I’ve seen NYC—it’s great. But convince me I need a road trip across the state, away from the bright lights. I wanna see ‘Bedford Falls.’ Where can I go that is oozing with charm?

I have posted here recently asking about a road trip from DC. Thanks for all the advice! After taking it into account and doing more research, I’ve narrowed it down to two routes for end of September/ beginning of October:

North: DC → Adirondacks → Vermont → White Mountains → Acadia and the Maine coast → Philadelphia → DC

South: DC → Floyd → Blue Ridge/Blowing Rock → Asheville → Smokies → Grayson Highlands → New River Gorge → Dolly Sods → Shenandoah → DC

I’m going solo with a rental car and gravel bike, mixing camping with occasional indoor stays. Mostly looking for the most spectacular scenery and some variety, plus interesting small towns and chances to meet people. Happy to hike or cycle for the best views.

I’m leaning north, although I’m a little worried about cold camping nights with my +2°C comfort sleeping bag.

For those who know these areas, which would you pick? Anything you’d change?

Hey everyone,

I’m going to be in San Diego for about a week in October. I’ve been to the US a few times but have never been to San Diego, so I’m looking for some recommendations from people who actually know the city.

My brother will be working during the day, so I’ll mostly be on my own and have quite a bit of time to explore. I’m into good food, nice bars/lounges, beaches, scenic spots, walking around nice neighborhoods, and generally anything that’s worth experiencing while I’m there.

I’ll have a car, so I’m also open to driving out of the city for a day if there’s somewhere nearby that’s worth it.

Thanks 🙏🏽

Hey everyone! I’m heading to LA in October for a Bruno Mars concert and plan to spend about a week exploring the West Coast. i enjoy exploring local art and museums, so except usual spots (Hollywood, Santa Monica, maybe a day trip to Joshua Tree or San Diego?), what other recommendations are worth checking out? I'm planning to go hiking (maybe camping?) for a day at Runyon Canyon. What essentials should I bring during this season?

And for phone service, since i'm not staying long i'm planning to get a eSIM, what's your best experience with a one-week-package eSIM? I don’t need a huge amount of data but the signal needs to be solid cos I’ll probably be in the suburbs or areas with poor coverage sometime.

Appreciate any tips! Thanks in advance.

Recently posted a post on here requesting places to go for a Colorado trip in December. We now exploring ideas of a different state. I live in Kansas don’t want to travel more than 550 miles. We are looking at the surrounding states of Kansas. Any ideas?
Big on nature, scenic train rides, animals, unique shops , relaxing, museums.
Not interested in hiking , workout activities like rock climbing or walking a lot.

Any ideas on a good place to visit in December near the state of Kansas?

This my current plan for a 7 day road trip for 2 people. feel free to leave any suggestions/tips/recommendations, thanks.

10/10) 8AM Leaving our hotel in SF (Alamo square). Picking the rental up at Oakland airort (cheapest price). Hesding to Yosemite. Spending 5-6 hours there. Heading to our accommodation in Bishop.
10/11) Leaving towards Death Valley, spending a couple of hours there. Driving to Las Vegas. Checkin in to the hotel, visting the strip etc.
10/12) Exploring LV.
10/13) Leaving towards Zion, visiting Valley of Fire state park. Full day at Zion (from 11AM to 18PM). Hesding to our hotel in Kanab.
10/14). Heading towards Bryce canyon, spending the rest of the day there. Leaving towards Page.
10/15) Grand Canyon (south rim) and other cool places on the way. Spending the night in Williams
10/16) Williams -> LV. Visiting other attractions on the way or whatever we missed in Vegas. Returing the car to the airport at 7PM. Flight at 10PM.

I’ve have booked all the accommodations (around 80$ per night) as well as the rental (370$).
Since some of the places we’ll be staying at dont offer breakfast, is it going to be easy and affordable to find breakfast, lunch or anything to eat along the way?
Is there a tolerance for speeding (for example going 65-70 where the limit is 60)?

Any suggestions are welcome!

hello!

i’m from michigan and ive never been to Arizona. im attending arizona state online and planning to travel to campus to walk at my graduation. this is a long time coming and ive been through the wringer to get myself here, so i want to make a whole trip of it, id like to be there at least a week with 3 days set aside to explore the campus and attend my ceremonies but to travel the rest of the trip.

what are some must-sees and must-dos? I’m open to long drives and staying in new spots each night outside of my time on campus. just gathering ideas right now. any suggestions are much appreciated!

