Hi everyone, After already exploring the West, which was amazing, I’ve got a new plan—I’d like to visit Texas and Tennessee. I want to start in Las Vegas, revisit Monument Valley, and head toward Dallas, stopping in Albuquerque and other cool spots along the way. Then, I’ll leave Dallas for Nashville, with several stops in between—any suggestions on where to go? Do you think 20 days is enough for this trip? Thanks for your input!

We’re two couples planning a 15-day road trip in Louisiana. Do you think 15 days is too long? I’ve seen on some sites that a week is enough. Can we extend our trip to include Texas, or is that unrealistic? Thanks for your help!😊

Hello hello, After several trips to the American West, we’ve booked our next tickets to Texas!!! We’ll be leaving in mid-October and arriving in Dallas. After reading several forums/blogs about Texas, I sketched out what our road trip might look like. But here’s the thing—big snag on Day 13!!! Could you please help me with this plan? Let me know if my draft seems doable or if, on the contrary, the timing is too tight, if I’ve missed any important spots, etc. We’re traveling as a family with our little ones (3 and 9 years old). We’re not big fans of big cities—we prefer hitting the road, doing hikes, driving on backroads, and we’d love to spend Halloween in a small, friendly town to really experience it. Here’s my itinerary: Dallas (overnight since we arrive at 8:30 PM) Dallas/Fort Worth (overnight in FW or nearby) FW/Amarillo (overnight in Amarillo) Amarillo (another night in Amarillo) Amarillo/Palo Duro Canyon SP/Roswell (overnight nearby or in Roswell) Roswell (another night?) Roswell/White Sands (overnight nearby) White Sands/Carlsbad (overnight nearby) Carlsbad/Guadalupe Mountains (overnight nearby) Guadalupe Mountains/Marfa/Alpine (overnight in Alpine) Alpine/Terlingua (3 nights) Big Bend NP Big Bend NP Big Bend NP/??? And that’s where things get tricky… What should we do next? I was thinking of Lost Maple State Park—probably gorgeous with fall colors. Then head back up to San Antonio, explore the Hill Country, stop in Waco, and make our way back to Dallas? My husband, though, would love to take a detour to Lafayette, stopping in Houston to visit the Space Center. Thanks so much for your help! :) Have a great weekend, Marie

We were lucky enough to explore the American West a few years ago... a VERY fond travel memory. The urge to return to the USA is calling us...

We're heading out in August with our two grown sons: 21 and 18 years old.

We want to discover another part of the US and I found this itinerary on a website:

Day 1 - New Orleans Day 2 - New Orleans Day 3 - Natchez Day 4 - Dallas Day 5 - Dallas Day 6 - Dallas Day 7 - Austin Day 8 - Austin Day 9 - San Antonio Day 10 - San Antonio Day 11 - Houston Day 12 - Houston - NASA Day 13 - Lake Charles Day 14 - Lake Charles Day 15 - Lafayette Day 16 - Lafayette - White Castle Day 17 - White Castle - Vacherie (Oak Alley) Day 18 - New Orleans Day 19 - New Orleans Does this seem like too many cities?

We love: big landscapes, museums, history, and shopping.

What do you think?

Gaetano

Hi everyone.

I assume many of you already know, but the America the Beautiful annual pass, which was $80, will increase to $250 starting January 1, 2026.

So if you're planning to travel before the end of December 2026, it's in your best interest to buy your pass in December 2025, since it will still cost $80 and be valid until the end of December 2026 if you purchase it in December 2025.

This price increase only applies to non-U.S. residents.

Additionally, for those who planned to visit just one park, a $100 surcharge per person will apply to access a list of 11 national parks... For example, if there are 4 of you in a car, you’ll have to pay $35 + $400, which comes to $435 to visit one of the 11 parks on the list (I don’t have all of them... Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc.). Total madness.

The goal is to push people who only visit one park into buying the annual pass.

Last point: free entry days are over for non-residents!

That’s all for now.

Hi there! 🙂

I'm taking it slow—I'm only on day 5 of my Tucson to Bisbee leg.

We'd like to stop in Tombstone along the way. I've spotted Boot Hill Cemetery, the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, and around the visitor center: the O.K. Corral, Tombstone Historama, the Tombstone Epitaph, the Bird Cage Theatre, and the Crystal Palace Saloon. Is everything worth visiting, and is parking easy in Tombstone? If anyone has parking recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance!

