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How long does it take to drive I-90 to Missoula? Depends on how much fun you want to have along the way.
The ideal freeway pit stop must contain multitudes. Not only must it be close to an off-ramp, but it should provide more entertainment than the interstate. It must be approachable and fit for a 15-minute visit, but also serve a dollop of local culture.
For the stretch of I-90 between Seattle and Missoula—some 475 miles of cruising—we looked for pull-offs worthy of a little extra time and gas. What we found was delicious and distracting.
South Fork’s patio: like someone’s backyard, but bigger.
Exit 32: South Fork North Bend
35 minutes | North Bend
Forget to eat before you got on the road? This family friendly hangout is known for its killer, croissant-like cinnamon rolls, and the space has easy access that doesn’t require braving downtown North Bend. There’s lots of outdoor space to get out last-minute wiggles (when it’s not raining), but wait times for food service can get lengthy on weekends.
You can make your own party at Dru Bru.
Exit 84: Dru Bru
1 hour 30 minutes | Cle Elum
Cle Elum Pizza Company
Though launched in Snoqualmie Pass, where there’s still a small tap room, the brewery opened a gigantic brewing and tasting facility in downtown Cle Elum in 2021. With a putt-putt golf course outside and a coloring wall inside, it’s popular with kids. The brick-oven pizzas served at next-door Cle Elum Pizza Company are thoughtfully designed, like the Mad Wonka pie that marries candied jalapenos with pineapple puree. Though many Dru Bru beers have German roots, there are still plenty of IPAs. This is Washington, after all.
Exit 106: The Early Bird
1 hour 45 minutes | Ellensburg
Anyone who makes it across the Cascades during this cafe’s open hours is making good time. Famous for breakfast but solid for lunch, the eatery makes big bowls of eggs and sausage topped with green pork chili, or eat-on-the-go options like breakfast burritos. It’s worth bypassing the fast food joints that line the freeway exit in favor of a trip into downtown Ellensburg; parking is rarely a problem, and the small businesses there appreciate the visit.
The Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park has the views.
Exit 136: Gingko Petrified Forest Interpretive Center
2 hours 10 minutes | Vantage
With long-running construction on the bridge over the Columbia River at Vantage adding to traffic, this tiny state park is a welcome respite. And bathroom. With overlooks with views of the Columbia River Gorge, displays explain how big geologic moves created the unique landscape. Examples of petrified wood are cool and all, but the nearby Ginkgo Gem Shop is a goofier stop thanks to its dinosaur statues.
In Moses Lake, calm yourself.
Exit 176: Japanese Peace Garden
2 hours 50 minutes | Moses Lake
Exit 11: Atlas Mill Waterfront Park
4 hours 45 minutes | Coeur d’Alene, ID
Any dog that makes it all the way across Washington state deserves a park break. Just over the border into Idaho, this newly constructed stretch of riverfront is a killer cool-off for everyone, only minutes from the off-ramp. The dog park includes a long beach with space for canine swim time, plus a hose to rinse off the sand. Humans looking for a dip have their own shoreline and docks, and an ice cream truck sometimes sets up in the parking lot.
The old mission in Cataldo, Idaho, includes the state’s oldest building.
Exit 39: Old Mission State Park
5 hours 15 minutes | Cataldo, ID
The oldest building in Idaho is also one of the loveliest, making it a historic pull-off worth a few extra minutes. The displays don’t ignore the historical context of the property, built up when Catholic missionaries came to convert members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in the nineteenth century.
Exit 33: St. Regis Travel Center
6 hours 20 minutes | St. Regis, MT
The billboards hawking huckleberry milkshakes start before I-90 even crosses into Montana. With few exits and a lot of beautiful scenery, the drive down toward Missoula builds anticipation for the travel center in small St. Regis. While the gift shop is big (need any merchandise with a bear on it?) and the trout aquarium is mostly depressing (it’s small), the shakes deliver. Sweet, creamy, and bright purple, they deserve to go right back into the air conditioned car for the final stretch into Missoula.
