Planning a roadtrip.

[ellis]

Hello all! I am needing so much help. :) I am from the UK and have never visited the US before. I am wanting to do a roadtrip, i know i want to start in Miami and finish in LA, but i have no idea when to visit in between. I definitely want to visit a few places in Texas (a big place, i know) but again, have no idea where. You'd think with being in the travel industry i'd have more of a clue, but the US is a big place with lots to see and do i wanna know where the best places in between are. Also i want a scenic route. Not only for myself, but to make my family and friends jealous when i get home with pictures. :) I don't mind roughing it and staying in crappy hotel either. I just want more of an idea and to get an itinerary put together. Please, please, please help me. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO CLUELESS. Thanks. :D x

[ellis]

Route 66 is always my second option too. :)

[Mark Sedenquist]

To start with I'd go to the Map Center and click on "Draw Circles" -- the button is about 1/2 day the page and set the radius for 500 miles and then click on a city like Denver, Colorado. 500 miles is the absolute farthest you should plan to drive on any road trip. That's about 8-10 hours in the car once you add the time to purchase fuel, traffic and construction delays and food stops.

By using the Circle Tool, you can get an idea about why it takes 5-6 full days to drive across the USA.

Lots of resources here. Enjoy your time on RTA.

mark

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

As Mark mentions, use all the RTA resources with a good map to hand and start looking for things that appeal to you. It could be New Orleans or Memphis, the Rocky mountains or the Grand canyon, or all of them if time permits ! Once you get a few dots on the map and work out how long you have we can help to fill in the blanks and help you join the dots up.

I definitely want to visit a few places in Texas (a big place, i know) but again, have no idea where.

I can't help wonder why you have decided you definitely want to visit Texas, yet have no idea where. Lol. Nothing wrong with Texas, but make sure you explore all your options and understand why you might want to head there and that it matches your interests . ;-0

[ellis]

Texas is somewhere i have always wanted to go since i was young and i don't know why. The reaso i askin for advice is because i want to know what real America has to offer, not the tourist attractions and with me being a tourist, i only know about the attractions. All i know is that i want a scenic route from Miami to LA (because the flight are direct and cheaper from and to these 2 airports) and the southern states have always attracted me. I have 3 weeks to fit in as much as i can.

[ellis]

I-10 is the way forward i think.

[Lifemagician]

The reason I asking for advice is because I want to know what real America has to offer, not the tourist attractions ....

In that case, be adventurous. Land in Miami.... get in a car.... and head for the horizon! Everytime you arrive at a place, speak to the locals, ask what they value in their neighbourhood. Ask them what the most interesting / scenic route is, to the next place... ask them which place to head to (for your interests)... and head on out. Just make sure you have good roadmaps (such as AAA or Rand McNally), and that you keep heading in the right direction. No telling what gems you may stumble upon.

It is a decade ago now, when I (a senior female and solo traveller) landed at LAX, in blissful ignorance, not knowing anything about trip planning, nor about North America. I spent three months relocating cars, always choosing one which went to a place of which I had never heard. The gems I located, the routes I travelled, have been my most memorable to date.... for all the right reasons. True, I did not get to see many of the so-called 'must see' places, but I experienced so much more.

As you already know, being in the industry and all, from guide books (and this site), you are going to get the most popular, and often touristy, places on the planet.

Lifey