Why Don't Americans Road Trip Anymore?
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- Discussion of road tripping in the U.S. and why Americans don't go on cross-country road trips as often as they used to. I look at current travel trends and discuss the benefits and excitement of driving cross-country.
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For most people, a road trip would require paid time off plus saved expenses for the trip. House and rent prices are destroying disposable income, and the gig economy is killing paid time off.
exactly.
Disposable income is actually up. The economy is doing well rn, and especially low income benefit. Google will stancil
True, but a road trip is still a cheaper option than most other getaways
This is exactly what it is for me. A younger guy like me just can not afford a weeks worth (or more) of PTO to roadtrip.
There’s this thing called saving money. There’s also a thing called budgeting. Then there’s frugality. Then there’s something called hard work, overtime, job promotions, and raises. You put all of it together and you can easily go on road trips, and even airplane rides…with your entire family! Families over the ages have done it and they’re still doing it now! Somehow, somewhere…someone is DOING what the naysayers said is “too hard, not possible, etc”.
Two possible reasons that contribute to a decline in road tripping:
1. The decline in the cost of air travel.
2. Smaller families, making travel by air cheaper. Travel by car used to be all a family could afford.
This is the correct answer.
Air travel has been cheap for decades. The main thing is that it cuts travel time down. Many people flying also have to factor in the expense of a rental car when they arrive at their destination airport.
These are important reasons. There are others - 3. Negativity of news media in particular the visceral exposure of crime, traffic accidents, and terrorist attacks; 4. Growth of the internet that allows people to obtain in depth information about any other town in the USA and order by mail items that used to be unique to a region; this reduces the appeal of domestic travel. 5. Growth of the internet also made virtual meetings possible between extended family members or friends, as well as leading to more people seeking entertainment online instead of attending events in the real world. 6. Someone else said that the homogenization of different parts of the US in terms of suburban sprawl developments, which made it less interesting to visit other parts of the USA. 7. Competition of international vacations which are much more available in the online age in addition to being more convenient and affordable; other countries are catering to American visitors by offering similar resorts and hospitality services at cut rate prices, and English proficiency in touristy countries are much higher these days in the age of internet.
@@mtndudesf excellent observations. 6 is one that has occurred to me in terms of being disappointed about traveling to a distant place only to find the same things, restaurants, stores, big box developments, stucco homes, it is often impossible to tell where you are since it looks like every other place in America.
Air travel has gotten more expensive in recent years by way of charging you for not picky everything.
Just a couple of years before my father died, he decided that he wanted a particular piece of equipment and the only one he found was in Georga.
As I am a teacher, I was able to go with him to get it. He picked me up in Utah and we continued, hitting several points of interest on the way. Then we loaded the thing into the back of his truck and headed back to California.
On the way back we visited various family members he hadn't seen in years. Just before he died we talked on the phone and he commented that even though he never got that equipment up and working, that he was glad he made that trip with me.
Wonderful story.
As a older man whose father has also passed, I appreciate this story deeply.
No one cares
@@MaekarManastorm I cared.
Thanks for sharing.
We are not nearly as divided as the media wants you to believe. Anyone who road trips understands this. Much love everyone!
Concur. Road trips are a regular in our family.
White folks still hate us.
It’s the extremes esp on the left.
The media is the devil. They just want us all to hate each other so we don’t talk and the government and news outlets have more control. I hope we counter this as a society
@@dongzilla1979there is some extreme dividing rhetoric coming from the extreme right as well. I don't think we need a single out any particular side. They are all guilty of it. Let's not perpetuate the two-party narrative anymore.
I can only speak for myself, but as someone who used to road trip and rarely does anymore, the #1 reason is traffic. People everywhere just drive like they have a death wish. It's not that bad here in Kansas, but driving through any big city these days is terrifying. I salute everyone that still loves the great American road trip. I just don't have the stomach for Indy 500 level conditions everywhere anymore.
I totally agree with you. I want to go on road trips, but the drivers are scary.
I still go on alot of road trips I like Cities/beaches/tourist destinations as a final destination...I've been in huge chunks of the US my least favorite part of the US is the desert parts of Arizona/Colorado mountains/Utah...it's too spread out for me....I love the big Cities on the Coasts the South and the entire Midwest is amazing..I'm taking a trip to Kansas city and Nebraska in a few days
@michaelsuzio4268 there's definitely some hidden gems here in the Midwest. KC is a great town with a ton of things to do.
@@ilovecoffee6318 yeah this trip I'm skipping driving from Louisiana to KC...I'm flying there and have a rental car for 3 days I'm definitely going ice skating on the trip I wanna see at least 2 different rinks so Omaha is part of the trip and Springfield might get worked in
This. I think now that us millennials are adults and don’t have mom & pop to drive us everywhere, we are burnt out on cars. Cars are expensive and we don’t want to risk the time and energy taking our cars into the shop if we get into a fender bender or crash. Life is short.
Last year, I took the train - for the first time in my life. Train travel has different scenery than highway travel. For one thing, you see more forests and wetlands on the train; you also travel through mountains, valleys, canyons, gorges, and ravines. I highly recommend taking the train.
We did a sleeper car on Amtrak; first time ever on Amtrak. Absolutely wonderful trip. Most of it was overnight, with the daytime travel being mostly through swamp and industrial areas, but we loved it and can't wait to do it again.
How do you stay awake? The rhythm of the rails has long been known as a sleep-inducer.
" For one thing, you see more forests and wetlands on the train;" it is just not true, although train travel can be fun.
train travel is fun, but road trips have a different appeal. Road trips are very much an exercise in freedom, as you can pause, detour, and do basically whatever you feel like in the moment. It's a chance to go on an "adventure", in a way.
There’s generally roads parallel to rail so I wouldn’t say the scenery is that different.
I’m 42. I’m old enough to remember what road tripping was like as a kid. Every town was unique and had its own assortment of shops and restaurants and motels. Increasingly that’s not the case-the same chain strip malls are everywhere. The homogenization of American towns under these massive, soulless corporations cannot be underestimated.
Compared to when I was a kid, there is very little sense of discovery pulling into a new place.
This is a great point. And the same applies to elsewhere too. When I adventured outside the US for the first time, I was a little disappointed by just how many corporations and brands from back home were omnipresent. The world as a whole is slowly getting smaller and more homogenized, which has pros and cons.
Why, do you think, is everything turning into one big, giant Strip Mall?@@jaynycha1705
Excellent, man. Couldn't agree more. The only reason to take a road trip is to see something distinct like the grand canyon or Yosemite. Even then you could be in danger today with a higher possibility of crossing paths with a psycho, or road rage, or some corrupt policeman.
Those places still exist. Take the back roads.
This is true. What's the point when every town and city looks the same?
I think it's the sense that people have "less time". We're all so busy with our lives that we don't get to slow down. Even when it comes to planning/taking a trip, we want to maximize our time. We fly out of convenience and to save time so that we have more to spend it at our destinations. But we forget that oftentimes, it's about the journey and not the destination that makes a trip so fun and memorable.
We just don’t do anything anymore. There’s too much easy entertainment. I think the internet just depletes us, out energy, our dopamine, it makes things feel pointless. Just can’t be bothered to do much anymore.
No, we quite literally have less time. No one gets paid vacations. If you do you're pretty much shamed for using your vacation time. Gasoline is too expensive on top of that. Even if gas isn't more expensive in itself, guess what? You're paying 2x what you did in 2006 for rent.
Everything is much more expensive nowadays. People simply have no money left for road trips. You are welcome, dreamer.
Agreed. It's also ironic the people arguing against you didn't "have time" to watch the video that debunks their argument...
Those last words “fun and memorable.” I think - as with the many other pastimes and experiences we had in the US - they are no longer “fun.” They’re much more stressful and complicated. And because we’re not feeling relaxed by them, we don’t choose them, and, in turn, the memories won’t be there.
Road trips, air travel, amusement park visits, sightseeing, etc .... all of that used to be “fun” times for the family and for the individual. We looked forward to these experiences as a way to relax and unwind, even for the day. Now, it’s an altogether different experience, and we go back and forth in considering if we really want to do it at all/ if it’s worth it. This creates fewer memories for us.
I do hope this generation of youngsters will get to experience life through trips and not see them as a stressful time. There are so many memories to be made from it and this world truly still is a breathtaking wonder to behold.
Hotels are pretty expensive, they're like $90 a night. It seems like the only way to road trip economically is to camp out on public land or rest stops while taking in the sights.