As for Bisbee, I've noted the Queen Mine Tour, the Great Bisbee Stairs Climb, and the downtown tour. Outside of town, there's the Lavender Pit. Any other suggestions for things to check out?

Thanks so much! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi there, I know these aren’t the most popular destinations on the forum, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I’d love to do a road trip loop next April, and I really want to visit Nashville and Memphis first. Browsing the forum, I saw that Atlanta / Memphis / Nashville / Charlotte / Charleston / Savannah / Atlanta might be a good route. But I’m only planning to go for 14 days, and it seems like that might be too much. What do you think? I mostly want to enjoy the music scene in the area and pass through the Smoky Mountains. I know I won’t have much time to stop for hiking, but oh well... I’m saving Louisiana and New Orleans for another trip. Thanks to anyone who can help me map out my route and make the most of this part of the U.S. that I don’t know at all yet.

After days of reading, I've put together the following route... the issue is that we can't find many travelers who've done this exact itinerary. We've already done a road trip on the West Coast.

My round-trip ticket to New Orleans is booked—it's my home base.

What do you think? Too much time spent in some stops, not enough in others? Could I get your thoughts?

Hi everyone! 🙂

We’re on the Roswell–Tucumcari leg. We’ll go through Fort Sumner. After visiting, there are two ways to reach Tucumcari:

Take US 84 to Santa Rosa, see its Blue Hole, then the almost ghost towns on the historic Route 66 (Cuervo, Newkirk, and Montoya). We won’t visit the Route 66 auto museum (we’ll do the one in Tucumcari). The other option is to take 252 and then 209.

The next day, we plan to head to our next stop in Las Vegas (the one in NM) by going up the Mesalands Scenic Byway (104).

Is the detour to Santa Rosa worth it? Are the historic Route 66 sections drivable?

Thanks for your tips! Marcalamar 🙂

Hello! The itinerary is pretty much set for August 2026. Yeah, I know it’s gonna be *super* hot. But it’s the only time we can get away.

So, here’s the plan: Montpellier-CDG-Dallas.

Stay from July 31 to August 26, 2026: Car rental – check, Hotels – check, Itinerary – almost check, Photo gear – check, Budget – check, 🤪 Meal planning – meh, we’ll see... Walmart, of course, for the cooler when we arrive.

And now, without too much detail...

Fort Worth: The Longhorns and the Stockyards; JR’s ranch (for the missus); Medal of Honor Museum – Arlington.

Houston and NASA Space Center: See the Gulf of Mexico/America.

San Antonio and the missions.

Fort Stockton for an overnight stop.

El Paso via Guadalupe Mountains: El Paso and White Sands.

Tucson and the Pima Air & Space Museum: Tombstone, Bisbee.

Phoenix:

Still working on the program.

Sedona: Round trip around the area via Flagstaff and Williams, or the Grand Canyon (already done) – we’ll decide on the spot.

Albuquerque: Santa Fe, Turquoise Trail, Los Alamos.

Amarillo via Route 66: Old Route 66 in the city; Big Texas Ranch Steak 😏.

Dallas: JFK Museum; Perot Museum; West End district.

And through it all – the road, the road, and more road!!!

We’ll adapt day by day based on our mental and physical state (we’re not exactly spring chickens).

Return to France: Dallas-Montpellier via CDG.

Cheers!

Hello, here’s a totally subjective recap of our 15-day road trip between Colorado and New Mexico, from late September to mid-October.

Our main interests are culture, museums, and landscapes—no hiking or trails for us. Personally, I’m pretty contemplative, and luckily, there’s always something to see out there! We’re pretty used to the US; we’ve been going there often for a long time (let’s just say we’re not exactly young anymore).

