Dual market research surveys performed by OnePoll and Victorinox explored travelling America experiences in 2019. Though the findings showed that nearly 90 per cent of all those surveyed expressed a desire to travel and experience new things, some of the results were actually surprising.
Findings show that 1 in 10 Americans have never travelled beyond the borders of their own state, with roughly 11 per cent of those surveyed claiming to have never seen beyond their home state borders at all.
If you’re in the mood to take a road trip, whether considering renting a car or driving your own, the following article will detail three of the best trips you can take.
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Touring the Southwest
We first head south on this travelling America by car list. Perhaps one of the most classic road trips of all time is a drive through the American Southwest. It is in this part of the country where the iconic Route 66 comes to mind, as it once wound uninterrupted from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier in California.
Much of Route 66 has been buried and replaced by Interstate 40, though some sections of the old classic roadway are still drivable today. And towns along its still drivable route capitalize off of Route 66 tourism.
Aside from Route 66, the American Southwest is a true gem to witness. The enchanting landscape is only complimented by a play of colors from a setting sun in the evening that lulls the land to sleep, yet it comes alive again with brilliance as red-orange hues bring a shift from dawn till day in the morning.
Along this route, you’ll see the wonders of nature, vast spans of rolling desert country, pinion pines, ponderosa, and the smell of wild juniper, and, of course, there’s your occasional cactus. It is this part of the country that’s home to the lava fields of New Mexico, the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, and a host of other attractions.
Though the road might seem lonely at times, rest assured it’s full of life.
The Deep South
Tennesse Williams once said, “America only has three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is just Cleveland.”
Like Tennesse Williams learned, New Orleans is a city like no other. If you’re in the mood to travel through one of the most culturally diverse parts of the country, take a trip down the old blues highway (U.S. Highway 61) from Memphis to New Orleans. It’s here in this part of the country where Jazz was born, and where that jangly mix of blues, jazz, and every other sound imaginable comes to life.
A word of advice: Touring the Deep South is best done in the early spring or late fall, as the heat and humidity are stifling for most of the year. But, aside from the sweltering heat, another thing you can count on is that the food will be delicious year-round.
Pacific Coast Highway
Travelling America by car and the west coast go hand in hand. Perhaps endowed with the most beautiful and stunning vistas, the Pacific Coast Highway, otherwise known as California, runs from Southern California at San Juan Capistrano to Mendocino County in Northern California. Note, renting a minivan for the Westcoast is a great way to see the area with a group or even camp out along the way!
It’s on this highway where a traveller can become lost in the landscape, as it changes and rolls through microclimates, with viewpoints that dazzle the mind.
If seeing the land of Hollywood is what you have in mind, plan on spending a day or two in Los Angeles, and be sure to visit San Francisco to make Tennesse Williams proud.
The United States has one of the most diverse landscapes from coast to coast. This is a country where you can go skiing in the mountains one day, take a beach vacation the next, drive through the hottest desert on the planet, and see some of the greatest marvels of nature all while you’re doing it.
No matter your reason for taking a road trip, remember, it’s not about the destination. The real experience is the journey.