Yep. Camper, tent or RV. You'll be broke pretty fast paying for a hotel room every night. And a lot of the affordable, bare bones roadside motels are long vanished.
Traveling during the summer of 2023, even crappy hotels like Red Roof Inn were at least $250/night wherever I went.
You have to look pretty hard to find any at $90. a night these days, unless they are really crappy.
@@nedkelly2035 Branson Missouri and pigeon forge usually has good deals on rooms for $60...Vegas too $20-$30+$40 resort fee I can usually stay at somewhere nice on the strip for $60-$75
Exactly
There are 2 big changes I have seen over the years. 1. Impatient, aggressive, and distracted drivers. I avoid the US interstate system for this main reason. A lot of folks just cant drive and don't care about their fellow drivers. 2. Americans in general want to get to their destination, period. They want to get to the grand canyon in 5 seconds, take a picture and post it online and then move on to their next destination. This past summer I was on this picturesque drive with my teenage son in WV with hardly a soul around. I commented on the beauty of the moment that very few people would experience this view. He looked up from his phone for 5 seconds and then went straight back to a youtube video. Most people don't live life by cherishing the moment anymore. Sad. And that is the essence of the road trip.
Staring at phones may play a part in this, for sure. We're in a distracted society and having the patience to travel by land might just not appeal to a lot of people anymore. Kind of a shame.
Damn... that part about your son made me sad. Teenagers tend to take things for granted, though. He may not have that same attitude forever.
We road trip a lot, but I cannot get my daughter to look up from her phone to enjoy the drive.
That attitude isn't new. I rented a house boat with four buddies in the Thousand Islands in early 80s. I saw some of the most beautiful scenery of my lifetime. My buddies? They refused to come outside (beautiful sunny weather) and they only wanted to sit inside and play cards. When I opened the curtains so they could at least see outside, they all screamed that I was trying to turn them gay. It was pathetic.
Not everyone - only the social media freaks. I do want to get to where I wanted to go in the first place, but that's because I want to spend my time THERE.
I think one big hindrance for people and road trips is just simply getting the extra time off from work. It is just so much faster and convenient to hop on a plane and fly to a destination and spend a few days there. You have to account for a lot of extra time off to make a road trip worth it in my opinion. I love road trips and wish I could do more of them. It's just difficult with getting the time off for work
I see so many people commenting that they only have a limited time and the driving cuts into that time are there vacation. That is missing the whole point; the driving is the vacation!
@@lithows That's true and I agree! The whole point is the drive and seeing many different places. However that still requires more time. I could take a flight somewhere and spend a day or two and fly home. To really get the full experience of a road trip I think you still would want to at least take 5 days or a week. That's just more time off.
Sorry, but driving is not enough of a vacation for me. Fly, get there, and spend your time where you wanted to be in the first place. That's a vacation. Driving is a journey.
Then why is international travel, amusements parks, etc on the rise? People get the same time off work as before. They just want instant gratification bc of “cell phones”. Not realizing the road trip is a part of the gratification.
Flying sucks WEINERS these days!☹️ Sometimes a moving insane asylum at 30,000 ft.!
And this while Rand McNally celebrates its 100th birthday. I'm from Belgium and did a massive road trip in the States in '97. It was unforgettable....really really beautiful 😍
It's changed.
It is still beautiful.
As a Brit I absolutely love doing US road trips… they are my favourite kind of holidays! Over a three week trip the sights you can see are truly awe inspiring… I never fully appreciated the expression ‘America the Beautiful’ until I started taking road trip holidays… for me they beat the tedium of a beach resort vacation 100%!
Awesome! 😎
Yep!
Seen a lot of Europeans driving out West in USA wanting to experience "America".
Talked to a German couple in Wyoming who were in Heaven looking at all the awesome countryside, and imagining Indians riding around and chasing wagon trains or Buffalo.
Stuff dreams are made of.
We’ve visited many states mostly rural and we get 28 days paid leave a year in UK. We love to follow the Rockies and love BC & Alberta too. Gorgeous places 😍
@@apscoradiales Well, those German tourists were not far from reality: there really are wild horses running around in some areas east of the Rocky Mountains, probably Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and there are intrepid men who go out and lasso the horses, bring them to the ranch and break them in! 👍
Lots of wild horses just east of Cody, Wyoming along highway 14. Seen many there. Seen some in Nebraska too near Alliance. You're supposed to leave them alone, according to federal laws.@@RogueReplicant
“The interstate highway system has made it possible to cross the country and see nothing” -Charles Kuralt
As the name suggests, the interstates make it possible to get from one state to another in a relatively short time. The secret is to pull off the interstate and explore the backroads and small towns at least once a day on a long trip and ideally more frequently.
yeah because sightseeing isint the purpose, the interstates primary function is military and cargo and that includes human cargo, theres so much trucker infrastructure built directly by the government not for no reason. sightseeing is a choice easily made by turning off the highway, this is not a flaw of the interstate because you create the idea of a flaw with it by misunderstanding its purpose, its a piece of infrastructure yet you treat it as a destination. excluding routes inside cities urban areas the interstates are well designed and the country needs them
Thinking of the western US at least, travelers can see a lot of beautiful scenery while driving the interstates (certainly more close-up views than from an airplane at 30-40,000 feet).
However whatever roadway you drive, you must stop and get out of your car to really experience the natural world and have opportunities to interact with the people who live there. This takes time -which seems more of a hindrance than gas prices.
The good news is the interstate highways reduce traffic on scenic highways.
We love a road trip and travel across country at least once a year. I'm getting tired of the interstates, however. Sharing the road with all the trucks has lost its charm. Now that we're retired, we're going to take more time to travel the backroads.
We traveled as a family in a Ford E100 that dad fixed as a family camper. After several years of traveling, youngest sister was sent to principals office for telling the class repeatedly that she had been to most of the places mentioned in class. Dad went and picked her up. Next day he took photos of the family at various places across the USA. Principal called the teacher into the office to see the photos. Future classroom discussion included asking my sister her thoughts or opinion about the various locations.
Today, my brother and I still do road trips while avoiding interstates. Learned a lot and if you stop to inquire instead of google, you meet some really interesting people. Some could even become a friend.
Hi Kyle, I've been road tripping by motorcycle since the early 80's. Almost all my rides have been via 2 lane backroads. The folks in small town America have all been universally friendly and kind. I've visited at least 33 states and ridden over 300 thousand miles during this time. My recommendation is to stay off the interstates and main highways, hit backroads and see real America.
It's still out there.
Well said. I have had the same experience.
Taking the back roads is like an adult theme park ride, one that lasts all day.
Well said
I've done the same 31states and counting.
are you white? I'm not, NO WAY I'd do that.
Biggest thing that limits our roadtripping is time off from work or lack thereof. Some companies are very stingy with PTO or frown upon taking much at a stretch.
Or you're on vacation but "on call" none-the-less. So you're still tied to being close to your computer. Like me. Right now.
I think this may be one of the biggest factors. More service sector jobs means less opportunity for time off.
This is my issue, yeah. This is probably common. Road trips can be more time consuming than flying somewhere or a cruise. If I had unlimited time off work I would love to do road-trips! So in that sense, money is the issue.
PTO, living wages...pfff who needs that, just work two jobs and pull yourself from the bootstraps 🙄
@@ssjrose9641 Been there! Throughout my life, I've either had the time but not the money or the money but not the time.
In 2016 I went on a 27 day road trip and put 9,400 miles on my car. It was amazing and now I’m hooked! I enjoy the freedom and control I have, deciding to explore different places as I’m passing them. It’s much better than the stress & drama of airports.
I hate airports. Flying is just awful now.
As a storm chaser, I’m a road tripper by default. I’ve driven through probably 80% of the counties in the Great Plains and Midwest. It never ceases to amaze me just how massive this country is.
Go to Russia is even bigger.
Thank you for your dedication/work!!!!
I've driven in about 30% of the great plains I loved the college towns Lincoln Nebraska was nice Lawrence was favorite I went to Rutgers but University of Kansas is better at sports so I mostly follow them and root for them in college sports
And just think we were a sovereign nation. Fairly safe in our communities. Those days are gone.
$90.00 a night would be a undesirable room anywhere, but maybe OK or TX, etc
Used to road trip all the time. Big difference now is that you need to book hotel reservations in advance now and they are really expensive. Gone are the days when you could simply drive until you were ready to stop, pull up to any hotel and get a room for a decent price. Drove for 6 hours once around the Great Lakes on the way to Maine, hauling elderly relatives, and couldn't find a single hotel room anywhere. We slept in the car in a parking lot.
