Sometimes it’s not necessarily where you’re heading but the journey that counts. This is why road trips are perhaps one of the best forms of travel. Not only do you end up in some pretty brilliant places, but you’ll pass a whole lot of sites and make a whole lot of memories on the way. Where better to try this out than the rolling expanse of the United States? If this sounds good to you, here are some brilliant places to stop off during your adventure!
Kansas (Route 66)
As soon as “road trip” is brought up in conversation, there tends to be one road in particular that springs to people’s minds, no matter where they live in the world – Route 66. This highway was one of the first in the US system and has garnered various nicknames over the years, including the “Will Rogers Highway”, the “Main Street of America”, and the “Mother Road”.
It traverses almost 4000 kilometers of terrain and passes through the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. So, there are plenty of world-renowned places to visit as you travel along it if you so choose. But let’s take a moment to focus on Kansas. Kansas has seemingly endless activities and tourist sites including museums, memorials, as well as high-quality dining and bars.
What’s perhaps best? As you drive away, you can quote Dorothy’s famous line from the Wizard of Oz – “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”.
Danbury (Interstate 84)
The Interstate 84 is a lesser-known highway when it comes to taking road trips. In fact, unless you’ve done your fair share of research when it comes to familiarising yourself with the USA and its road systems, you may not have heard of it before. But sometimes the lesser traveled road can take you to some truly brilliant destinations.
The Interstate 84 runs from Portland, Oregon to Echo, Utah. So, if you’ve ever fancied following the Oregon Trail, you may find yourself here! Now, chances are that we’re all pretty familiar with the destinations at either end of the trail, so let’s focus on a relatively small city en route – Danbury. Otherwise known as “Hat City” (due to the prevalence of hat factories in the area in the past), Danbury is home to rolling woodlands, parks with public trails, and the Tarrywile Mansion (a historic home).
This serves as the perfect place to stop off en route. Book a room in Quality Inn & Suites Danbury, so you have somewhere to rest for the night and use your day and evening to explore this quaint location!
San Francisco (Pacific Coast Highway)
Another iconic all-American road trip is the Pacific Coast Highway. Officially known as “State Route 1”, this road runs straight along the coastline of California. If you’re going to explore California, you really have to stop off in San Francisco. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, take in the bustling local atmosphere, and if you have enough time you could even arrange a trip to the infamous Alcatraz Island!
These are just three stops on three American routes. Chances are you’ll stumble across a whole lot more locations along the way!