The Iconic American Road Trip – An Essential Guide
Ever just wanted to get on the road and leave all your problems behind? Feel the wind running through your hair while riding a Harley? Then maybe you hear the subtle siren call of the American road trip? If so before you don your biker boots and bandana, check out our essential guide below.
Planning
Ok, so planning your road trip isn’t exactly like when they just take off in the movies, but this is real life here, people! That means there are going to be a few things that you need to do before you can hit the road.
The first is sort out all the documentation you are going to need for the trip. If you are not a US citizen, you will need either an ESTA or a Visa to enter the country. The American ESTA is available to those travelers whose home country in involved in a prearranged agreement with e US. If your country doesn’t have that agreement in place, you’ll need a VISA. However, the ESTA Application is way more convenient if you have the ability to enter that way.
Also, ensure that you have the correct license for the vehicle that you want to complete your road trip with. If you love the idea of the iconic Harley, then you will need to be able to prove, that you can handle and take care of the machine. Presenting your license with the appropriate categories, before they will rent one to you usually, surfaces.
Picking Your Route
The next thing you need to make sure that you investigate the route that you are going to take. This is the fun bit.
The most well known USA road trip is probable Route 66, which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. You can choose to complete the entire route or just do a portion of it. Whichever you choose you can be sure that there will be some wide open spaces and interesting stops along the way.
The route is very well signposted and is also known as the Mother Road or America’s Main Road depending on who you talk to.
As you are driving, you can decide where to stop for food, a visit or a bed for the night. There is no shortage of diners taking advantage of the Route 66 fame, so you definitely won’t go hungry on your travels. Try 66 Diner in Albuquerque for zucchini fries, a cob salad or a grilled cheese.
Places of interest to visit include the Magic House in Missouri, which is a great value children’s activity center and museum, Perfect if you are driving the route with the kids and need to allow them to stretch their legs and burn off some steam.
Don’t forte the heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. A must for any petrol heads!
Route U.S. 191
Are you after more nature inspired trip? Then why not take the US 191 from Douglas, Arizona on the Mexican border to Yellowstone National Park? It’s not one of the largest roads in America, but it is pretty interesting.
If you are planning to drive the whole route, be prepared to experience some hot weather down in Arizona. It’s wise to have a few day to acclimatize before you begin your trip and ensure you have lots of water to stay hydrated and alert while you are driving.
One place you just can’t miss in Moab, Utah is Hole N’ The Rock. This is a 14 room home, blasted and rolled out of solid rock. It took 12 years to create and was the home to Glass Christensen’s since 1952. It was also home to its creator Albert until he passed in 1957. Its open to visitors and you won’t miss it due to the massive white painted lettering on the front.
Once you get to Wyoming, you will have the pleasure of driving across the Flaming Gorge Dam. Opening in 1964, the dam is 153 meters high. It quite spectacular to drive across with one side the dam and the other the reservoir.
Across the entire route, you get to watch the scenery change as you progress. Then you finally end up in one of the most stunning nature reserves in the world. Yellowstone National Park is home to canyons, wildlife rivers, and Guesses including Old Faithful.
It’s located on a volcanic site and is a plural tourist destination. Organized tours are run daily, and kids can even become an honorary park ranger for the day. Itis a protected home to hundreds of animal species. These do include bears, so if you decide to camp in the designated zones, make sure you’re aware of this.
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