Budget: Even though we don’t set a strict budget beforehand, we try to keep costs as low as possible. This time, we managed to spend around 4000 € for two, all included. To do this: avoid expensive accommodations, staying between 60 and 120 € per night with an average of 90 €/night, mixing Airbnb and motels. And skip the “real” restaurants, which are pretty pricey in the US: sandwiches for lunch, takeout or cooking in the Airbnb in the evening. We shop at Sprouts or Whole Foods—organic-style chains that are pricier than Walmart but better. In the evenings, Sprouts has discounts on items that didn’t sell during the day. Also, avoid toll roads, paid parking, and overly expensive attractions or sites. The dispensary budget is separate…

Route: Denver/Colorado Springs/Alamosa/Raton/Santa Fe/Cuba/Cortez/Grand Junction/Glenwood Springs/Denver This wasn’t too planned in advance—we booked a few nights upon arrival and went with the flow. Flight from CDG to Denver with AF/Delta, car rental at Dollar for a standard SUV. The guy at the Dollar counter upsold me on extra insurance for flat tires (and since I knew we’d be off-roading, I took it). Without telling me, he upgraded me to a Jeep Sahara 4X4 Hybrid. Nice.

Listening to the news upon arrival, the anchor announced, “It’s officially fall now.” We hadn’t really thought about that before leaving, but yeah—it’s the time when the trees turn fluorescent yellow and red. Amazing.

Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods is a free park with paved trails winding through red/orange rock formations. Magical at sunrise—groups of deer roam around, along with birds and rabbits. It’s small but wow! Didn’t try the Manitou Incline in Manitou Springs, a staircase with thousands of steps going straight up the mountain. Impressive from the bottom, but the parking is paid, which is a downside for those willing to tackle it. The Cog Railway goes up to the summit of Pikes Peak—around $100 when we were there. No thanks. And of course, the parking is paid too. For fans, Maggie’s Farm dispensary is great.

On Route 24, Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area is fly-fishing paradise—just like in the movie *A River Runs Through It*. Entry is $11, and a trail follows the river at the bottom of the canyon to the dam. Dozens of people in waders are in the water, casting their lines over and over. You can see the salmon in the clear water, and we had a picnic in the sun, imagining Brad Pitt catching a fish.

Buena Vista: A cute little tourist town with an Outdoor Fair that day—some pretty impressive vehicles for sale, set up for mountain living (like Juniper outfitting a RAM).

Alamosa: The closest town to Great Sand Dunes National Park, crossed by the Rio Grande (and let’s be real—it’s more of a stream than a river!). Park access was free because it was National Park Day. A park with massive dunes—climbing them is pretty exhausting, with lots of wind and sinking sand. Glad we didn’t do it in summer; I can’t imagine how tough it’d be in the heat. It’s a bit deceptive: it looks easy to get to the top of a dune, but it’s really not. The campsites were nice, and it was busy that weekend. We passed the “Point of No Return,” a sandy trail winding through the hills and connecting to Route 559 from above. Didn’t go all the way, but it’s possible the entrance is free from that side. However, you need a 4X4 with good ground clearance. After 1 or 2 km on the trail, you’re alone between the dunes and hills—hardly anyone around. But tricky to turn around or pass other vehicles; the trail isn’t wide. We crossed paths with a Hanomag (registered in the Netherlands—impressive!) coming down without stopping, or risking getting stuck.

On the way out, we took the small Route 403, which quickly turns into a trail crossing the mountain. Entire sections of forest were turning fluorescent yellow with patches of green and red—an incredible sight.

Raton: A small town that probably peaked in the late 19th century and has been in slow decline ever since. The Raton Pass Motor Inn is the kind of place that makes the US legendary—entirely 50s and 60s decor, really well done. I had the Betty Page room—too cool. Felt like we were on Route 66. Even better.

Santa Fe: A small city with no high-rises—almost all low-rise buildings, many in adobe, blending perfectly into the landscape. The old downtown is touristy but nice, with its plaza and church. There’s a really cool vibe—we loved it. For drinks, the bar at the top of La Fonda Hotel was packed for sunset, with a diverse crowd. Not overpriced for the location. SITE Santa Fe is a contemporary art space near the train station. It’s free, and the temporary exhibit was really good—high quality. Museum Hill is, as the name suggests, where several museums are located. We visited the Museum of Indian Art and Culture—great if you’re into “First Nations” history. Saw The Dandy Warhols at The Bridge—an outdoor venue, one of the last concerts of the season before winter makes it too cold. Oddly, there was no bag check, just an ID required (even though it was obvious we were over 21!). Tickets were reasonable, around $30 (concerts in the US can be crazy expensive). The band was good, with fewer than 300 people in front. A sign at the bar warned: Don’t forget you’re at 1,500 meters—alcohol hits harder up here!

