The US has always been a popular tourist destination and it is easy to see why.
There are simply so many things to experience in the country, from the sunshine and world-beating attractions of Orlando to the bustling streets and iconic landmarks of New York.
There are also many options in terms of how you can travel across the country, although – for many – the quintessential way is to head out on the highway.
Life on the road
Road trips have been synonymous with the US for decades now and they stir up all kinds of romantic notions of being on the open road and taking in the incredible landscapes that the country has to offer.
Interestingly, research published earlier this year actually suggested that road trips are seeing a surge in popularity in the US at the moment. SWNS Digital reported on the findings of a study by OnePoll for Cooper Tires, which found that 44 per cent of drivers in the US had been on more road trips over the summer. A similar number also stated that they had replaced canceled travel plans with a road trip, while 73 per cent added that road trips were more fun than flying. In addition, more than half stated that they planned to do more of them in the future.
However, while road tripping might sound like a huge amount of fun, there is still plenty to consider when taking this approach to travel. The country is called the United States for a reason and different regions have different outlooks on a host of matters.
The letter of the law
An obvious place to start with this is, of course, the law. For example, as Gov.uk explains in foreign travel advice for British people heading to the country, laws can vary significantly between states and visitors need to do what they can to abide by them when in those areas. As such, if you have a planned route in mind, consider brushing up on how legislation related to alcohol and other matters might differ.
Such issues even extend to topics like gambling and lotteries. The US might be renowned for locations like the bright light city of Las Vegas, but do not assume that all places are just like that. For instance, while the UK and other countries may have country-wide lotteries, such activities may be handled on a state-by-state basis in the US. Legal Betting’s guide to online lottery sites explains how regions like Georgia, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky for example offer online games linked to state lotteries. As the site outlines, players do not have to be actual residents to play, but they should still be physically within those states at the time.
Another important practical issue to have on your radar when travelling across the US is time. World Atlas explains how the country’s 50 states are based across six standard time zones including the Hawaii-Aleutian time zone, the Pacific time zone and the Eastern time zone. So, as you journey from state to state, you should be mindful of whether there has been a change and if you need to move clocks forward or backward.
Travel inspiration
Travel can be one of the most enriching activities that we get to experience in life and the idea of heading out on the open road in the US is incredibly exciting. However, it is worth bearing in mind that there is still plenty that people have to think about if they decide to go ahead with such plans.
Hopefully, the information above has provided you with a little bit of inspiration as you begin to plan and prepare your own all-American adventure.
