by Kathleen Hamblen

There is a wide range of transportation options to travel in the United States by rail, bus, plane, cycling, and the most convenient being the car. In a report done by reference.com in March 2020, it is estimated that there are 210 million licensed drivers in the United States. Travelling by car is not only the most convenient but also allows the passengers to view the landscape, especially if you tend to ¨stray off the beaten path.¨ There are a series of interstate highways that allows you to travel nearly anywhere. In the bigger cities such as Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, it is recommended to use the public transportation the cities offer because of the infamous traffic jams and horrendous wait times. Using the buses and metropolitan systems can be less nerve wracking and save you the nightmare of finding a parking spot.

Travelling between cities to states is easy because there are not many controls in place. It is possible that you may run into a few toll roads that require you to pay a fee to use the major highways. The earnings from the toll roads support maintenance and the implementation of new roads. The major highways allow for faster arrival times to your destination, with the typical speed limits being 65 mph or 70 mph. Florida has 719 miles of toll roads, also credited as being the most expensive of all the 50 states. On the other hand, there are secondary highways that show more of the farming towns and smaller communities.

Rather you consider yourself to identify more with the west coast or east coast American culture, there are incredible routes that are worth experiencing travelling by car. The historic road Route 66 was a journey beginning in Chicago all the way to California. It was a popular route for motorists, but today there are many potholes and cracks in the pavement, inhibiting people to travel the entirety of its length. One of the most commonly done road trips is done in a convertible car (like the one pictured above), on the Pacific Coast highway in California (pictured on the left). It is suggested to rent a car that you can ¨drop the top,¨ to fully experience the exhilarating feeling of the wind blowing through your hair, the sun on your skin, on the open road. The iconic road trip begins in San Diego, passing through popular tourist destinations Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle towards the beautiful coastal town Monterey, ending at the famous bay city, San Francisco.

It is important to be well-prepared before setting off on your adventure road tripping the United States. Having a tentative itinerary to follow would be smart to have so that you can calculate the time and gas needed to arrive. There are various accommodation options to book for your vacation on the road. Many large cities offer AirBnb, where you can stay in a home or apartment with fully equipped kitchens, hotels that allow for one night stays, and if you are feeling like roughing it for a while to connect with nature, you can bring a tent to stay in nature reserves or the allocated camping areas.

Some of my fondest memories from my childhood were being cooped up in a car, eagerly awaiting the new destination or my family's favorite destination, Florida. Once I turned 16 years old, I was unanimously volunteered to have a turn in driving the car while the previous driver took a cat nap. From my city, Terre Haute, Indiana to the top of Florida (the Panhandle), is an easy drive of 12 hours (sounds crazy, I know.) However, the middle of the states takes around 20-22 hours, while driving to Miami or the Florida Keys can take two days. In my opinion, you should rent a car to drive on the west coast through the well-preserved national parks, or through the sunny state of Florida.