Albuquerque: A sprawling city with an old historic center that feels a bit like Disneyland—too perfect for my taste. The real highlight is the Sandia Peak Tramway, which goes up to the old ski resort above the city. Tickets are around $35, and it’s worth it—the ride over the canyons is pretty wild. The ski resort is a bit abandoned; apparently, like elsewhere, there’s no snow anymore. I asked several people about the lack of snow, and the answer was always the same: “It’s cyclical.” Okay then. We arrived for the start of the International Balloon Fiesta (one of the world’s largest hot-air balloon gatherings), hoping to see hundreds of balloons in the sky. Nope—windy today, so no one took off. Bummer.

Las Vegas: New Mexico has its own Las Vegas, but it’s nothing like the other one—a sleepy little town with a perfectly preserved 19th-century Historic Plaza Hotel, brick buildings, and vintage streetlights. Everything is so well-preserved it’s often used as a filming location. NM attracts a lot of productions thanks to tax incentives and its Western landscapes—and it’s cheaper than California! That day, a huge Texas flag was flying in the wind: they were filming the second season of *Ransom Canyon* for Netflix in the town center. If we’d been dressed more “Western,” we could’ve been extras.

Jemez Springs: Its Jemez Hot Springs is super cute—several thermal pools at different temperatures, a New Age vibe. The pools are surrounded by big rocks, and you’re asked to speak softly. A place where you could spend hours. $50 for two hours for two.

Los Alamos: A town made legendary by the bomb, the movie, etc. Heads up: It’s still a research center, and to cross part of the town, you need to show ID. No stopping or taking photos allowed. Other than the Oppenheimer House (currently closed—only the neighboring house is open to visitors), there’s not much to see. There’s a replica of the camp entrance, but it’s been turned into restrooms.

Georgia O’Keeffe Trail (American painter, 1887–1986): Her museum in Santa Fe is pretty good, even if they don’t have tons of works. Entry is $20. Her house in Abiquiu is open for visits, but it’s way overpriced at $65. So we skipped it. You can get an idea of it by stopping at the Welcome Center on Route 84. Further down the same road, Ghost Ranch is worth a visit—beautiful setting, free to enter, with trails to explore and a great atmosphere.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park: A pretty isolated park—25 km of trails to get there, with only a small section paved. The road is decent except for the last few kilometers, which have potholes. I can’t imagine it being accessible after rain, though that doesn’t happen often! This park, in the middle of a desert plain with a few canyons, is one of the rare places where you can find multi-story structures from pre-Columbian civilizations—so, before the “current” tribes. But cruel disappointment: it’s been shut down for a few days. We met a Native ranger—tall, with long hair—who explained that even though he wasn’t being paid, he was still guarding the park and had closed all access to the sites. Darn. Turned around and headed back down the trail.

Same story in the next town, Aztec (a funny name, right?): Aztec Ruins National Monument was closed too.

We passed Ship Rock, the Navajo’s sacred mountain—really impressive. Couldn’t find a trail to get closer, but it’s better from a distance anyway! The town of Shiprock itself is pretty depressing—poor living conditions for some Natives, with rundown mobile homes and piles of junk cars.

Stopped in Cortez to visit Mesa Verde National Park. Ate at Denny’s—hadn’t been there in ages (though it’s the kind of place I should feel at home in!). The customers all looked like they’d stepped out of *The Addams Family*—a little creepy. Or funny, depending on your perspective. For Mesa Verde, after discussing it on this forum with the honorable member Caussat (who didn’t find it that amazing), we were on the fence. Problem solved: it was closed too. Back on the road.

Durango: Really nice with its Main Ave and its shops, cafés—touristy but with local life. Famous for its tourist train to Silverton, but we didn’t do it—way too expensive. Choice between a steam locomotive or diesel (which belches black, stinky smoke—yuck). The diesel should be replaced with electric as soon as they get the funds.

Million Dollar Highway: The road winds through the mountains, and every turn (and there are a lot) is breathtaking—unbelievable landscapes with fluorescent yellow, green, and snow-capped mountains. Just wow.

Silverton: A Western town nestled between two mountains, preserved in its original state despite the tourists arriving by train. Around it, abandoned mines and old wooden ties—must’ve been tough for the 19th-century miners.

Grand Junction: The city is surrounded by giant mesas—pretty impressive. The old downtown is *too* clean—almost sterile.

