#hopefully this'll be helpful to folks planning their trips next summer

[hollycrowned]

Take A Trip: Advice on How to See Bill, From Someone Who Went a Long Way to See Bill

since Cipher Hunt ended and the statue of Bill was moved to Confusion Hill, I’ve gotten to visit the park and the statue twice. when folks reblog the post I made about my first trip, I often see added comments along the lines of “I want to visit so badly!” or “I want to go there someday!” so I thought I’d put together a post with information, tips, and resources that will help you get to Bill when you finally take your own trip.

If you have any questions after reading this post, feel free to ask! just remember that you’re liable for your own experiences when traveling. I’ll update this post if I find any other helpful resources. younger fans, you’re welcome to show this post to parents if it’ll help them plan the your family next vacation. 

planning your trip to Bill all depends on how far away you are from Confusion Hill, what your budget is, how many days your trip will be, if there are other things you want to do while you’re vacationing, where your trip will end, and how you want/need to travel. the rest of this post is broken down based on that last factor, because I think it’s the most important factor to decide on when planning a trip to this area. so, without further ado...

when to travel

I’ve found that late spring to early summer is best. while you may find some rain this time of year, mid to late summer days can be very hot, and the roads are treacherous in winter when the most precipitation falls. late April through June will give you good weather conditions, longer days than you would have in the fall, and will help you avoid the holidays, when campgrounds fill up and hotels increase their prices.

what the area is like

first of all, northern California is beautiful. the area around the 101, especially, is easily some of the most incredible nature I’ve ever seen.

your drive may take you through the Redwoods National and State Parks, the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and the Klamath National Forest. a couple of scenic byways run along parts of the 101, taking drivers through hidden patches of towering redwoods. the number of parks in the area means are many campgrounds around Confusion Hill, so if you and your travel party are avid campers, you have a ton of options. 

northern California (and southern Oregon) is also conservative. you may see confederate flags and Trump/Pence signs. I want to include this so that anyone who feels scared or uncomfortable in this kind of environment will know about it ahead of time. I hope this doesn’t stop anyone from taking a trip they’d really want to take, but if the knowledge of this atmosphere will help prepare you for your trip, then I’m more than willing to offer it.

if you gotta fly

first of all, you have to have a car to get to Confusion Hill. NorCal is notoriously unpopulated, and because Confusion Hill is pretty far from anything, you’ll have to have a vehicle to get to there. this section is for folks who would rather fly most of the way than drive, or who are visiting the area from out of the country.

There are two obvious options when it comes to flying: Portland (PDX) to the north or San Francisco (SFO) to the south, but just driving to Bill from those airports present some logistical problems.

PDX is pretty far from Confusion Hill, about a 9 hour drive. If you choose this route, consider splitting up the journey over two days. The 101 is not well lit and is a difficult drive even in ideal conditions, so it’s not a trip you want to rush unnecessarily or a drive you want to make in the dark.

SFO is closer to Confusion Hill (less than 4 hours in ideal conditions), but it’s also on the south side of the city. When you land at SFO and get on the 101, you have to drive through a lot of the main part of the city (read: a ton of traffic, construction) and over the Golden Gate Bridge (cool, but narrow and kind of nerve-wracking) in order to leave the city and head north. Even though Google says it’s less than 4 hours from SFO to Confusion Hill, it will probably take longer because of traffic, so consider this when planning your route and arrival time.

If you’re okay with flying but not keen on driving a lot or battling traffic or renting a car for too many days in a row, here is the most hassle-free way to get to Bill I could think of:

Fly to Portland (PDX)

From PDX, fly to Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) in McKinleyville, CA.

Rent a car (there’s a National right next to the airport)

Here’s the route from ACV to Confusion Hill—just drive south on the 101 for a little over two hours.