Airbnb?
Yes. We drove thru rural Michigan and Canada this summer, and needed a motel reservation almost every night. That really takes the spontenaity and serendipity out of road tripping.
@@Cyrus992 the cancelled my reservation, while I drove to their freakin village.
That's a HUGE reason why I don't really like to travel in the summertime. I have a strong preference for the "shoulder seasons" of spring and fall for the vast majority of my road-tripping.
However, fall sometimes requires one to be cognizant of "color season" or hunting season, which can cause some localities or regions (usually more northerly, but can even include Southern places such as The Ozarks) to be unexpectedly filled up and EXPENSIVE. In some locations in fall, too, college football can cause lodging issues. You DON'T want to try to get Friday night lodging in Ann Arbor on the weekend Ohio State is playing there, or in Tuscaloosa on the weekend Auburn is playing there, etc. Homecoming weekend or major festivals can also cause nightmares, for finding lodging...
But yes, in my 35 years of road-tripping leading up to the middle 00's, I virtually never reserved a room anywhere and I got dinged only twice, I think. Nowadays reservations are a MUST, and usually it will also be at least 20% less expensive if you reserve online in advance. I don't think that was originally true, either.
The first time I ever encountered a Motel 6 was in 1972, *IN* Salt Lake City (not the suburbs) - and the room was indeed $6 for the night. Few people realize nowadays that they are called Motel 6 for this original reason; some may think it's because their first motel was on U. S. 6, which was not true. You had to pay 75 cents extra to get a key to operate the TV!
@@RasaPaunksniene ok
Coach showed us pictures of his great road trip when he graduated high school. In 1978 I did the same thing. I saved $150, bought canned food and a mess kit, and drove from central TX back to my beautiful S. Dakota. I’ve never forgotten it. In my red Pontiac, windows open, Baker Street playing on the radio, and watching the wheat fields of CO go by.
Did you ever make it out to the Western parts of Colorado? They're very different from the Eastern Great Plains area.
I know we went over The Great Divide in Colorado, and saw that the beetles hadn't destroyed the western side. I do love the mountains! @@MofoMan2000
You should do another road trip
We did when the Army moving us. We drove from Nebraska to Long Beach. I love the wide open spaces!@@MofoMan2000
Hi Kyle, I'm 70 now, and have bicycled across the U.S. three times (3X). Twice since I retired, the Northern Tier and Southern Tier states. Bicycled across the midwest in the 1980's. I realize not everyone is lucky enough to do that, but it is an inexpensive way to travel and meet fellow Americans. Traveling by bicycle also opens people up to talk with you, ask you questions, and have a conversation on a person to person basis. No kidding, it is safe out there,, and most people are kind. It is easy for us to hate or be afraid of the unknown. I have talked with police, firemen, ranchers, farmers, store owners, all walks of life. I've spoken with a third generation wheat farmer in Montana out on the plains; and a hotel owner in a small Louisiana town. Eating breakfast at a diner in Mississippi, or Kansas, is a mental and visual treat. Having construction workers stop along the road to give you water in the middle of Arizona will put a smile on your face. The main driver of the political division you broached is cable TV and radio opinion hosts that are not fact checked by their audience. ☮
U got balls of steal lol
That's awesome. My mom did a couple of cross country cycling trips with college friends in the 70s, and I love her stories.
Mike cool story! It kind of reminds me of a book called “A Walk Across America” by Peter Jenkins. I believe it was published in the 80s. I read it as a young teenager and immediately wanted to drop everything and do what Peter Jenkins did! It’s an awesome book and I recommend it to everybody!
@@windermere2330 Thanks, I read that book. He started out with his dog, and sadly the dog got killed by a car. A relative got me the book after my ride, great story.
Mike, I agree with everything you say. I am 71 and did a Chicago to Santa Barbara recumbent trike trip a few years ago. There is nothing like seeing the country at a speed where you can dodge caterpillars and butterflies. I crossed Kansas end to end and it was all fascinating. No music or podcasts, just the sounds of nature and maybe an earworm song in my heat to keep the rhythm. And those diners, yes! What a country!
I just returned from a 38 state road trip. 110 days over 10,000 miles. Did a lot of research before I went and spent a fair bit of time on your channel. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as I thought it would be, but I had a few internet friends that were kind enough to take me in along the way. One of the best experiences of my life. Get out there and explore, there is so much more to this world than your 9 to 5 and your hometown.
You probably did this on your road trip, Rainydays, so this advice is more for everyone else. Get off the Interstate! Especially in the less populous states in the West or in the middle of the country, you can get there almost as quickly on local roads. When you have to slow down for small towns, instead of being impatient, you'll welcome the change in scenery. When you travel via Interstate, you miss about 99% of the local character.
Do you have an estimate of your weekly average expenses on that trip if you don't mind sharing?
@@JustMe-vn5pq The same applies to many great cities as well. Interstate corridors often cut through industrial, commercial and retail sections that can leave anyone with the impression that the city is ugly, or the same as every other city. It's best to plan ahead for which part of a city is best to see (I like historic districts and parks with iconic city views, for example). Even if someone only plans to pass through, they'll have a much better experience.
@@JamesVanCleaf in total the trip cost me about $5,000 everything included. I guess you could do the math with that number divided by 110 days but obviously more money spent in certain areas of the countries for a variety of different reasons.
You need to do a blog. I'd love to do this!
I'm from Europe and I've done two cross country trips of the USA. Some of the most memorable moments of my life. I'd love to go again. The first one was in the south, from Miami Beach to San Fran. I even took the train from New Orleans to Houston and from El Paso to Tucson to mix things up. It took 6 weeks in total but what a trip that was. The second time I went North, from NYC via D.C. then west all the way to Seattle, 4 weeks. My favourite places were often in the middle of nowhere. The second trip was made even better by me taking a ship from Europe rather than flying. All the best!
I have a road trip planned for next year. One thing that I think keeps people from doing road trips is the cost of lodging. Back in the day, you could get a really nice motel room for around $30. Now, you are lucky to get a room even in a small town, for less than $100. Road trips are great if you are retired. Most people just can't get the time off work.
Yep, I recall when Motel 6 was just $6. Now it's more like $66.
You can negate this somewhat because you are free and mobile. That means you can often end your day at one of the cheaper motels since you can drive that way. Not saying you have to stay in a dangerous part of town, meaning you can drive to a smaller town off the beaten path. $60 a night is still possible with planning, and that's only $1800 a month - less than many are paying for rent or mortgage nowadays.
Yes, that is a problem. Any other place you try to stay in overnight will get you chased away by private security guards, even in rest areas.
I know I'll never stay a night at the Plaza Hotel near Central Park in my lifetime, but there isn't a single motel anywhere near my "ancestral home" of Long Island that's even close to being cheap. The cheapest place I know of is in Delaware. In fact, there are quite a few fairly cheap places along the I-95 corridor south of the Delaware-Pennsylvania line with a few more expensive pockets.
Tent camp. Find campgrounds that have showers and flush toilets. Very cheap.
You need a rig you can sleep in for the majority of the trip!! Then get a hotel/airbnb or stay with friends/family strategically when you need a real bed and shower.
I think the grind of daily car commuting and aversion to traffic put some people off from even considering hopping in their cars and venturing out for a thousand miles away from home. Perhaps your next video on road tripping can talk about how relaxing and enjoyable it can be! This is a terrific video Kyle, one of your best. I especially loved your photos. Keep up the good work!
I bicycle commute no car needed
I live in a medium sized town with just little daily traffic and I still love driving
Good point. I'd go so far as to say as cities have gotten bigger, and traffic worse, that's made road trips more frustrating, so people avoid them.
@@scruf153must be nice to live in a place where you can do that
@@scruf153 I wish there there sidewalks between my apartment and my job so I could ride my bike to work
In 1982, me and my dog drove from New England to Banff and Jasper National park in Alberta, Canada and spent a week hiking. My dog loved it too! On the way back we hit Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, the Badlands and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Best trip of my life!
Now your dog would have to go into quarantine😊
I am a Midwesterner, a Wisconsinite, and the joke is, "It's only a 15 hour drive to Dallas, why fly?" Midwesterners seem to love driving almost anywhere. For me, I enjoy being in control, going where I want, when I want. No lost luggage, no weirdo tripping out on the plane, and so forth. Yes, there are problems on road trips, but they are my problems alone. Wife and I drove to Toronto then Montreal, Niagara Falls and back, I took a motorcycle road trip to Laconia, NH and York, ME and back, and just this year my wife and I drove to Deadwood, Denver, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, and back. We have time to talk about things, create and share memories. We love road tripping!
