Meet the "Big Daddy": Roadtripping US-20, the Longest Road

Just off US-20 is one of Oregon's tallest waterfalls. Salt Creek Falls is the perfect spot to pull over, have a picnic, and prepare yourself for beginning the road trip of a lifetime. Or, if you started in the East, then this is a fantastic scenic point to breathe a sigh of relief at having conquered the Longest Road.

After hours of driving, a pint at Deschutes Brewery will be well deserved. Their restaurant in Bend also serves up mouthwatering elevated pub grub... think, Korean Gochujang chicken wings, elk burgers, tempeh rubens, pork shoulder mac and cheese, and more. On tap you'll find old Deschutes staples like the Black Butte Porter and the Fresh Squeezed IPA alongside limited releases that are brewed in-house.

As you make your way through Idaho, be on the lookout for fossils. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument is one great place to see how the rocky Idaho landscape hides tons of ancient remains. The fossil bed has been an important archaeological site since the 1920s, and still produces thousands of fossils and shards a year. Learn about the intriguing animals like massive ground sloths, saber-tooth cats, and mastodons that are now extinct but once called Idaho home. The visitor center has tons of great information on the site's past and how to explore!

And you can't drive through Idaho without paying tribute to the state's most famous product. The Idaho Potato Museum. You'll learn everything you never knew about the root veggie, from various potato-related anecdotes to its place in Idaho's culture to how it's been grown throughout history. See a collection of potato peelers, antique farming equipment, and, of course, the giant potato statue out front. Grab some fries and the "free taters for out-of-staters" before you head back out on your way.

The route passes through West Yellowstone in Montana, and then into Wyoming, so you can't miss the chance to stop by America's original (and most insane) National Park. The park is a hotbed of geothermal weirdness, with geysers, colorful hot springs, bubbling mudpots, and more. If you don't have time to wait for Old Faithful to blow or to hike around Grand Prismatic, take a scenic drive through the Lamar Valley to spot bison, or snap a picture of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!

Wyoming is also known for its pioneer past. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is a fascinating look back at settling the prairie. Hands-on, interactive exhibits keep kids engaged while adults can browse the collection of artifacts. The story of the American Western migration is also told through performance and videos. You won't just learn about what life was like in a wagon or on a homestead... you'll get insight into wildlife, native cultures, and natural history as well.

Appreciate the uniquely American weirdness that is Carhenge. It's more a collection of weird car-art (think graffiti cars and a station wagon made to look like a Conestoga wagon) but the crown jewel of the place is the Stonehenge homage made entirely of cars. Set in the rough Badlands scenery, there's actually a lot to see here, and it's well worth the stop. It looks especially majestic around sunset!

In Nebraska, imagine what the country looked like millions of years ago. 12 million years, to be precise. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historic Park features an absolutely mind-blowing number of ancient remains. The bones of all kinds of strange creatures can be seen here. Walk through the fossil beds, learn about paleontology, and see a dig in action. The site is quite scenic as well, so you won't have a hard time spending an hour or two exploring here.

Also, visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City. It's free, and provides an in-depth look at the story of Lewis and Clark, following their trials and tribulations as they became the first men to cross the continent. By the end, you'll be thankful that your cross-country road trip is a bit easier than theirs!

Once you reach Iowa, you'll see a lot of cornfields, but there's one in particular to visit: the one with the baseball diamond from Field of Dreams-- don't forget to bring a glove, bat and baseball!