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The Last Camel Charge: The Untold Story of America's Desert Military Experiment https://www.amazon.com/dp/0425253503/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BdH9Bb2SAZ66C

Great book about why camels were brought to the US and how Douglas ended up in the army :) The legend is ..... there are still wild camel descendants in the southwest.

Have fun!

The NatGeo Scenic Highways & Byways is a good book for making plans.

I would do a bit of local camping first to see what works for you and what doesn't.

We are doing similar routes (except in opposite directions) for about the same amount of time. I'm giving myself 4-6 weeks to go from oregon to boston and back in a big circle. You should utilize roadtrippers.com if you haven't yet. Here is a map of my route with tons of national parks and other stops that I'm interested in.

https://roadtrippers.com/trips/52b5f8304697779d3b000044

I am trying to make this in $2500 but I have more than that saved up if need be. I am going to stay with friends and family along the way, couchsurfing.com, sleeping in my car in walmart or wherever, hostels and possibly camping since I'm getting a national parks pass ($80 for the whole country). That will help with the cost of hotels and stuff. As for food, I'm getting a bunch of bulk food ahead of time and I'll maybe eat out once a day (can't wait for southern bbq).

Going up the West Coast, you should take 101 in Oregon at least. EVERYONE I have talked to said its a must. Plus I live in OR so I've explored a lot but never taken that drive all the way.

People are skeptical of me, especially being a solo female but I think it will be a great experience. You don't need your friends to have an amazing adventure.

Florida weather in June, July and August is very predictable everywhere from Pensacola to Jacksonville, all the way down to Key West : it will be very hot with high humidity and afternoon thunderstorms are likely. For hard data, check out the Wunderground Almanac.

The rest of the east coast will be more or less the same, to a lesser degree. I've been in Savannah, Charleston, D.C., Manhattan, Boston, and Maine on Summer trips and sweated only a little less than in my South Florida home.

Hurricanes definitely happen – even in North Florida, but there's more than enough time to understand what's going on and GTFO if necessary. Just pay attention to the tropical forecast as your trip approaches.

Bing Maps allows up to 25 stops.

Definitely consider taking US395 on the east side of the Sierras instead of going up through Bakersfield and Fresno.

Where are you going after Salt Lake City across NV? Great Basin NP? Seems like you picked the hottest route possible for July with the exception of Great Basin.

On the west coast of Norway: Vøringsfossen(right by parking lot), Bondhusdalen (1 hour up and down walking from car), Odda camping (for camping with the probably biggest rock in Norway :p), Låtefoss (right by the road), Trolltunga (8 hours up and down), Honnevje badeplass(swimming spot right by the road) Here is the ultimate road trip website :D https://roadtrippers.com/map?lng=9.48151317636598&lat=57.8886799778968&z=6.1658202844304535&a2=p!vp,t!22074240 Would definitely go for Trolltunga. Bring a tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots, food and rain clothes, and you are good to go for a hiking trip of a lifetime. Here are photos from Trolltunga during autumn. https://imgur.com/a/TzRHHZD

Looks like roadtrippers.com.

You can create your own routes or look at some of theirs like this one of the Road to Nowhere (make certain to buy some kuchen in Linton, ND, when you pass through).

I'd reccomend San Diego -> Phoenix -> Albuquerque -> Big Bend National Park -> Austin, TX -> Houston -> New Orleans -> Atlanta -> Charlotte, NC -> Charlottesville, VA -> DC -> Philly -. NYC

Southern route, get to see some awesome places and avoid bad weather https://roadtrippers.com/trips/5891321

Fair enough. However, since your route is still up in the air I suggest once you narrow your route that you search for hikes using a search like "alltrails best hikes in <strong>TBD</strong> National Forest" for a national forest near whatever national park interests you. You'll get a list of rated hikes that you can review for your own criteria. There are quite a number of national parks out west and there is even more land that is national forest and BLM.

Well when you are the road in the keys. Stop halfway in marathon, FL (right before 7 mile bridge) visit the SEA TURTLE HOSPITAL http://www.turtlehospital.org (see if there are any planned releases of rehabilitated large sea turtles, i always miss a release by days everytime i go there) and twke a tour if the place. Then head over across the street and a few blocks doen to sombrero beach for some sun and sand and calm water and free access http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34347-d519769-Reviews-Sombrero_Beach-Marathon_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

I spent a month in marthon and also visit key west every other year. Usually by road trip from NJ

It was 10 years or so ago - haven't been there since unfortunately... when we were there we were alone and could go inside the buildings. Hope someone can chime in with a more recent visit. We had an amazing time.

Edit: people on TripAdvisor say it's the place to go

No problem. You can also check out my Flickr album that has some photos from some of the suggestions. I've done several road trips through the area and I still have itineraries from those areas and surrounding states.

You have a full itinerary and don't need to add but there are the following:

UT state parks - Snow Canyon, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kodachrome Basin, Escalante Petrified Forest, Goblin Valley, Dead Horse Pt, Goosenecks.

National Monuments - Cedar Breaks, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears, Canyon de Chelly, more.

You're also missing Capitol Reef and that deserves at least a quick stop on your way to Moab.

BTW, Bing Maps allows up to 25 stops.

If you have that much time.... AVOID THE INTERSTATE AT ALL COSTS.

I do a roadtrip every fall (~6K miles) and you see so much more when you arent flying down 4 lanes of asphalt at 75+mph. Other then that I like to keep a tablet with websites like roadsideamerica.com and roadtrippers.com open to see whats out where I am.

Not much one can do with 600+ miles per day. With some rest room breaks, fuel and eats that's like 12 hours per day probably.

