USA's 5 Best Road Trips was first featured back in May 2013 and was written by David and Kay Scott. The two of them have driven more than 250,000 miles over 4 1/2 decades. These are their choices (I don't believe they are in any particular order).
- Pacific Coast Highway or California 1: 1,700 miles from Southern California to Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Kid stops:
- San Diego Zoo
- Skunk Train
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
- Hoh Rain Forest.
- Florida State Highway A1A and the Overseas Highway: 600 miles along Florida's Atlantic coastline. Kid stops: St. Augustine's Marineland, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Palm Beach Zoo, South Florida Science Museum, Everglades National Park, Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
- Newfound Gap Road, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Skyline Drive. This one takes you through three national parks including Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge, and Shenandoah National Park. The ideal time is Spring for blooms and fall for foliage. Kid stops:
- Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg
- Rafting in Asheville
- Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.
- US Highway 395 in California. This 1,300 mile drive connects Southern California with the Canadian border. Features include Lone Pine, California, Death Valley National Park, Lake Tahoe, and Reno. Kid stops:
- Bodie State Historic Park
- California Virginia Truckee Railroad train ride
- Reno's Discovery Museum, Pendleton
- Oregon's Familiy Aquatic Center, Sacajawea Interpretive Center in Pasco, Washington
- Children's Museum and Science Center in Spokane, Washington.
- US Highway 2. This is the northernmost U.S. highway and stretches 3,300 miles from Washington to Maine. It includes a 700-mile portion in Canada. Places of interest include Glacier National Park and three of the Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, and Huron). Kid stops:
- Coulee Dam tour
- Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
- Soo Locks
- Vermont Capitol tour
They offer suggestions on ways to cut costs on trips including the following:
- Compare rent vs. using your own vehicle
- Use reasonable driving speeds and make sure tire pressures are correct
- Look for the lowest gas prices when you have enough fuel to be selective
- Take snacks including a cooler with veggies and drinks
- Carry reusable water bottles
- Stop at a grocery store to pick up breakfast items to eat in the room or on the road
- Picnic for lunch or dinner
- Check for restaurant and motel coupons
- Ask for discounts at motels and hotels: "Is that the best you can do?"
- Consider buying an America the Beautiful pass for $80.
- Ask where the locals eat and what to do
They recommend looking into the following apps:
- GasBuddy
- AroundMe
- GoogleMaps
- MyRadar
- Hotels.com
- Oh, Ranger! Park Finder
- MapsGalaxy
- Tripit
- Yelp
For more details, read the complete article click here.
I did some quick internet searches and found ideas for similar road trips.
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