Road Trip of a Lifetime

America had never really been on my to-do list, but when the in-laws invite you to their tenth wedding anniversary vow renewal in Las Vegas, who am I to say no?

I’d agreed to go before I’d even considered any of the logistics; time off, pet-sitting, general finances of jetting to the other side of the world. But this was literally a once-in-a-lifetime trip (third-in-a-lifetime if you’re my husband), and there was no way I could pass up on this invitation. Despite my husband’s numerous visits to the West Coast, I was insistent we made this a two-week trip. There was no way I was flying all that way and just visiting Vegas, as amazing as it may be. So we planned every detail from accommodation to journey lengths and road routes. As much as I wanted to be one of those people who just rocked up somewhere and ‘see what happens’, I was secretly quite nervous about flying somewhere so far away.

I’d only caught my ‘travel bug’ after I visited the Maldives last year for our honeymoon, so I was still getting into this ‘live your life’ malarkey.

We debated flying into one airport and out of another, but this made the car rental more complicated than it needed to be. As it was my first time in the States, I called the shots regarding sightseeing and places that were a ‘must see’ on the list. Alcatraz and San Francisco -Yes…the Pacific Coastal route, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Death Valley, and Bodie Ghost Town were all non-negotiables. And that’s we finalised our route; pick the places that are a must and plan anything else around that. America has the advantage of wide-open highways, so traffic jams and awkward roads never really proved a problem. If Google Maps said seven hours from A to B, it was (give or take) seven hours. Unlike the M25 on a Friday night just before Christmas.

So, sitting down with a good old-fashioned map, we planned our route. Mixing in some recommendations from family and friends, sprinkled with a few ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if’ places, we had the road trip of a lifetime laid out before we knew it.

Naturally, a road trip opens the doors to an entire blog, detailing our journey and each of the stops – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and this will be my gift to you as we see in 2025. Perhaps it will be the push you need to plan that trip you have always wanted to do alone, with friends, with a partner, or with family. The USA caters for all tastes, and all levels of adventure.

The first question as always, of course, flights. Where to fly to? Where to fly back – a key question when considering a road trip – not always planning to finish where you started. We considered Vegas but the in-laws’ vow renewal was smack bang in the middle of our holiday. San Francisco, however, was a cheaper option and Vegas could be scheduled to fit conveniently into our trip at the perfect time to join family celebrations.

Our plan was to drive straight out of San Francisco, saving the exploration of the Golden Gate city for the final days of the holiday. I was eager to grab the car and head straight down the Pacific Coast Highway, the famous Highway1, running from San Diego to the Oregon border. Considered to be one of the most scenic road trips in the world, it delivers stunning views of the rugged coastline, dramatic cliffs, and pristine beaches.

Almost midway between San Francisco and LA, we came across Hearst Castle, the historic estate of publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst…also, the location for one of Lady Gaga’s music videos. The state-famous Peggy Sue’s 50s Diner en route to Arizona seemed a good place to stop before we entered the desert country to continue an adventure that included the Grand Canyon and famous landmarks such as Hoover Dam before hitting ‘The Strip’ for three days with the in-laws in the wild city that is Las Vegas.

With a week left, a close friend had recommended an incredible glamping site just over the border in Utah. This was quickly added to the route before jumping back to Death Valley. Visiting the hottest place on earth did scream ‘Maybe just stay here for the night’.

Pushing on through the desert the journey was pulling us back to San Francisco – and with five nights of our holiday left. Considering ‘where next’ was the most exhilarating feeling I had ever experienced. The west coast of America – just there for me to choose where to go. I found the feeling almost overwhelming, but one I relished wrestling with. This was where the exciting conversations started. Where have you always wanted to go? Where do you just ‘fancy’? We settled on Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley. Straddling the Nevada – California border, Lake Tahoe, high in the Sierra Nevada mountains, is famous for its beaches and ski resort…While Napa Valley…well, if you are wine lovers, you must put Napa Valley on your list.

It is incredible to consider just how much we packed into two weeks. It was hardly a ‘holiday’ in the true sense of putting your feet up and relaxing. But when you visit one of the largest countries in the world, with no guarantee that you’ll make a return, sometimes, you just need to go for it.

Yes, we did push ourselves to cram as much into two weeks as possible. Yes, I was exhausted when I returned home. But I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt it was worth it. There was so much of the States I thought I’d never see, and sitting here now, thinking about the adventure we had, I am still not sure whether I will ever go back. Not because I don’t want to, but because life gets in the way and, of course, finances are forever a factor in my holiday decisions. When I came back from my west coast road trip, I was left with exhaustion, and a reluctance to return to normal life…but a huge pile of souvenirs and a heap of memories that will stay with me forever.

So, here it is, my American road trip – Part One of … not sure how many there’ll be. I hope they will encourage you to plan your own road trip, or at the very least, convince you that it is worth the journey, worth the money, and worth the effort. America had never been at the top of my bucket list, but there is something about the place that gets under your skin. There is a part of me that yearns to go back. Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. But hey, at least I’ve done it. And those two weeks I spent driving hundreds of miles across the open country were some of the best two weeks of my life.