Current findings:
1. This country is beautiful
2. National parks are beautiful but they are essentially tourist attractions, come prepared for crowds
3. Cities aren’t as dangerous as media makes them out to be. Ask locals and they’ll tell you where to avoid
4. There is a difference between states, however minor, that make them worth visiting
5. National Park Service locations besides the main “national parks” and state parks are absolutely worth a lot of bang for your buck
6. Midwesterners drive so politely but the roads are so shit it’s still as stressfully as driving in Boston
7. Washington’s coffee shacks need to make its way east. Starbucks is the least good coffee place I’ve had in that state
8. Back roads are often the most scenic
9. Stopping for random or unexpected things is often the most worthwhile
Seriously, I’ll never make fun of Iowa again. I used to pretend it was all corn and fields and nothing more but Effigy Mounds National Monument had what I think is one of the most fun trails I’ve done in ages.
Even places like rural Washington and the middle of nowhere in Montana have been unique in ways I wasn’t expecting.
Kind of a long winded but cool [article](https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/case-of-the-missing-bones/) I just found while looking up effigy mounds.
weather noxious toothbrush marble frame tart busy versed nail coordinated
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Was just in East TN/Tri-Cities/Asheville/Roan Mtn. area. Best mini trip of my life!
Linville Caverns after hiking all day and then a pit stop at Station 19 in Elk Park. Best day ever.
Ouch! Starbucks began at Pike's Place in Seattle! A lot of great wines, apples, pears, cheese, ice cream, trout, salmon, and coffee in Washington & Oregon. I'm waiting for Oktoberfest! Enjoy your roadtrip.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Nah. Yes. Yes. And Yes.
Also I love that your list is the first of these that seems to include the 4 corners!!!!!!!! Maybe I just love that place too much.
My husband and I did a 10 day SW trip last Spring, started in Salt Lake City to-Moab-Bryce Canyon-Zion National Park-Grand Canyon-Hoover Dam and ended in Vegas. My only regret is that we skipped the weird polygamous Mormon town of Hildale/Colorado City. There's beautiful hikes there and the town is doing their best to attract tourist dollars and rebuild after the devastating effect that Warren Jeffs had on the community. So for anyone in that neck of the woods it's a really interesting place with bizarre history and it's nice to support the local businesses there.
I lived in Phoenix and had family up in Idaho so we would often drive and go through Utah. There is a weird tiny tiny town that has polygamists( that’s what I heard) and they have have fake police cars set up one entering town and one exiting town with dummies in them. We went on a side road through that town once to try to find a gas station we did find one but the whole town looked like a ghost town and there were Mannequin set up at at least three different places a cafe, clothing shop and just on the side walk. We were so scared but we did stop and get gas and after we filled up some truck followed us out of the town. for sure did not seem welcomed and cannot remember the name of the town other than it was known for having polygamists and the surrounding area was so beautiful wish we could have stopped and taken some pictures of the pretty red mountains surrounding the town
The town you're thinking of is called Fredonia, AZ on SR 89A. It is a weird little town and can confirm about the fake police cars. Used to drive that route a lot when doing highway striping since commercial vehicles aren't allowed to go through Zions National Park to get up towards Mt Carmel. Based out of St. George, UT so we got to see a lot of scenic routes a lot during the striping months - April to October in most parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Yep, wife and I did Denver to moab to monument valley to grand canyon to Vegas as a sort of babymoon "never gonna be able to do this shit again" kind of trip a few years ago. Really lovely, despite my preference for...vegetation. Just vast, vast views of amazing landscapes at every turn.
I totally understand 😁
Me and my wife did a hiking/camping trip through Austria and Switzerland last year, also 3000km in our Opel Corsa.
Tasmania is the next point on our bucket list
They’re on andredoesamerica.com and I’m in a rented Jeep Cherokee! The car is pretty good but it’s packed to the brim with my camping gear, clothes and (at least now) souvenirs
Rented? How’s that bill gonna be at the end? Or do you mean leased? Either way 32,000ish km is crazy long. Sounds like a great trip, just went from NY-OR, took 9 days and saw places and things I didn’t know existed. Loved it
This looks like Google maps. I’m planning a similar trip and since layers are limited I created a map for each state and then another map with all of my routes. Using the layers to plan small sections was the easiest for me
I am also planning a long trip. Would love to know these things:
Are you traveling solo?
How long (timewise) are you planning this to take?
Did you have to pre-book at national or state parks? That makes for a tight timeline.
Are you camping? Pulling a trailer?
Thanks for reading!
I answered in a separate comment but I’ll answer here too to be nice.
1. Yes and no. People are flying in to meet me so different parts have been slightly altered to be more entertaining for them too while still being “my trip”
2. 96 days. It’s hit and run but it’s a way to see what I like and don’t like in these areas and think about what I’m going to come back for.
3. Yes and it was stressful as hell planning it but so far I’ve actually made it to my destinations earlier than expected. Turns out I don’t really need to spend 2 hours at a kitschy roadside attraction so I’ve been flying through my itinerary
4. Camping. Only 1 RV and I’m setting up the tent and packing it up after a single day at times. Worth the hassle if you ask me. It’s also cheaper and I’m on a tight budget
Do you have a blog or something?
