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We took an epic household roundtrip highway journey throughout the USA from the West Coast to the East, and again once more! See all the main points you should plan your personal bucket record cross-country drive.
Why we took this highway journey.
For the reason that ladies had been little (Maddie and Ashley that’s, I nonetheless consider Emmy as little at 11 despite the fact that she is as tall as me), Pete and I’ve needed to take a cross-country highway journey.
For years we’ve got stated “that is the yr”, however then life would get in the way in which, or alternatives in Europe would name our names.
Quick ahead to 2021 and borders are nonetheless closed, we had enterprise to take care of on the East Coast and Emmy remains to be not eligible for a vaccine… so, we determine to drive there as an alternative of fly (we’re avoiding air journey till we’re all vaccinated) and FINALLY make that grand highway journey throughout the nation a actuality!
How we paid for this journey:
I used to be beginning to really feel very caught this previous spring, so I made a decision to problem myself to not pay for a single lodge or our rental automotive, however not within the regular manner that we journey with no value working with journey companions. This time, I used bank card factors (you possibly can e-mail me for hyperlinks to the playing cards we used) to pay for 56 lodge nights (28 nights- 2 rooms for every evening) and the cashback I earned to pay for our rental automotive.
I’m not a “journey hacker” who’s chasing each final level and we keep in principally upscale accommodations and resorts.
Plus, these had been lazy earned factors that means I used to be strategic the place I might be, (like utilizing a card that earns additional factors for meals) however I made no additional effort past ensuring I used to be utilizing the right card for our totally different purchases. We additionally earned factors from sign-up bonuses.
A couple of issues we took into consideration when planning this epic highway journey:
- 4 out of 5 of us are absolutely vaccinated.
- We bought high-quality masks for all of us to put on at any time when we had been inside; outdoors after we couldn’t hold enough area from others, and we modified them after each use.
- We prioritized accommodations with balconies and home windows that opened in order that we may air out the rooms earlier than we eliminated our masks.
- We additionally traveled with a high-quality air air purifier and let it run for the required time to wash the room air upon arrival, and we had it on the entire time we had been staying at every lodge.
- We wiped down the rooms with Clorox Wipes after which sprayed them with Lysol. It took simply a few minutes and was principally a precaution towards the frequent chilly and flu. The very last thing I needed was for any sickness to derail our journey.
- We solely ate outdoors with patio eating or in our lodge room.
- After we stopped for toilet breaks alongside the way in which, we made certain to get Emmy again outdoors as shortly as possible- once more to restrict publicity.
- We stayed versatile on the journey. When spots alongside our route began to emerge as “scorching spots” we did some last-minute modifications to mitigate the chance together with leaving a cease early and utterly skipping different ones.
- We by no means took an elevator with anybody else.
- We hand sanitized like loopy and washed our fingers at each alternative!
Did all this make our journey with out danger? No, under no circumstances… however we felt prefer it didn’t take away from our enjoyment and hopefully decreased the chance. Now we have now been again house for over 21 days with none difficulty.
Right here is the route we took on our cross-country highway journey:
We initially deliberate to be gone for 31 days, however it ended up being 28 days and we traveled over 7,000 miles.
I’ll break the articles up by the totally different locations, however right here is the grasp record of our cross-country highway journey!
- Began in Newport Seashore
- Flagstaff, AZ: 2 nights (spent a day on the Grand Canyon)
- Albuquerque: NM: 1 evening
- Oklahoma Metropolis: OK: 1 evening
- Memphis, TN: 2 nights
- Knoxville, TN: 1 evening
- Asheville, NC: 2 nights
- Charlotte, NC: 2 nights
- Chapel Hill, NC: 3 nights
- Nags Head, NC: 1 evening (want we had stayed right here for longer!)
