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We took an epic household roundtrip highway journey throughout the USA from the West Coast to the East, and again once more! See all the small print it is advisable to plan your individual bucket checklist cross-country drive.
Why we took this highway journey.
Since the women had been little (Maddie and Ashley that’s, I nonetheless consider Emmy as little at 11 though she is as tall as me), Pete and I’ve wished to take a cross-country highway journey.
For years we now have stated “this is the year”, however then life would get in the best way, or alternatives in Europe would name our names.
Fast ahead to 2021 and borders are nonetheless closed, we had enterprise to take care of on the East Coast and Emmy remains to be not eligible for a vaccine… so, we resolve to drive there as a substitute of fly (we’re avoiding air journey till we’re all vaccinated) and FINALLY make that grand highway journey throughout the nation a actuality!
How we paid for this journey:
I used to be beginning to really feel very caught this previous spring, so I made a decision to problem myself to not pay for a single resort or our rental automotive, however not within the regular means that we journey with out a price working with journey companions. This time, I used bank card factors (you may electronic mail me for hyperlinks to the playing cards we used) to pay for 56 resort nights (28 nights- 2 rooms for every evening) and the cashback I earned to pay for our rental automotive.
I’m not a “travel hacker” who’s chasing each final level and we keep in largely upscale inns and resorts.
Plus, these had been lazy earned factors that means I used to be strategic the place I may very well be, (like utilizing a card that earns further factors for meals) however I made no further effort past ensuring I used to be utilizing the right card for our completely different purchases. We additionally earned factors from sign-up bonuses.
A number of issues we took into consideration when planning this epic highway journey:
- 4 out of 5 of us are absolutely vaccinated.
- We bought high-quality masks for all of us to put on at any time when we had been inside; outdoors after we couldn’t hold ample house from others, and we modified them after each use.
- We prioritized inns with balconies and home windows that opened in order that we might air out the rooms earlier than we eliminated our masks.
- We additionally traveled with a high-quality air air purifier and let it run for the required time to scrub the room air upon arrival, and we had it on the entire time we had been staying at every resort.
- We wiped down the rooms with Clorox Wipes after which sprayed them with Lysol. It took simply a few minutes and was largely a precaution in opposition to the widespread chilly and flu. The very last thing I wished was for any sickness to derail our journey.
- We solely ate outdoors with patio eating or in our resort room.
- When we stopped for lavatory breaks alongside the best way, we made positive to get Emmy again outdoors as shortly as possible- once more to restrict publicity.
- We stayed versatile on the journey. When spots alongside our route began to emerge as “hot spots” we did some last-minute modifications to mitigate the chance together with leaving a cease early and fully skipping different ones.
- We by no means took an elevator with anybody else.
- We hand sanitized like loopy and washed our arms at each alternative!
Did all this make our journey with out danger? No, in no way… however we felt prefer it didn’t take away from our enjoyment and hopefully decreased the chance. We have now been again dwelling for over 21 days with none concern.
Here is the route we took on our cross-country highway journey:
We initially deliberate to be gone for 31 days, however it ended up being 28 days and we traveled over 7,000 miles.
I’ll break the articles up by the completely different locations, however right here is the grasp checklist of our cross-country highway journey!
- Started in Newport Beach
- Flagstaff, AZ: 2 nights (spent a day on the Grand Canyon)
- Albuquerque: NM: 1 evening
- Oklahoma City: OK: 1 evening
- Memphis, TN: 2 nights
- Knoxville, TN: 1 evening
- Asheville, NC: 2 nights
- Charlotte, NC: 2 nights
- Chapel Hill, NC: 3 nights
- Nags Head, NC: 1 evening (want we had stayed right here for longer!)
