The Road Trip
An Adventure In And Of Itself
Those who know me know that I am a dreamer extraordinaire. I am prone to wander and escape. Lately, I’ve become a curious backpacker with a thirst for adventure. I perpetually browse through tour sales to scheme my next getaway.
These days I’m dreaming of miles of winding roads along rugged coastlines, soaring pinnacles and flowery meadows. Who doesn’t dream of embarking on one of many stretches of road to uncover mesmerizing landscapes? From curving mountain trails to flat desert terrain, these journeys can range from a few hours to a few days, and can be easily be customized to suit my schedule.
Hitting the road has been a time-honored tradition in my family for decades. I don’t dislike flying but I really like to experience new destinations from a front-seat view, and road trips are often the best way to explore. I like to kick my feet up on the dashboard, roll down the windows, and turn on my favorite playlist.
The road trip is very much a part of American mythology, from Thelma and Louise to “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
While there are many road trips I have taken, there are still many on my bucket list.
My favorite road trip was from Los Angeles to San Francisco via the Pacific Coast Highway. We started in mesmerizing Malibu with the sparkling Pacific ocean. We continued north on the PCH as it snaked along the coast through Oxnard, Santa Barbara and other beachfront towns — stopping for a breather and to snap some breathtaking photos at one of the many designated roadside stops.
About two hours from Santa Barbara along the Pacific Ocean coastline we arrived in stunning Morro Bay where Morro Rock –a ginormous volcanic plug sticks out of the ocean. About 34 miles north of Morro Bay is the Elephant Seal Rookery in San Simeon where we stopped to get an up close and personal look of the herds of elephant seals that line this part of the California coast. This is followed by many more scenic cities like Monterey, Carmel and finally the unforgettable city of San Francisco.
This is an approximately 500 mile road trip. You could spend a month slowly traveling up the road and never do the same thing twice. The best advice I can give you is to take it slow, soak in the beauty and seek unique experiences around every turn. Suffice it to say that there is no better way to fully experience these views than behind the wheel of a convertible.
On my bucket list and currently in the plans is a road trip called the Epic Great Northern Road Trip on US 2. It gets its name, the Great Northern, in memory of the pioneer railroad that parallels the western half of the route, US-2 is the longest of all the great transcontinental road trips. It starts on the Atlantic coast of Maine at Acadia National Park and traverses nine states and two Canadian cities ending up in Seattle, Washington. The plan is to continue to the Pacific Coast Highway from Seattle to Los Angeles and fly home from there. This makes it a total of 10+ states.
Another one on my bucket list is America’s Route 66. This is a road trip that poems, movies, and books have been dedicated to, a journey of contrasts where the 1920’s meet the 21st century, beach meets desert, and jazz meets the boogie of the West. It passes through eight states and three time zones so I’ll have to set aside at least two weeks to experience everything. It starts in Chicago and passes though St. Louis, then Amarillo, Texas. A day or so later I can gaze down at the Grand Canyon and maybe even opt for a Vegas detour. The adventure wraps up in sunny Los Angeles, where I can visit a dear friend and hunt for celebrities along the sandy beaches.
In the past two years, for obvious reasons, Americans have been hitting the road in big numbers. This puts America on the road to domestic tourism recovery. Professionals in the field are seeing the increase in road trips as the catalyst for travel’s return. The great American Road Trip is back and stronger than ever!
Trends show that people are more likely to go to remote areas, beaches and natural settings, while less likely to visit hotspots and city centers.
At the core, road trips are about escaping restrictions — so why limit yourself to the lower 48? Explore the United States — and the world — get behind the wheel every year and let the horizon unfurl before you!
