Road Trip USA
Road Trip USA 
Have you ever done a road
across the United States?
We soultravelers3 are planning
Have you ever done a road trip across the United States? We soultravelers3 are planning a cross country journey now for this fall that is somewhat based on a 6 month American road trip that I did eons ago. Yep, that is me and my red fiat and tent on that USA road trip over 30 years ago.
Digital nomads are not just a trend today, we did it without the digital part when I was young. I had a ball, so now want to share it with my family.
We left Harvard housing in Cambridge, Massachettes in the cold and snow, then headed quickly to Florida for some sun and relaxation with just a little red convertible, a small tent, and a few clothes. We were headed to San Francisco but took the long route including long stops in Key West, Miami, New Orleans,Big Bend State Park, Grand Canyon and San Diego.
HELP US PLAN
We plan to retrace much of that trip but we will start with a flight from Madrid to Miami and won’t do the Boston to Miami leg. We’re looking for and talking to sponsors now, if you have any suggestions. I’ll give you more information when I know more.
MUST SEE IDEAS NEEDED
You can help us out greatly by suggesting any “must- see” places along the route! We’re in Barcelona now, heading to France, Lake Como, Italy, Swiss Alps, Romania and Budapest on this summer’s Europe road trip, thus, I don’t know how I am going to plan all this, but some how it will come together..or change.
EUROPE ROAD TRIP FIRST, THEN AMERICAN ROAD TRIP
One of our first stops will be Harry Potter’s Wizarding World as Mozart wants to spend her 11th birthday there. After doing her 6th in Paris, 7th in Salzburg, 8th in Sweden, 9th in London and 10th in Barcelona it is time for an American birthday and exploring more of her home country.
She also has a brave 5 year old cousin in Miami that she has not yet met in person, who has already had 4 open heart surgeries, so looking forward to that and other family meetings too.
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE
All suggestions are greatly appreciated!
well we arent a must see stop but if you come near birmingham alabama i can show you around and entertain you! know the US is going to be more expensive than Asia 🙂 so is mozart not going back to school in penang?
Thanks so much Linda! We might just take you up on that! 😉
Oh yes, we are aware that the US is much more expensive than Asia and one reason we are looking for sponsors. 😉
Oh yes, Mozart will go back to school in Asia, but funnily school there does not start until January, so we will be back in Asia by Xmas.
If you want to explore some Gold Rush history skip San Francisco and head to Alaska. We’re friendly hosts and we’d love to share our last frontier with you.
You must visit the Florida Keys (particularly Key West) and St. Augustine, FL (first town in the US) which is rich with history for Mozart and beautiful beaches.
Oh Lise, I’d love to visit Alaska, but sadly, not this trip. My mom is in SF area, so we need to spend time with her and my sis. 😉
Another time! Does it count we have a cool calendar made by hubs sis when they visited Alaska …and loved it? 😉
Thanks Kelly! We’ll definitely visit the Keys and Key West. I use to love it there and have not seen in in ages.
You are the 2nd one to mention St Augustine ..so I will keep that in mind!
My daughter loves HP’s Wizarding World!
We are in Clearwater (about 1 1/2 hours from Orlando amusement parks)and you three are more than welcome to stay at our house, if you need a place to stay. We have cats so hopefully you aren’t allergic.
Near us is Winter the dolphin. The movie was just made and should be coming out soon.
St. Augustine is fun although a bit touristy. Lots of nature parks and pretty beaches in this part of Florida.
Will you go up to Chicago? So many great museums in Chicago.
So much fun stuff in San Diego, as you probably already know.
Sounds fun.
If you need a place to stay in West Texas (Lubbock to be exact) let me know. Our 9 year old homeschooled boys would love it. We have been following your travels for years and would love to host you!
We’re also in Birmingham, AL… weekly MSIA home seminars Wed. 6pm, if you’re in town, children welcome of course, since we have a 5, 4, 2… I think it’s be more fun for us to have you than for you to see Birmingham, AL, but there are number of things to see/do… including the civil rights museum, and the Alabama Symphony is actually pretty good (as a child of a concert pianist and a trained ballet dancer, I have a taste for music!)