But if you can, get off the interstate. Even just a swing over to Zion and up 89 north would be nice. But it sounds more like you just wanna make miles to get to MT, which is fine. This might help: https://roadtrippers.com/map?lng=-111.96511915892268&amp;lat=39.75049708379976&amp;z=10.240164941597554&amp;a2=t!22182412

We took a trip last year from California to Michigan and back. It took us 30 days and we traveled a total of 6,300 miles. I have SO MUCH to share with you but I'll be brief here unless you have more questions :)

HERE'S THE TRIP ROUTE.

I'd strongly suggest going north from Michigan toward CA. My favorite stop of all the places we visited was Medora, North Dakota. Totally random, it seems, but the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is truly a hidden gem. Same sights as Yellowstone (minus the geysers) but NO CROWDS and a truly lovely experience. Tons of bison and wildlife! We spent three days there and toured the park on horseback, fished in the river, and enjoyed the small town that is Medora. Highly recommended.

After Yellowstone, you could go south through Salt Lake City and into Utah. We also really enjoyed Moab. If you're an outdoorsy person, there's so much to do in this little town. White water rafting, ziplining, endless hikes, horseback riding, ATV riding, Jeep tours, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park. Endless options and a cool, hippy town.

We're from the Bay Area in California so this might seem biased but Highway 1, or the Pacific Coast Highway between San Luis Obispo and Monterey is truly one of the most gorgeous drives I've ever been on. Worth the extra time, hands down! San Francisco is cool to visit but really it's the national parks around SF that are worth visiting: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (McWay Falls), Point Lobos, Yosemite, Muir Woods, Redwood National Forest, Tahoe...

Anyway, if you have any questions or want more specifics, PM me. We've been to many of the places you are going, in the same amount of time, so I'm happy to help :)

2 sites I like - https://roadtrippers.com/map?lat=36.98625&amp;lng=-105.69829&amp;z=7&amp;a2=p!1*5*4,s!11*55*54*50*51,t!9652820 You can sort by just "weird stuff" too.

And http://www.tvfoodmaps.com/show/Diners-Drive-Ins-Dives It's a little clunky and you have to search by town but if you want to check out some interesting eats it could be fun

White Sands Monument (definitely pitstop, but stunning), Black Canyon, Arches, Zion. I highly suggest staying in some places for more than one night so that you can do hiking during the day to really be able to see those awesome parks.

A fantastic, realistic trip would be exploring the east coast. But I think you can see the whole country without driving yourselves crazy - you're just going to need days when you do not drive at all.

If I were you, I would:

• Blue ridge mountains - Days 1 to 2
• Myrtle Beach - Days 3 to 4
• Charleston or Savannah, if you like historic cities - Day 5
  • New Orleans - Day 6-8,
• White Sands Monument - Day 8
• Phoenix: Day 9
• Grand Canyon: Day 10
• Zion national park: Day 11
• Arches National Park: Days 12 and 13
• Overnight in Colorado
• Overnight in St. Louis
• Home! - Day 16

This doesn't have the itinerary outlined above, but it's a great tool: https://roadtrippers.com/trips/6970496

I suggest sharing an account with different ideas of stops, and starting a google doc with all of the places you want to visit / a more detailed itinerary. GasBuddy.com is great for calculating costs, TripAdvisor is good for finding hotels, and check out the national parks websites for car camping info.

Hey there,

Funnily enough I recently took this exact road trip this past year (Chicago to LA).

It really depends on what you're trying to see, and how much time you have to see things - if you want to hit up any National Parks...I'd definitely recommend staying there at least for a few days as there's so much to see.

If you're looking for a "direct route" you may not want to do what I did.

However, the trip took my fiance and I a little under two weeks (we flew back to Chicago from LA, dropping our Car Rental off at LAX).

• We drove to Badlands National Park, SD
• Then headed to Yellowstone National Park (stopping at Devil's Tower on the way)
• Then down through Idaho into Salt Lake City
• Then we drove south through all of Utah, stopping in a place called Hurricane
• Then headed to Las Vegas
• Then finally, LA.

All and all it cost us roughly ~5k so it wasn't cheap. But much of that cost was the rental car (we also camped and had to purchase camping gear etc).

I'd suggest, no matter what your plan is (if you want to make a loop or something)...try to hit up some cool cities and areas for a day or so if you can. The more direct routes will take you through Colorado, which is awesome. Stop off in Denver, great city. Most routes will take you through Southern Utah, so you could hit up Zion National Park while you're there if you want to get some cool nature sites in. If you've never been to Vegas, I highly recommend spending a night or two there!

Lastly, here's a site we used which helped us plan everything out (and gave us some suggestions on points of interest/hotels: https://roadtrippers.com/welcome

Good luck!

It's definitely doable, it just depends on what kind of pace you're comfortable taking. I spent about 18 days on this trip, stopping for 2-3 nights in almost every place.

https://roadtrippers.com/trips/5219124a903305c57f000478

This was our trip. It's not 100% because things happen and plans got changed. We actually went to the Grand Canyon after Las Vegas because there was flooding in the mid west which cut our time in CO short!

Edit: I should also add that we went to Kentucky and Ohio mostly because I have family there... Even though mammoth caves was really fun and neat.

I once did a trip across the country and back with my then girlfriend (wife now). The southern route was somewhat similar to this trip. We're both national park fans so we made a point of visiting national park sites which also helped with finding camping options since there are usually a good number of campsites, both NP system and "private" campsites, around them.

Some of my favorite stops were:

• Hoover Dam
• Kingman, AZ (lots of kitschy Route 66 stuff)
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Sedona, AZ (amazing red sandstones)
• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Saguaro National Park
• White Sands National Monument
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Memphis, TN (Graceland and amazing food)
• Mammoth Cave National Park

Towards the eastern side of the trip we took a different route since we didn't need to go to Pittsburgh. I have, however, driven from DC to Cincinnati via a similar route... but unfortunately I don't really remember anything too memorable along that route.