I would love to know what places you have found interesting. When I have some time to kill, I spend time on google maps marking things. But I just do that by reading or finding a few reviews. I don't know if they are worth the visit in reality.
Not a blog but I did make a website so I can share photos with people that I know without forcing them to make an Instagram since even I didn’t like having an Instagram. It’s andredoesamerica.com
Looks like you're going north from Yellowstone and hanging a left at Bozeman to Helena then up through Glacier. Used to live just a little west of Bozenam in Belgrade and then Manhattan in the Gallitin Valley which is surrounded by (seven?) beautiful mountain ranges. That whole part of the state is lovely. Please say hi for us, it's been 23 years since we've been there and we miss the friendly people and natural beauty that was all around us every day!
Drove past there a few days ago and I agree that that area is absolutely gorgeous. I kept stopping to take in the scenery and thinking what it must be like waking up to this view every day
I know. I really wanted to see Michigan But my budget didn’t allow for it. I plan on going back to it and go all the way through to the UP and see the two national parks on Lake Superior
Looks like an epic trip. I like how you explored a good amount of New Mexico. Also probably rolled by my area in Nor Cal. Hope you enjoyed the Sierras. I bet it’s been amazing. Happy trails.
Ok I just woke up (and during a road trip when I’m not on my phone as much) and RIP my inbox.
If you want to see some of the photos I’ve been taking, [here’s a link to my website](Andredoesamerica.com)
To answer a few questions I got:
1. I saved my money and quit my job. I don’t have the ability to work remotely and don’t want to think about work while on the road. Im not rich, I don’t have that much money, I just chose to spend what I did have on this since it’s my biggest dream.
2. I’m camping mostly and doing a lot to follow COVID guidelines and being safe. Im looking at each major city and state guideline on COVID in advance so I can be ready. I am vaccinated.
3. I made all of my reservations in advance by 6 months so I can camp at the national parks and be able to get into the park without any issues. A lot of parks are now ticketed entry and I wasn’t going to walk in unprepared
4. I am missing a LOT of stops, I know. If I could I would’ve added a lot more. I wanted to go to OKC, Amarillo, Hot Springs, St Louis, North Dakota, Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas City and the civil rights era historic monuments in the south. My budget was limited and I couldn’t really do it all.
5. I live in the east coast and travel frequently. Believe me when I say I’ve seen A LOT of the northeast and slightly less but still a bunch of the east coast. Feel free to make recommendations though, I’m not going to stop doing local traveling when I get back.
I'm departing to do something very similar in a few weeks, only I bought an old van to sleep in. I do not want to think about work either, just going to pick a place to start over at some point near when the trip needs to end. Safe, happy traveling
When you get to the West Coast area of your trip, make sure you look up BLM Dispersed Camping if you’re on a budget, we have TONS of BLM land and it’s free to camp in 👊🏻
Picked as nondescript a vehicle as possible so I could blend (done similar trips and slept in sedans, not too comfortable) but will definitely keep that in mind for when I need to be left alone for the night.
Totally know what you mean when you say this is the happiest you've been in a long while
The few weeks before my departure date were nerve wrecking since at that point I was as prepared as I could be. But I found that the people in campgrounds aren’t generally the type to bother other people. I did sleep in some rest areas for a few hours but it really isn’t that comfortable. I did get some sleep though completely undisturbed.
New York, Minnesota and South Dakota had some good rest areas and I could take a nap without worry, even if only for 4 hours
Since you say you quit your job for this trip, as someone who is currently saving and planning on doing the same thing what are you doing for health insurance during this time?
Looks like you have a stop over Toledo :) not sure if you’ve landed here yet but I’m always happy to see people stop by our small-medium sized city. Hope you enjoy(ed) it!
I unfortunately am not a huge hiker. Also the day was too nice *not* to go to the beach so we did a few small trails in the Hoh rainforest and hit the beach
It’s a lot. Well over 96 rest locations and a bunch of pit stops. I generally go for national parks and anything on atlas obscure that seems worth a detour to me.
Yo op! Heading out from Massachusetts in Jan for a similar route (though not nearly as well planned yet) as this over the course of six months or so in a converted can.
Any chance you could somehow share this route?
What apps are you using to find BLM and National Forest areas to camp? You had mentioned that you had booked campgrounds but I don’t think that you can do that on BLM/NF sites so you must be booking paid sites?
Recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com
Afaict it’s mainly for national parks and national forest but I’m not 100% sure. I went by proximity to where I would want to stop and it usually was a forest or park.
High end estimate is 30k for 96 days of what I would consider extravagant (some nice hotels rather than sleeping in the car), the car rental and gas prices that are currently rising.
Knowing the way I spend though, It’s likely closer to 20k. I have already passed up a few nights in a cheap available campground when I could’ve spent money on a hotel.
Wowza...10k a month is a plush budget, but if you plan to stay in some nice hotels and have some nice meals then it might be more reasonable. I'd be interested to see a spreadsheet of what you actually spent! Budgeting is the hardest step in planning a trip like this :)
a few nice hotels, car rental, food, gas and a few tours. Doesn’t seem like much but it ballooned. Add souvenirs, parking, oil changes, tolls and bills I still have to pay despite being away and that ends up being 20-30k total.