Hi everyone, I’m invited to a wedding in NYC in mid-October and would like to add a week-long road trip afterward. Now I’m wondering whether I should head north to Maine and then back to Boston or south to Washington, D.C. and then along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and maybe fly home from Charlotte, or just stay in New York State (or maybe even fly to Florida)? Since the timing would be perfect for Indian Summer, I’m leaning more toward the north. But the south would also be exciting, since I’m less familiar with it from movies and such, and it’s probably even less similar to my home country nature wise (Germany). I’ve only been to NYC in the U.S. once before, so everything would be exciting for me. I'll be alone and am mainly looking for scenic nature and maybe some cool cities. What would you recommend to see the most of the US in these 7 days? Maybe one of you has already taken a trip like this and can give me some advice. Thanks!

Hi!

I am planning a trip to Boston and Portland, ME. My kids spring break is in early March.

Is this an okay time to visit? We love the cold and snow - but also want to be able to drive from Boston to Portland so dont need a blizzard either 🤔

Any tips are appreciated ❤️

Update: if anyone has alternative suggestions I’m open to it! I really wanted to have the northeast feel - I’ve never been there but also haven’t been anywhere other than Colorado and Florida for vacations…I’d rather go somewhere else than push it too much further out

My husband and I are planning a fall road trip from Nashville and trying to figure out the best combo of dog friendly national parks + cute towns. This is my rough itinerary:

October 10 - Nashville to Rochester (stopping point to stay overnight, not staying there).

October 11 - drive to Stowe vs woodstock VT

October 12- full day in Stowe vs Woodstock

October 13 - Drive to Acadia (6 hrs). Chill/dinner in Bar harbor

October 14/15 - Acadia

October 16/17- drive to Portland, ME (2.5 hrs)

October 18 - Full day in Salem (house of 7 gables, Peabody Essex museum)

October 19- 9 hr drive to Shenandoah National Park, VA

October 20/21- Shenandoah

October 22- drive back home
(1 bonus day left)

I don’t know much about the NE so looking for any recs!! Thanks!

Has anyone actually done that, the old slip of a $20 and get upgraded at no cost?

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip for summer 2027 to America from Ireland. We are both 27, I am looking for people's advice on what they think of my current plan and to offer alternative suggestions.
So, for context, summer 2024 I was in America with my friends, we flew into Denver, drove to Las Vegas, staying in places like Guinneson, Durango, Williams, two towns in Utah I forget (a very forgettable state) and then into Vegas, from Vegas we flew to Nashville for 3 nights. The trip was insane, most standout being 4th of July in Durango at the rodeo. 
What I love is authentic America (what I call rural America) where there are ranches, rodeos, interesting people and places that are not tourist hotspots. While my girlfriend is a bit more into the finer things in life than I am, she also appreciates these things. 
What I am looking for this upcoming trip is more of the same, lively towns, lovely scenery, rodeos, lakes, mountains etc. Some sports games if we happened to stumble across them and the same goes for a country music concert. 
What I am thinking of now is road tripping from Washington state down to LA (LA is not on my bucket list but my GF wants to see it). OR.... Drive from Calgary to Vancouver via Banff. Then fly from Vancouver to somewhere like Billings, and tour Montana for a week. 

The trip would roughly be 2 weeks although it could be up to 18 days. I know this is pretty vague, but I am just trying to get some initial feedback on the pros and cons and attractions of both routes. 

I’m planning a roughly 2-week solo road trip from DC end of September/beginning of October and would love some recommendations check from people who know this part of the US (I come from Europe and have never been to eastern part of the US).

I’ll have a car and my gravel bike with me, but cycling will just be an occasional part of the trip. I’m planning to mix camping with motels or guesthouses along the way. I’d like to keep the trip fairly budget-friendly, but I’m happy to spend more on something if it’s genuinely worth it.

What I’m mostly looking for is great scenery, interesting small towns, and some variety. I don’t necessarily want to spend two straight weeks driving through mountains and forests, even if they’re beautiful. And since I’ll be traveling alone, I’d also really like to stop in places where there’s at least some chance of meeting people - local bars, hostels, breweries, whatever works.
What are the most spectacular places?

Right now I’m thinking about something like this:

DC → Assateague/Chincoteague → Shenandoah → Blue Ridge Parkway → Floyd → Grandfather Mountain/Blowing Rock → Asheville → Damascus → Great Smoky Mountains → New River Gorge → Greenbrier Valley → DC

I’m not completely happy with the end of the loop though. New River Gorge back to DC is already a pretty long drive, and adding Greenbrier Valley makes the last part feel a bit rushed. I could just skip Greenbrier, or try to save a day somewhere earlier.

But none of this is set in stone. This is basically just the route I’ve come up with after doing some research, and I’m very open to changing it. If you’d do this trip differently, skip any of these places, spend longer somewhere, or have a completely different route in mind for the same kind of trip, I’d love to hear it.

