Explore the USA – Love Every Corner of Your Country

America is Amazing

You’ve learned good travel habits by Exploring Your Backyard, Exploring Locally, and we’ve experienced an Epic Weekend Adventure. We’ve also taken a flight for a Long Weekend to one of American’s amazing cities. It’s now time to Explore the USA.

Are you ready to go a little bigger?

If you can handle the hustle and bustle of a Big American Journey you can tackle whatever the rest of the world throws at you.

Are You Ready to Explore the USA?!?

What big week-long trip have you always wanted to take? 

Maybe you want a driving adventure:

• A thrilling trip up the Pacific Coast Highway

• Theme park trip between San Diego and Los Angeles 

• Exploring the Outer Banks, or even better taking a long drive down the east coast

• A fall drive through New England to see the fall colors

• Touring Utah’s National Parks

• Cruising Route 66

Or maybe you want to spend a week in exploring one of our fabulous cities:

• San Francisco 

• Boston 

• Chicago 

• New York

• Atlanta

• Washington D.C.

• Orlando

Is exploring National Parks your thing? We have plenty, 72 to be exact.

Maybe you secretly want to Island hop. Hawaii is only a plane ride away (and there are some cruises that go around the Hawaii islands).

For the super adventurous, is Alaska calling you?

Whatever you decide to do, you’ve built up a good travel foundation and now it’s time to put those well-honed skills to work!

Preliminary Research to Explore the USA

Grab a pen, paper and a map and really consider what our diverse country has to offer. Set aside a couple of uninterrupted hours, do a little research and make a big list of American sites you want to visit.

Things to Consider

• The best month to go (aim for not too hot, not too cold, it’s okay to be like Goldilocks)

• What you want to see 

• Are any major attractions closed for repair or closed at certain times of year

• Are there enough things to interest you to fill up an entire week

• Is there a nearby city or site you can include in your trip (for example, visit Atlanta, side trip to Savannah)

As you narrow down your city/site/drive, visit the following sites to get a feel for prices and availability:

• Booking.com to make sure hotel costs aren’t astronomical and/or hotels unavailable.
• Priceline.com to get a quick check of airfare prices.
• Priceline.com or Rentalcars.com check out car rental prices if you’re planning a driving trip.

Also verify:

• The price of parking at the hotels you’re interested in
• Any tolls while driving

Is this tedious? Yes.

Does it save you from surprises later? Also yes.

Other Considerations

If there’s a specific site or event you’re wanting to see, make sure tickets are available.

This might sound like overkill during the preliminary research phase, but if the purpose of your trip is already “sold out”, you’d be better served going on a different trip.

Remember that knowledge is power and luck favors the prepared. 

It would be terrible if you went all the way to Yellowstone only to discover that Old Faithful is broken, or all the way to Honolulu to find out Pearl Harbor visits are cancelled due to repairs. Occasionally our government shuts down and National Parks are closed.

A little advanced research could save you some headache or heartbreak down the road. 

As you research your potential trips, jot down notes about what appeals to you, but most importantly, listen to your gut, it will guide you in the right direction.

Temporarily Step Away and Consider

With your list made and your head full of adventure, take a step away and give this big trip a big think.

If you’re really torn, feel free to sleep on it. A whole week is a good chunk of time to invest. There’s nothing wrong with thoroughly weighing all of your options.

However, it’s not cool to be undecided . . . give this decision process 24 hours at the most. When you wake up the morning after you do your research, decide which trip is burning a hole in your chest and book it! 

Planning a week-long trip sounds complicated but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you break it down and plan out the boring logistics before you leave.

Remember, travel boils down to seeing cool stuff, eating interesting food and sleeping in a bed that isn’t yours. There’s nothing complicated about that.

Research and Planning

When taking a week long vacation, these steps usually need to be accomplished first:

• Arrange your vacation time with your boss
• Book airfare and hotels
• If you’re taking a great American road trip, reserve your car

Other Considerations

• If you’re visiting a big city, try to find a hotel near the sites you’re visiting.
• If you’re renting a car, double-check to see how much your hotel charges for parking and if there are any tolls . . . it’s okay if you don’t mind paying for parking and tolls, but it’s better to know how much they are to avoid unexpected surprises. 

Side Note:

On the Great American Road Trip, we usually book our first couple of hotels before we leave and then book the rest of the hotels as we go along, that way we can linger longer if we find something or somewhere we love. This usually works out okay because even if one city has over-priced hotels, you can simply drive on to the next city.

Before we leave, I always check Booking.com to make sure hotels on our proposed route are reasonable/available.

A Note on Transportation

For this trip, especially if you’ve chosen to visit one of our huge cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Atlanta, you’ll want to choose public transportation over a car rental.

If you haven’t practiced taking public transportation yet, visit your nearest city with a bus/train service and try it out. It’s better to get lost in a city you’re familiar with than a city you’ve never been to. You can read my tips on Transportation.

If you need a reminder on how to plan your transportation from the airport to the hotel and back, check out the Book a Flight section. 