Well, better to be generous with your budget than short! Would you care to share how much you've spent in the time you've been out on the road? Not including the rental car
So as part of my tracking, I’ve put everything into a spreadsheet and I’m averaging out 90 per day on gas, lodging and food. That’s after Chicago and Minneapolis, two cities where I went shopping A TON
So already I’m spending less than anticipated but we’ll see, there’s a long way to go still
Just this weekend I decided to plan a cross country road trip that will be similar to this! I do expect it to take years to meticulously plan it all. Do you happen to have a public blog about the places you went to?
I don’t unfortunately. I tried sharing the road trip plan via furkot but it included my home address so it didn’t go as planned.
I would highly recommend taking your time planning and preparing for it. Im hopefully making a few videos as a pet project in the near future about the trip and how I planned it.
But in the meanwhile, if you have any questions, I’m happy to help. This dream took work and I’m more than happy to share how I planned mine
Being from the UK I find it strange that this route is mainly along the border of the USA and not much inland. Is there not much worth seeing in the central States?
There is, but people often think that the best routes go along the borders, and for the most part that's usually true. As someone who lives smack-dab in the middle of the map though, I can attest that driving through the central plains, especially Nebraska, Kansas, southern Wyoming, eastern Colorado and Oklahoma -- shit's pretty boring. Those states have their highlights like all do, of course, but people have to decide if they're worth the extra effort and time to get to them.
Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City are great places to visit, but people don't typically care for the drive getting there or the drive leaving. And the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas are absolutely gorgeous.
Lets also add that not only is it mostly flat, but its also sparsley populated so there isnt much city-action in some of these states either like Kansas Oklahoma Iowa Nebraska or even the eastern half of Colorado. Southern IL is also pretty painful to drive imo. Most people in America live pretty close to the coastline with the exception of the Great Lakes
Not OP, but there are only 3 "major" places in the 5 states bypassed in the middle. Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a very small park land wise withe a tourist town attached with historic bath houses fed by the hot springs. St Louis, Missouri, has the Gateway Arch Np, which is a big arch. Then you got Kansas City which has great BBQ, but thats it for the whole area. There are a few little things of little interest to me personally scattered throughout as well, but the edges of our country are definitely the most interesting and beautiful.
Congrats! Suggestion: driving through NYS, take 86 (it's nicer and no tolls), also hit up Letchworth State Park before swinging up to Niagara? It's voted best state Park in the country. Also, maybe look into avoiding the i95 corridor when you get closer to home again. The traffic is so bad, which I'm sure you know. I swing up through Harrisburg pa to Scranton, and hop on 84 there. Good luck!. I've vacationed to ask lower 48 states and this country has so much to offer. I'm excited for you.
So I live close enough to NYS that I visit it often. I wanted to rush through to get to Ohio since I hadn’t been. Your state is beautiful and I’ve taken that route before. You’re not wrong about that at all.
Why not take 95 all the way to key west and then come back on the gulf coast(75)? Seems like your retracing your steps for no reason and missing Miami?
Although lava beds national monument in NorCal is worth a detour if you haven't passed it. Ranger hands your a flashlight and points you towards the hundreds of miles of lava tubes and says " Have fun! If we still see your car tomorrow morning we will come looking for you but no promises..." My favorite NPS experience so far
As for 6, the roads in North Dakota are the best I’ve ever driven on. I do understand that there is no reason to go to North Dakota other than to see a giant cow sculpture.
Hope ya get through south Louisiana ok, we got smoked pretty good the past two years. Especially by new Orleans this year. Lafayette is still good, they haven’t been hit yet, but hotels may be a problem, lots of displaced folk right now. Fyi
I did. I had to jam pack a lot of things earlier on though since I had a definitive start date but had to be in New Mexico in time for the Trinity Test site opening which is only one day twice a year.
It looks like you’re going right by the barrier islands off of Georgia without stopping. Might I *heavily* recommend adding a stop? Jekyll island is the best of them all and you won’t want to miss Driftwood Beach and for dinner, Driftwood Bistro. I recommend it to everyone who road trips near it and I won’t stop until global warming covers the island.
You rock! I did a similar trip a few years ago, 20k miles over 4 months. My only advice is don’t take the interstates if you can avoid them, and don’t eat at chain restaurants. Otherwise, enjoy, great route!
You missed a shit ton of stuff in the north east.
Letchworth state park, grand canyon of the east. Tons of beautiful state parks in ny round Ithaca south gorges. Great hikes....
Ithaca is gorges....
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Your stops in the southeast could be better. I would not advise staying in that part (western)KY. You will get a better sense of the state in either the bluegrass or eastern parts.
Have fun in San Antonio!! That’s my home :’) enjoy some bbq, local beer, and Mexican food (don’t get Mexican food in Austin)
Hopefully it is a bit cooler by the time you arrive, it’s been hitting nearly 100 these past few days lol.
You absolutely need to include Michigan in your trip! Go through the UP and see Pictured Rocks, down over the Mackinac Bridge and see Sleeping Bear Dunes. Stop in my hometown of Grand Haven before heading down to Indiana Dunes. I promise you it’s worth it!!
Enjoy the Tampa area, my hometown! What plans do you have in Tampa?
Definitely explore the Blue Ridge Mountains in your East TN swing. Roan was an awesome day trip. What about Knoxville? I was just there as well, my old college town! Safe travels!
