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How to plan your USA road trip

How to plan your USA road trip

Whether you are American, Canadian, European or from somewhere further afield, one vacation that has captured the imagination for years is that of the USA road trip.

From route 66 to going coast-to-coast, the US is such a diverse country that it has something for everyone. From cities filled with skyscrapers to the wild west to snow topped mountain ranges to golden beaches, you are never more than a day’s drive from something completely different from where you have just come from.

Putting together your perfect US road trip requires a lot of planning. It’s likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime journey, so it is one you want to get right. Here are some of the key points to remember.

Where do you want to go?

It seems an obvious one, but you need to work out where you want to go. Start by writing down your “must see’s” – three or four places or cities that you just have to stop off on during the trip. Once you’ve got those, go on the lookout for Travel Tips from blogs such as Holy City. Travel blogs can offer hidden gems off the beaten track in each of your stopovers that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise known existed, meaning that you get the full experience from each of your big cities. Once you’ve got an idea of places and activities, you can then work out how long you will need to stay in each place and from there, the roads you want to take to get from A to B to C that will allow you to take in the best of the breathtaking US countryside.

Don’t be overly optimistic

Probably not what you want to hear ahead of a vacation, but don’t be overly optimistic. If your research tells you the journey between Las Vegas and San Francisco will take somewhere around nine hours, then allow at least 10 to complete it. Giving yourself too much time to complete a journey might leave you having to find something else to do for a couple of hours of your day, but that is much preferable to being in a constant rush while clock watching, which will mean you won’t get the full amount of enjoyment out of the trip. It’s meant to be relaxing, remember.

Book ahead

If being in a constant rush is detrimental to your road trip, then being constantly stressed isn’t going to help matters either. One way to help eliminate stress is by booking ahead. It goes without saying that when it comes to popular activities such as visiting Alcatraz, booking tickets before you arrive is a good idea to guarantee you a place. You should also try and book motels or hotels as much in advance as possible. There is nothing worse than having completed a long day’s drive, only to then have to spend time driving around in the search for a place to stay. You’ll want to rock up in your destination and know there is a bed and somewhere to hang your hat already waiting for you.

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