I’m finally back in the US of A after a cancelled flight from South Africa and three long days of travel trying to make it home. I got back on the 13th around 1am, my friend from Germany flew in on the 14th, and we left town for our classic American road trip on the 16th (note that I said ‘classic’- not ‘classy’).
I met Stella in April 2010 in Kenya on a volunteer project and we hit it off immediately. We spent about a month together there, and then I visited her in Germany on my way home in November. It was then that we hatched a plan to do a US road trip. It was an impulsive idea, we went to the bookstore and ordered a guide book, and that was that. Our dates got messy once I accepted a job in South Africa, but we were able to switch her flight, and here we are!
It is unbelievable just how much we have seen and done in the first few days. We visited bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. In Memphis we visited the Civil Rights Museum, rode in a pink limo, chatted with Elvis’ #1 fan, saw the Peabody ducks, and went out on Beale St. In Nashville we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame, attended a Nashville Sounds game and a high school football game, hit up the honky-tonks on Broadway, and made a post-drinking stop at the Waffle House.
So, aside from a couple more posts from South Africa, you’ll start to read about our ridiculous road trip! (I should probably mention that our Abe Lincoln bobblehead will make appearances every now and then as well). I wanted to share with you a rough itinerary and get any and all feedback/ideas that you may have. Not only do we want to hit up the typical tourist sites, but we want to see all of those ridiculous things along the way as well… like the Cadillac Ranch, the house made of beer cans, or the world’s biggest rubber band ball. Any and all ideas are welcome :) We are staying with friends and family, couchsurfing, and camping most of the way, but don’t have all the details worked out yet. Obviously, there are some places we will need to stop at in between and if you think there’s someone we must stay with…like your friend’s mom’s best friend’s crazy aunt that would be quite a character, then please let us know!
Completed:
Bardstown/Elizabethtown, KY
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
Columbia, SC
Up Next:
Charleston, SC
Savannah, GA
Jekyll Island, GA
Miami, FL
Tampa, FL
New Orleans, LA
San Antonio, TX
Austin, TX
Sedona, AZ
Grand Canyon, AZ
Mesa Verde, CO
Arches Nat’l Park, UT
Zion Nat’l Park, UT
Bryce Canyon Nat’l Park, UT
Las Vegas, NV
Yosemite Nat’l Park, CA
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
My friend flies out of Los Angeles on October 1st. After that I’m back in San Francisco for a few days, then off to Portland, hopefully swinging through Utah, visiting new friends in Colorado, and then heading back to the East Coast.
Have you done a US road trip? Any must-see places or events?
You somehow missed Iowa on your itinerary. Disappointed.
Ooooh, you’re right. Well, if Hurricane Irene prevents us from going to Florida this week, maybe we will re-route so we don’t miss all of the amazing things Iowa has to offer ;)
Such awesome places you’ll be visiting! My flight to and from SA was BRUTAL. Never again will I fly direct from the US to SA.
Totally agree. Flying direct is sooo long! Though I’m not sure going through Europe or Senegal makes it any less painful ;)
Wow, that looks like a fun itinerary! I’ve never really been on a roadtrip…maybe someday I’ll have to rectify that.
I know! I’m excited to be able to go where we went, when we want. It should be a good time :)
What, you’re not coming to Seattle? You are missing out!!
I know! I’ve been to Seattle a couple of times and really love it, but unfortunately there’s just not enough time to do it all. I think my friend will have to come back and do a northern road trip to see everything!
When are you going to Miami??? I’ll be there towards the end of September! Crossing my fingers for some overlap, that’d be awesome!
Well I’m supposed to be going to Miami on Thursday… when the hurricane is supposed to hit. So we will definitely miss each other then. I need to make it down to Chile!
coolness! it’s really amazing to tour your own country. have a safe trip and enjoy! :) will be reading more of this series. :)
Thanks!
I’m going to be snagging all of your ideas for my eventual US road trip…of course, it would be fun to go to places you haven’t been WITH you, so start taking notes on things you’d like to do but don’t get to do for us to do later :-)
Have a blast with Stella!
Perfect. I’ll start jotting places down for us later!
Over the past 10 years, I’ve done over 100,000 miles of road trips trying to visit all the National Park units in the lower 48 states! I love road trips. (I leave on another one in 2 weeks!)
Yellowstone & Grand Teton are a must on any itinerary. Awesome places.
Wow! That’s absolutely amazing. We visited a lot of National Parks when I was growing up and I love them! I’ve been to Yellowstone & Grand Tetons a couple of times and they’re definitely some of the most beautiful. Have fun on your upcoming trip!
That’s a great list :) While you are around northern AZ and southern Utah, I would throw in Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley. Just do a google image search to see what I mean. Both places are incredible.
Wow! Gorgeous!! Thanks for the suggestions- I need to scope them out on the map now.
Highly recommend the Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur in California! I just did it for the first time and it’s amazing! Let me know if you have time to get together when you’re in San Francisco!
Definitely hope we can meet up! Will hit you up when it gets closer :)
I’ve always wanted to do an American road trip – so much fun!
When you’re in New Orleans, have a hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter, get your palm read, ride the St Charles streetcar, have a snowball (there’s snowball stands everywhere!), and eat beignets at Cafe du Monde!
WAFFLE HOUSE?!!!!!!! I thought you said Stella is a friend.
An American and a German girl road tripping together… that sounds familiar!! Just saw that you are on a major road trip right now as well, where exactly are you girls? We’d love to meet up if you’re still in the South East!
some of the “up next” stops are also on my up-coming road trip and almost around the same time it seems!