Thoughts On My Commencement Route Trip Across America
Updated: 11/22/2018 | Original Posting: 7/2/2008
As a kid, my solid unit of measurement went on the obligatory route trips around the United States, but nosotros never went far from the East Coast. We’d drive downwardly to Florida to reckon my grandparents, into Pennsylvania, or upwards around New England. The only fourth dimension I’d been westward of the Mississippi was on a layover inwards Los Angeles when I was twenty-three.
Driving across America, therefore, would live my start existent trip around my nation. I didn’t know what to expect. I was going to areas I only had preconceived notions about—the redneck South, the tedious Midwest, the beautiful West, as well as the barren Southwest.
Yet driving around shattered many of these ideas. During my 2006 American route trip, I learned a lot over my 2 months around the United States. I wanted to drive across the solid reason earlier I learned I went to move the world. I figured that if I didn’t know much almost my ain country, I could never actually larn almost the residuum of the world. A skilful traveler knows every bit much almost his backyard every bit he does some exotic solid reason halfway around the world!
I intend nosotros volition all come upwards away alongside our ain realizations afterward a trip across our ain country. Here are some of mine.
7 Things I Learned Driving Across the United States
1. America is Huge
You tin terminate never realize how big the solid reason is until yous move across it. You reckon its size on the map, but yous can’t imagine it until yous hop inwards your car, drive 700 miles, as well as are all the same inwards the same state. America is actually big as well as to practise a route trip justice, yous request weeks if non months!
Update: In fact, since that 2006 trip, I’ve taken another route trip across the solid reason as well as I’ve all the same only managed to scratch the surface!
2. The American South Isn’t So Bad
It has some beautiful cities, incredible as well as succulent (if non greasy) food, stunning parks as well as wildlife, as well as skilful people. I called it the backwater of our acre for a long time, as well as that was unfair. Sure, in that location are all the same aspects of it I don’t like, but yesteryear the fourth dimension I left, I knew I wanted to become back. It’s a to a greater extent than complicated surface area than I had imagined as well as it gets an unfair rap, including, from me.
3. Colorado is my Favorite State
I loved everything almost that state: the mountains, forests, as well as parks; the cool cities; the incredible beer; as well as the laidback people. Out of all the places I went, this is the only province I’d consider moving to inwards the future. Colorado blew me away!
4. The Southwest Isn’t So Barren
If you’ve never been to Arizona or New Mexico, you’re missing out on some of the most beautiful states inwards the Union. Here yous receive got the Grand Canyon, the cerise rocks of Sedona, the fine art scene of Santa Fe, the coolness Carlsbad, the ruggedness of Tuscon, the wood of Lincoln national park, as well as so much more. While I wouldn’t desire to alive there, my catch turned this surface area into my favorite department of the country. There’s much to a greater extent than out in that location than retirement communities as well as golf.
5. I Can Get By On My Own
I learned that I tin terminate acquire over my fears, hike 50 miles, become on roller coasters, as well as travel alone. I learned that I could learn. I survived 2 months on the route yesteryear myself. I met people, I navigated cities, as well as I made friends all over the country.
6. There are Tons of Random Facts to Learn About the Country
New Orleans, Savannah, as well as Charleston are the best cities inwards the US. Carl’s Jr. has the best fast food. Waffle House hash browns are a gift from God. You tin terminate faux a Tasmanian accent as well as people volition believe yous because Americans never travel. Southern sugariness tea isn’t all it’s cracked upwards to be, but southern cooking is. New Orleans has the best music scene inwards the country. And international visitors intend the U.S. has some of the friendliest people inwards the globe (I would receive got to agree).
7. We are All Americans
I gained a novel appreciation as well as empathy for my countrymen. I may non similar them all or grip alongside their opinions, but, at the destination of the day, I know we’re the same. There’s no corking departure betwixt us. America is a various nation, yet the 1 thing I noticed that despite our sometimes vast political as well as cultural differences, nosotros alive the same lives, portion the same hopes, dreams, fears, as well as stresses. We portion the same underlying values, thoughts, as well as beliefs. We all desire the economic scheme to practise well, our children to receive got a skilful teaching as well as our politicians to lead.
At the same time, in that location are glaring cultural differences from part to region, province to state, as well as metropolis to city—from the slowness of the South to the fast measurement of the East Coast, the cowboys of the West, as well as the small-scale towns of the Corn Belt.
This corking dichotomy betwixt sameness as well as variety is actually what makes America great, as well as what made a lasting impression on me.
Tips for a Road Trip inwards America
- Get a National Park go yesteryear — For $80, yous tin terminate yesteryear an annual National Parks pass. It volition give yous access to all 59 national parks inwards the country. Since most toll $15-20 to visit, if you’re on a route trip as well as going to live visiting a few as well as then this is an piece of cake agency to salvage money.
- Rideshare – If yous receive got a car, offering rides to people yous run into inwards hostels or on Craigslist. You tin terminate separate the toll of gas this agency as well as salvage yourself some cash.
- Get metropolis tourism cards – If you’re going to live stopping inwards whatever of the major cities (and yous should), reckon if they receive got a tourist pass. These volition give yous discounts on shipping as well as attractions. If you’re planning to reckon a few unlike museums or attractions during your visit, this powerfulness salvage yous a few bucks. Ask at the local tourism piece of employment to reckon if a go yesteryear makes feel for you.
- Stay at hostels – Hostels aren’t inexpensive inwards the US, but they are a corking house to run into other travelers who yous tin terminate portion rides alongside or who yous tin terminate inquire for move tips. If you’re looking for a co-pilot or for move advice, caput to a hostel. Some of my favorites inwards the solid reason are: Sweet Peas (Asheville, NC), South Beach Hostel (Miami), India House (New Orleans), Jazz Hostels (NYC), International Traveler’s House (San Diego), as well as The Green Tortoise.
- Find costless accommodation – Sign upwards for Couchsurfing earlier your trip. It’s a corking platform to run into locals, acquire move advice, as well as uncovering costless accommodation.
All also often, nosotros caput out into the globe to move earlier fifty-fifty exploring our ain backyard. Yet we’re but every bit probable to learn as well as grow traveling inwards our ain solid reason every bit nosotros are inwards some distant land. So the adjacent fourth dimension you’re dreaming of an adventure, intend almost exploring where you’re from — peculiarly if yous receive got the selection of a route trip. Sure, it may non live every bit “exotic” but I guarantee you’ll larn but every bit many lessons.
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Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying yesteryear using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines because they search websites as well as airlines around the globe so yous ever know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
To uncovering the best budget accommodation, utilisation Booking.com every bit they consistently provide the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as inexpensive hotels. I utilisation them all the time. You tin terminate mass your hostel – if yous desire that instead – alongside Hostelworld every bit they receive got the most comprehensive inventory.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect yous against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection inwards illustration anything goes wrong. I never become on a trip without it every bit I’ve had to utilisation it many times inwards the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for x years. My favorite companies that offering the best service as well as value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
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