Just did the cross-country trip from SFO to Cambridge, MA in 2008. I highly recommend the northern route if you’re doing it in the summer… spectacularly beautiful, and must-hit points are Mt. Rushmore, the badlands in South Dakota, Yellowstone and Glacier National park…
Perhaps you can detour to Alaska from Glacier National park 🙂
Would love to meet up with you when you’re in Orlando. =) Couple of suggestions …
DeLeon Springs is considered to be where Ponce de Leon thought it found the fountain of youth. It’s about an hour outside of Orlando. They turned an old sugar mill there into an awesome pancake house where you grill your own pancakes.
Rock Springs State Park (in the burbs of Orlando) has 72 degree crystal blue water where kids go tubing. Mozart might find it fun. Great place for a picnic.
So much to see and do!
We’re doing one right now! We’re in the middle of snow in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, about to start week five of our Western road trip through 12 states. (Then, we’re driving straight across country from California to Tennessee before we leave for Semester at Sea in August.)
I’ve found it’s best to just plan as you go, especially as you never know what the weather will be like in fall (or anytime…it’s June and we’ve had snow every day!). We’ve really only been researching a stop in advance for all places so far. And you’re not traveling in high season, so you don’t have to worry about reservations (we’re still on shoulder season and nowhere has been near full)
Thanks Christine and Melissa! I am overwhelmed by your generosity!
Thanks a bunch Sina! I’ll let you know when our plans get a little more together!
Samyukta- I’d LOVE to do the northern route sometime, but this year it has to be the southern route as we are meeting family along the way!
Coolio Rachel, thanks so much! I’ll keep you posted as the time gets closer!
I know you are C&C! 😉 Sounds like you are having a ball..but snow in June..wow.
Ah, yes, we really do like to play it by ear..so I like that idea. I only wish our paths would cross. 🙂
If you’re planning on heading up to the west coast of Florida, Sarasota is a beautiful city. There’s the powdery white sand beaches and the fantastic, must-see Ringling Museum of Art & Ca’ d’Zan Mansion. My kids love it there! Here’s the link: http://www.ringling.org/
That photo is cute 😉
How nice to be able to re-trace this journey with you family… I’m so happy for you!
Jeanee, I really think we’d all enjoy to hear about your trips and adventures when you were younger in a post! I’d love to see more pictures too. Seems like you’ve always been the adventurist type! I love your blog soo much and I hope to live a lifestyle similar to yours someday. 🙂
Thanks Jill! My memories of Sarasota, Fl when I was small was the water that smelled like rotten eggs.
Is that not a problem any more? Other wise it seemed quite nice.
Aw, thanks Gabrielle! I will be writing more about our USA trip and the one I took when younger. …More old photos too. 😉
Hi, We are planning a 3 month trip from San Diego to Miami, Similar to what you are planning. I am in the early stages of planning. We still have 6 months until we leave. I will be keeping an eye on your blogs. Good luck with the plans.
Sounds fabulous Pris! I am lost in planning it myself and not crazy that we will starting in Miami at the height of hurricane season, but I am going to trust all will work out fine.
It’s a fun trip you will love and I am happy to be able to do this with my family.
So many great places along the way…I’m tempted to make it 6 months again…but must get home to family in SF area before heading back to Asia.
It sounds like you’ll be coming through Austin! If this summer continues to be as hot as its started, you’ll want to visit as many swimming holes as you can. Barton Springs is wonderful, and the water is 65 degrees year round. There’s a kayak rental place right nest to it as well if you’d rather be on top of the water.
Without a doubt, Boston is a must see: the Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, a whale watch, lobster boat fishing. Then there’s walking around Harvard in Cambridge, heading north to historic Salem and the House of Green Gables. Head south to Plymouth and the Cape and at the very tip of the Cape, funky Provincetown. So much to do, so much to see. 🙂 So excited for you all.
Thanks V’s Herbie! We’d love to see Austin, but not sure if we will or not. My niece lives in Houston so we know we’ll stop there…but playing Austin by ear.