Just stop and fill up when it gets below 1/3 tank. Get a copy of this for the more remote part of the drive. The MILEPOST 2020: Alaska Travel Planner https://www.amazon.com/dp/1892154390/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_31BD9SCS2FKHDS7PZCSA

Hey, try out Traverous app. It creates an bird's eye-view video of your trips. Logs your trips offline (using GPS), including photos, videos and checkins that you take from the app (you can review these at the end of your trip, before submitting). This is how your road-trip would look like (depending on your location & scenery): Ride With Ducati Club Malaysia

• You can select which Music to play in background
• You can keep the video private or public (public videos can be seen by other Traverous users and they also get featured).
• Download the video to your phone and send it on even Whatsapp or share on Social Medias etc.

Traverous Android App

PS: it's currently on Android only. iOS is coming next month.

Disclaimer: I am the creator of this app. (The video is created automatically on the server. But I would make custom changes to your video if you want. For free of course :) )

Sedona is a cool town that meshes offroading with new age crystal worship. Not kidding. I'm not sure what you are driving, but in Sedona you can get back into the desert backcountry to drive up to things you would normally have to hike to. Here are some pics of my Sedona Visit: http://www.trailpixie.net/general/hiking_sedona.htm

Arizona highway 89A from Flagstaff to Sedona goes through the extremely scenic Oak Creek Canyon. TripAdvisor gives it 5 stars. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28924-d107449-Reviews-Route_89A-Arizona.html

Jerome is just a neat old mining town stuck on the mountainside. Lots of cool abandoned mining buildings and stuff. Sedona is better, if a lot more quirky.

But as I said, going to Zion and not leaving at least a full day to explore is crazy. Arches too. Going to the Grand Canyon without a week is lunacy. Just leave it off and come back later to do it right. Otherwise you are just checking it off a list and not really experiencing the grandeur of the place.

I am envious of your fun trip. Have a great time!!

Since you're not living in the US anymore, I'd go take a look at the TripAdvisor road trip forum top question on car rental. Read through that and you'll find useful information on reducing drop-off fees, insurance, and the like when you rent a car from Europe or Australia.

Personally, I'd steer away from renting an RV. Sounds good but practicalities make it seem too much of a hassle to me. I also don't think you save all that much on lodging though you might on food. Biggest practical headache to me would be always having to break camp just to go explore something 20 miles away (unless you're also towing a car or motorcycles). There's also winding mountain roads to consider if you've not much experience and there's poor gas mileage and learning how to set one up and on and on.

I'd go with car camping or find a national hotel chain and get on one of their frequent user programs or use AirBnB or couchsurfing but first step would be to figure out what you want to see and how much time you have for the trip.

I saved this last night 'cause I was on my phone, but I knew I'd rather give this a proper type-up. My wife and I did a similar trip last September, although we focused on other aspects of California (LA, SA, Yosemite, Napa) than just on the Big Sur drive.

The main danger I'd mention is that there are two road closures on the PCH in the Big Sur region. A huge landslide and a failed bridge that they're rebuilding. I'm fairly certain it's not supposed to be reopened until next year, so this trip may not even be possible. Check more into that to get a better idea because I haven't been keeping up with it and my information may be outdated.

But Big Sur was probably my favorite part of it all.

We flew into LA and [eventually] drove north on the PCH. Malibu is cool, but in hindsight we'd try and spend more time in Santa Barbara (as mentioned previously). We just stopped for a quick lunch, but it's just got great vibes, so I'd love to see more of the town.

We stayed the night in a place called Avila Beach. Honestly, it's a top-three little quaint town in the US. We'd love to go back and spend more time here as well.

We stayed one night here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6156317

The drive itself is fantastic. We ate at Nepenthe, which is a famous restaurant overlooking all of the beauty Big Sur has to offer. I'd also highly recommend stopping there for a meal and a drink. If you can swing it, staying at a hotel in that area would be sensational as well, although I don't know exactly what they offer or how much it costs.

Since I do photography, we just ended up stopping at almost every pull-off on the way. Every time we did I think I said, "NOW I'm standing in the most beautiful place I've ever stood."

We then went even more north to San Francisco, Napa, and Yosemite. I'll leave those out for now, but can send you more information if it's requested.

The City Museum in St Louis Missouri is pretty awesome. It's actually less of a museum and more of an adult sized three story tall jungle gym.

My other recommendation is the Historic Auto Museum in Roscoe Illinois. I must admit I have never been there even though I live less than an hour away, but it is definitely on my bucket list.

Let me know what you think!

My girlfriend and I are going on a road trip starting early May from NC to Arizona and Utah then back. We're going to be spending some nights sleeping in the car at Walmarts, and some nights camping.

Here is a gps map of free campsites.

If you are set on sleeping indoors, try airbnb. It's cheaper than hotels, and you can find nicer and cooler places to stay.

You could easily spend all of your time at Zion if you visit Main Canyon, Kolob Terrace, Kolob Canyon and east side. However, if not doing much hiking, then split your time between Bryce and Zion so you get a variety of terrain.

At Zion, she can wait at Scout Lookout while you do the ridge out to Angels Landing and back. It's not that long to Scout (about 2 miles), though it is a steady uphill and Walter's Wiggles can seem daunting - however, it's a wide trail and she'll have good views waiting for you on Angels. Just go early so you don't have to spend hours queueing up for that last half mile to Angels Landing.

Also, suggest Canyon Overlook to your girlfriend. Trailhead is right after the big tunnel (on your way to Bryce on UT9) and the trail isn't long (about a half mile from the road to the overlook). Great views.

Bryce has a lot of overlooks accessible from the road. To really experience though, you should hike down.

Def take the Golden Isles Parkway from south GA down into Florida. Beautiful stretch of road - goes through barrier islands, salt marshes, etc.

For a truly unique dinner, eat at the Old School Diner in Townsend, GA. Bizarre experience, great food. Did I mention the carpeted parking lot? http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35319-d1515413-Reviews-Old_School_Diner-Townsend_Georgia.html

Hey there, thanks for reaching out!

