What's the best US Driving Holiday?

[expat]

As a Brit myself, living in NA for the best part of 30 years.

IT'S A BIG PLACE!!!

If you have not been here before, try to get your head around that.

Off the free way (where you might not see much) speed limits are slow. Decide how many hours per day? How many days per week you are comfortable driving.

IMO There is a great variety in scenery, but it changes slowly.
In the U.K you can travel from the cliffs of Dover to the mountains of Wales in a few hours. In Nevada you may well see the same scenery ALL DAY LONG.

What are your interests?

 

[Shannow]

We did a big road trip in Jun/July last year.

LA to Vegas (got married there), met BB member Tempest, who took us on a great walking tour of the Vegas casinos.

Then we drove to Phoenix, Sierra Vista (a day in Tombstone) , Elephant Butte, Socorro, Roswell, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, back to Vegas (picked up the paperwork from the wedding), Fresno, then dropped the car off in SF.

About 4,000 mile IIRC, over 14 days, and car hire for a brand new Nissan Maxima was just under a grand for the 14 days (Alamo)...without having to go back to Vegas, could have shaved a day off it.

Don't leave Vegas on July 5th...that carpark to Ca is scary.

Temps were great, low 40s C so perfect.

 

[ThorpeyD]

"Low 40s C so perfect" - seriously?

 

[BRZED]

Originally Posted By: ThorpeyD
"Low 40s C so perfect" - seriously?


I melt at temperatures below that. What's your comfort zone?

 

[ThorpeyD]

25c!

 

[BRZED]

Research temperature charts of the states you plan on visiting.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: BRZED
Originally Posted By: ThorpeyD
"Low 40s C so perfect" - seriously?


I melt at temperatures below that. What's your comfort zone?


We love the over 30C days here, 37 is pushing the upper limit, as we are surrounded by bushland, and that gives some humidity.

Touristing in Tombstone at 42C was great...wouldn't want to be labouring in that temperature...very very dry.

 

[datech]

Pick a city with a direct flight to the region you want to tour. You don't need to fly directly to your destination (Jackson, WY, ie). You can drive 500 miles a day so don't let the distances scare you.

You could drive from Phoenix to Yellowstone in about two days.

I would recommend buying a map of the region you want to tour before you leave. The four regions they sell in the US are Western, Central, Southeast and Northeast. You can get (free) state maps when you get here.

 

[andrewg]

Definitely plan the visit in the western half of the country. The Rocky Mountain states are exceptionally beautiful and interesting in the summer.

You can go from heavily wooded hillsides...glaciated mountains....and beautiful desert...all in a single day. You can also be intrigued by the history of the westward expansion of the 1800's. Lot's of history of that time period if that is an interest.

The national parks and battlefields in those states are also plentiful.

In my opinion you could travel from north to south or vice-versa in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Western South Dakota, and then Montana.

On a trip like that you could traverse east and west a bit to vary the terrain from mountains to desert, and the Great Plains. You would never get bored....no matter how long the drives are.

So much to see in those states....have fun planning it!!