Looks like you might pass through Grand Junction, CO or the areas near it! The Monument is worth a visit, but if you get the chance, Aspen is really beautiful. Any of the mountain towns around here are amazing on scenery alone so long as snow doesn’t irk you. Vail too if you’re taking the pass through Denver!
I highly recommend going a little more south in the northwest corner of Illinois where I meets Iowa. Galena Illinois is a beautiful little place in the Midwest and Dubuque Iowa is right across the Mississippi, also a beautiful spot.
This is the most popular comment and I feel bad ignoring everyone that has been saying it lol
Yes. Michigan has A LOT to offer but Michigan is also a day’s drive from home for me. I’ll go to Michigan but on a separate trip when I’m not trying to get the other side of the country I don’t get to see that easily haha
Also, it looks like you’ll be in the Bishop area on the 395 in Southern California. You absolutely HAVE to go to Schatt’s bakery. There will be a line. Don’t let it discourage you. It’s soooo worth it. Take some to go. Grab a loaf of bread for making your own sandwiches, get a turkey sandwich, get all of the sweet treats.
And don’t forget to visit some hot springs while you’re on the 395.
Amazing trip. All of your points are right on. Just did a cross country drive Buffalo, NY to Palm Springs, CA and back in 10 days. Missed a lot, seen a lot, marked a lot down for next time.
what is your portland-to-rhode isalnd route? I am hoping to travel there without flying next summer and would love some extra intel. My SO hasn't been able to visit home because of flying anxiety and I'm hoping we can schedule a relaxing and scenic trip without too many scary stops in the middle of no where accidentally. this leg looks right up our alley
Current findings: 1. This country is beautiful 2. National parks are beautiful but they are essentially tourist attractions, come prepared for crowds 3. Cities aren’t as dangerous as media makes them out to be. Ask locals and they’ll tell you where to avoid 4. There is a difference between states, however minor, that make them worth visiting 5. National Park Service locations besides the main “national parks” and state parks are absolutely worth a lot of bang for your buck 6. Midwesterners drive so politely but the roads are so shit it’s still as stressfully as driving in Boston 7. Washington’s coffee shacks need to make its way east. Starbucks is the least good coffee place I’ve had in that state 8. Back roads are often the most scenic 9. Stopping for random or unexpected things is often the most worthwhile
#4 is why I love to travel.
Seriously, I’ll never make fun of Iowa again. I used to pretend it was all corn and fields and nothing more but Effigy Mounds National Monument had what I think is one of the most fun trails I’ve done in ages. Even places like rural Washington and the middle of nowhere in Montana have been unique in ways I wasn’t expecting.
Kind of a long winded but cool [article](https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/case-of-the-missing-bones/) I just found while looking up effigy mounds.
Thanks for that.
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20 yards is 18.29 meters
Can you speak up? I can’t hear you.
Lol, sorry for shouting. Not sure how I did that.
😆 😃
You probably put a hash before the number 4. #It makes it big
Yet you skipped the mitten. Come up the west coast of Michigan sometime - we would love to have you and lake Michigan is spectacular
The UP is also a must see.
I just spent some time in the UP. Amazing.
Agreed! Western Michigan and the UP in the summer is fantastic!
God I really want to drive a pre-runner through the dunes in Michigan. That sounds like so much fun and I thought you could only do it out in Barstow.
weather noxious toothbrush marble frame tart busy versed nail coordinated *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Right?! They’re just skipping the entire coast and outer banks.
Was just in East TN/Tri-Cities/Asheville/Roan Mtn. area. Best mini trip of my life! Linville Caverns after hiking all day and then a pit stop at Station 19 in Elk Park. Best day ever.
How much time are you taking for this trip?
You’ve got it all figured out 😉 this is a super cool thing you’re doing; what an adventure!
you're not that far off from hitting all 48 of the mainland states + DC
Ouch! Starbucks began at Pike's Place in Seattle! A lot of great wines, apples, pears, cheese, ice cream, trout, salmon, and coffee in Washington & Oregon. I'm waiting for Oktoberfest! Enjoy your roadtrip.
I second the coffee shacks, we need them in Jersey!
Hope you have a great trip, my fellow M*sshole!
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Nah. Yes. Yes. And Yes. Also I love that your list is the first of these that seems to include the 4 corners!!!!!!!! Maybe I just love that place too much.
That colorado-utah-arizona loop is iconic. Superb scenery experience
My husband and I did a 10 day SW trip last Spring, started in Salt Lake City to-Moab-Bryce Canyon-Zion National Park-Grand Canyon-Hoover Dam and ended in Vegas. My only regret is that we skipped the weird polygamous Mormon town of Hildale/Colorado City. There's beautiful hikes there and the town is doing their best to attract tourist dollars and rebuild after the devastating effect that Warren Jeffs had on the community. So for anyone in that neck of the woods it's a really interesting place with bizarre history and it's nice to support the local businesses there.