- Ocean City, MD: 2 nights
- Washington DC: 2 nights
- Williamsburg VA: 2 nights
- Charlottesville VA: 1 evening
- Nashville TN: 2 nights
- Kansas City MO: 1 evening (last-minute change- deliberate St. Louis 1 evening after which 2 nights right here)
- Beaver Creek, CO: 2 nights
- Flagstaff, AZ: 1 evening (last-minute change- deliberate 1 evening in St. George UT + 1 evening Las Vegas)
- Newport Beach, CA
All that apart, I spent months engaged on this journey and it was a extremely good distraction.
I truly love the starting stage of holidays and I at all times have a plan B and C. This time I had a plan D, E, and F too.
Some journeys we arrive and I’ve performed little or no analysis and we simply discover. This was not a kind of journeys. I had each single cease on our driving days famous and eating choices outlined earlier than we even left. This wasn’t foolproof by any means, however it actually helped. Since journey and the world, on the whole, are always altering proper now, having loads of choices saved the day a number of instances.
Our rode-trip experience.
We had deliberate to take one among our SUVs on this highway journey however shortly determined {that a} mini-van could be a greater choice. Pete and I’ve bigger SUVs however they’d have been past full of our baggage and the 5 of us and having a mini-van on highway journeys has at all times labored greatest for us.
Of course, there was an enormous rental automotive debacle occurring after we had been leaving and I used to be listening to tales from others that even with a reservation many weren’t getting their reserved autos or not getting a automobile in any respect. We had a bit of concern as a result of the primary mini-van we got had a mechanical concern, however it was shortly changed and we had been good to go.
First cease: Flagstaff, Arizona
We made fairly good time driving from Newport Beach to Flagstaff and I took a few fast cellular phone footage as soon as we arrived to share with you all. This resort fully exceeded our expectations and was the proper entry again out into the world. I liked the view into the woods from our rooms!
We stayed at The Little America Hotel.
I picked this resort as a result of it was proper off the freeway and I’ve had household that stayed right here prior to now they usually liked it. The higher-end choices within the space felt missing after I was looking for them and though I’m undecided I’d actually name this a high-end resort, it was means higher than I anticipated. The location was excellent to seek out eating choices and it made it simple to drive out to the Grand Canyon throughout our keep.
Little America Inn had a pool that the children used every evening, a strolling/mountaineering/operating path, a restaurant, good web, and nearly every thing else you may need from a highway journey resort. It is also hooked up to a journey heart for truckers so we had been in a position to get a few a great deal of laundry performed earlier than we left. Who would have ever thought I’d get all enthusiastic about easy accessibility to laundry services, however right here we’re.
We stayed for 2 nights in Flagstaff and the primary evening we ate at The Cornish Pasty Co..
Flagstaff has a shocking variety of eating places with vegan (and gluten-free) choices. We liked the patio arrange and the meals was fairly good!
We additionally went to the native Whole Foods that day and picked up some resort snacks, bottled water, and extra drinks to assist keep hydrated.
Emmy and I had been feeling the elevation at this level and we had been positively dehydrated after our 8+ hour drive from Newport Beach, Ca.
Oh, and we additionally stopped to get drinks at Dutch Bros.
We don’t have these in CA and though we attempt to not load up on sugar drinks, we think about this a “when in Rome” sort of factor. If you haven’t had Dutch Bros, attempt their glowing flavored waters and occasional. You gained’t remorse it!
The subsequent morning was Grand Canyon day!
Can you consider we had by no means been? As I stated, this was positively a bucket checklist journey for us. We noticed so many issues and locations we now have by no means skilled earlier than and kicking it off with the Grand Canyon was the best way to do it!
We began the morning with breakfast at The Toasted Owl.
I can’t even inform you how a lot we loved the meals right here. The service was tremendous fast they usually actually have one thing for everybody.
This was all vegan too! Yep, even vegan eggs and bacon!
After breakfast, we took a leisurely drive to the South Entrance of the Grand Canyon.
This passes you thru a bit of city and there’s a place for gasoline earlier than you head in.
