Capturing The World - Inspiring To Explore
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Trip #1
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Road trip around the entire country from West, East, South and North (missing a few of the states in the middle). This was over the period of about 3 months.
Accommodation/s
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The back of our GMC Safari!
Things to do
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I might be biased but DO A ROAD TRIP! It is the best way to see America, you get to see the most beautiful things your wildest dreams could never imagine if you were just going from airport to airport. Even if it's just for a week or two, I really recommend hiring a car to get from A to B. You can read my blog about this specific road trip here.
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Do all the theme parks, see the major cities, live all of your best cliché movie moments! But make sure you also visit the beautiful National Parks that are on offer (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Yosemite, Sequoia plus so many more).
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Do your research to see if any of your favourite bands are in town while you're visiting. Seeing live music in a foreign city or town is such a fun and exciting experience.
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For a full list of places we visited, I recommend checking out my digital map here.
Be mindful of
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Make sure you have a valid and approved ESTA visa before travelling to (or via) the USA. This is an essential visa to have before you are able to board any flight to the USA. You can apply for an ESTA here.
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Be bear and wildlife aware! The wildlife in the states is no joke so make sure you do your research prior to travelling and always listen to/take advice from your tour guides.
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There is a tipping culture in the USA so be mindful to tip your waiters and service staff.
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Make sure you check the National Park opening and closing dates before you book your holiday in. There's nothing more disappointing than driving all the way to a National Park to see a big 'closed' sign on it.
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Further to that, be mindful of the weather when you plan to visit. America is so vast if you are moving around it may very well be snowing in one state and sunny in another! So pack accordingly.
Food & Drink
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The food in America is unreeeeal! I recommend trying: Shake Shack, In N Out Burger, The Cheesecake Factory, Wahlburger, Whataburger, Voodoo Doughnut, Giordanos (deep dish pizza), Dairy Queen, Olive Garden and iHop. But literally anywhere else as well... it's hard to find a bad meal in the states!
The Positives
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America is literally so beautiful and so vast, there's so much to see and do there. It's a destination that is so worth the bang for your buck if you're going to make the effort to go there.
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If you don't like somewhere you've visited, or you found the people weren't friendly - just keep driving and you'll find it's completely different everywhere you go. Especially from state to state, you'll find the general attitude and feel of the place can feel totally different from the last place you were.
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It borders Canada and Mexico so depending how long you're visiting for and if it's by air or car, you can also include these awesome destinations as a part of your itinerary.
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While it's scary at first, driving in America is relatively easy compared to other countries. You just have to remember what side of the road you're on and you'll figure the rest out!
The Negatives
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For some people it may be confronting to see people with guns on them just walking around or lining up in front of you at a cafe. While personally it never really bothered me or concerned me, I understand that might be something to prepare yourself for if you think it might frighten you.
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It's hard to think of anything negative to be honest, I really enjoy travelling through this beautiful country!
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
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For road trips - plan ahead! Plot all of your desired places on a Google map to ensure you don't miss out on anything you want to see.
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Find a full map of things I explored and did while in the USA here.