I know, the
first thing that probably pops into your head when you hear “road
trip” is the disastrous trip of the Griswald family in “Vacation”.
That was pretty funny, but thank heavens I’ve never had a road
trip like that.
The only way
to see this beautiful country is by driving through it. This country
is magnificent. The dictionary defines magnificent as impressively
beautiful, splendid, spectacular, impressive, glorious, inspiring,
breathtaking, awesome, majestic…well you get the meaning. The
sights I’ve seen can be described by every one of those words, and
then some.
First,
determine the amount of time you have. With today’s technology,
planning a road trip, and mapping out a route is the easiest thing to
do. You need to plan how long you are willing to drive in a day,
where you want to stop for the night, and what you want to see while
you’re there. Then let your computer plan your route. MapQuest is
a good tool for planning the trip.
So now the
tough decisions are what to see and do. I’ll tell you about some
of the places I’ve been. Let’s start with Colorado because
that’s where I live. You have the majestic mountains all
throughout the state, Rocky Mountain National Park, The Great Sand
Dunes National Park, you can drive to the top of Pikes Peak where the
views are breathtaking, or you ride the incline if you don’t want
to drive, there are hot springs to rest your body and soul, and
plenty of National Forest to just camp. Most National Parks offer
camping also. If you’ve never driven up the California coastline,
you are missing out on the most spectacular views you’ll ever see,
and who doesn’t love the ocean? You’ve got to see the Redwood
Forest in northern California. The giant trees can be found nowhere
else in the U.S. To just say giant trees does not do them justice.
To see a picture of them is not enough. You must see them in person.
They are awe-inspiring. There are absolutely no words to describe
Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. I can only say, GO SEE IT. I’ve
climbed up the side of a volcano in Oregon at Volcano National
Monument. My absolute favorite, Yellowstone National Park which
borders Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Gives you an idea of just how
big it is. There is nowhere on this earth as dramatic as
Yellowstone. You take a walk though all the geysers and each one is
made up of all different colors. And let’s not forget Old
Faithful. It is truly amazing to watch Old Faithful go off at
exactly the same time, each time. Nowhere else can you see buffalo
and other animals roaming down the streets. It is nature at its
most stunning and again, pictures won’t do, you need to see it to
experience the majesty. I have climbed a snow-covered glacier in the
middle of the summer wearing shorts at Glacier National Park in
Montana. I’ve toured the civil war battlefields in the south and
the sponge diving in Florida. Not to mention Disney World, Sea
World, Universal Studies, etc. Take a ride on a whaling boat in
Mystic, Connecticut and take the ferry across to Long Island. (Yes
you take your car or RV right on the ferry). Take in the beauty and
majesty of Niagara Falls in upper state New York. Washington, DC,
our nations capital has so many things to offer, but the most
impressive is the Smithsonian Museums, and they are free to get in,
as are most of the attractions and monuments in Washington, DC.
There are so many other places to see.
So pack your
bags, pack a tent, rent an RV, but don’t make plane reservations.
You’ll miss too much by flying, and there is so much more in
between all the places I mentioned that you don’t get to see when
you fly. I hope I’ve inspired you to take a road trip. America
truly is beautiful, from sea to shining sea.
I would love
to hear from you about places you’ve been because I would still
like to see it all. Comment below so I’ll know where to plan my
next vacation.
Hope to see
you on the road.