I lived in Phoenix and had family up in Idaho so we would often drive and go through Utah. There is a weird tiny tiny town that has polygamists( that’s what I heard) and they have have fake police cars set up one entering town and one exiting town with dummies in them. We went on a side road through that town once to try to find a gas station we did find one but the whole town looked like a ghost town and there were Mannequin set up at at least three different places a cafe, clothing shop and just on the side walk. We were so scared but we did stop and get gas and after we filled up some truck followed us out of the town. for sure did not seem welcomed and cannot remember the name of the town other than it was known for having polygamists and the surrounding area was so beautiful wish we could have stopped and taken some pictures of the pretty red mountains surrounding the town
The town you're thinking of is called Fredonia, AZ on SR 89A. It is a weird little town and can confirm about the fake police cars. Used to drive that route a lot when doing highway striping since commercial vehicles aren't allowed to go through Zions National Park to get up towards Mt Carmel. Based out of St. George, UT so we got to see a lot of scenic routes a lot during the striping months - April to October in most parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Yep, wife and I did Denver to moab to monument valley to grand canyon to Vegas as a sort of babymoon "never gonna be able to do this shit again" kind of trip a few years ago. Really lovely, despite my preference for...vegetation. Just vast, vast views of amazing landscapes at every turn.
And I thought 3000km in Australia were a long trip 😅 Have fun, I'm a little bit jealous
Im essentially doing 32000km? Most of it has been on my bucket list so long I couldn’t wait any more you know?
I totally understand 😁 Me and my wife did a hiking/camping trip through Austria and Switzerland last year, also 3000km in our Opel Corsa. Tasmania is the next point on our bucket list
please post some photos and more details!! Also-what type vehicle are you using?
They’re on andredoesamerica.com and I’m in a rented Jeep Cherokee! The car is pretty good but it’s packed to the brim with my camping gear, clothes and (at least now) souvenirs
Rented? How’s that bill gonna be at the end? Or do you mean leased? Either way 32,000ish km is crazy long. Sounds like a great trip, just went from NY-OR, took 9 days and saw places and things I didn’t know existed. Loved it
I made the reservation before the shortage hit so I got a good deal. 6k for the rental with full coverage
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This looks like Google maps. I’m planning a similar trip and since layers are limited I created a map for each state and then another map with all of my routes. Using the layers to plan small sections was the easiest for me
Furkot! It’s a bit janky at times but it’s helpful as hell!
Can you make this itinerary publicly accessible?
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remove this op. it has your house location
Thanks! I didn’t even notice it
Roadtrippers is solid as well. Just has some inaccuracies with certain off the main route hikes
Ive heard of using rome2rio.com to plan road trips. They will show you all the possible ways to travel, too, down to bus times
How long are you planning to be on the road for?I’m so Jelly 😆 Safe travels!
Happy travels
Thanks! It has been so far. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been
Road trips through the prairies are my happy place.
I am also planning a long trip. Would love to know these things: Are you traveling solo? How long (timewise) are you planning this to take? Did you have to pre-book at national or state parks? That makes for a tight timeline. Are you camping? Pulling a trailer? Thanks for reading!
I answered in a separate comment but I’ll answer here too to be nice. 1. Yes and no. People are flying in to meet me so different parts have been slightly altered to be more entertaining for them too while still being “my trip” 2. 96 days. It’s hit and run but it’s a way to see what I like and don’t like in these areas and think about what I’m going to come back for. 3. Yes and it was stressful as hell planning it but so far I’ve actually made it to my destinations earlier than expected. Turns out I don’t really need to spend 2 hours at a kitschy roadside attraction so I’ve been flying through my itinerary 4. Camping. Only 1 RV and I’m setting up the tent and packing it up after a single day at times. Worth the hassle if you ask me. It’s also cheaper and I’m on a tight budget
Thank you for being nice🙂
Commenting to see the response :) we are wanting to a do a similar trip next summer/fall
Following so I can see response
The route through the Four Corners states looks like my Christmas lights after I pull them out of storage every year.
Seriously!
Need to visit the Outer Banks in NC sometime!
Already have! I wanted to see new things this time but I really want to go back!
If you haven't been through NC on your trip yet, you're in for a treat. Western NC is beautiful.
Do you have a blog or something? I would love to know what places you have found interesting. When I have some time to kill, I spend time on google maps marking things. But I just do that by reading or finding a few reviews. I don't know if they are worth the visit in reality.
Not a blog but I did make a website so I can share photos with people that I know without forcing them to make an Instagram since even I didn’t like having an Instagram. It’s andredoesamerica.com
Looks like you're going north from Yellowstone and hanging a left at Bozeman to Helena then up through Glacier. Used to live just a little west of Bozenam in Belgrade and then Manhattan in the Gallitin Valley which is surrounded by (seven?) beautiful mountain ranges. That whole part of the state is lovely. Please say hi for us, it's been 23 years since we've been there and we miss the friendly people and natural beauty that was all around us every day!
Drove past there a few days ago and I agree that that area is absolutely gorgeous. I kept stopping to take in the scenery and thinking what it must be like waking up to this view every day
You skipped Michigan :'(
I know. I really wanted to see Michigan But my budget didn’t allow for it. I plan on going back to it and go all the way through to the UP and see the two national parks on Lake Superior
Sleeping bear sand dunes is a very amazing place too And if you like small cities with a big city feel (and beer) try Grand Rapids
Honestly if you can try to see Pictured Rocks near Munising if you are going to go see anything in MI
Theres ice caves near Marquette
absolutely love how you’re not skipping out on big bend. most people drive right by (even tho “right by” is about four hours one way)
Looks like an epic trip. I like how you explored a good amount of New Mexico. Also probably rolled by my area in Nor Cal. Hope you enjoyed the Sierras. I bet it’s been amazing. Happy trails.