Colorado National Monument: Just outside the city, a winding road climbs between stunning canyons, with sweeping views of the valley. Entry was free that day due to the shutdown.

Route 330, which we took to get back to the highway, passes through a place called “Cowboy Country”—and it’s true. We saw guys in Stetsons with huge pickups, the road turned into a trail with cows wandering on it, and we had to honk to get them to move. The trail to I-70 was full of potholes—the 4X4 came in handy. Had a picnic by Vega Reservoir: the booth at the entrance was empty, but people left cash in envelopes for camping fees. Anyone passing by could’ve taken it, but it’s an example of US trust and honesty!

Glenwood Springs: A small town famous for its hot springs pool—they claim it’s the largest in the world. I don’t know about that, but it has a great look. Unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance those days! Blew our budget by staying at the Hotel Colorado, a huge 1893 building with a real atmosphere in its grand lobby and fake fireplaces. Fire pits in front of wooden chairs in the garden with mountain views—just really great.

Aspen: The billionaires’ ski resort, but surprisingly, parking was free for 2 hours. Rare to see a place for the super-rich that doesn’t scream “not for you” (like Palm Beach, for example). A former mining town completely redone, every shop occupied by a luxury brand. There’s even a thrift shop run by sweet retirees—funny as hell. Two ski lifts to start directly with your skis, but we didn’t see the price—they were still closed. Lots of houses that aren’t huge but are cute, though looking at real estate prices made us think, “Is there an extra zero on that listing?” A 6-bedroom villa for $52 million? Wow. The mountains around are gorgeous—no wonder it became what it is.

Another fancy resort nearby: Vail, more modern in its construction. The restaurants opted for a “Schwarzwald” decor—kind of odd.

Denver: Nothing really stood out for us in this city, except the Design Museum—the Kirkland, where a local painter collected furniture and supplies from Arts and Crafts to Postmodern. Just really great. Entry is included with a visit to the Denver Art Museum, which has diverse collections—from Impressionism (they have a Manet, a Van Gogh, a Cézanne, several Sisleys) to photography. The best part for me was the “Ancient Americas” totems—huge, impressive wooden sculptures, painted, the kind you’re more used to seeing in Polynesia or Easter Island. Personally, I didn’t know Natives made them too. That’s what museums are for!

Back at the airport, where I had to tag my own luggage (you have to do everything yourself with these US airlines). The tag said SLC/CDG! But we were supposed to connect through JFK. Turns out, they’d put us on a DEN/SLC/CDG flight without telling us. In the end, we gained 30 minutes on our original arrival time in Paris!

There you go—hope this inspires other travelers! !

Hi there, The first stop on our trip is Memphis. How much time should we spend there to see the must-see spots? Of course, I’m thinking of Elvis Presley’s house, but I don’t think Memphis is just about that. Any suggestions for accommodation for 4 people? Thanks for your feedback!

Hi there.

I’m heading to the US in September and stopping in Boston. I’ve got a baseball game booked for Sunday afternoon. Is Monday enough to soak up the highlights of the city, including Harvard?

Thanks for your tips!

Hi, we’re planning to visit Bryce and Zion from Page—what order do you think works best? Given our schedule, we’ll be leaving Page on a Sunday early afternoon. We were thinking of heading to Bryce first (are there a lot of "photo stops"?) to spend the night there. We’ve got a slight preference for Bryce as our first road trip stop and were planning to spend all day Monday there. Is that too much time for Bryce? Then on Tuesday, we’d like to get closer to Zion, drive through it, and head back to Vegas—is that doable? What else could we fit in that day with a return to Las Vegas? Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hi there, We’d like to explore New Orleans on our own. Travel agencies keep pushing car rentals, but we’d rather get around using public transportation. Any tips would be much appreciated! Chantal

Hi everyone, I’m planning to visit Monument Valley next Saturday after 3 days at the Grand Canyon. I saw on navajonationparks.org that some roads can be tricky during rainy periods. Is anyone there right now who could tell me what the road conditions are like in the park and whether it’s impassable with a regular rental car? Thanks so much in advance, Ruby

Hi, Do you think 8 days is enough to visit Philadelphia, especially the Rocky spots (my son is a huge fan), and the White House in Washington? For mid-April or mid-July. Thanks