Oh man, Mexico is insanely rad and there are almost too many great places to count. We’re taking a year total, and just shy of three months in Mexico.

We started with the Baja drive, and then took the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan. Our entire route up to this point is mapped out on our Polarsteps (you should get this app for your trip), check it out here for info on the spots we stayed. There isn’t one we wouldn’t recommend:

https://www.polarsteps.com/DavidGrotting/588245-panamerican-highway

I'm into skateboarding so probably going to stop at skate parks whenever I see one haha as well as snowboarding, depending on if there is still mountains open during the journey which I believe there will be. Ive gone on two Montana trips to Big Sky and It was to this day one of the more amazing experiences Ive had, the snow is magical " compared to the ice coast I mean east coast" lol. Im really into any physical activity, I like getting the body moving! Also the software is called roadtrippers.com I believe !

Roadtrippers App if you are wanting something to have beforehand and not finding stuff on the spot. Helps with road time, gas, attractions, restaurants, outdoor stuff, and camping.

Roadtrippers

I've used the Roadtripper app - you want to verify some of the smaller stops and it's not necessarily comprehensive, but it's a great supplement / tool for ideas. Have fun! :)

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https://roadtrippers.com

YESS! I'm doing a similar trip except for its one big loop. I'd suggest going up to Banff and Jasper in Canada...Vancouver as well. Have fun!

Since you are not doing PCH I recommend taking the 395 from Lake Tahoe to LA it will take you on the east side of the Sierra's and Yosemite an alternative would be to take the Tioga Pass thru Yosemite to the 395 assuming its not winter https://roadtrippers.com/trips/15116998

Carlsbad Caverns is an awesome place. Better than Grand Canyon IMO.

White Sands is just awesome for camping.

The drive from NO to Galveston along the coast (through Bolivar Peninsula), with that 3 mile ferry ride, is awesome. You can drive on the beach there. And the gulls and pelicans will make it better.

If you get a chance to get on (395 in CA)[https://roadtrippers.com/trips/15116998], it is a nice road. Lots of places to camp and hike along the way.

A few cities along the way, or maybe not, that are nice to visit: San Antonia (the downtown river walk!), Santa Fe..

Also, Saguaro National Park might be on your route. It is very picturesque with that cacti and roadrunners everywhere. And we lost our cat there 4 months so if you find him, plz bring him back to us :-(

Hey I've done this trip! I did Tampa to Portland in a week but didn't get to camp out at National Parks. Recently did Raleigh to Portland in a month, while car camping in a Scion TC.

HERE is my planned Roadtrippers route. I stayed pretty close to it. (I was aiming tracking the Solar Eclipse and saw it in Scottsbluff!!). Near the end though I did start to feel burned out and skipped Crater Lake for a later date.

Now this might be a crazy Idea but I would even recommend having your BFF fly out to Utah and meet you! The Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horse Shoe Bend, are all really close by. Even more stuff also that I didn't list. It would make for a pretty memorable trip vacation.

As for Do's and Don'ts. BLM land is king you can camp there, IF you get caught car camping within a National Park you will be kicked out! Get a national park pass. (PM me if your going before August). They pay for themselves within three parks.

that is a lot of driving. if you can really crush that initial drive to get out west, perhaps you'd be able to pull off a few pretty epic days.

my buddy and I did a trip from the Madison area down to Tampa. we'd each drive a tank of fuel (which in my car was about 550 miles on the highway), and not fuck around when we'd stop to refuel. we had drinks, snacks and food stashed in the cooler. the person sitting shotgun would sleep when/if they could and we made killer time.

if you put together a list of things you were thinking of hitting, perhaps some folks would have some ideas of where you could save time, or some ideas on where to camp and such as well. I think something like https://roadtrippers.com would allow you to create a multi site map that you could share here which would be better than a screenshot.

I have no affiliation with this company but dig their site.

https://roadtrippers.com/

It wants to suggest hotels but I like the "natural wonders" and "weird" options

The museum of death, the OK corral, and a beer can house popped up. That's kind interesting.

I have been to NOLA and wouldn't recommend camping there. You need to look at some of the small towns north of the lake (lake pontchartrain <- this is a LOT bigger of a lake than you think. It's a LONG drive across the lake. It will be 20-30 min at a minimum if I remember correctly.)

If you are looking for "as you go camping" you can download a bunch of apps... type in "find camping"

There are free sites as well as paid sites... some branded... some more wikipedia style.

4 girls going isn't really any different than 4 guys. If you need some specific places to stay and you have friends who aren't going to camp unless there is a forest ranger who will be "looking out for you" you will be fine... skip camping and let them bitch about the crap hotel.

I've traveled for over 20 years on my own. When in doubt? Find a Flying Js and sleep in the parking lot. Have some common sense. If someone whines and get's overly demanding? Tell her to calm down and deal.

Ever used RoadTrippers? Enter your starting and ending point, and it'll show you everything along the way based on category (natural wonders, points of interest, hotels, entertainment, etc).

Edit: Here is one for your specific trip. You can tweak the filters to show anything you want.

Where in Michigan? You're going one state to the north. How much time do you have? Where do you want to end up?

Have you done any research? Is there something you're interested in? Historical sites? Trails? What are you looking for?

https://roadtrippers.com/ is a good basic start

I have used this site to put together a bunch of road trips for myself: https://roadtrippers.com/

Great suggestions on fun things to see and do. Personally I would suggest California as a place to explore. Good luck!

I am literally doing almost the exact same trip as you, leaving Tuesday.

Starting in SD and driving up the coast all the way to SF and Sacramento. Then I'm either going north to Portland/Seattle/Vancouver or going east through Utah to Denver.

Here is a link to a &quot;rough draft&quot; of a lot of the places I wanted to stop and visit. It's not done yet.