I completely agree! As a fellow Wisconsinite, I love driving everywhere. The Midwest is a great launching point to most of the country given its relative central location to the rest of the country. The only headache I have leaving from my home base of Milwaukee is getting through Chicago and the heavy traffic there. I mentally say to myself, "I won't really feel like I'm out on the open road exploring somewhere new until I make it through Chicago." Obviously heading west or southwest doesn't put me through Chicago but if I want to head southeast or east, I almost always have to suck it up and get through Chicago.
As a "FIB" (if you're in Wisconsin you know what that is) I agree as well. Very centrally located. I can get in the car and drive for double-digit hours without a problem. 18 hours to Salt Lake? Yes, did that numerous times. 17 hours to Montreal or Boston? You betcha. A 21 hour drive from Gallup to home? Did it too.
But the way I figure, factor in airfare, luggage, etc. then possibly the need to rent a car at the destination, it comes out even or ahead if I drive. I also have started to enjoy more along the way. Last year I drove down to Key West. Took a few days, stopped off at a few cities on the Atlantic Coast (I've never been) and it was a great time. If you fly somewhere, that's where you stay. If you drive, it's a way to experience much more.
@@drewo6388 This I agree with too, I hate Chicago traffic but thankfully being close to it I can time my escapes. It's coming back that is more difficult to plan -- I always joke that I can drive 2000 miles without a traffic jam but then I hit the Chicago metro and it's solid brake lights even at 3am on a Wednesday.
@@drewo6388 if your willing to go a longer ways the UP is very nice
@@realShadowKatThe traffic is a toss up on 80/94 or even 65 going through or out of West Virssippi. Once out its full steam ahead to wherever.
I'm from Norway and have been to both the east and west coast but driving across the US is definitely on my bucket list. I've already been all across Norway so I wanna see new things!
Sounds awesome, did you have specific route you were thinking? I'm a long haul trucker, been all around the country 100's of times. If you Have any questions ask away i would be glad to help.
The midsection of the US, what’s sometimes called “flyover country” because a lot of Americans want to fly over it instead of drive it, is really beautiful. It’s not a highly populated area either. Once my car stalled out there and even though I had someone on the way to help me, ten cars stopped to see if I needed help or needed to use their phone. I hope you do get to travel across the USA. It’s really beautiful. My favorite places lately have been in the Rocky Mountains, particularly in Colorado and New Mexico. The drive from Santa Fe to Taos, New Mexico is stunning.
@@brownjatt21 Oh awesome. It's probably gonna be a few years until we are able to do it though we have thought of starting near New york. We wanna spend a few days there to check the city out. We've figured we wanna rent a car outside of New York because it looks like hell to drive out of there. The southerm states are pretty high on the list. Me and a friend bought an offset smoker a while back and have made some pretty nice ribs on it but we'd love to try the various styles in the south. We've looked at a ton of videos. Other than that, we've talked about seeing monument valley, the grand canyon and Las Vegas but we haven't put much more thought into it. A visa grants 90 days I belive so the gorgeous parks up north might have to be for another time.
Any suggestions to this plan is appreciated!
Oh and we wanna check out DC and Gettysburg.
@@dianecaldwell5237 I've played a lot of geogeussr so I know what some of those areas look like and they would definitely be aswesome to see. Driving up to mt evans for instance looks really cool. It's a lot taller than any mountain in Norway!
we welcome you just leave that sweedish potato ala greta at home!no one needs that worthless rich tard!
Really great advice and tips here. I completed a 5,300 mile road trip this summer in my 2001 Lexus LS 430. I saw 17 different states, met amazing people, ate great food and created life-long memories. You really don't need much money to have a good time.
Good food? Are you kidding???
I fulfilled a longtime dream in 2021 (age 49) and drove across the entire USA, from Virginia to California. I've also driven from VA to SC to see a concert, drove my kid to visit a friend in TN, and, last summer, drove up to Boston. I had no idea road-tripping was less common! I totally agree with you too, about traveling being important to expand our perspective about the diversity of people. I've also visited Stockholm and Paris. That was 23 years ago but I still remember the feeling of experiencing different cultures.
Female in mid 20s and recent college graduate. I took a road trip independently without my family for the first time ever back in august and I really loved it! I had been wanting to take a road trip to New England for a while but I live SOOO far away and it felt impossible. But then a seasonal job with the NPS came up in Virginia which put me so much closer to where I wanted to be and helped me save up more money to afford the trip. Once the job wrapped up I packed up headed to Connecticut. I spent three weeks all over the northeast and I saved thousands on lodging by crashing at family and friends' house. I even got a free long weekend on Cape Cod by visiting with my third cousins at their beach house there. I had the most incredible time of my life and now that my next job doesn't start until August, I have time to go back the northeast for another fun road trip!
TLDR: Young woman who did first road trip around New England and had the time of my life!
As for the total solar eclipse that's about to happen on 08 April 2024, I'll have to pay attention to weather forecasts and head toward the best destination among my three primary choices: Buffalo, Cleveland, or Indianapolis. Though I live in Chicago, these three prime destinations are all east of me because it will hit me in the middle of an East Coast road trip, from which I must backtrack (and return to the East Coast after). Interestingly all three of these cities have zoos - I long ago decided I'd like to be in a zoo during the eclipse because it can be interesting to see how the wild animals react. Is that an outside-the-box thing, or what?
The road trip itself will be substantial, as it should go on for a few weeks. A good advantage for all three of the cited cities (or a fourth alternative, if necessary, the exurbs and other areas south of Toledo) is that I have friends that I can stay with. Has any previous total solar eclipse ever passed over or very close to so many major U. S. population centers? (Note that San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas are also within the zone.)
@@frankmerrill2366 We managed to get a campsite reserved at a state park just south of Bloomington, IN for the eclipse. We live NW of Chicago and were looking for anyplace we could set up our popup camper for a few days. Almost nothing was available. Turns out that we seem to have found a really wonderful state park that will make the trip worthwhile. The staff have all kinds of activities planned for the eclipse during that time too.
We're you in SNP?
I honestly think the prime takeaway from your story is that you saved a bunch of money by being able to crash with friends. If you didn't have that option, you likely wouldn't have been able to road trip for as long as you did.
@@derek96720 More often, with me, the tail wags the dog. Where I know people is likely to accentuate where I most enjoy going. I'd rather have a wonderful long-form conversation than to see, let's say, one of the coolest waterfalls or national parks.
Some trips are otherwise: the definitive example was the 117-day road trip (to the Canadian Territories and Alaska) in 1986, where I don't think I stayed with people more than six or seven nights. Assuming good health, I'm hoping to do a four-week(?) Canadian trip, going to only a handful of places where I know people. My four trips overseas (which can get really expensive) didn't involve seeing people I knew, other than visiting a customer in Italy.
Nobody can freaking afford it anymore. Everybody's wages are stagnant, and the price of cars, gas, food, lodging etc etc. is utterly ridiculous. I spent the last 45 years dreaming of retiring and setting out for an entire Summer to see the country with Wifey, and now that we are there, a decent truck to pull a small camper costs more than we paid for the home in which we are currently living. And that small fiberglass camper we expected to buy at this time has doubled in price in just the last 10 years. A bag of dog food went from $25 to $66. A decent, clean, nothing fancy motel room that could be had for $40 a night now costs over $200. I remember very well the first time it took $3 to fill the tank on my Dad's Volkswagen Beetle, and he pitched a hissy fit! Now it takes $60 to fill my 6 cylinder SUV, and I have had to pay $100.
Our generation got screwed. 😞
Yep.
@@Isaiah-ft5nxIts so blatantly crazy how this youtuber is clearly a boomer, saying that it is not the economy the problem. That is the way you talk when you are over 50 years old and have a house and a car, lol. Imagine trying to save money for a 3-6 month trip nowadays with enough savings, vacation time or a job lined back. Ridicoulous
We bought a little popup camper that we can pull with our used Subaru. We bought the camper new, but it was the previous year's model, so we were able to get it for about $12k. We're all in, car and camper for about $20,000. There are affordable options if you're willing to rough it just a little bit.
Add in time. It's very hard to get time off from work and when you do you want to use it to the maximum with friends or family.
