Travelling Across the States: How to See the US From a Different Perspective

There are a lot of iconic sites in the US, landmarks, atmospheres and all. But there is always the possibility that you might get bored looking at the same building or statue you’ve seen a million times in the media. Some things can be too iconic and might very well be disappointing due to the hype. Instead, maybe you’re looking to get something new from your trip.

Plan around an interest

A great way to get the most out of your trip, especially if you’re considering various destinations, is to build a vacation around an interest of yours. Give it a theme, basically. If you’re into art, stopping by New York is a must to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example. From there you can look up other artsy things you fancy in the surrounding cities and states and before you know it, you’re in The Art Institute of Chicago or you’re taking a class in a little off the beaten road school in San Francisco.

If you’re into music, you can book a gig in Detroit, Nashville, or Vegas and visit all the underground clubs or bar gigs in the surrounding venues. If you’re into movies, you can make an entire route out of filming locations and retro cinemas.

Doing this makes sure that you always have something to do. There is a potential problem of busy tourist trap cities that you might not be able to explore that deep past the initial landmark that you come across. Build your trip around activities and you’ll be more likely to get more out of your trip.

Cruise around the coast

If you want to see the US from a different perspective, you might want to look into a cruise. It’s like getting on a massive luxury hotel on the sea. You won’t be in a car or an airplane seat but instead you’re sitting by a pool sipping a cocktail while you travel. You might wonder why you ever did it any other way.

And the US had famously beautiful coasts, which you can dot around and sample whenever your cruise docks. Visit beloved destinations like Florida, California, New York and Texas. And if you fancy going even further you’ve got Cuba, Mexico, and the Bahamas to consider.

If you are interested in a cruise, you should ideally cover your trip. Providers like Staysure offer cruise insurance that will cover issues that may occur such as having to cancel your trip, lost or stolen baggage or money.

Take the buffet approach

The best thing about a road trip is that you don’t have to feast yourself on the one destination. If you go to Las Vegas and you’ve got a hotel room for a week in Las Vegas, you’re going to have to dive into everything that Las Vegas has to offer. But if that’s not up your alley. You could alternatively pick three destinations and find three bargain hotels you can see a lot more for using the same budget.

The latter would be a more sample everything, buffet approach. A popular idea that works is taking inspiration from Route 66: find a major road and hit the cities en route. Route 66 is obviously famous as it takes you all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles, hitting Texas, New Mexico and lots of other states along the way. But there are other routes to consider in the US, like the Pacific Coast Highway, which takes you from Seattle to San Francisco, The Overseas Highway taking you from Miami to Key West, and Hill Country taking you from Austin to San Antonio.

Or, you know what? Find you own approach. The road is only ahead of you, so pick a few favorites and plan a route that hits them all.

Explorer Passport

Next badge: Trail Scout

Unlocked after exploring 5 different unusual places.

0 of 5 places explored