This includes both locations to the North and to the east, but I think I'm going to go east instead of north.

Edit: I made a thread about my trip

What's scarnon fellow Australian? Happy to chat!

Firstly if you're looking to stay longer than 3 months you'll need to get a special type of visa. This can be expensive and hard to qualify for so I'd recommend that you just get the 3 month tourist visa! However if you're a student then you can technically buy a student visa (J1) for ~1k and stay longer than 3 months. What's your thoughts on that?

My girlfriend figured out the driving time we'll spend there by setting up the route on google maps. We then factored in how long we'd stay in each destination. I can find the sheet that she wrote all of this down later and post it here.

We are banking largely on having a van that we can convert so we can live out of it for a portion of the trip. This'll save us some dosh on accommodation and make our trip a bit more flexible in that we won't need to book nearly as many things in advance.

You should really check out the Roadtrippers site!

In Las Vegas, instead of taking 95 North, take 15 North to 93. In Crystal Spring, turn West onto The Extra Terrestrial Highway (375). Then continue on 6 to Tonopah.

The added time is minimal, and you will see some of the most remote and isolated landscapes in the country. If possible, try to do some stargazing. Also, stop in the Little A'Le'Inn for some great Area 51 Souvenirs.

Check out [https://roadtrippers.com](Roadtrippers) for things to do along the route.

The plains east of Denver are rough, that is for sure. I'd take I40 instead, Albuquerque is a cool town and it would cut a little bit of time off the trek.

I try to always be out of the major metro areas before people start making morning commutes.

I really enjoy cross country driving, even alone. Books on tape are nice to have as it feels more like someone is in the car with you for a bit.

I'll actually be taking this trip in reverse in about two weeks, from Seattle to Naperville. It's a bit of a drive, but you can definitely do it. I am planning on doing it solo in two-and-a-bit days.

I'm also not going for pleasure, but I plan on making the most of it in the shortest time I can. Here's my route: https://roadtrippers.com/trips/seattle-to-chicago-2014/53d6be3b2235160f59000b8a

Now, some of my legs get pretty long, but with podcasts to keep my mind active, I definitely know I can make it (I did a similar trip last year with long legs like this).

If you bring things to keep your mind active, like podcasts or books on tape; stop when you need to, don't try to push it if you're feeling bad, I think you'll be fine.

As far as route, I think you have the best route going. This time of year, expect storms to pop up out of no where, but taking I-94, so you're staying north of the worst that could happen.

Also do factor in some time for getting over the Rockies and the Cascades, as towing up those mountain passes can slow you down. There's no way to really avoid it or go around though, so you have the best route there.

LA-NY

Trip me and two friends finished less than two weeks ago. Spent five days in LA, 24 days on the road and six days in NY before flying home. Since we're foreigners under the age of 25 we had to book a rental through an agency but everything worked out smoothly, in total we probably spent about $1400 on the rental/insurance and $550 on gas for the entire trip.

We all planned on having atleast ~$4500 per person which worked out great, actually not even spending everything in the end. Spent the nights at motels and hostels when available in the bigger cities. No idea about your nationality/age but if you're 20-30 years old I really recommend trying out hostels. Met alot of really cool people at every single one of them. We even made plans for NY with a great bunch of australians we met in LA and picking up another australian in Chicago who tagged along for the finishing leg of the trip.

The most enjoyable thing of the entire trip would probably be the americans themselves. As swedes we were completely overwhelmed by how outgoing and curious the americans were as soon as they overheard us not speaking english. Recieved a huge amount of free booze and some comped lunches by just talking to curious servers/locals.

Didn't really encounter any bad things during the trip but since we were on a budget we tried to keep the motels as cheap as possible. When you spend $55-70 on a motel you get what you pay for, and you do encounter some wierd characters.

I will warn you, if you're under 21, there really isn't anything to do in Las Vegas, or most nightlife places. Some places have all-ages hours (usually before 8pm though, and especially near universities) but they're few and far between outside of that.

I would definitely check out some baseball games if you're into sports as well. New York (Yankees or Mets) or Chicago (Cubs or White Sox) would be good places for that.

I think you're missing out on the northwest though... the Redwoods, Oregon coast, Crater Lake, and the Columbia Gorge are all beautiful places (especially as the weather warms up and dries out in May/June). Portland and Seattle (also Vancouver, Canada) will probably feel very similar to Scandinavia in some ways. I would think about adding something like this to your trip if you have time.

Skål!

*edit: I would probably plan something similar to this.... https://roadtrippers.com/trips/532b420ff79d511588000202 I know I didn't hit all of your destinations, but this should give you a basic idea. :)

It was pretty amazing! Here is the airbnb link

She actually has two available, here's a link to the other which includes more pictures of the area.

LaVonne, the hostess, was awesome. We got in late after a long day at Yellowstone but she met us and got us set up in the wagon, and walked out some fresh coffee in the morning. She also lets people camp out, there was a guy tenting between our wagon and the pig pen :)

I have been meaning to do a full write-up for r/roadtrip of our adventures, including this stop!

waze https://www.waze.com/ You'll need a facebook account for them to see you but you can do that with a throwaway email account. The other bonus on this app? It will warn you about potholes or construction or BS that other wazers have reported. It will even warn you about cops and speed traps! If you have some kind of "nonsense slowdown" it can help you reroute. LOVE LOVE LOVE this app. Anyone can find you as long as you give permission. It will run in the background.

It takes real time reports from a number of apps that report to google and will help you reroute - gives you delay updates - alternate routes - will send notifications to people you are supposed to meet at a certain time, etc.

Completely badass app.

I prefer to leave my phone plugged in while driving just to make it easier. BUT I've gone about 15 hours with it running on a Galaxy.. um... err... something... 5? I think is what I have.