@@jamessimon2002 True that! I didn't mention that at the current time I'm still having to work to pay for college etc.
Gday from Australia. I tell all my mates and family one of the best things you can do in America is the road trip. I hired a classic American pony car and drove north out of Los Angeles up the way up the coast into Washington. Made a right hand turn after the bridge, passed Mt Ranier, then zig zagged out to Whitefish, Montana. Turned south and basically straddled the continental divide until Durango, Colorado. Then west to Moab, south west past The Grand Canyon, across the Mojave desert, up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, west through Yosemite and gradually back to L.A.
Some of the highlights for me were Big Sur, Ecola state park, Going to the sun road, Beartooth Hwy, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain Nat Park, Million Dollar Hwy, Arches Canyonland parks, Yosemite and Sequoia Nat park.
Some of the most spectacular landscapes blessed with awesome people and amazing road systems. Thanks again to my American brothers and sisters and Merry Christmas.
It's time + money. It takes a bunch of time to road trip, so you have to plan for it and save vacation days up to be able to enjoy it (IF Acme Corp will allow you to take 30 days at one time). We went on a lot of road trips when I was a kid, but my folks had jobs that could allow for 3-4 weeks off. Then, there's the planning. You have to book motels/hotels in advance , what routes to take, what you want to see - and THAT puts you on a schedule - a mixed blessing. RVs/campers/tents don't have this problem as badly. You may have to book a space, but can "rough it" if necessary somewhere nearby.
Flying, until the last 30-40 years was prohibitively expensive for the average person, so people drove - and stopped to see the sights along the way. Today, people will fly to a place (say SLC for instance), rent a car, and go to see the parks or skiing. This leaves more time for "vacation" versus getting there......but you miss a LOT doing it this way and will never know it.
And yes - money. You have to save that up too - which has always been the case unless you were fairly well off.
Trains are kind of a halfway option, and pretty cool to ride across the US. If you plan it, you can spend a day or two in a couple of cities along the way. Ain't cheap, but it is fun to look out the window whilst not having to drive.
Love your videos!
IMO the best road trips are done with little in the way of plans. Sleeping rough occasionally is made up for by seeing the things I didn't know were there. Internet booking has helped greatly in this. So long as you can get a little cellular signal it isn't too hard to find a room somewhere within range mid afternoon. You're right on about the cost and time though.
You have to get a really good job nowadays to even get that much time off.
September, 2022...Road-tripped from Atlanta to Billings MT.
It was fantastic. 2400 mile trip--one way. (Airlines were cancelling flight by the hundreds...so I drove. Glad I did.) In a few months..I plan to drive to St. Johnsbury, VT...where I lived as a kid in 62-63'.
I left the east almost 2 weeks ago. Boy was I happy to be hitting the road. In Vegas now and loving it. One of the coolest things about traveling cross country is the terrain changes. #🚙🚴🏿♂️🌵⛺️🤟🏿😎
I agree! It isn’t a big road-trip until the topography changes!! Then it feels like I’ve gone somewhere new!
In my opinion, reality is more awe inspiring and memorable than any theme park. It’s often the ordinary that stands out on a road trip. For someone who had never been to the desert, I will never forget the smell of rain on parched earth.
I'll never forget the feeling of 120 degree heat in Death Valley...it was also windy so it felt like holding a blow dryer to my face
Petrichor
I stepped out of my air-conditioned semi-truck into San Antonio TX humidity in July, 2023. It was the first time my glasses got fogged up going OUTSIDE. In the Northwest US (Idaho), glasses only get foggy going INSIDE, to a humid home.
Yes and photos usually do not do places justice in actually how beautiful they are.
I made my first road trip when I was 18 and drove my VW bug across the country from my home in San Bernardino, CA to my first Air Force duty station at Dover, Delaware. I never forgot that feeling of being out on the road meeting new people and seeing new sights everyday. That along with the realization that if you lived modestly and saved your money, you only had to work about half the year and were free to travel during the rest, established my priorities for life. I'm 73 and still out there traveling and road tripping.
My wife and I are very big about traveling by car rather than flying. Yes, it takes longer, but the journey becomes the destination as you never know what you might find along the way.
I used to love to fly.
Not anymore. If I can't drive there I don't go.
👍👍👍👍👍
I think a couple of things stand out to me now at 60: 1. Airline travel is much cheaper. So more people just fly. and 2. GPS of phone navigation. Let me explain. When You put in say "San Francisco" into your phone It just shows the most direct and efficient route. I use phone directions all the time, but on a road trip I still bring paper maps. Maps show you everything around you, back roads, scenic routes, rivers, mountains, etc. so you can travel the more interesting routes. Friends make fun of me "Why do you still use maps?". That's why. BTW I'm going on a road trip for Xmas. Happy Holidays everyone.
You can "avoid highways" on Google Maps. I sometimes do this for traffic reasons, sometimes just to see a different route.
@@jesseoglidden thanks!
Great point and one I didn't think of. I have a 90's vintage road atlas that I bring along on road trips that is really useful and let you find a route using back roads, secondary highways, and scenic byways that you probably wont see on a phone. I see these types of road atlases at thrift stores and used book stores all the time and they're definitely worth grabbing for a few bucks.
I’ve tried on a small scale. All you get is a big dodge ram diesel chasing you up and down the hills. It feels like you’re in the movie Duel.
Our typical road trip is to fly someplace that would take a week to reach from our home in Florida.
We recently flew to San Francisco, had an absolute blast, as I expected, yes there were homeless people, but they were isolated to one street seriously we walked across the Golden Gate walked all around fisherman‘s wharf up to Lombard Street and over Muir Woods. We then rented a car and drove down to the Pacific Coast Highway a little bit past mirror Wood big sir then we had to double back because of a landslide they’re working on. we then drove up to Sequoia national Park, up to Yosemite back west to Napa and return the car and fly home. It was an incredible trip. I count this as a car trip as we drove some 1200 miles!
We also did a car trip flying into Salt Lake City renting a car and driving to Denver. We enjoyed the incredible scenery of Moab Colorado national monument Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Springs, Florissant, national Monument, Garden of the Gods, and Denver. if we had more time we would’ve driven south from Colorado Springs to New Mexico.
Another car trip required us to fly to San Diego then return the car in Las Vegas along the way we stopped in Los Angeles. Hollywood then drove all the way to Tucson AZ and visited the Grand Canyon before we doubled back to Vegas.
Our last long car trip required a flight up to Buffalo from where we then drove to Boston. We headed north and east through Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Mt Washington (in Gorham, NH), Portland, ME, then Boston.
Each trip was unique and geography, landforms, rivers, demographics, weather, sports arts, agriculture, food, accent, you name it! the fact that we didn’t drive away from our home the entire distance enabled us to spend more time in the rental car experiencing what we wanted to see
I’m 29 and thankfully got to travel across so much of this country thanks to my grandparents and even though time is my constraint due to work, I can’t get enough of the natural wealth of this country and the people that make this place what it is culturally as a generally young nation. I’ve made lifelong friends going from place to place and I want to keep going around revisiting and finding new places and people until I die.
Thanks Kyle for always shining a light on just how wonderful the experience and sights around us are.
👍👍
I grew up with road trips and loved it. Now, my 6 year old daughter has already been on 2 major road trips and several smaller ones. She's always looking forward to them. It's great family time, and she's learning so much along the way even if she doesn't know it yet. Her second trip from Toronto to Orlando is coming up. Kids find it so cool how you can "drive from winter to summer" haha😂.
I spent a considerable amount of time hitch-hiking. Crossed the U.S. several times, Crossed my native Canada from end to end even more times. Hitched to the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Visited 46 states and every Canadian province and territory. Some extensive road trips by car as well, and plenty of Greyhound journeys. It's a huge continent, with big differences in climate, vegetation, terrain, history, culture, language, economies and cuisine. So many wonderful memories! I can still taste that Texas BBQ in my mind, and still see the mists rising from the Great Smokies, the waves crashing against the rocky shores of Newfoundland, the relentless sun in Death Valley, the sunrise over Mt. Diablo seen from Corona Heights in San Francisco, Boston Common, Central Park, Monument Valley, the glorious Canadian Rockies, and dusty little towns on the plains of Kansas or the prairies of Saskatchewan. Flew over the vast glaciers and terrifying peaks of the St. Elias mountains in the Yukon. It surprises me that people are doing fewer road trips. What's the point of sitting in one place?? That's the life of a carrot or a potato. I could never be satisfied with that.