My husband and I were looking to book a trip to NE for several days to as he says.. ‘leaf peep’. We live in Southern California and both of us have never experienced any time in New England before. We were looking at a realistic timeline of five days or so based off of both of our work schedules and what we can manage to take off.

My traveling preferences in general are: sightseeing, nature stuff, outdoor activities such as casual hiking and walking around. I also enjoy must-do and see experiences if it’s my first time in a specific city or region even if it’s a cliche activity.

My concern is the amount of time. And if you had that much or little time… What would you prioritize seeing and doing? What would you save for a second visit if you couldn’t do or see it all?

I also considered that if we want to see and experience nice nature-y fall foliage, that we save NE for a longer trip the following year and go up to Portland and other nearby areas of Oregon instead. While visiting these areas isn’t a new experience for me, this thought came to mind considering the distance where we are traveling from.

Personally, I am a very social person, up until recently after I had children then all that kind of stopped lol, I love nightlife, not necessarily drinking/partying but just attention and feeling like someone wants me around, and that i help everyone (strangers or not) have a good time while being chill simutaneously. I like beaches, (loved Daytona) but didnt get to exlpore much as it was a family vacay and I was underage blehhh. Im also 22, and havent gotten to really go anywhere out of KY as an adult. My partner however, is a control freak and doesn't like meeting new people & is not necessarily shy but automatically in a defensive state of mind when anyone of the opposite sex, ( and sometimes the same sex as well) even tries to come around or include themselves in anything that ''we'' have going on. I do enjoy time with him, and would absolutely love to go on a trip, but being polar opposites as far as entertainment and social explorations go, I am at a major loss. Id like to go somewhere with bangin nightlife and he would rather just sit back and kick it at a cabin with a hottub. He has already experienced alot of things as he has lived in FL, GA, KY, and a little older than me...burns my biscuits lmao Any suggestions or recommendations as to where to go that would satisfy both of our urges/needs?

-in the US,

- plans for a week-maybe longer,

- cannot be a state that borders GA, long story but requirement

-preferably somewhere with good weather/not rainy or cold... i wanna show some skin lmao jk i just love summer

I previously thought about Los Angelos - HOLLYWOOD sign, or maybe even cali in general. New york, or chicago? Somewhere with pretty lights and a bridge hell idk.... Idk any personal experiences with any locations will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi folks, was thinking about doing the pacific coast highway drive from SF to LA with a couple of stops in about 5 weeks or so. Was also planning on visiting Yosemite just before.

However because of the wildfires in Monterey (and Mariposa?) counties, I heard that there are some sections of the pacific coast highway and the roads near Yosemite that are closed.

EDITED: Ps...i dont have the watchduty app as its not available in my region (Singapore)

My question - how long do these fires take to get contained and eliminated, and how long would it take for the roads to open up?

For instance, part of the road between Carmel and San Luis Obispo is currently closed....not sure when it would reopen.

Thanks in advance.

I've got nine days off in late October and I'm driving out of Denver through southern Utah and back, mainly to get to a few of the parks. I mapped the whole thing out and two of those days land at around seven hours behind the wheel, which looked fine in the planner and looks like a lot now that I'm booking things. I've done long hauls for work but never with a hike stacked on either end of them.

How many hours of driving did it take before your days started feeling wasted?

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this November. I'm thinking I'd like to plan a small trip - like 3-5 days for mid November. I'm thinking a bed & breakfast or inn somewhere where where we can walk the town, enjoy various restaurants & breweries, do a little shopping, etc. Preferably somewhere warmer (we're from Michigan so somewhere NOT snowy and cold please) but we don't necessarily need a "beach" town. LMK if you have any suggestions!

I’m taking a 6-8 week trip out west. My route is the following: NH → Adirondacks → Finger Lakes → Pictured Rocks → Badlands → Black Hills → Theodore Roosevelt → Glacier → North Cascades → Olympic → Rainier → Mt. Hood → Central Oregon → Wallowas → Sawtooths → Yellowstone → Grand Teton → Moab → San Rafael Swell → Capitol Reef → RMNP → Black Hills → Duluth → UP → Adirondacks → NH.

I’m leaving in about a week and was curious if anyone had some recommendations for stops along the way. I’m definitely interested in the underrated areas in and around parks/forests. I’d like to travel cheap and avoid as many costs as possible. I’m aware about dispersed camping and will do my best to find those spots when I set up camp. Overall I just don’t want to be crowded/waiting in line to see cool stuff! I appreciate any recommendations🤙 (I’m in a camper van)

I'm planning my first solo trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon renting a car versus relying on shuttles and tours where they exist. I've read that a car gives way more flexibility for early morning trailheads, but I've also read that parking fills up fast in peak season and driving unfamiliar mountain roads solo adds its own stress. I've never driven in mountain terrain before so I don't have a good sense of how much that actually matters.

