If you’ve road tripped before in the UK, you should be warned that your experiences are going to pale somewhat compared to road tripping in the USA. A road trip in America will truly be the mother of such once-in-a-lifetime journeys and booking with Trailfinders will set you on your way to fulfilling this dream. Once booked, tight planning is the next step: it’s highly advisable that you’re armed to the teeth before you set out – in terms of your itinerary if nothing else.
America is simply too vast to truly get a feel of from a single visit to a single place. The best possible way to undertake USA holidays is by flying there, renting a car with your friends, and hitting the highway. We have some valuable advice for you if this is the first time you’re attempting such a grandiose venture.
Sort out your phone before you leave
If you can’t afford roaming for your UK phone, make sure that it’s unlocked before you hit the States. You can get cheap phones while you’re there too, but make sure you understand that you can’t really find pay-as-you-go SIM cards. Most of the cheap phone deals involve prepaid phones.
AT & T generally has the best coverage across the USA, which is what you’ll want, given that you’re going on an epic road trip.
Food
Of course, you’re more than welcome to make your own sandwiches, but where’s the real fun in that? It’s better to save a little extra cash to sample some of those classic American roadside delicacies.
The highways will be chock-full of authentic old-school diners and truck-stop cafes, as well as decent chain restaurants. Eating at such places will save you the trouble of driving into suburbs and towns to look for local places to eat.
Avoid McDonald’s, and try and eat at some of the abovementioned places on the highway – the burgers and breakfasts are to die for.
Crashing out
While we’d recommend the diners for that touch of true Americana, the same is not quite true with accommodation, so resist the temptation to stay in a roadside motel. There are loads of free camping sites that you can simply rock up at, pitch camp and then leave in the morning with your wallet unopened. Gazing out at the night sky will be much better than staying in a musty old room.
If camping isn’t really your thing but you still want to save money, a little pre-planning will take care of your problem. There are plenty of couch-surfing websites where you can meet people online who are offering their living rooms as a place you can stay at for a night or two, for nothing.