Go On An Epic US Road Trip

The adventure

There is a moment, a day or two in, when the road takes over. The radio's on, the window's down, and the scenery just keeps changing: skyscrapers giving way to cornfields, then desert, then canyons glowing red in the late sun. You stop for coffee and pie in a diner where the waitress calls you honey, and sleep in motels with flickering neon signs.

Pick your legend. Route 66 runs from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier through small towns that seem stuck in the 1950s. The Pacific Coast Highway clings to the cliffs of Big Sur above crashing surf. Or loop through the south-west's parks, from the Grand Canyon to Zion, Monument Valley and Arches, under night skies so dark the Milky Way looks close enough to touch.

Why it’s epic

Route 66 runs around 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, crossing eight states.
California's Highway 1 through Big Sur crosses the Bixby Creek Bridge, high above the Pacific.
The Grand Canyon is more than 1.6 kilometres deep and around 445 kilometres long.
An America the Beautiful pass covers entry to every US national park for a year.

What it is

A road trip across the US is a classic way to see its deserts, mountains, cities and small towns.

How to do it

Hire a car or campervan and pick a route such as Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway or a loop of the south-west's national parks.

Top tip

Buy an America the Beautiful pass if you're visiting several national parks.

Need to know

UK visitors need an approved ESTA, and a UK driving licence is fine for hiring a car.
One-way car hire often carries a hefty drop-off fee, so compare it with a loop route.
Book national park lodges and campsites months ahead for summer, and check for road closures, such as landslides on Big Sur.

Do it yourself

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My experience

Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.