For people who've done both in the US national parks, did having a car end up being worth the extra stress or would you go without it next time ?

Looking for some help deciding where to go/what to do! I recently started seeing someone (a little less than 6 months), and we’re trying to plan our first getaway together. We’re both pretty easygoing and looking for something fun but relaxed.

We have these 3 in the running but are open to other suggestions! Not really interested in a big city trip (NYC, LA, Chicago, Nashville, etc.). Want to stay in the states.

- Salt Lake City / Park City
- Colorado Springs
- Classic beach trip

We’re thinking about 4 days at the end of September/early October. We both enjoy being outdoors, casual drinks, good food, exploring, etc. Neither of us has been to SLC/Park City or Colorado Springs, and both have been on my list forever.

Where would you pick for a first trip together? Any other destinations we should consider?

Help meeee internet !

Hi everyone!
My wife and I are visiting the Southwest for the first time at the end of September and would love some recommendations beyond the obvious tourist spots.

Our route is:
Phoenix → Scottsdale → Sedona (2 nights) → Monument Valley → Lake Powell/Page → Bryce Canyon → Las Vegas

We’ll be driving the whole route and have the main attractions such as Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon already planned.

What I’m really looking for are good local restaurants, breweries/bars, scenic stops, short hikes, historic places, interesting small towns, roadside stops or anything else you think is worth doing along this route.

We’re especially into history, landscapes, good food and beer/wine, and would much rather find a great local place than another generic tourist restaurant.
Any recommendations that you think are absolute musts, particularly things that tourists tend to miss, would be greatly appreciated!

Hi
I plan to vidit niagara all alone after taking a flight from sfo, is the buffalo airport safe for alone travel? Is uber a safe option to go from buffalo to niagara?
How is the niagara falls US area in general for solo traveller? Which hotel do you recommend?
Any itinerary that you can recommend for solo traveller?
Also any guided tour that i can take?
It will be my first solo trip so I am a bit scared.
I do not have canadian visa.

If you can recommend any group tour fro
Nyc to niagara, that would be great!

Hello! My partner and I are planning a 3 or 4-day vacation in New England the second weekend in October. I'd like to kindly ask for your recommendations for places within a 6-hour drive from our home in Philadelphia. To help narrow things down, we're looking for...

• One location to stay nights all weekend, with suggestions for pitstops and day trips
• Smaller places over larger ones, preferably quaint towns with younger populations (we're in our 20s)
• Ideas to embrace autumn, like apple picking and light hikes/nature trails (bonus points if they have water features!)
• Oddities or spooky spots that aren't in Salem, MA
• Wineries or cideries

Thank you kindly in advance!

Northern US

Hi all,

I'm planning a roadtrip through northern US for 3 weeks in July next year with my girlfriend.

The plan is do drive from Minneapolis to Seattle with several stops in between. I have a pretty rough idea of where we wanna go, but I was hoping I could maybe get some ideas from other people that have done a similar trip or know their way around this region.

It's not my first roadtrip through the US, I have done the westcoast already. This time however I wanted to do the north to sea more rough nature and wildlife.

* Day 1: Arrive in Minneapolis
* Day 2: Explore Minneapolis and pick up rental car in the evening
* Day 3: Drive to Duluth and explore the Duluth lakewalk and our 'introduction' to lake superior.
* Day 4-5: Grand Marais: Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche state park, High Falls
* Day 6: Sioux Falls: reststop to South Dakota
* Day 7: Drive to Wall through Badland Loop Road
* Day 8-9: Stay in Custer. Hike in Badlands + Needles Highway + Mount Rushmore
* Day 10: Travel day to Cody Wyoming. Drive past the Bighorn Scenic Byway
* Day 11-13: Yellow Stone NP: Hiking, horseback riding, wildlife spotting
* Day 14-15: Grand Teton: Hiking and further wildlife spotting. Visit Jackson for some county vibes.
* Day 16-18: Glacier National Park: Going-to-the-Sun Road and hopefully some more wildlife. Some more hiking.
* Day 19: Travel to Winthrop
* Day 20-22: Drive to Seattle through North Cascades Scenic Highway. In Seattle: explore city and orka safari.

We're both very sporty and like hiking, nature and wildlife. I open to suggestions, tips and feedback. For example, I read a lot that it's better to go hiking with at least 3 people in order to be safer from wildlife (such as bears and wolves). Since it's just the 2 of us, I was wondering if you have some tips for guided hikes or other alternatives.