Hitch-hiking is also a thing of the past. Sadly.
at 48 years old I like bicycle touring lazy people think I am crazy I also bicycle commute since I do not own a car I just rode 75 miles to my state capital and back home took a three day weekend stayed at a campground much needed adventure
@@GrandpaShark I hitched the full length of France just a few years ago. Very pleasant experience. Also did a bit in Australia in recent years. It's true that it isn't nearly as common as it was at it's peak in the 1960-70s, but I've had no problem doing it anywhere in Canada until health problems have limited my travels very recently. For quite some time I hitched with a cat poking his head out of my backpack ---- attracting lots of rides. The dangers are much exaggerated. Despite the huge mileage I've clocked, I have had only a small number of unpleasant incidents (mostly with inebriated drivers).
@@scruf153 Sounds like good strategy to keep sane, as well as healthy.
I love road trips but something I’ve noticed when I ask people if they’d like to join is that workplace environments are less conducive to taking a chunk of time off. It seems like more people are taking a couple days here and there and subsequently doing extended weekends. That’s also a culture shift away from the once-per-year vacations that our parents took.
If you have kids in sports, your travel life is ruined until they are grown. Remember when all sports had their seasons?
In 2012, I rode a bicycle from San Francisco (via LA, Vegas, Utah, Wyoming, the Great Plains and Niagara) to New York City. It was an amazing experience, and I've met so many wonderful people. I think you are absolutely right when you say a road trip makes you more understanding; there are so many people out there, all living their separate lives and having their own beliefs, it's impossible to just write off whole demographics. At least, that's my experience.
My daughter and I took a 2 week road trip from KY to CO after her high school graduation in 2021. I wanted to be able to do that before she went off to college and may never have the opportunity again. It was one of the best trips we've ever been on. We went to the San Juan mountains in south western CO around the Telluride, Ouray and Silverton area. We mostly camped and took our 4Runner on the Alpine Loop trails up 13,000 ft tall mountains with incredible views and some white knuckle shelf roads. Came back through Denver and Boulder and back across KS. It was a special trip that we will both always remember.
Beautiful! Love it! My dad and I did a 30 day trip in 2019. From Huntington WV to San Diego CA. Up to Port Angeles WA and having Chicago be our last night before making it home.
Love to see that you all enjoyed your time on the road ❤
I've recently started incorporating small road trips into my vacations. I recently went to see the northwest by flying into Portland, staying for a few days then driving up to Seattle for the last few days of the trip. It was a great 8-10 hour scenic drive between two big cities with plenty to do.
Sorry I'm not trying to be a hater, but that's a day trip not a road trip. I would refer you to my comment in this thread as to what my opinion of a road trip is
@@lithows this is youtube, nobody can see your other comment without searching for ages
@@lithows If it took 8-10 hours for him to get between those cities (normally a 3-4 hour drive) he clearly went off the beaten path. Two years ago, I did a roadtrip between Seattle and Portland, but I took a VERY indirect route and it took me four days to do it. 🤣
I have been logging around 45k miles a year 2021-2023 on road trips across the Continental USA -- destinations include Natl Parks, running ultra-marathons, mountain climbing. We've been to and seen a lot of similar locations. Thanks for sharing your observations.
Best vacation i ever took was two weeks of just going where the spirit moved me through Appalachia. Never ate in a chain restaurant and only rarely drove on interstates. I was inspired by the book "Blue Highways".
I did something similar once. I live in OH and hopped on US 50 and headed west. I didn’t consult a map ahead of time so I had no idea where the road would lead me. If I found something interesting, I stopped. If not, I kept on going. Made it to Dodge City before I figured I better hurry back home via I-70. I still consider it one of the best road trips I’ve ever taken.
Very well stated video. I think it's important if you're going to road trip to get off the interstates and take the back roads of America! ❤️
Hear, hear! I know this is particularly true in my state of Washington. Both the I-90 corridor and I-5 corridor would not give one a fair impression of the state at all.
in 1980 my wife got into trucking, we were owner operators and drove all the lower 48 states. We did that for 10 years. We had a chance to see all the states on both Interstates and back roads. Seeing the country and getting paid to do it. It gave us memories and stories for rest of our lives!
A couple of years ago, I drove from New Mexico to Montana. I got to see some scenery that is beyond words. Flathead Lake and Yellowstone are breathtakingly beautiful.
There's something soul cleansing about a road trip. I have restless gaspedal syndrome and road trip as often as possible. Day trip, few days, doesn't matter. If I have two days off in a row I'm not likely to be found on my couch. The world is too beautiful to miss!🎉
This is the most beautiful and useful piece I've seen on RUclips recently. Great wisdom here!
I am from europe and went for a roadtrip in California and Nevada. i sometimes loved the small towns and stops more then the big tourist attractions we went to!
In 2017 our family flew out to Vegas (instead of driving alll the way from Montreal) but we did end up road tripping through Nevada, Arizona, and Southern California all the way up to San Francisco.
Being used to east coast North America, it was definitely one of the most memorable trips of my life!
I studied in the US between 2005-2007 and me an my roommate took a couple of small roadtrips around the West Coast...an the roadtrips are some of the best memories I have. I think the best thing was the feeling of independence, excitement , freedom and youth. Things I still remember are the massiveness of nature (from horizon to horizon) which seems to dominate the landscape, the miles of endless straight and good, almost empty roads (almost no traffic compared to India), passing through the one-horse towns and abandoned towns, eating at diners and staying at motels with the dusty and musty carpets, for me those are the highlights more than the heavily marketed attractions some of which are clearly overhyped...If I were young again and had more sense, I wish I had thought about a coast to coast road trip then....but Americans ignoring road trips is really sad....coz your country is completely suited for it...we have wonderful nature in every country but for eg in most parts of Asia, there will be people and traffic everywhere making the destination more attractive than the journey but in America just being on the roads outside the city is an experience....
A few years ago we did Route 6. Which originally started in Long Beach, CA and ends at Cape Cod. What an experience it was. This next year we plan to do Highway 20 from the Oregon coast to Boston.
Awesome! I grew up on the Cape and always loved seeing the sign for the end of Route 6 in Provincetown.
@@TheHamburgler123 Yes I was there a few months ago and had to see it myself.
I road trip as much as I can and I recently explored the great plains, which were fascinating. I had some nice conversations in Salina, Kansas and they couldn't believe a New Englander was visiting. I have always felt the best way to learn about the country is to go and see how diverse we really are. That helped me become more empathetic and appreciative of others in red or blue states. We live in an endlessly fascinating country, and road tripping is the best thing anyone can do to learn more about it.
From Iowa. Been to Salina a few times. Town is ok. The trip there is pretty uneventful.
Uneventful, but if you're used to New England scenery, the plains were awesome to see. There was a time when I thought the NYC skyline was the biggest thing I had ever seen. Then, the Grand Canyon blew that away. Then, there was one scenic highway stop in Kansas somewhere looking out to the plains that had to be ten times the size of the Grand Canyon. That was heaping helping of humble pie.
I totally agree about how necessary it is and how beneficial it is. I've hitchhiked across the country several times from east to west and north to south. I've been to about 40 of the states. Oh, and hitchkiked in Canada and from Belgium to India in 1975. This is a great channel Kyle!
Brit here.... I've done a couple of road trips in the US, which I enjoyed enormously. Quite short, and pretty much within the confines of an individual state, but definitely road trips, with stays at B&Bs. The first was 6 days around Virginia - from DC west to the hills, south for a day along the Skyline Drive, then east to Richmond, and finally back to DC. The second was around New York state: from NYC up the Hudson Valley to the Poughkeepsie area, then over to Ithaca and around the Finger Lakes area, and then back to NYC, through Pennsylvania.
I really enjoyed them, and got to meet and talk to some interesting people. One thing that always surprises me is the scale of the US, even in the east - distances are so much greater than in the UK.
Next trip, head out to the Great basin area west of the Rockies. Vast expanses, very few people.
24 living in a suburb of Los Angeles! My family still tries to road trip whenever we all can (Just got back from Mt. Rushmore!). I’m blessed and fortunate to have seen a lot of the US and you’re completely correct it is the cure for partisanship! Keep spreadin the good word and knowledge Geography King!🌎👑
First time in LA 2 days ago and the traffic is insane. How do you deal with it on a daily basis? Loved California though. So much beauty.
Your insight and interpretation of social and political geography is enormously helpful, thank you.