It’s a odd name, yeah. It’s Heat-Moon

PrairyErth at Amazon

Neil Peart--drummer for rock band Rush has several great books involving long distance motorcycle rides he's done(including through Mexico and into Central America) that you'll probably enjoy. Here's a link, there's several other riding books listed below on that linked page. Good luck & enjoy!

https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Rider-Travels-Healing-Road-ebook/dp/B00466HQVA/ref=sr\_1\_2?dchild=1&amp;keywords=neil+peart&amp;qid=1623388874&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2

Might not work for you but there are 12V portables for coffee and tea available. There are also 12V slow cookers and a small two burner camp stove doesn't take much room and you can make a fine cup of coffee on one of those camp stoves.

Watch the weather - late spring mountain snow may delay you a day or two. Plus a lot of national forest campgrounds located in the mountains of CO, WY, UT, MT, ID, WA won't be open and mountain backroads to dispersed camping on BLM or NF land may/will be inaccessible. It might add too much mileage but maybe going straight west through NM and AZ to CA and then north to WA might work better in terms of accessible dispersed camping even though it does add some distance.

I did the drive in late winter (March) from Connecticut in 2004. The hotels were very inexpensive since it was off-season. Went to portage Glacier and I was the only person there. Got stuck in Anchorage during a snow storm and went to the zoo and I was just about the only person there too. Fun trip.

Buy the current Milepost guide off Amazon and spend some time flipping through it.

The Alaska Highway is all paved except any short sections they are working on. You don't need a second spare tire or anything like that. I'd recommend a tire patch kit and a small 12v compressor. Also bring a spare headlamp bulb if you have halogens, some wiper fluid, and maybe a spare set of wiper blades in the trunk. Towing for breakdowns is super expensive so amp-up your roadside assistance plan and make sure it works in Canada. The distance from the last dealerships in Dawson Creek to the next ones in Whitehorse is ~900 miles.

The road is good with wide margins all the way to Whitehorse. Expect to see a lot of wildlife. If you're traveling alone bring some sort of tripod so you can take an occasional self-portrait with the timer function on your camera.

In line with this, make sure to download your routes on Google Maps or Waze when you do have a connection so that when you lose it, you're not stranded if you happen to close the app and try to restart the trip.

Also, they sell "sunglasses" with sort of a yellow tint that truckers use when driving at night to help block out a lot of the white light coming in from headlights and whatnot. They help keep your eyes from getting tired in the same way that eyeglasses which help block blue light from screens do. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0815C3ZY4/ref=dp_cerb_1

Everyone here has made some great suggestions. I (f) personally have 2 kits for my safety & emergency.

Kit 1 (I keep in the passenger seat/glove box): * basic first aid * pens * notebook * glass breaker / seatbelt cutter * 2 protein bars / jerky / water (where I live there was a really bad accident once that made my 1 hour drive 12 and after that I made sure to have something in case I’m stuck on the freeway that long again. * knife * reflective vest

Kit 2 (larger, stays in trunk), whatever I have here I double some in case I’m not alone in the event of a emergency):

• case of water
• MREs
• tarp
• bungee cords
• shovel
• emergency radio
• duct tape
• jumper cables
• car jack for flat tires
• larger first aid kit
• more reflective vests (they’re super cheap at IKEA so I went a little crazy)
• 1-2 full changes of clothes
• ponchos
• emergency blankets
• headlamp + flashlight
• emergency contacts printed out
• roadside emergency kit with flares, etc
• knives
• canned dog food (in case Pets are with me)
• dog treats (^)
• extra collapsible dog bowls

Do you have a route planned out with your stops? I might be able to give you some advice on specific towns or highways.

I've driven from St. Louis, MO to Gregory, SD (and back) many times. It was never really a road trip per se (I was going to visit a family friend who lives in Gregory), but I've driven a few different routes to get there.

Fair warning, I don't remember there being a whole lot to see on those highways. But, like I said, it wasn't a "road trip" as much as a "just get from point-A to point-B" trip for me. Here are a few tips I can offer you from my experience, though:

• Don't drive tired.
• Weather can be brutal if storms are out, because it's mostly plains and there's nothing to block strong winds, etc. However, in May the weather shouldn't be too bad. Maybe a thunderstorm or two. Average temp is usually in the 60s, but of course check forecasts.
• Audiobooks and podcasts are amazing for this drive, if you're into that sort of thing. Since there's a lot of time when you're just driving through farmland, it's an awesome opportunity to think/learn. I listened to Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on audiobook and the "How Stuff Works"/"Stuff You Should Know" podcast. Download anything that you think you'd be interested in ahead of time.

Hope that helps a little! Have an awesome trip!

I would add MyRadar Great app to see how big that storm really is and if it's coming your way.

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myradar-noaa-weather-radar/id322439990?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acmeaom.android.myradar

Thanks for your answer! I bought this emergency charger: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015TKUPIC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1

I haven't used it yet, but at least it has good reviews.

I was similarly amazed. In addition to those noted above, they have ranch, sweet n salty, dill pickle, and more. Different convenience store chains stock different flavors. Here’s a sampling.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunflower-Ultimate-Variety-Unique-Flavors/dp/B09CG74NS6

then you want one of THESE:

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https://www.amazon.com/Roadside-Geology-Colorado-Felicie-Williams/dp/0878426094/ref=asc\_df\_0878426094/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=312014159412&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=1492401029545512529&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqm...

Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku Stairs, it's difficult and should be avoided after rain as it gets almost impassably muddy.

There's a lot of endemic/endangered flora up there so be careful not to damage plants. The act of being on the stairs at all is illegal. I believe the fine is up to a grand now with a court date you'll have to fly back for if you're not an oahu local.

Snow Canyon SP near St George, Coral Pink Sand Dunes (sand boarding, ATVs) south of Zion, east side of Zion NP (Canyon Overlook, Many Pools, Checkerboard Mesa), Red Canyon in Dixie NF by Bryce and Kodachrome Basin SP by Bryce. None are completely unknown but crowds are less.

