Your first USA road trip

Three sights and twelve hours of driving?

I have seen plans for three places in one day where Google Maps showed roughly 12 hours of driving alone. What about fuel stops, meals, breaks and sightseeing? Points that look close together on a map can be most of a day's journey apart.

My planning rule is a maximum of 5–6 hours of driving a day, including outward and return journeys. That is my personal limit for planning, not a target to fill every day. More sightseeing calls for a shorter drive.

Include the hotel at the end of the day in your map directions. Treat the driving estimate as a starting point and add breaks, rather than using it as a complete sightseeing schedule.

I look for hotels that make travelling easier

I usually look for hotels in roughly the three-star category. When prices are similar, a hot breakfast, laundry facilities, an elevator — even for a room just a couple of floors up — and a pool open until at least 10 pm make a difference to me.

“Breakfast included” does not tell the whole story. In my experience, quality varies considerably. I have stayed at several hotels in many of the towns on my routes, so I can compare them personally. Check the breakfast offering and facility opening hours before booking.

Near the park or an hour away?

I try to stay as close to the sights as possible, while also considering price. I often find more reasonably priced accommodation in towns around an hour's drive away. Count both directions: an hour each way means two hours behind the wheel.

I have encountered accommodation inside a park costing as much as three times the price of alternatives outside it. Popular places can book up well in advance. This is my experience, not a fixed pricing rule: check availability and the reservation opening date for the specific property.

A cooler always comes with me

I keep a cooler with ice, drinks and fruit in the car. On the hotter stretches of the American West, a cold drink and something to eat during a stop make a real difference.

Restock water and supplies before a long drive. Do not assume there will be a shop at every stop along the route.

It isn't always warm by the ocean

Many visitors expect California to be hot everywhere. Right by the Pacific, however, it can feel cool, especially in wind or fog. After a warm day inland, the contrast can come as a surprise.

Keep a warm layer and a light jacket within reach, not at the bottom of your suitcase. Pack for different conditions: deserts, mountains and the coast do not share the same weather.

The places on my route map include current conditions and monthly average temperatures. Averages help you choose when to travel, but they do not replace a forecast for your sightseeing day.

More on coastal and inland conditions: NPS — Cabrillo weather ↗ · NPS — Point Reyes climate ↗

A plan should help, not rush you

I do not fill every minute of an itinerary. I leave room for unexpected situations and places that deserve more time. When planning your own trip, avoid making every day a test of what is just barely possible.

If our group needs to change the sightseeing plan, I explain the options, describe the places and offer suggestions. The participants make the choice. It rarely happens, but flexibility helps.

It would be hard to explain to someone who has paid for a trip and flown halfway around the world that we will spend just one hour in Yellowstone.

In practice, this means sensible priorities and some margin in the schedule. Changes still need to fit hotel reservations and flight dates.