Public transportation isn’t just an economical way to get around, it’s an excellent way to see the heart of a city while gaining a better understanding of what it’s like to be local.

I’ve taken public transportation all over the world and it’s by far my preferred method of getting around. In fact I’ll never forget the time I scooted into an all-male Subway in Dubai . . . I wouldn’t give that memory up for a million bucks.

Once you’ve figured out your transportation situation review the Research section for tips on planning your trip.

Time to Plan

As you review your guidebooks, keep and pen and paper handy and don’t forget these important aspects:

• Must see sights (usually designated by three or four stars)

• Should see sights (usually designated by two stars or less)

• Things that interest you

• Thing that interest others in your group

• Opening and closing days/times

• Cost of entry (if you’re on a budget)

• Should tickets be bought in advance (if yes, make a note of the website address)

• Is there an all-in-one pass you can buy, and what’s included with it

Other Considerations

This week-long journey isn’t just a fun trip, it’s practice for international travel so please make yourself as well-versed about what the city or area you’re exploring offers.

I encourage you to visit museums, see shows, explore the outdoors, seek out culture and eat something usual.

When there’s something nearby that’s a Must See, it’s a Must See for a good reason and you should pay it a visit.

If you plan to visit one of America’s great beaches, please tear yourself away from the sand occasionally to visit some nearby sites. 

If money is a concern (there’s no shame if it is) and you’ve saved for your trip before you go, please spend what it costs to have an authentic experience. Stay in the nicest, cleanest, safest place you can afford. 

A Note About Hotels

Remember, you’re going on a trip and the hotel is where you sleep…the hotel isn’t (or shouldn’t be) the focal point of your vacation. Check out this section on hotels for more information.

If for some reason the hotel is the focal point of your trip you’re definitely getting advice from the wrong place.

Time to Head Out!

Your big American Adventure has arrived and I hope you’re excited! I have some packing tips if you need help filling your suitcase. Be sure to include your most comfortable tennis shoes, and take a couple of your favorite snacks for the flight.

If you’re worried about any aspect of your flight, review my Flight suggestions.

As you arrive at your destination, take your time and don’t rush anything. Genuinely enjoy your experience. Read all the captions, take pictures and don’t hesitate to deviate from your original plan if you find something that interests you.

Just because you created an itinerary doesn’t mean you have to stick to it (unless you bought timed tickets for something).

Savor your meals and try something new (eat local if possible). Enjoy every bite of “The World’s Best Churro” you bought from the sketchy vendor on the corner. Go back for a second if it tastes as good as it looked.

You’re seeing a new city through the eyes of a tourist, it’s an exciting opportunity! Everyone should be so lucky to explore somewhere new.

Recommendations for All Your Trips

I don’t want to tell you how to do your exploring, but I do have some suggestions to make your trip more meaningful. (Borrowed from the Explore Your Backyard section if you skipped it.)

Local food, drinks and snacks should be a part of every journey. If there’s a family owned shop or restaurant, make it a point to eat there before, after or during your trip. If you see a sign that says “World’s Best Snowcone” stop by and get a world class brain freeze.

Part of the fun of traveling is experiencing the local food flavor and supporting local business. Don’t skip this important aspect of your journey by eating only at chains and your hotel restaurant (although I completely understand if you swing into Boston Market, especially if you have a coupon).

If you start your travel journey with good habits, they’ll serve you in the long run. 

Souvenirs/Geocache

Before you set out, there’s one final thing to consider . . . is there something you want to collect from the places you travel?

I collect Christmas ornaments, bracelets and earrings . . . things I use in everyday life. Alex collects rocks, pins and patches. Not every place we visit sells what we collect . . . except for rocks . . . unfortunately there are rocks literally everywhere.

Consider what you’d like to collect and start now if you can. Here are some helpful tips for Souvenir collecting.

Lots of people with or without kids Geocache during their travels and collect Geocache virtual souvenirs, which can also be fun, although do your best not to look like a terrorist. 

BE INSPIRING

Make sure your phone or camera is charged. I’d suggest you take plenty of pictures of your big trip!

In fact, I dare you to post pictures of your week-long vacation (you can hashtag #ExploreAmerica).

You never know who you’re going to inspire to step out of their comfort zone by stepping out of your comfort zone.

The truth is, it’s exciting to explore and it doesn’t matter if you’re in your own backyard or on the other side of the globe. There’s a good chance that Breno from Brazil is obsessed with El Capitan . . . give him the opportunity to see it through your eyes. 

At the end of each day, pull out your travel journal and make a few notes about your experiences. I guarantee you’ll smile when you’re later journaling about your hike up to the Parthenon or recounting how much gelato you ate in Venice and you reread your original post about the day you saw your first humpback whale off the coast of San Luis Obispo.

America is enormous. Repeat this process until you’re ready for a stamp in your passport.

Thanks for Stopping By

Please feel free to share your questions or comments below. If you see any typos, let me know!

I encourage you to share my tribal knowledge with someone who loves or would love to travel.

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, a huge thanks to Alex for the great photos.