Check out this trail on AllTrails. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-mexico/slot-canyon?p=32726511

You should stop at this trail when passing thru las cruces. It's a super cool slot canyon, and it's short (half hour or so), definitely a good way to break up a drive.

Have you read Miles to Go yet? You should read it before you hit 66.

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https://www.amazon.com/Miles-Go-African-Family-America/dp/0826364012

Worth noting that if you get a "car battery", what you really want is a deep cycle battery like a marine battery. Car batteries are designed to deliver a massive amount of current fast, but will quickly discharge. A deep cycle battery is designed to deliver a lower current for a much longer period of time.

You will then need an inverter that can clip directly to the battery like this that can supply the AC power the machine uses. Just get one that can deliver the wattage of the machine (there should be markings indicating wattage on it).

I was wondering what conditions were like when I planned a spontaneous road trip many years ago. I looked at https://www.wunderground.com/maps/temperature/us-current to plot a route where temperatures are above freezing.

Ah nice, I have Clemson saved as one of the places I'd still love to visit. Awesome that you still saw it in Clemson though!

Food for thought: the cloud cover will be higher in Carbondale than in Southwest Texas. Check out this link for more info on cloud cover. https://weather.com/science/space/news/next-total-solar-eclipse-april-2024-north-america

Which 4 day week? I'd love to see some rain here in CA, but none of the forecasts 14 days out here are showing rain in say Carmel. Different 4 day weekend after the 21st?

So I'd go for it, if you can get lodging. Less crowded this time of year, and very nice; weather predicted to be mostly sunny, https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/0bc95d59f905cfeb5a415e48746c6a2a178c5c00548c28da7e9b718eb70bb7be

You will run into iffy road conditions at least once somewhere along that route. Definitely check weather forecast. Winter storm forecast for today and tomorrow should be cleared by Wednesday but more snow forecast midweek. Even if no snow or rain, heavy winds can create whiteout conditions for miles and miles.

In other words, you'll be extremely lucky to make it in the 25+ hours that Google tells you. Even in perfect driving conditions you need to pad the time Google or other mapping tools tell you when it's this long of drive. In summer, add at least 10% to account for time needed to fuel, take bathroom breaks, veer off highway to grab food, stretch legs, traffic delays, road construction, etc. Thats 12 minutes added for every 2 hours driving and keeping it to 12 is challenging no matter how committed you are. In winter, add 20% or even 30% to get a better estimate of how long it takes if you can only go 20, or 30, or 40, or 55 mph for long stretches due to weather and visibility.

Oh, and right now there's less than 9 hours of daylight in Bismarck (sunrise a little after 8, sunset a little before 5) so you'll be driving in the dark or possibly with the rising or setting sun in your face which adds more challenge to the drive.

As others have recommended, break the drive up into two days, if not three or four.

Just discovered these. Will have one before next road trip.

1. National park pass ($70 for the whole year)
2. Long charging cord
3. Spotify subscription (books become dead weight once they're finished, so help her get some good playlists or podcasts)
4. Water bottle (especially one that fits in the cup holder!)
5. Good camera
6. Good/durable bathroom bag that hangs
7. Laundry detergent pods or money allotment
8. Her favorite pillow
9. One of those fold up durable picnic blankets
10. A credit card with good rewards points
11. Good pair of sunglasses
12. Compact umbrella
13. Small cooler
14. Make an emergency kit with pain meds, allergy pills, bug repellant, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, band aids, safety pins, chap stick, pen/pencil, notepad, paper towels, flashlight

Okay found my old comment.

"Thanks! The map itself is paper.

Here is the link to the board I use, if interested. https://www.amazon.com/Quartet-Bulletin-Board-Black-MWDB2436-BK/dp/B0186CI636

You will need adhesive spray to get the map onto the corkboard. The pins cost $14.99 for a pack of 1,000 (10 colors).

I definitely recommend purchasing the same map I use. It's the National Geographic map, 36x24. I don't have the link on hand but it should be easy to find. You may need to trim an inch off of the sides of the map to get it to fit.

Hope this helps!"

something like this MIGHT work

https://www.amazon.com/YYTONG-Ventilation-Radiator-Exhaust-Cooling/dp/B097ZWGCRN/ref=sr\_1\_45?crid=2F5H7NL87DCC6&amp;keywords=car+window+fan&amp;qid=1660163384&amp;sprefix=car+window+fan%2Caps%2C75&amp;sr=8-45

i bought this book specifically for upstate NY road tripping.

it does not have many pictures, but had a LOT of smaller out-of-the way things to stop at and enjoy.

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581574401/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1

a little Dramamine will help, or at least it helped me when I went from Carlsbad Cavern to the ski hills of NM in 1 day..... You could also swing by Walmart and pick up a can or 2 of 02. Take a couple hits every few hours will helped me too.

If you really want to see the best of Arizona and New Mexico, you should check out this book:

RoadTrip America: Arizona and New Mexico: 25 Scenic Side Trips

It's all about scenic alternatives to the Interstates. The best stuff is always on the back roads.

https://www.amazon.com/Route-66-EZ66-GUIDE-Travelers/dp/0988924617/ref=sr_1_4?crid=AYHXAR9DHU25&amp;keywords=route+66+guide&amp;qid=1650648976&amp;sprefix=route+66+gui%2Caps%2C257&amp;sr=8-4

Study it before you leave.

I live in Central Indiana and recommend skipping the Chicago section, and starting in Springfield. It'll save a day or two, and you can always make that section its own weekend trip.

It was unreal🤣. I also would suggest a runners belt that has a zipper. You can put money on your person without it being obvious, tacky and bulky like a Fanny Pack. This is the one I bought for my upcoming trip. But there are many others. Safe travels to you!