Hi everyone! 🙂 Just a quick question about King Canyon and Sequoia National Park. Before our night in Miramonte, we plan to visit King Canyon. The next stop will be two nights in Three Rivers to explore Sequoia National Park. I wanted to go all the way to Roaring River Falls on the King Canyon Scenic Byway and then turn back to head to Miramonte. Since we’re coming from Oakhurst, Google Maps says it’s 300 km and 5 hours of driving. Since we also want to hike to see the sequoias (Big Stump Area and Grand Grove) before tackling the King Canyon Scenic Byway, the timing’s going to be tight. How far do you recommend going before turning back to miss as few points of interest as possible on the King Canyon Scenic Byway? Thanks for your advice, and have a great evening! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi there,

I’m looking for a hotel room for my wife and me and our 2 kids to visit Manhattan (NYC). We’ll be arriving from Montreal in a rental car.

Do you have any suggestions for hotels with parking or hotels without parking but with affordable parking nearby, either in Manhattan or not too far away?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Gigi

Hi everyone! 🙂

I’m almost done planning our September road trip. After our 3-night visit to Sequoia, we’ll have a stopover night in Coalinga (to break up the drive). We’ll be staying two nights in Monterey and would like to stop along the way to visit one side of Pinnacles National Park. We’re torn between the West entrance and the East entrance, and we’d like to do a short hike of no more than 2 hours since we don’t want to arrive too late in Monterey.

This park is split into two distinct zones with no connection between them, and the mileage from Coalinga to Monterey is pretty much the same for both. Which area do you recommend visiting—east or west? And which route is the most scenic?

I’ve spotted two short hikes: - East: Moses Spring to Rim Trail Loop - West: Balconies Cliffs Cave Loop

Has anyone been there, or do you have another hike to suggest?

Thanks in advance, and have a great afternoon! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi everyone, For our leg from Taos to Albuquerque, we have two options with roughly the same mileage and driving time: Either the light blue route (NM 518 then NM 76) or the dark blue route (NM 68), which would let us visit the Embudo Gas Museum. We’d love to stop at the Chimayó Sanctuary if it’s worth the small detour. We’ll have already taken NM 518 from Las Vegas to Taos. Which route is prettier and has the most points of interest? Afterward, we’ll take the Turquoise Trail between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Thanks for your input! Marcalamar :)

We’re leaving LA on July 4th (early if needed) to head to the Grand Canyon and arrive the next day in the early afternoon to start sightseeing.

Since it’s a 10-hour drive, that leaves us half a day to explore. I don’t want to rush, so we won’t try to see everything.

Any tips on what to prioritize, especially if we want to enjoy July 4th? For example, there’s the solar-cooked egg contest in Oatman. Or any other must-see quirks along this route on July 4th?

Thanks in advance

Good evening, everyone! 🙂 Just a few last questions to wrap up our Lake Tahoe visit plans.

**Parking:** We’d like to walk to Eagle Falls and then Eagle Lake. I’ve spotted two parking lots that seem close to each other and give access to the trailhead. Where and how do we pay for entry to Emerald Bay State Park and Inspiration Point?

**Viewpoints on the East Side:** Are most of the viewpoints (Balancing Rock, Granite Cave, Bonsai Rock, etc.) right by the road, or do you have to hike to reach them?

**Donner Memorial State Park:** Is it worth making a detour to Truckee to visit this park and the Truckee historic downtown?

Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙂

Hi there, For the start of our trip to the US, we’ve decided to spend 2 days in Memphis. We’re arriving around 11 PM. What’s the best way to get to the city center—bus, taxi? Is it better to stay near the airport for the first night? We’re not planning to rent a car for these 2 days of sightseeing. I’ve read on forums that hotel parking is really expensive. Is it easy to get around from one attraction to another without a car? Where should we stay? Thanks for sharing your experience!

Hi everyone, We’re heading to New York soon, and my husband, who’s a firefighter, has always dreamed of trading his retired helmet for an American one. He doesn’t know how to go about it, but I’d love to surprise him by making it happen. Could anyone help me out? Maybe point me to a contact? I already tried messaging the FDNY’s Facebook page but didn’t get a reply... Thanks in advance for your help! Cécile

Hi there, We’re planning a trip in August 2025 with two kids (8 and 11 years old) in a camper van through the American West. Any tips for renting a van? (I’ve started looking, and it seems really expensive—August probably doesn’t help...) But it’ll still be cheaper and more nature-focused than motels... We’re considering this route: Salt Lake City - Great Salt Lake - Yellowstone - Grand Teton, then heading back down toward Lake Tahoe, Yosemite (Sequoia Park if we have time), and San Francisco. Do you think this is doable? Any suggestions for other sites to visit? Also, any recommendations for campgrounds in these areas? Thanks in advance!

