One month in the United States with 3 teens: what to see and where to go?

Hello,

I’m Bruno, and I need some advice for planning a long, amazing trip (at least 1 month) to the United States. I want to show my kids the incredible places I visited nearly 30 years ago! 🤪

How do I travel with 3 teens, who should I call, and what do you recommend?

Things have changed so much since then, and it’s way easier to travel at 20 with just a backpack! ^^

Thanks in advance! 😏

Hi Bruno,

Nothing easier these days with the internet 😉 Google is your friend, and you’ll find tons of info on this forum. Plus, now that it’s finally reopened, dozens of members are here to answer all your questions!

You can already check out the many travel journals (https://voyageforum.com/forum/carnets-de-voyage-textes-de-voyageurs--etats-unis/) posted on the forum—they’ll help you plan your route with details on accommodations and must-see spots.

Then, it’s super easy to book everything online: flights (I always use Google Flights, then buy directly from the airline’s site), car rentals (https://www.autoeurope.fr/, https://www.carigami.fr/, or https://www.bsp-auto.com/, for example), and accommodations (https://www.airbnb.com/, https://www.vrbo.com/, etc.).

Depending on the teens’ ages, make sure to get a signed travel authorization from the other parent 😉 https://www.usa.gov/travel-documents-children

Hi Biggie!

Thanks so much for the info! I didn’t know the forum was closed—I was thinking, "Hmm, my question doesn’t interest anyone!" 🙂

I don’t know Google Flights! Looks like I’ve got a lot to re-learn—I feel like a kid again!

The other parent will be there, no need for a signature ^^ I forgot to mention that my wife will be coming along to help manage these three (thankfully!) young people!

Forums are great—I’m already seeing tons of info to dig into, thanks so much! I did some research on my own and found a few USA-specialized sites, but I’m not sure how reliable they are. I guess they’re "new generation" travel agencies.

I really don’t know much anymore and I’m "afraid" of forgetting something—like I said, I traveled a lot in my youth, but solo and with a backpack. This is going to be a whole different story!

I see you’re talking about car rentals—can I drive in the U.S. with my French license? That’d be awesome! Does anyone know how to rent a car in the States? I’m not sure where we’ll start yet; Boston and Chicago are both appealing to me.

Thanks so much for your answers!

Yes, the site was closed since Covid!

First things first, you’ll need to plan a route based on the places you want to visit. Google Maps is a great help for figuring out which sites to see and getting a sense of distances. Also, this site from a forum member—https://west-usa-dream.blogspot.com/—is a goldmine of info for certain states.

For flights: As I mentioned in my previous post, I use Google Flights and its different features—"calendar" and "price graph"—to decide on the best dates, and "track prices" to get alerts if prices drop.

For accommodation: Once the route is set, I check Airbnb, Vrbo, or Google Maps to find what suits me best in terms of quality/price (often, for just one night, a motel is more cost-effective, but for 5 nights, if you need 2 rooms, an Airbnb might work out cheaper!).

For the vehicle: Yes, you can drive with your French license! I often use Autoeurope or go directly to the rental company’s site. You book and pay for the rental online ahead of time, so when you arrive, all you have to do is pick up the vehicle. A few tips:

Plan for plenty of space for 5 people + luggage Some companies don’t charge for an additional driver if it’s the spouse of the main driver (Alamo, Avis, or Budget, for example) More and more, they ask for a credit card when picking up the vehicle—these are what we call in France "cartes à débit différé" (deferred debit cards)

I’ve done about fifteen trips to the US, whether road trips or stays. You really don’t need to go through a travel agency or anything like that unless you want a quick, "all-inclusive" solution—but it’ll also be more expensive. I love this planning stage; it already makes me feel like I’m traveling. And honestly, with the tools we have today, it’s super easy to fine-tune a custom route that fits you perfectly. 😉

I still don’t know where the starting point will be—I looked at Boston and Chicago, and they’re both pretty appealing to start with.

I don’t know what your teens are interested in, but Boston and Chicago are more "historical" cities with mainly architectural appeal. Depending on how long your vacation is (and your budget!), you could consider a route that might please everyone, like: New York - Rhode Island - Boston - Salem (for the witches!) - Niagara Falls - Detroit (for the Henry Ford museums and neighborhood gentrification) - Chicago (maybe adding a day trip to the Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee).

But for me, the most iconic part of the U.S. is still the western national parks, with an arrival or departure from Los Angeles or San Francisco

Hi Caussat, If I’m not mistaken, Detroit is more about the impoverishment (or even worse) of the neighborhoods.

Hi Caussat, If I’m not mistaken, Detroit is more about the impoverishment (or even worse) of the neighborhoods.

Yes, you’re right—I didn’t dare put it that way. Having said that, I went there three years apart and really noticed a difference, which makes for a visit without voyeurism since there’s now a bit more than just misery.

😎Thanks for your super helpful details

Hi there,

If you went to the USA 30 years ago, you’ll find a few small changes... Especially in cities and sites that have become super touristy. If you want to avoid mass tourism, I’d recommend traveling outside of school holidays. If that’s not possible, you’ll just have to grin and bear it sometimes.

What dates? Which part of the USA?

So nice to catch up with the old-timers! ;)

so nice to catch up with old friends! ;)

Same here🙂

Hi there,

I don’t know how old the teens are, but mine really enjoyed the West with parks like Bryce or Zion, not to mention Monument Valley. We did a loop from San Francisco back to San Francisco, staying along the coast and stopping by Los Angeles and the Grand Canyon. Google Flights is great—just book directly on the airline’s website after. I use Booking for accommodations. Get a Revolut card. Have a great trip!