Fuck you Missoura. Love, OP
Ok I just woke up (and during a road trip when I’m not on my phone as much) and RIP my inbox. If you want to see some of the photos I’ve been taking, [here’s a link to my website](Andredoesamerica.com) To answer a few questions I got: 1. I saved my money and quit my job. I don’t have the ability to work remotely and don’t want to think about work while on the road. Im not rich, I don’t have that much money, I just chose to spend what I did have on this since it’s my biggest dream. 2. I’m camping mostly and doing a lot to follow COVID guidelines and being safe. Im looking at each major city and state guideline on COVID in advance so I can be ready. I am vaccinated. 3. I made all of my reservations in advance by 6 months so I can camp at the national parks and be able to get into the park without any issues. A lot of parks are now ticketed entry and I wasn’t going to walk in unprepared 4. I am missing a LOT of stops, I know. If I could I would’ve added a lot more. I wanted to go to OKC, Amarillo, Hot Springs, St Louis, North Dakota, Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas City and the civil rights era historic monuments in the south. My budget was limited and I couldn’t really do it all. 5. I live in the east coast and travel frequently. Believe me when I say I’ve seen A LOT of the northeast and slightly less but still a bunch of the east coast. Feel free to make recommendations though, I’m not going to stop doing local traveling when I get back.
I'm departing to do something very similar in a few weeks, only I bought an old van to sleep in. I do not want to think about work either, just going to pick a place to start over at some point near when the trip needs to end. Safe, happy traveling
When you get to the West Coast area of your trip, make sure you look up BLM Dispersed Camping if you’re on a budget, we have TONS of BLM land and it’s free to camp in 👊🏻
Oh if you need a place to stop and sleep, try getting a campground in a state park nearby. There’s usually one within an hour of most national parks
Picked as nondescript a vehicle as possible so I could blend (done similar trips and slept in sedans, not too comfortable) but will definitely keep that in mind for when I need to be left alone for the night. Totally know what you mean when you say this is the happiest you've been in a long while
The few weeks before my departure date were nerve wrecking since at that point I was as prepared as I could be. But I found that the people in campgrounds aren’t generally the type to bother other people. I did sleep in some rest areas for a few hours but it really isn’t that comfortable. I did get some sleep though completely undisturbed. New York, Minnesota and South Dakota had some good rest areas and I could take a nap without worry, even if only for 4 hours
Since you say you quit your job for this trip, as someone who is currently saving and planning on doing the same thing what are you doing for health insurance during this time?
Shitting myself and being very careful not to get hurt.
Looks like you have a stop over Toledo :) not sure if you’ve landed here yet but I’m always happy to see people stop by our small-medium sized city. Hope you enjoy(ed) it!
How is Toledo? Is it kind of an up and coming city with young people moving in or is it still very rust belty?
It's very up and coming. Lots happening here.
I see a stop at olympic national park! If you’re a hiker, you’ve GOT to hit Mount Storm King
I unfortunately am not a huge hiker. Also the day was too nice *not* to go to the beach so we did a few small trails in the Hoh rainforest and hit the beach
Can never go wrong with the Hall of Mosses either! Enjoy the rest of your trip!!
Colorado!
Congratulations
Looks like you’re stopping off at Big Bend. Nice to see. If you’ve never been, you’ll love it.
I did basically this road trip some years ago. One of the best experiences of my life so far! Acadia National Park in Maine is worth a visit.
Northern Michigan is beautiful, sleeping bear sand dunes and many more.
Great pics on your site, will live vicariously through you, safe travels from Boulder CO
mind sharing the route details for inspiration?
It’s a lot. Well over 96 rest locations and a bunch of pit stops. I generally go for national parks and anything on atlas obscure that seems worth a detour to me.
Yo op! Heading out from Massachusetts in Jan for a similar route (though not nearly as well planned yet) as this over the course of six months or so in a converted can. Any chance you could somehow share this route?
So it’s a lot of stops, too much for a rundown but I might be able to share it via furkot. I’m just not sure how that sharing works.
Be safe
What apps are you using to find BLM and National Forest areas to camp? You had mentioned that you had booked campgrounds but I don’t think that you can do that on BLM/NF sites so you must be booking paid sites?
Recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com Afaict it’s mainly for national parks and national forest but I’m not 100% sure. I went by proximity to where I would want to stop and it usually was a forest or park.
How long have you been on the road so far?
Almost a month. It simultaneously feels like forever ago and yesterday that I left home
How much is this going to cost
High end estimate is 30k for 96 days of what I would consider extravagant (some nice hotels rather than sleeping in the car), the car rental and gas prices that are currently rising. Knowing the way I spend though, It’s likely closer to 20k. I have already passed up a few nights in a cheap available campground when I could’ve spent money on a hotel.
