10 Do’s and Don’ts Of A Cross-Country Road Trip

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A European traveler has recently taken to a travel forum to ask American natives for some advice in regard to her upcoming trip to the USA. The traveler in question stated that she plans to visit places like New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco and was after some tips on what to put on her bucket list and what to avoid. 

People were quick to jump in, and the following list may be helpful to you, too, if you are planning a road trip in the US anytime soon.

 5 Dos Of A Road Trip

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Here are the 5 most suggested things for a road trip.

1. Make a Note of Travel Times Between Each Place

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The first thing people say you should do when planning a US road trip is to establish the travel time between each place you want to visit. One person said: “Make sure you truly understand how far apart all of those cities are from one another and make sure that you’re setting a realistic itinerary for yourself.”

2. Learn About Cultural Differences

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Although many places in Europe seem similar to the US, there are some cultural differences that you should learn about before going. One user said: “Remember that when buying goods like clothes you have to add sales tax, it’s not on the label. Remember to tip 15-20% at restaurants and bars.”

3. Stay In The City

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One person said that OP should book to stay in the city at each of her destinations. They said: “Plan to be within the city itself (like downtown) because then you will have access to public transport. Nine times out of ten, it’s way easier to use that than try to rent a car.”

4. Experiment with other places

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One user suggested that the cities and towns surrounding the places on her itinerary are worth visiting. They said: “I spent time in San Diego and loved it there more than LA, along with San Jose vs. San Francisco. They’re also a little (not by much) on the cheaper side.”

5. Visit some national parks

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One person said to get a true feeling for the USA, then OP should hit up some national parks on her trip. They said: “Our diverse scenery and small towns are where you will find regional differences and true American hospitality.”

5 Things to Avoid at All Costs

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Avoid these 5 things on your road trip.

1. Route 66

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Although Route 66 has a big reputation worldwide, one person said it isn’t something you need to experience. They said: “Route 66 isn’t anything. It’s a defunct road, and a few stretches are preserved as a historic route.”

2. A Long Stay In LA

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One Redditor said that Los Angeles isn’t what it is cracked up to be and suggested that the original poster should only spend a day there. They said: “Ask what you want to see in LA, maybe spend 24 hours there to see the Hollywood sign and Chinese theatre – then get out of the concrete jungle to San Francisco.”

3. Overdo The Traveling

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One user said taking breaks between each major city is something to consider. In essence, they were telling OP to avoid long stints of travel. They said: “LA to SF is a long drive. I did it once and stopped overnight in Santa Barbara, which was great!”

4. Be Too Rigid

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One Redditor said that sticking to plans religiously can mean you miss out on some great places. They said: “There are many other places to see that aren’t on your list. Washington DC is awesome for history, museums, and an easy distance from NYC by plane.”

5. Getting Sick

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One person (perhaps jokingly) said you should avoid getting sick at all costs while in the USA, mainly if you are used to free healthcare back home. They said: “US healthcare is costly and somewhat inaccessible.”

Source: Reddit.

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