Here’s where you have to make your own comparisons. Whether or not the above suggestion will work for you depends on if you want/can rent a car, how many days you want your trip to be, how many people are with you and how old they are, and about a dozen other factors. The above plan isn’t necessarily the best, it’s just the least amount of driving possible, the least amount of overall time it would take to get to Confusion Hill, and the least amount of traffic. you can use this plan as a base from which you can build your own itinerary to suit you.

for example, I also recommend the same plan but from PDX to the Del Norte County Regional Airport in Crescent City, CA (here’s the Hertz next to that airport). Crescent City is a little more conveniently located if you’re planning to spend some time both in NorCal and South Oregon. The drive to Confusion Hill is twice as long, but you’ll see some incredible redwoods and you’ll also pass Trees of Mystery and the Benbow Inn on your way. again, it depends on how much you want to/can drive and how long your vacation is.

here are some resources:

how to get the lowest airfare

secrets to booking cheap flights

low airfare comparison site

renting a car for the first time? know these things

(NOTE: in the US, rental car companies often charge people under 25 higher rates, and prefer you use a credit card when renting)

8 valuable things to check & consider before renting a car

if you want your trip to be like the Mystery Tour

the 2013 Mystery Tour was a trip that Alex Hirsch and much of the GF production team took in order to get inspiration for season 2 (and just for fun before starting work on the last season). Hirsch talks about the trip in this interview with Media Mike’s, in which he says the team rented a van and “basically went up US Route 101 and spent four days visiting this stretch of road between California and Oregon that is known for having some of the craziest tourist traps on this coast.”

that stretch of road was Highway 101, of course, and US Route 199, a highway that connects the 101 and Interstate 5. Alex mentions five locations in the article: Confusion Hill, The Benbow Inn, Trees of Mystery, It’s A Burl, and The Oregon Vortex. He also says, “We just went up to the Southern tip of Oregon and back down...” There are a few ways the crew could’ve done this: driving from LA north on I5 all the way to the Oregon Vortex and looping first west on the 199 and then south on the 101, 

flying to SFO then north on I5, west on 199, and back south on 101 (this route could also be taken the opposite way: north on 101, east on 199, south on I5, which I like to think is a little more similar to the bus trip Dipper and Mabel took from their home in Piedmont to Gravity Falls),

another possible way to hit all these locations is to fly to PDX or a smaller airport off I5 (like Salem or Eugene) and then drive south on I5 until the Grant’s Pass area, visit the Oregon Vortex, take 199 west to the 101, then south towards SFO:

you’ll pass Confusion Hill on any of these routes. for your own tour, the route that suits you will depend on factors like where you’re coming from, how many days you want your trip to be, etc.

there are more tourist traps and parks in this general area that Alex and the team visited—Enchanted Forest is a couple of hours north of the Oregon Vortex, for example (you’ll pass it if you start at PDX and go south), and the 101 is littered with other attractions, like the One Log House. it’s a beautiful drive either way, and if you’re able to spend some time exploring the region this way, I highly recommend it.

if you just wanna drive

go for it. if you really want to take a road trip, do it. I’ve road tripped across the country twice now and I am so, so glad I did. it is an incredible experience well worth having.

planning your road trip to Bill depends on where you’re coming from and where you ultimately want to end up. your route is up to you, but I can offer you some road safety info and resources I used to plan own my trip.

how to travel smart:

plot your route ahead of time and stick to it. estimate how many miles you need to drive every day in order to reach your destination by your desired arrival date. if you’ll be driving through any major cities, make sure to avoid morning and afternoon rush. if you’ll be stopping to sightsee during your trip, make an itinerary.

calculate the approximate cost of your trip, including gas, hotel, and food. put extra money aside in case something happens to your car while you’re traveling.

get your vehicle checked out by a professional before you start your trip! this includes getting your oil changed, checking your break and power steering fluids, making sure your battery is charged, and making sure your tires aren’t too old.

call your bank and let them know you’ll be traveling and using your card out of state

make sure your car insurance plan is up-to-date with the kind of coverage you need

reserve hotel rooms ahead of time. you don’t necessarily have to have this done for your whole trip before you leave; I find that, so long as your trip isn’t around a holiday and you’re not staying in the middle of a big city, you can call a hotel 6 to 12 hours before your arrival and you’ll be able to get a room. here’s how I did it:

open the Maps app on your phone (or use Google Maps on your computer) and pick the town you want to stay in. I tried to pick medium sized towns close to the mile amount I had to drive each day in order to reach my ultimate destination by the day I planned.

zoom in on that area until you can see hotels off the road you’re taking. compare them to see which one you’d like to stay at. check out reviews for how clean the rooms are, prices, pet acceptance, etc. make a selection based on what matters to you.