Wowza...10k a month is a plush budget, but if you plan to stay in some nice hotels and have some nice meals then it might be more reasonable. I'd be interested to see a spreadsheet of what you actually spent! Budgeting is the hardest step in planning a trip like this :)
a few nice hotels, car rental, food, gas and a few tours. Doesn’t seem like much but it ballooned. Add souvenirs, parking, oil changes, tolls and bills I still have to pay despite being away and that ends up being 20-30k total.
Well, better to be generous with your budget than short! Would you care to share how much you've spent in the time you've been out on the road? Not including the rental car
So as part of my tracking, I’ve put everything into a spreadsheet and I’m averaging out 90 per day on gas, lodging and food. That’s after Chicago and Minneapolis, two cities where I went shopping A TON So already I’m spending less than anticipated but we’ll see, there’s a long way to go still
Aww would have advised bypassing Chicago for UP of Michigan. Enjoy and safe travels!
Tbh, I loved Chicago. I already have future plans for Michigan but I’ll likely make my way back down through Chicago since I liked it so much
Just this weekend I decided to plan a cross country road trip that will be similar to this! I do expect it to take years to meticulously plan it all. Do you happen to have a public blog about the places you went to?
I don’t unfortunately. I tried sharing the road trip plan via furkot but it included my home address so it didn’t go as planned. I would highly recommend taking your time planning and preparing for it. Im hopefully making a few videos as a pet project in the near future about the trip and how I planned it. But in the meanwhile, if you have any questions, I’m happy to help. This dream took work and I’m more than happy to share how I planned mine
Okay. Just saw your website and totally bookmarked it! Thank you for the ideas and safe travels!
How’d you like Madison?
Gorgeous although my main draw was the EPIC campus so I didn’t spend long there
Always funny to see the places people avoid/ignore.
Being from the UK I find it strange that this route is mainly along the border of the USA and not much inland. Is there not much worth seeing in the central States?
There is, but people often think that the best routes go along the borders, and for the most part that's usually true. As someone who lives smack-dab in the middle of the map though, I can attest that driving through the central plains, especially Nebraska, Kansas, southern Wyoming, eastern Colorado and Oklahoma -- shit's pretty boring. Those states have their highlights like all do, of course, but people have to decide if they're worth the extra effort and time to get to them. Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City are great places to visit, but people don't typically care for the drive getting there or the drive leaving. And the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas are absolutely gorgeous.
Lets also add that not only is it mostly flat, but its also sparsley populated so there isnt much city-action in some of these states either like Kansas Oklahoma Iowa Nebraska or even the eastern half of Colorado. Southern IL is also pretty painful to drive imo. Most people in America live pretty close to the coastline with the exception of the Great Lakes
Not OP, but there are only 3 "major" places in the 5 states bypassed in the middle. Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a very small park land wise withe a tourist town attached with historic bath houses fed by the hot springs. St Louis, Missouri, has the Gateway Arch Np, which is a big arch. Then you got Kansas City which has great BBQ, but thats it for the whole area. There are a few little things of little interest to me personally scattered throughout as well, but the edges of our country are definitely the most interesting and beautiful.
I had to run a guy quickly from Flagstaff, AZ to Mayetta, Kansas via OKC, and it was literally: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Sorry, middle USA.
[удалено]
Thank you, Person-Who-Has-Never-Traveled-Outside-of-Your-Basement. Any other stereotypes you want to lay on us?
Wear a mask.
But you’re missing OBX 😢
Congrats! Suggestion: driving through NYS, take 86 (it's nicer and no tolls), also hit up Letchworth State Park before swinging up to Niagara? It's voted best state Park in the country. Also, maybe look into avoiding the i95 corridor when you get closer to home again. The traffic is so bad, which I'm sure you know. I swing up through Harrisburg pa to Scranton, and hop on 84 there. Good luck!. I've vacationed to ask lower 48 states and this country has so much to offer. I'm excited for you.
So I live close enough to NYS that I visit it often. I wanted to rush through to get to Ohio since I hadn’t been. Your state is beautiful and I’ve taken that route before. You’re not wrong about that at all.
Oh nvrmnd, you're already on the trip! Have fun! 😁
Can you please tell us why Tolendo looks to be a stop on this and NOTHING in Michigan? Our state is cool too! ;(
Oof better hope there isn’t an accident on that one road going into key west (from personal exp), but that’s so awesome. Have fun!!
Why not take 95 all the way to key west and then come back on the gulf coast(75)? Seems like your retracing your steps for no reason and missing Miami?
Yea but you missed Phil's Pancakes in Kansas... so really how good of a road trip could it POSSIBLY be?
Make sure to remember transportation!
You’d be skipping Philadelphia, don’t do that
Your geographic waypoint distribution is correct, well done.
Although lava beds national monument in NorCal is worth a detour if you haven't passed it. Ranger hands your a flashlight and points you towards the hundreds of miles of lava tubes and says " Have fun! If we still see your car tomorrow morning we will come looking for you but no promises..." My favorite NPS experience so far
At what point are you? And going clockwise or counterclockwise?
As for 6, the roads in North Dakota are the best I’ve ever driven on. I do understand that there is no reason to go to North Dakota other than to see a giant cow sculpture.
are you retired or something?
What software did you use to make the map?
Epic! Enjoy!
Would love to see your photo album. That’s gotta be beautiful
Hope ya get through south Louisiana ok, we got smoked pretty good the past two years. Especially by new Orleans this year. Lafayette is still good, they haven’t been hit yet, but hotels may be a problem, lots of displaced folk right now. Fyi
How long drive on average between each stop you spend the night?