- Ocean Metropolis, MD: 2 nights
- Washington DC: 2 nights
- Williamsburg VA: 2 nights
- Charlottesville VA: 1 evening
- Nashville TN: 2 nights
- Kansas Metropolis MO: 1 evening (last-minute change- deliberate St. Louis 1 evening after which 2 nights right here)
- Beaver Creek, CO: 2 nights
- Flagstaff, AZ: 1 evening (last-minute change- deliberate 1 evening in St. George UT + 1 evening Las Vegas)
- Newport Seashore, CA
All that apart, I spent months engaged on this journey and it was a very good distraction.
I really love the strategy planning stage of holidays and I at all times have a plan B and C. This time I had a plan D, E, and F too.
Some journeys we arrive and I’ve accomplished little or no analysis and we simply discover. This was not a type of journeys. I had each single cease on our driving days famous and eating choices outlined earlier than we even left. This wasn’t foolproof by any means, however it actually helped. Since journey and the world, normally, are continuously altering proper now, having numerous choices saved the day a number of occasions.
Our rode-trip journey.
We had deliberate to take certainly one of our SUVs on this highway journey however shortly determined {that a} mini-van can be a greater possibility. Pete and I’ve bigger SUVs however they might have been past full of our baggage and the 5 of us and having a mini-van on highway journeys has at all times labored finest for us.
In fact, there was an enormous rental automotive debacle happening after we had been leaving and I used to be listening to tales from others that even with a reservation many weren’t getting their reserved autos or not getting a car in any respect. We had somewhat difficulty as a result of the primary mini-van we got had a mechanical difficulty, however it was shortly changed and we had been good to go.
First cease: Flagstaff, Arizona
We made fairly good time driving from Newport Seashore to Flagstaff and I took a few fast cellular phone photos as soon as we arrived to share with you all. This lodge utterly exceeded our expectations and was the proper entry again out into the world. I beloved the view into the woods from our rooms!
We stayed at The Little America Lodge.
I picked this lodge as a result of it was proper off the freeway and I’ve had household that stayed right here previously and so they beloved it. The upper-end choices within the space felt missing once I was trying to find them and though I’m undecided I might actually name this a high-end lodge, it was manner higher than I anticipated. The placement was excellent to seek out eating choices and it made it straightforward to drive out to the Grand Canyon throughout our keep.
Little America Inn had a pool that the youngsters used every evening, a strolling/mountaineering/operating path, a restaurant, good web, and nearly all the pieces else you would need from a highway journey lodge. It is also hooked up to a journey heart for truckers so we had been capable of get a few a great deal of laundry accomplished earlier than we left. Who would have ever thought I might get all enthusiastic about easy accessibility to laundry services, however right here we’re.
We stayed for 2 nights in Flagstaff and the primary evening we ate at The Cornish Pasty Co..
Flagstaff has a shocking variety of eating places with vegan (and gluten-free) choices. We beloved the patio arrange and the meals was fairly good!
We additionally went to the native Complete Meals that day and picked up some lodge snacks, bottled water, and extra drinks to assist keep hydrated.
Emmy and I had been feeling the elevation at this level and we had been positively dehydrated after our 8+ hour drive from Newport Seashore, Ca.
Oh, and we additionally stopped to get drinks at Dutch Bros.
We don’t have these in CA and though we strive to not load up on sugar drinks, we contemplate this a “when in Rome” form of factor. In the event you haven’t had Dutch Bros, strive their glowing flavored waters and occasional. You gained’t remorse it!
The following morning was Grand Canyon day!
Are you able to consider we had by no means been? As I stated, this was positively a bucket record journey for us. We noticed so many issues and locations we’ve got by no means skilled earlier than and kicking it off with the Grand Canyon was the way in which to do it!
We began the morning with breakfast at The Toasted Owl.
I can’t even let you know how a lot we loved the meals right here. The service was tremendous fast and so they really have one thing for everybody.
This was all vegan too! Yep, even vegan eggs and bacon!
After breakfast, we took a leisurely drive to the South Entrance of the Grand Canyon.
This passes you thru somewhat city and there’s a place for gasoline earlier than you head in.
