USA Road Trips

What can you expect on a US road trip that you won't find elsewhere ?

Your own brief slice of the American dream, freedom from your day-to-day stresses and a sense of adventure like never before. You'll discover the peaceful isolation of the open road, where the only companion you have are your thoughts, from that to the hectic highways of the city where roads are busy and sights are aplenty - all sides of America will be on display. You'll probably have an ultimate destination in mind, but how you get there is up to you; a self-drive holiday is one that is truly yours, so welcome the passing distractions that beckon you to stop, from smoky blues music floating out of a run-down bar to spying a deer hiding among the trees - your US road trip adventure is yours for the taking.

Who is a US road trip best for ?

Anyone with a thirst for excitement, a desire for independence and a hunger to get under the skin of America and experience a slice of its culture that's as classic as apple pie. Car lovers who dream of long, flat desolate open roads, coastal highways, winding mountain byways and country tracks will be in their element, especially behind a new steering wheel, while nature lovers will endlessly pause to gaze at the geographical playground around them. US road trip holidays are for anyone who's devoured Jack Kerouac's On the Road and wants to re-write their own travelling tale.

The best ways to discover a US road trip

A road trip is all about the story you write for yourself and the best way to start your journey is deciding which part of the US makes you sing. If New York captures your attention and you're not keen on being cooped up in a car for too long, couple a visit to the Big Apple with a mini road trip to The Hamptons, the summer playground of Manhattan's rich and famous. For a double dose of culture and history, sink your teeth into the American west and disappear into the depths of the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Palm Springs and Los Angeles for at least two weeks. Or, for one of the country's most scenic drives, join the 469-mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway as it weaves around the Blue Ridge Mountains and end your drive at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee border. Go in autumn to witness the explosion of colour that the season brings to its bountiful plants and trees. If roaming the mythical Route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles, is what you always imagined your US road trip would look like, take your time exploring the small towns, motels and truck stops scattered along the way - it's all part of the journey - and soak in the history of the most famous road in the world.

Special moments during a US road trip

- The second largest state in the US, spend two weeks road-tripping around Texas and you'll have only just scratched the surface. Start your trip in the largest city in the state, Houston, and visit the incredible NASA Space Center to get your fill of moon rocks and spacesuits before hitting the road and journeying on a round trip across the Lone Star State, stopping by the biggest cities on the map, including San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth.

- Drive across the Pacific Northwest, starting in Seattle and enjoy scenery in spades as you journey through some of the most stunning national parks in the country. End your holiday at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State, a natural oasis packed full of wildflower meadows, all manner of wildlife, waterfalls and forests. Even the best cameras (and photographers) won't do justice to the immense beauty found here.