Call and reserve a room. If you don’t like talking on the phone, make a friend do it. If none of you like talking on the phone, reserve your next room online before you leave that morning. If it applies to you, don’t forget to ask if a hotel offers AAA, military, or other discounts.

Speaking of AAA, if you can afford it, get it. for those not familiar, AAA is a roadside assistance program that provides a fast and easy way to get help when something happens to your vehicle, from running out of gas to locking your keys in your car. it is a fantastic service that is well worth the money, especially when taking a trip away from home.

A checklist of essentials:

car charger for your phone, and an external battery

snacks and water

spare car key, even if it’s not one with a fob

your car’s owner’s manual, your vehicle title and registration, and your insurance card

physical maps that cover your whole route

enough cash to pay for at least one tank of gas, and some spare cash for tolls if you’re expecting any

paper towels, hand wipes, toilet paper, small trash bags

a first aid kit, and if you take prescription meds, make sure you have enough to get you through your whole trip

car maintenance items like coolant, oil, windshield wiper fluid, donut, carjack, and jumper cables

flashlights, flares, and other safety equipment (see safety section)

stuff that will help you get through the drive, like coloring books, music, podcasts, crafts, etc.

resources:

gas prices per gallon per state and gas cost calculator

list of lists of travel info, including tips on how to travel with pets, driving in the US, how to save money on gas, etc.

everything you need to prepare for a long car journey or roadtrip (not really, but this article does have some good suggestions)

this website helps you make an itinerary for your trip

Roadtrippers is a highly-rated map-based travel app

Waze is an app that helps you avoid traffic, police, and accidents

Wunderground has a great weather app (with satellite)

REFUGE is an app for finding gender-neutral bathrooms

10 things to check before you hit the road

how to check the fluids in your car

these tire valve caps show you if your tire pressure is low

how to change a tire

how to travel safe:

travel with a group. whether it’s with family or friends, always travel with at least one other person, especially if you’re going a long distance.

always lock your doors if your car isn’t moving

always go everywhere with a friend. don’t go anywhere alone and don’t let your friends out of your sight for very long. if you do have to go alone, let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

let friends and family members not traveling with you know where your trip will take you and when you’ll reach your ultimate destination. check in with a friend or family member throughout your trip.

don’t use your phone while driving—leave navigation to your passengers!

check your car’s fluid levels and tire pressure in the morning before you leave your hotel to reduce your chances of breaking down while on the highway.

get defensive items like whistles and pepper spray. my dad got me this sweet metal flashlight that is also a bat.

if you break down on the highway and you feel unsafe, call local law enforcement and explain your situation. this will at least let them know about your location and situation, and if you suspect danger, then request officer come out and stay with you until vehicle assistance can reach you. in any case, stay in your car, make sure your valuables are out of sight, and lock your doors. don’t walk along the side of the road and do not hitchhike.

plan your trip so that you reach your destination before sundown

when visibility is low, drive slow! if you’re driving on roads you’re not used to, or weather conditions are bad, take your time. slow down, use the right lane, use designated turnouts if someone is tailgating you (lock your doors if you do this), and take breaks or switch drivers if needed.

be aware of your surroundings. if someone gives you a bad vibe, leave. if a place looks sketchy, skip it, or if you have to stop, get in and get out as quickly as possible. get yourself to a place where you feel safe first, and ask questions/apologize later.

resources:

what to do when your vehicle breaks down

what to do when your car breaks down on the highway

how to escape from the trunk of a car

how to pack a car emergency kit

pre-packed AAA car emergency kit

here’s a good emergency escape multitool

tips on driving in hazardous conditions

in conclusion

I hope this helps you plan your own trip to Confusion Hill. there’s nothing that will make you fall in love with Gravity Falls more than exploring the places that inspired it’s creation. and this the spirit of Gravity Falls, anyway—take a trip. have an adventure. go with friends and family and see something amazing.

as always, stay weird—and if you decide to take that trip to Confusion Hill, maybe our paths will cross next summer.

#gravity falls #cipherhunt #cipher hunt #holly hush #sorry this took so long to put together #hopefully this'll be helpful to folks planning their trips next summer