There are two important methods to get to the South Entrance of The Grand Canyon from Flagstaff. The freeway route or the scenic route. One has you taking the 40 to the 64 (freeway) or 180 to the 64 (scenic). We selected the scenic route and it was superior. This takes you thru the forest with wildlife sightings doable. Each confirmed at about the identical distance and time (1 h 24 min).
Fast Tip: Use Google Maps. Not simply right here, however in your full highway journey. I created our maps earlier than we left on my laptop computer with Google Maps after which texted them on to my cellphone. A number of occasions Google Maps would reroute us to assist averted accidents and main slowdowns. This saved us hours upon hours over our entire highway journey.
When visiting, your timing is fairly essential throughout peak season. We had been simply moving into the busy season after we had been there at first of June. Absolutely the prime time to reach is earlier than the crowds, early within the morning (verify for present opening occasions).
We aren’t these individuals although. We had been nonetheless drained from the drive-in the day earlier than and determined for a later entry. We hit the timing fairly nicely with just a bit wait to get into The Grand Canyon. There are lots of people who drive in from Las Vegas and these outer areas too so they have a tendency to reach round 10 or so within the morning so additionally take that into consideration. We had been there about 11:15 am.
As soon as we had been into the gates we adopted the map we got to the Grand Canyon Village within the South Rim.
The Grand Canyon Customer Middle Constructing remains to be closed, however they’ve an Info desk arrange outdoors the guests heart constructing staffed by park rangers who keep bodily distanced from you whereas answering your entire questions.
There have been a few choices for meals and drinks right here too and the Grand Canyon Conservancy Park Retailer was additionally open. We break up up on the finish of our go to and I purchased Emmy a magnet and Maddie and Ash memento shirts whereas Pete went to get us all a snack and one thing to drink.
It will get highly regarded, in a short time so costume in layers if you’re coming early and staying for any period of time.
Throughout our precise time taking within the Grand Canyon, we walked the Rim Path.
You may catch this proper off the Grand Canyon Guests Middle space. There are indicators for it, or you possibly can simply comply with the group. It is a very straightforward stroll and a good way to see the Grand Canyon with out having to drive wherever or exert your self. With as heat because it obtained, it was a very good go to. Pete would have beloved to really hike into the canyon, however there isn’t any manner I might even try any kind of hike within the warmth.
Here’s what we noticed simply from the Rim Path of the Grand Canyon:
The Grand Canyon was much more stunning than we thought it could be.
There have been some severe purple hues being thrown after we had been there!
I nonetheless can’t consider that we noticed the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone earlier than THE Grand Canyon!
We stayed simply a few hours and we’d positively return. Scratch that- we will certainly be again!
That evening we went to Pizza Patio for some vegan pizza.
They’ve common pizza too and likewise gluten-free so all of us had a superb dinner. The Pizza Patio employees was a bit frazzled on the evening we visited, however the meals was good. Because the world is opening up, we’ve got been being additional affected person to permit restaurant and journey corporations to ramp again up. Remember to mood your expectations. Most are really attempting as onerous as they will in these getting-better occasions.
We had a fairly early begin the subsequent morning for the subsequent leg of our journey so we needed to get as a lot sleep as doable so we ate and went proper again to the Little America Flagstaff.
Early the subsequent morning Pete, Ashley, and I obtained up additional early to go for a stroll on their nature path earlier than we obtained again on the highway. Driving all day is numerous sitting so we needed to maneuver as a lot as doable. We had been nonetheless capable of get on the highway very first thing within the morning.
On this leg of the journey we went from Newport Seashore, Ca. —> Flagstaff, Az. (Grand Canyon) —> Albequerque, Nm. —> Oklahoma Metropolis, Okay.
As a result of I’ve a factor for stopping at anyplace talked about in a music that I like, we needed to cease in Winslow, Az. It was such a positive sight to see! (wink, wink)
Our stops in Albequerque and Oklahoma had been simply deliberate as locations to sleep at evening so we didn’t see a lot of something there.
Subsequent stop- Memphis Tennesee!
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