There are two essential methods to get to the South Entrance of The Grand Canyon from Flagstaff. The freeway route or the scenic route. One has you taking the 40 to the 64 (freeway) or 180 to the 64 (scenic). We selected the scenic route and it was superior. This takes you thru the forest with wildlife sightings potential. Both confirmed at about the identical distance and time (1 h 24 min).
Quick Tip: Use Google Maps. Not simply right here, however in your full highway journey. I created our maps earlier than we left on my laptop computer with Google Maps after which texted them on to my cellphone. Multiple instances Google Maps would reroute us to assist prevented accidents and main slowdowns. This saved us hours upon hours over our complete highway journey.
When visiting, your timing is fairly necessary throughout peak season. We had been simply entering into the busy season after we had been there originally of June. The absolute prime time to reach is earlier than the crowds, early within the morning (test for present opening instances).
We should not these individuals although. We had been nonetheless drained from the drive-in the day earlier than and determined for a later entry. We hit the timing fairly effectively with just a bit wait to get into The Grand Canyon. There are lots of people who drive in from Las Vegas and these outer areas too so they have a tendency to reach round 10 or so within the morning so additionally take that into consideration. We had been there about 11:15 am.
Once we had been into the gates we adopted the map we got to the Grand Canyon Village within the South Rim.
The Grand Canyon Visitor Center Building remains to be closed, however they’ve an Information desk arrange outdoors the guests heart constructing staffed by park rangers who keep bodily distanced from you whereas answering your whole questions.
There had been a few choices for meals and drinks right here too and the Grand Canyon Conservancy Park Store was additionally open. We break up up on the finish of our go to and I purchased Emmy a magnet and Maddie and Ash memento shirts whereas Pete went to get us all a snack and one thing to drink.
It will get very popular, in a short time so gown in layers if you’re coming early and staying for any period of time.
During our precise time taking within the Grand Canyon, we walked the Rim Trail.
You can catch this proper off the Grand Canyon Visitors Center space. There are indicators for it, or you may simply observe the group. This is a very simple stroll and an effective way to see the Grand Canyon with out having to drive anyplace or exert your self. With as heat because it bought, it was a extremely good go to. Pete would have liked to truly hike into the canyon, however there isn’t any means I’d even try any form of hike within the warmth.
Here is what we noticed simply from the Rim Trail of the Grand Canyon:
The Grand Canyon was much more lovely than we thought it might be.
There had been some severe purple hues being thrown after we had been there!
I nonetheless can’t consider that we noticed the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone earlier than THE Grand Canyon!
We stayed simply a few hours and we’d positively return. Scratch that- we will certainly be again!
That evening we went to Pizza Patio for some vegan pizza.
They have common pizza too and in addition gluten-free so all of us had a very good dinner. The Pizza Patio employees was a bit frazzled on the evening we visited, however the meals was good. As the world is opening up, we now have been being further affected person to permit restaurant and journey firms to ramp again up. Be positive to mood your expectations. Most are actually making an attempt as exhausting as they’ll in these getting-better instances.
We had a fairly early begin the following morning for the following leg of our journey so we wished to get as a lot sleep as potential so we ate and went proper again to the Little America Flagstaff.
Early the following morning Pete, Ashley, and I bought up further early to go for a stroll on their nature path earlier than we bought again on the highway. Driving all day is loads of sitting so we wished to maneuver as a lot as potential. We had been nonetheless in a position to get on the highway very first thing within the morning.
On this leg of the journey we went from Newport Beach, Ca. —> Flagstaff, Az. (Grand Canyon) —> Albequerque, Nm. —> Oklahoma City, Ok.
Because I’ve a factor for stopping at anywhere talked about in a track that I like, we needed to cease in Winslow, Az. It was such a high-quality sight to see! (wink, wink)
Our stops in Albequerque and Oklahoma had been simply deliberate as locations to sleep at evening so we didn’t see a lot of something there.
Next stop- Memphis Tennesee!
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