We haven’t been before ( I’ve been to Texas quite a few times and even shot a movie there once).
I’d also love to see Corpus Christi but playing that by ear as well.
Thanks for the tips!!
I agree and absolutely adore Boston as I lived there once long ago and would love to go back.
Alas this particular trip of ours is from Miami to SF, so Boston is definitely too far north. 😉
Hi there,
We’re more than happy to host you. We live just a few miles from Mount Vernon, outside of Washington DC. You and I corresponded a few times years ago when you were just getting started on your journeys. Our daughter is 11, almost 12 and our son is 9 1/2. As you know, there is so much history here. Please drop in for a visit. We will likely house swap over Christmas with a family in FL but any other time is fine with us.
The Biltmore Mansion in Ashville, North Carolina is an amazing stop.
The parks in southern Utah are a must see – Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands – incredible. The Grand Canyon of course in Arizona.
If you head further north, Yellowstone is amazing, we just went there last week.
Generally the hurricane threat is over rated. They’re bad if you happen to get one but statistically speaking most of them either go into the Gulf or hit further up the East Coast. As long as you’re not flying into Miami in the middle of one it should be fine.
Places to go . . .I can also recommend St. Augustine, especially the fort/old city area. Other fine places in Fl . . .the Keys and Key West and also the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary over on the West side near Naples. The largest Wood Stork nesting areas in the world I believe. Disneyworld if kidlet has never been there of course. Heading west . . . New Orleans is super and assuming you’re heading generally across I-10 the Alamo is also a good historic place to visit. Grand Canyon, the parks in the Southwest, you almost can’t go wrong. Knowing your general “hang around for a couple of weeks and see everything” travel style . . .you won’t be able to see everything so pick a handful of places and get into them in detail would be my recommendation.
Thanks so much Nancy for your sweet offer! We’d love to visit DC but will not go that far north this year.
We will be back at some point to do some courses on home building in Maine, ( something important I think for kids to learn) so maybe then we will do an east coast road trip.
As I plan this trip, I see just how much to see in the USA. Unfortunately it’s quite expensive for us, so we’re trying to learn how to do it cheaply. Finding transportation is the hardest part so far.
Thanks so much Nancy for your sweet offer! We’d love to visit DC but will not go that far north this year.
We will be back at some point to do some courses on home building in Maine, ( something important I think for kids to learn) so maybe then we will do an east coast road trip.
As I plan this trip, I see just how much to see in the USA. Unfortunately it’s quite expensive for us, so we’re trying to learn how to do it cheaply. Finding transportation is the hardest part so far.
Rachel- Thanks a bunch! We won’t get to all of those places this time as we just have 2 months and are going the southern route from Miami to SF, but we will see Grand Canyon.
We’ll have to add more USA road trips from time to time I see. 😉
Thanks Neil! Glad to hear that the hurricane threat is over rated. I lived through a few there and tornadoes when we lived in Miami long ago when I was a kid. I am hoping the weather will be great while we are there.
I am adding St Augustine because so many people seem to rave about it and it is on our way to Savanna which I think we are adding.
We will do New Orleans but hadn’t thought of the Alamo and like that idea.
We’re going to try to sneak in Sedona, Santa Fe too although they are out of the way.
We will have to go faster than what we like…so we will play it a bit by ear..picking out “musts” then doing the “maybe’s” as we have time.
I so appreciate the input!!
This sounds great! Came across you guys on Twitter and aspire to do something similar to what you are when we have children. We’re currently in the middle of a 9 month tour around Europe. 🙂 We’re renting a townhouse in Silverthorne, CO starting the first of the year. CO is amazing if you haven’t been. You’re welcome to stop in for a visit if you make it that way!
Thanks for your kind words and offer Megan…so glad you found us!
We’ve spent a lot of time in Colorado, but alas will not be headed to that area this time. Enjoy yourself and say hello to our dear friends in Denver if you head that way
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/03/castle-marne-trip-advisors-1-bb-in-denver.html