Driving up to Washington with my newborn. What to expect?

The drive is freeway driving on Interstate 5 all the way to Bellingham. But there's a bit of mountain driving leaving California going into Oregon.

Check the CA Dept of transportation website for conditions over Siskyou pass (northern CA into Oregon). This is the highest point you'll travel, and it's regularly got snow in winter. Plan to do this part of the drive during mid-day to have the best chance of going over with less icy conditions.

I hope you have all weather tires that you just bought. Plan to bring the following with you:

1. Chains for your car - AND KNOW HOW TO PUT THEM ON

2. A tarp (to kneel on when putting chains on)

3. Plenty of warm clothes for everyone, including hats and gloves

4. Extra food, water, and blankets

5. Emergency supplies - flares, a shovel, sand or non-clumping cat litter, flashlights

Tips - take it easy. Don't go faster than the conditions allow. Take plenty of breaks. Be prepared to stop sooner than you had planned and get a hotel room for the night if the weather is poor or everyone is tired.

Also, gasoline is all "full serve" in Oregon - it's a treat for those of us not used to it. In many places that means that you'll just hand your credit card or cash to an attendant who pumps and runs the card. In other places you still have to go inside to pay, but you aren't allowed to pump the gas at all. They'll know you are from out of state if you try to pump your own gasoline....

If you make it in 20 hours, you are driving too fast for weather conditions. I don't care what google maps says. You should break the trip into 3 (or 4) days for safety and your sanity.

The big cities will be congested, moreso than L.A., because they have less freeway lanes, and only the I-5 freeway for the thoroughfare.

Just take it easy. We are getting a lot of snow up here tonight. But Washington is really good about keeping the freeways clear. You should be fine.