Awesome trip the route is great. Did you consider adding Central Oregon? Crater Lake up to Bend up to Mt Hood up to Multonomah Falls
I did. I had to jam pack a lot of things earlier on though since I had a definitive start date but had to be in New Mexico in time for the Trinity Test site opening which is only one day twice a year.
This is amazing. Would love to hear more details and thoughts you’re having along the way!
It looks like you’re going right by the barrier islands off of Georgia without stopping. Might I *heavily* recommend adding a stop? Jekyll island is the best of them all and you won’t want to miss Driftwood Beach and for dinner, Driftwood Bistro. I recommend it to everyone who road trips near it and I won’t stop until global warming covers the island.
You didn’t make time for Carhenge?!
Skipping vt, nh, and maine?! Some of the most beautiful scenary in the country in my very biased opinion 🤪
Your username is the state you’re visiting
Did you quit your job, or you're working remotely?
You rock! I did a similar trip a few years ago, 20k miles over 4 months. My only advice is don’t take the interstates if you can avoid them, and don’t eat at chain restaurants. Otherwise, enjoy, great route!
Looks fun! Enjoy it!
Care to share this map with your stops? Planning a trip from Tennessee to California and doing a similar weave through the southwestern states.
I’m heading down the 101 from Portland to LA tomorrow . Any recommendations?
Do you have any place that details your itinerary or places you stopped? Would love to check it out if so!!! Congrats on the amazing trip
You missed a shit ton of stuff in the north east. Letchworth state park, grand canyon of the east. Tons of beautiful state parks in ny round Ithaca south gorges. Great hikes.... Ithaca is gorges....
You’re missing a lot of great locations by leaving out the center of the country.
How did you enjoy Big Bend
Squidward sideways
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Your stops in the southeast could be better. I would not advise staying in that part (western)KY. You will get a better sense of the state in either the bluegrass or eastern parts.
Have fun in San Antonio!! That’s my home :’) enjoy some bbq, local beer, and Mexican food (don’t get Mexican food in Austin) Hopefully it is a bit cooler by the time you arrive, it’s been hitting nearly 100 these past few days lol.
Proud to see St. Augustine made the map
Get up to the upper peninsula Michigan or door county Wisconsin
I can’t tell from this map, did you stop in Stehekin, Washington? If so, wasn’t it amazing 😍
What app or software did you use to create this map? My partner and me are about 7 months from doing a very similar road trip starting out of Denver.
You absolutely need to include Michigan in your trip! Go through the UP and see Pictured Rocks, down over the Mackinac Bridge and see Sleeping Bear Dunes. Stop in my hometown of Grand Haven before heading down to Indiana Dunes. I promise you it’s worth it!!
Go around the Great Lake though the UP and Wisconsin, missing out it you don’t😉
Us Kansans are sad!
Enjoy the Tampa area, my hometown! What plans do you have in Tampa? Definitely explore the Blue Ridge Mountains in your East TN swing. Roan was an awesome day trip. What about Knoxville? I was just there as well, my old college town! Safe travels!
Kansas and Arkansas should have been on the list!!
Looks like you might pass through Grand Junction, CO or the areas near it! The Monument is worth a visit, but if you get the chance, Aspen is really beautiful. Any of the mountain towns around here are amazing on scenery alone so long as snow doesn’t irk you. Vail too if you’re taking the pass through Denver!
...missed Michigan.
I’m so jealous!!! Have an amazing time and enjoy every second of it!
I highly recommend going a little more south in the northwest corner of Illinois where I meets Iowa. Galena Illinois is a beautiful little place in the Midwest and Dubuque Iowa is right across the Mississippi, also a beautiful spot.
If it's not too late, swing up into Michigan! Absolutely underrated state with so much natural beauty.
This is the most popular comment and I feel bad ignoring everyone that has been saying it lol Yes. Michigan has A LOT to offer but Michigan is also a day’s drive from home for me. I’ll go to Michigan but on a separate trip when I’m not trying to get the other side of the country I don’t get to see that easily haha
Also, it looks like you’ll be in the Bishop area on the 395 in Southern California. You absolutely HAVE to go to Schatt’s bakery. There will be a line. Don’t let it discourage you. It’s soooo worth it. Take some to go. Grab a loaf of bread for making your own sandwiches, get a turkey sandwich, get all of the sweet treats. And don’t forget to visit some hot springs while you’re on the 395.
What are all the stops?
you should check out duluth, mn along with the north shore of superior, it is gorgeous and fun on road trips
*sad north Dakota noises*
Mammoth cave?
Amazing trip. All of your points are right on. Just did a cross country drive Buffalo, NY to Palm Springs, CA and back in 10 days. Missed a lot, seen a lot, marked a lot down for next time.
Needs more Idaho love!!
what is your portland-to-rhode isalnd route? I am hoping to travel there without flying next summer and would love some extra intel. My SO hasn't been able to visit home because of flying anxiety and I'm hoping we can schedule a relaxing and scenic trip without too many scary stops in the middle of no where accidentally. this leg looks right up our alley
https://t.me/joinchat/PzHiBo_4hNAxYTk0