I took my first road trip, Massachusetts to Sierra Madre, CA. in 1969, most recently MA. to the Colorado Plateau, 2022. Love your work.
I blame it on the movie "National Lampoon's Vacation". No one would willingly put themselves through that kind of nightmare...I know that smell! LOL! Seriously, you have some interesting insights into the subject. When I was a kid, my family put in lots and LOTS of road miles, moving every 2-3 years, and road tripping back the parent's Nebraska home town every year for vacation from wherever home happened to be at the time. I'm definitely a grizzled veteran of that magic black ribbon which leads to unknown adventures! Heck, I still get a little adrenaline rush just heading to the grocery store!
I was born and raised in southern ont. Canada. Traveled the east coast from fla to maine, live in Utah right now, traveled that part of the continent, ive met amazing people everywhere, may not agree with all there views but give people the respect they deserve and you'll find them likeable for sure. What an amazing land we live in. Look forward to your next vid. 😊
My wife is from SE Asia and has lived here for years. We have flown places, but a few years ago I thought she should see the country. We left N. VA and drove through the north to the Tetons, down to Santa Fe and back home through the south. It was a long trip, but we had a great time. I grew up traveling the country by car and bus time and again. You’ve given me the urge again.
My parents instilled road trips in me from childhood with summer trips from California to Texas, Indiana and Colorado to visit family. This expanded to international travel as well, but my crowning glory road trip was driving 3000 miles from Arizona to Anchorage, Alaska to work as a tour guide for the summer of 2022. When I had time off, I took side trips to Homer, Seward, Whittier and Denali NP. I will always be an advocate for road travel. Being on the road had taken me places I never would have imagined being in the first place.
I can't legally drive due to medical issues barring me from getting a license again, but I still am planning a road trip down the pacific coast highway with three friends next summer and looking forward to it. You're definitely correct about the importance of people being able to see places that contrast to their every day experiences.
In my experience it's also a chance for a great bonding experience when done with other people.
Just finished a two week road trip from Wisconsin to the southwest Grand Circle. First time ever to this region, really anywhere west of the Mississippi. It was amazing. The 2-day drive from WI to Santa Fe, NM was pretty mindblowing and gave me a real sense of scale of how big and diverse our country really is. Can’t wait to do another road trip next year!
I road trip as often as I can, and will do so until I am no longer able. There is so much beauty, and so much to learn by getting out there. If you want to understand people and their needs and wants, you have to experience their environment first hand. Added to that, it's just plain fun!
went on my first road trip this past summer, completely agree!
I'd say it's a greater focus on destination vacationing. If your plan is to go to the beach in Florida, even people who drive are more likely to stick to interstates to get to that beach as quickly as possible rather than spending time to visit the world's largest ball of dryer lint or the scenic overview that's 10 miles down a county road, as opposed to 30 years ago when people would totally see the billboard for some attraction and just decide "hey, let's check out that big cave or the widget museum or historic downtown Nowheresville".
I love those quirky roadside attractions and would definitely detour to visit the world's largest ball of dryer lint if I knew where it is. ;-) I think the one in Farmington Hills, MI was burned.
That's true. However, even on our trip to see a solar eclipse in 2017, the other two I was with insisted on an excursion thru South of the Border -- but then not long enough there for it to see much. And they were very picky about eateries, doing a lot of research with mobile online to find somewhat fancy stuff.
Agreed. I've always thought it was weird to destination vacation tbh. It's like you spend a whole week and all this money just hanging out in one small area the whole time. Idk that's not for me i want to adventure
I once took a train cross-country and back. I'm trying to get my wife to do it. It was an amazing trip. Met so many great people on the train, saw the most amazing sights, and got to relax the whole way.
I'd like to do road tripping, but it's just so much more convenient to go by flying, as I don't have to take as much time off work just due to travel times.
Ugh. That's true unfortunately about the time.
The flying itself is such a nightmare compared to the joy of a road trip.
Road trips were more fun when I was a kid, and my parents were doing all of the driving instead of me 😊. Then, I had more time to observe the scenery. Also, getting off the interstates and driving on US and state highways and local roads isn't always so glamorous, either, besides that it takes so much more time. You may want to take your time and observe the scenery, but if you're only going the speed limit a lot of the local drivers will be on your behind for miles on a two-lane road because they're using it for work or they've driven that road 1,000 times before so it's no big deal to them.
Hi Kyle, As always, thanks for the great content. I agree %100 that roadtripping can go a long way towards healing divisions that are so toxic in the USA right now. Being “on the ground” with folks in their space is so important. I recognize fondly SO many of the locations in your photos - even many of the off-the-beaten track ones. I still take and love road trips, but motel/hotel prices are the main obstacle for me. I am recently retired so, especially since the end of the pandemic, my fixed income doesn’t go as far. I am frugal, but still struggle with this. For example, I am going from where I live in Cleveland, to the North Carolina shore for a wedding this summer. Not a terribly long car trip, but even basic accommodation averages over $250 a night, so a 4 day trip will cost over $1500. I spent less than that for an entire month in Ecuador! Thanks again for your great videos and insights. All the best to you, Bob
I'm glad you're able to road trip, but yes hotels are crazy expensive.
Something not really talked about is that with the Internet and smartphones, you can travel vicariously instead of actually being there. Travelling was much more mysterious and alluring, you had to be there to see it. Now you can watch all kinds of stuff on the Internet. If I want to see the Grand Canyon, I can watch hours of HD quality video without leaving my bed.
That's true and something I hadn't thought about in my answer. I've done a lot of virtual driving via Google Street View in many parts of the world, near and far.
Yes you can. But, as was the case I first saw Yosemite in person ... I was blown away by the spectacular scenery and the "hugeness" of everything The same with Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, the Lost Coast of California, the Eastern Sierra Nevada, etc. etc. etc. It's unbelievable in person.
@@KurtfromLaQuintayou’re absolutely right, nothing beats the “real” experience… Been in Hawaii last year and besides my “knowledge” of a lot of places there it’s a totally different thing to be physically at these places
Because of this phenomena, I was GREATLY disappointed upon finally seeing the Grand Canyon in person. Yawn- we have just as amazing canyons all over the place in Idaho, and yet they're relatively unknown.
A lot of the US is now very corporatized and it’s generally ‘the same’ from one part of the country to another. Plus, air travel is fast and cheap and safer vs driving. And quite honestly, people are working hard to make ends meet. Leisure time after work has increased, but number of day off per year is decreasing.
Great timing with this video! I’m about to go on my first cross country road trip. I’ve traveled a ton - even taken the California Zephyr across the country - but this is my first time driving.
I’ve gone on road trips around the American West before, and definitely got a sense of things like you mentioned. Lots of the small towns and vast spaces felt really different from what I was used to. Gave me a great feel for the country, and it’s got me really looking forward to my trip.
Well said! Grew up doing road trips & they changed my whole perspective on life. Have a VW Bus now and go traveling as much as possible. Took my 88 yr old dad recently on a road trip, driving around the countryside, getting lost on dirt roads, finding random interesting places, had the best time! Planning another trip with him in the Spring. Happy trails!
One of the best holidays I ever had was a 4-week road trip around the SW USA, starting at Vegas (it's easy to fly into), taking in the Nevada desert, Sierra Nevada mountains, Reno, California, Yosemite, Death Valley and much more, then back to Vegas. By the way, I'm a Brit.
Basing a road trip of the US west out of Vegas, is an extremely good idea, very cost-effective. At least it is when rental cars are reasonably priced. Even as an American, I've done that twice, to give the grand tour of the west to my kids when they were around 10, and a similar tour with a girlfriend who had only been one place out west previously. A day or two in Vegas, plus a big loop of places you want to see, is a great trip.
Kyle... thank you for this. I grew up with all sorts of maps and books, but it isn't until I started road tripping to where I really felt like I learned about our country. The more places I go, the more appreciation I have for everything that's unique and special about each place, but the more I realize that everything is more the same than different.
Well my work has had us travel for our jobs that are a great distance from our main warehouse for many many years. Meeting all these people along the way and working with people from other cities and states has shown me people the same deep down. Guys want peace of mind and like beer everywhere you go. Glad you brought this up.
Road trips can be expensive when you take into account gasoline costs, overnight stays in motels/hotels and food, as well as wear and tear in your car - unless you rent a car. Yet, there’s so much to see and experience that you would otherwise not be able to when you fly.
Road trips do take long to get there, but it’s not all about the destination, it’s about the journey, the sights, the people we meet throughout, and the experiences that we have which would otherwise not be possible when we travel by plane.
