiny compensation if you click + purchase anything here. It doesn’t cost you any extra and I super appreciate your support, but if you can always pop these terms into Google if you prefer that too, no pressure.
If you’re curious how my set up works you can see it a little bit in my travel vlog here. Basically we have had this cat booster seat for years, it’s great! It sits higher up on the seat so she can see out the window.
I cover the car seat with this seat protector so I don’t have to figure out how to get all her fur out later. It’s meant for the backseat but I just folded it in half and used it in the front. Easy peasy!
When Nila is riding in the car she keeps this harness on the whole time (I put it on her before I put her in her carrier so it’s an easy transition to the car). Try to make sure it’s snug, if it’s not they can ‘back’ their way out of it.
I also have a cat leash which I hook to the booster seat so she’s secured in the car too. I did get her a lot of lead this last trip and that went a lot better for how much she cried. She still didn’t super love being in the car but it was better than when she didn’t have any space to move around in the car.
The whole set up is perfect for our needs and you can totally adapt it for your space.
Other cat essentials for our cross country road trip? This litter box is the best. It’s not something you’ll keep forever (or maybe you will idk). But it works for traveling. I don’t even take her litter out in between stops. I just zip up the box and fold it up and put it in Nila’s bag.
Other things in her overnight bag? (The bag we take in and out of places each stop). This travel pet food bag. I like it because I can put a small amount of cat food in the bag for a few meals without having the lug the whole 10 lbs of food. These collapsible pet food and water bowls are the perfect size for cats and easy to transport.
I really love Nila’s soft cat carrier — we’ve had it for years. This one is very similar. I like that you can kind of squish it in the car when you’re not using it, and it feels gentler than the hard case carriers. Plus it has side pockets which really come in clutch for keeping treats, pet waste bags (these ones smell SO GOOD and come with the cutest container!), her leash and harness accessible!
As for human needs these are my two essentials: portable charger (keep it fully charged in your overnight bag, this is great in a pinch if there’s no nearby outlet or if you’re camping — or staying in a trailer on a farm🙃).
If you’re like me you’re going to not want to drink water while you’re driving because then you’ll have to make frequent rest stops. I swear by LiquidIV. This stuff is a game changer and helps me stay hydrated and free from headaches. The watermelon flavor is my hands down favorite but they’re all pretty good!
TLDR; here are my favorite cross country roadtrip essentials when traveling with a cat:
Cat Harness (we use the XS!)
Adjustable safety leash — I use this and connect her leash to it. The firs trip we used this without a leash, it was just a little too short for us by itself.
Perfect Traveling litter box for roadtrips
Traveling Food and Water Bowl for Cat
I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or drop any questions you have below. I’d love to help if I can! 🤗