E Tronic Edge Running Belt for Women & Men - Money Belt and Running Fanny Pack, Holder for Cell Phone, Money, and Keys - Pouch fits Most Phone and Waist Sizes https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079DVMJKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_ARV2GFTEAT1B9NQ2C2DR

The NOTW book I suggested is in the fantasy genre, but it has elements of all of the things you listed. 24,000 people give it 4 1/2 stars on Amazon. The voice actor does an excellent job with the various voices, so it’s easy to follow and easy to get hooked.

The Name of the Wind: Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002A2BO2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WQ62ZW425AWHVW8V6P05

https://www.amazon.com/Sherman-A-Soldiers-Passion-Order/dp/0809327856

Read the book. 👆

Also, there are many references about Sherman “renting” slaves on numerous occasions during his time South. Now, if you want to split hairs, I’ll concede that renting a slave is technically not owning a slave, so if that makes you feel morally superior about him then go right ahead. But again, the book above, in which no pdf form exists, lays the basis of the claim,

My stove is called CampingGaz but I got it in the 90s 😂 I think the company's no longer around. But the stove still works! It's in a style similar to this one:

https://www.amazon.com/CHENBO-Ultralight-Outdoor-Camping-Gas-powered/dp/B00ZH1FIHC 

It's Good for one person for small meals or to heat up a can or two of something. It's really made for backpacking and small lightweight cooking gear, but it stores so small that I find it good to hear up a quick meal on the go.

The Coleman Classic is a good two burner tabletop stove that also folds flat for storage, and it's side and top provide some wind deflection when cooking. It's a popular stove. This may be more useful if you plan to camp a bit or bring a foldable table. There are many others to consider as well 🤙Maybe someone on Nextdoor will let you borrow their camping stove.

Plan on hordes of people in most of the places you named. I highly recommend this book for both hiking and road trips. Hiking Southwest Canyon Country https://www.amazon.com/dp/1680511467/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_7Q9PSZPB31SJ86XC0AVS

Pay attention to the forecast. It can get icy in late February. Long term forecast shows near freezing tempeatures, especially at night.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle/98104/february-weather/351409

Definitely Page, AZ. There's also Horseshoe Bend, it's a really short hike and about 15mins away from Antelope Canyon. One thing about Antelope Canyon though, the hikes are guided by tour, so if you get there in the afternoon there might not be any guided tours left. I went to the Lower Canyon a few months ago(because research tells me lower canyon is prettier than upper canyon), there was a flash flood warning in the morning so I had to wait for the tour guides to decide if it'll be safe to enter the canyon on that particular day. So check the weather before hand! Here's the tour guide I choose for antelope canyon.

Are you from LA? If not, La Brea Tar Pits and Malibu Creek State Park were highlights from our visit.

Don't say that I referred you, because my mother and I were horrible guests, but this airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3095934 in Carmel is magical, if you are sort of lefty and a bit of a hippy. The woman who owns it is very sociable and she has a homemade bar outside with tree houses and you get to sign the bar when you visit.

https://snipboard.io/iLbDpv.jpg

There is a link to a map. It is somewhat rough, but i took I-70 out to Colorado Springs, then went to Gunnison, CO up to Denver, back to Dillon, CO, up to the Rockys, over to the black hills, crazy horse, mount rushmoore. Drove through wyoming going through jacksonn hole to idaho, back into wyoming for grand targhee. Then to Sun Valley, up to Stanley, ID. Back to Boise Idaho, explore north Idaho, go up to Steves Pass, WA. Explore northern Washington, to Seattle, then route 101 around olympic national park. Down through Oregon to Heavenly Mountain in Lake Tahoe, then to the Hoover Dam, and finally cut I-40 back towards east cost before going I-81 up north.

Get some crossbars for open siderails like these.

I used to carry a bunch of stuff like this when I first started road-tripping, and I'd still take a kit like this if I was driving to Alaska again, but nowadays I feel like I really only need the tire patch kit and the tow strap. I also carry a spare headlight bulbs in cars with halogen lamps. Also one of these in case I get a stuck lug nut and all I have is the shitty 12" tire iron that's strapped to the jack.

Check this map each morning before the drive. https://www.wunderground.com/maps/temperature/us-current

If above freezing, you can take the I5 safely. I prefer the I5 in winter with the extra lanes and better lit highway with the shorter daylight.

Came here to say Valley of Fire.

If you're short on time, this is an easy and short hike with amazing petroglyph views. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/nevada/petroglyph-canyon-via-mouses-tank-trail

We spent 3 days in Acadia, which for us worked perfectly. 3 days allowed us to explore everything we wanted to see at a comfortable, casual pace. I think anywhere in the 2-5 day range would work, it obviously just boils down to how much of Acadia you want to see.

For us, we spent a day at Cutler Coast Public Lands as well, which is 2 hours northeast of Bar Harbor. It's often referred to as a "rugged, remote Acadia", which I think is an apt description. The scenery was beautiful, and there was no one there. It's a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Acadia/Bar Harbor. It was probably our favorite hike we did in Maine. It is 8.8 miles long though, FWIW.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/cutler-coast-trail

Again IDK exactly where you live, but I put in ten days on Kayak and found rentals for around $300 in Los Angeles.

Again I don't know where you live but here I found rental SUVs in Los Angeles for around $220.

Bummer.

Here's a good summary for California (or starting in California) rental rules.

Basically, not even the legally required liability insurance is necessarily included in the base rental rate. We rented there last month and ended up buying collision insurance from Expedia ($9/day) and liability insurance from the rental company ($15/day), which totaled more per day than the actual rental rate! This was for less than a week so it didn't hurt too bad, I hope you find a cheaper option.

I got something like this for a long road trip with my SO. We liked the discussions the cards created. Dating Connect – Games for Couples to Master The Art of Dating – 220 Conversation Cards and Empowerment Cards – Couples Games for Date Night Conversations – by Life Sutra https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJL3558/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_XW586Y1HD123J70VCAKE?psc=1