We usually end up spending less when we road trip as compared to flying somewhere. The reason is because air travel and car rental have really gone up in price in recent years. And we usually end up renting a car anyway when we air travel. Gas for our car ends up usually being less than airfare and car rental.
I went from AZ to LA for the weekend, stayed at a Super 8 for one night and it cost me ~ $400 in total. That was Friday night, slept in a dirt lot in my car, Saturday, one night at a hotel for $100, then back home Sunday night for work Monday morning. That's just to the next state and back.
@@JZStudiosonline And you’re right, that was only motel stays. You didn’t add the cost of gas, especially the higher cost of gas you pay once you cross the AZ - CA state line, when the gas prices rise at least one dollar or more a gallon.
@@Lourdes-A. That was included. It was $400 for almost 2 days.
Hi Kyle! I have flown 3 millions miles over the past 40 years. I also drove about 40k per year. 4 years ago I became ill and decided to retire. So I started with a goal to travel and complete all 50 states and Canada. I have completed it with trips on every major interstate, the Stuart Cassiar. The AlCan, the Dawson Highway and half of the Trans Canada. My next trip is to finish it by going up into Canada from Michigan and seeing everything eat to Nova Scotia. The head south through Maine and Circumnavigate the entire US into Vancouver and then East . You are correct that it is not as expensive as we think. And yes I Did the 2 biggest islands in Hawaii as well but not my own car. Plus I drove the entirety of Scotland the same way. The only caveat is you need reliability in a car. I drove over 200k on my latest journeys. Can’t wait for the rest. Would love to do Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Ushuaia Argentina.
Woah! Some great ambitious there. May I suggest, if you do get all the way to Nova Scotia, making certain that you include Antigonish. Such a charming town, for sure. Springhill is strongly advised as well, as Anne Murray's hometown as well as a museum about the 1958 Springhill mine disaster, though I haven't taken my own advice to see these yet.
Further west, Stratford ON and Nelson BC are also strongly recommended, and Moose Jaw SK has a wonderful very historic downtown. Consider taking a car ferry to "the Rock" (the island part of Newfoundland And Labrador), too. That place is drop-dead gorgeous. You can even visit Dildo if you dare.
Great video!! I love road-tripping. I drive Calif to Oregon & Washington a couple of times every year in my convertible. Drove Calif to Montana last summer and Calif to North Carolina a couple of years ago. All fun & great adventures. 🚗
I think there are a few factors affecting road trips.
The first one being the ease and relatively inexpensiveness of air travel. Since the dawn of the web booking a airplane ticket has been super easy that anyone with basic computer/app skills can do it. Also compared to the past prices for flights are cheaper, especially international ones. Given that I think it makes the world available at one fingertips.
Another reason is the lack of vacation time most Americans get, with the rise of the gif economy and many workplaces offering 2 weeks vacation max it's become rarer to see people in general take long vacations. I remember taking two weeks for my honeymoon and many people were in awe that I was able to do that. So with less time it's makes it more condusive to fly most places.
Another reason is the cost of everyday living, restaurants hotels going up. Even though gas is not at a historical high; rents, housing, groceries are higher. When one does travel even discount hotels are higher than in the past, going out to eat has increased as well.
Personally I would love to take a cross country trip, I've been on many local road trips and always enjoy them and find out more about a place by traveling there. Maybe when I retire I can go on that cross country road trip.
We live in gainesville fl, we wanted our kids to see snow. So, one Christmas, we checked the weather radar and ended up traveling to Omaha NE. It was an amazing trip. I was surprised that our kids were as patient as they were. 18, 10, and 5 year at the time.
I live near Phoenix AZ. Ironically I can see snow on a little day trip, just 2 hours north!🏜️❄️
Thank you for sharing your wonderful photographs with us. In the future, please consider adding captions to let us know where they were taken.
Bravo! In October I took 4,100 mile road trip to Montana (from Las Vegas). It was a great adventure. Your mention of Grand Island, Nebraska reminded me of another road trip adventure almost 50-years ago: My 1970 Duster broke-down there. My hotel was above the local telephone exchange so I got to mingle with beautiful, young telephone operators for three days.
We did road trips when I was a kid, mostly to Canada or the southern US. Now that i have the time, it’s physically difficult. Still, train travel has helped even if the destinations are more limited. Thanks for this video and your challenge in re reexamining presumptions about our fellow citizens.
Excellent variety!😀
You mentioned road trip across country, but I know so many people that live in CA and have never been to Yosemite, or the Redwoods. I would encourage people to go see your state and a couple of neighboring states. Drive hwy 1 north to south etc. I was lucky as a kid my folks would take road trips, all 6 in my dad’s Buick. He did all the driving too. My folks saved up and we didn’t eat fancy, sometimes slept under the stars or camped along the way. Lots of memories As a photographer I enjoy driving out to find some new sights.
I was a partner in a moving company that did moves from the US and Canada to Mexico. Even though I was rarely in the same town for more than one night, experiencing all of what North America has to offer really humbles you
We are Canadians, currently living in the prairies, but we have lived coast to coast and several provinces in between. We (my daughter, her husband and their teenage kids) do a road trip to the US every year since 2013 (other than 2020-21 when the gates were closed) and it’s the highlight of our year. We average about 4-5000 kms each trip. We have seen all the states from California to Iowa and every state north of those states to the CDN/US border. Utah is probably our favourite, but South Dakota is pretty close. We love hiking big and small trails, and we especially love the small towns between the destinations. We are flying to Florida this spring to rent a car and road trip the Gulf states. We are centre-left politically, but we feel equally comfortable and welcome in the red states. We love our US neighbours! Thank you for this channel - it has given us lots of useful information over the years! ❤
I am quite far left of center, and I live in Chicago (a great place for somebody of that persuasion). That said, if one wants to see NATURAL beauty (as opposed to human beauty such as architecture, city parks, movie palaces, tourist traps, courthouses, etc.), the percentage of these which are located in "red states" or surrounded by "red areas within blue states" certainly exceeds 90%.
"Red places" have never stopped me. I have driven (including ferries to the remaining three, as necessary) to every county in the contiguous 48 states, most of Alaska's highway system, and extensively through every Canadian province or territory (and all related Capitals) as available. That includes a bush-plane hop from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk because the highway there didn't exist yet (in 1986) and, yes, I road-tripped all the way to the Arctic from Illinois. For contrast I also road-tripped to Key West in the same year.
I've never been to Labrador (which can be driven to by ambitious souls) or Nunavut (which cannot be reached by driving), and I may "fix both" this year...I have the strong inclination to do the brutal drive to Labrador. That would be a beautiful road side trip, but that may be pointless if I need a Labrador stop/connection to get to Iqaluit. I haven't looked into that yet.
Hi. I'm very conservative and on the right. You're correct. If you're being good people, you are welcome in the red states.
I had a chance to work as a truck and trailer driver for one year. 43 states visited, 120,000 miles driven. All within one year.
It wasn't easy. But it was the most exciting experience in my entire life.
We used to call semi drivers the "knights of the road." After midnight, they own the interstates.
I love a good road trip! Here in Utah there’s so many amazing places to road trip within a few hour’s drive! But even when I fly somewhere I usually road-trip to a few destinations on the trip. A few months ago I flew to Jacksonville and visitors that city, st Augustine, Savannah, and Cumberland island and I had an incredible time
There is a phenomenon that is difficult to quantify, that I would call "Post-covid stress in drivers in the US" that you can basically see if you take a 20-25 minute drive anywhere, at least here in Florida. Driving is a risky venture because there are a number of people who seem to drive angrily, agitated, distracted, etc. The number of violent accidents (I'm talking burnt out car in the median) that happen is not normal.
Couple this "post-covid stress" with the massive size of vehicles now, and add people flipping between different apps on their phone, and driving is not the same now as it was even in 2012-2013.
Yes, one of the unmentioned "benefits" of an experimental supplement... enjoy
Viewer from London here, one of my bucket list things is to do a 3 month road trip around the US. I've been to the US many times, but it's always a case of staying in one place or making a trip here and there, but never a proper road trip.
Its a special place to travel by car. So many different options.
Time. From talking to all my customers over the last twenty years it’s time. Real or just perceived we are all running so hard just to survive most don’t have the time to just enjoy going somewhere. Vacations now are scheduled and packed with a destination and not an adventure. I used to drive everywhere 15-25 years ago but don’t at all anymore for this reason.
True. People want to fly places to get there quickly.