I'm struggling to fit everything into my West US itinerary (it's here!) and one way to relax it could be to skip Mesa Verde.

I quite liked it, but nothing more (I was actually pretty indifferent to Canyon de Chelly too). My partner hasn’t been there yet (first trip to the US, aside from a stay in NYC).

Any arguments for or against? Thanks in advance :)

Hello Everyone!!

Is this American West dream finally going to come true? Illness and the loss of loved ones have forced us to cancel this trip several times over the past few years...

Here’s the rough outline I’m sharing with you—feel free to give constructive feedback!!

From April 20, 2025, to May 5, 2025, that’s 14 days on-site excluding flights.

D20: Flight from Lyon to Phoenix, night in Phoenix L21: Phoenix (visit the zoo, city, Apache Trail? The road is apparently closed??) night in Sedona M22: Sedona, night in Sedona M23: Depart for GC, visit GC, night in GC (no accommodation booked yet, same goes for the following visits) J24: Drive to MV, visit MV, night in Mexican Hat or? V25: End of MV, drive to Page, night in Page S26: Page—Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, night in Page D27: Drive to Bryce, visit Bryce, night? L28: End of Bryce, depart for Zion (I’m wondering if it’s worth visiting Zion at the end of April—since the park is at high altitude, is there a risk of snow? Temperatures?) If we skip Zion, could we plan 2 days for Arches before heading to Bryce? Night in Springdale if Zion, otherwise drive to Valley of Fire, night? M29: Valley of Fire, then drive to LV, night in LV M30: Morning in LV, then drive to Death Valley, night in Furnace Creek? J1: Visit Death Valley, return to LV, night in LV And then we have 3 days left... where should we add them? More time in Arches and Zion? An extra day in Sedona? In Page? We’re not big hikers, so we won’t spend more than a day in each park.

Just to clarify: passports and ESTA are all set!!

Thanks for your advice! Best regards, Christophe

Route 66 in 30 days

From Chicago to Los Angeles with a few stops at sites near the route: a total of 6,800 km. Total trip cost: 8,600 € all-inclusive—flights, car rental, gas, meals (raw veggies and fruit for lunch, fast food in the evening), hotels, and little knick-knacks picked up here and there. British Airways flights from Basel-Mulhouse Midsize car from Dollar via AutoEurope. No issues on return. Accommodations booked through Booking

First off, we met really friendly people all along the way. Most attractions are free, and you can easily walk into bars, hotels, and gas stations without buying anything—though you might get kicked out.

The original Route 66 no longer exists in its entirety. Only sections remain, and signage varies by state. Plus, the route has changed over time. But with a good map or GPS, you can figure it out. I used the CoPilot app, which lets you download all the world’s maps for a small fee—so no data issues abroad. I’d noted the GPS coordinates of places to visit during my trip prep, which came in handy.

Along the route, you’ll find old gas stations, vintage motels (some renovated, some not) with their retro signs. The most famous is Bagdad Café. There are also tons of beautiful murals and the Muffler Men.

Chicago is an amazing city. We stayed for 2 days. The best move is to pick a hotel near a Blues Line metro station—it takes you straight from the airport to your hotel, then to downtown. At the end of the trip, the metro takes you back to the airport to pick up your rental car. The 72-hour pass is super convenient. Must-sees in Chicago: John Hancock Center (skip the Tilt option—it’s a rip-off), the Chicago Riverwalk all the way to Merchandise Mart, Picasso and Calder statues, The Bean and its reflections, and don’t miss the signs marking the start/end of Route 66.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of things that surprised or delighted us (aside from major sites like Petrified Forest): - Joliet and its prison tied to the *Blues Brothers* story - Gardner and its jail cells - Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield - Country Classic Cars in Staunton (39.03066, -89.75145): a used car lot with everything from Ford Model Ts to classic American cars. You can walk freely through the three hangars - Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (38.76062, -90.47978) - St. Louis with its Gateway Arch and City Garden (full of sculptures and free to enter) - Philipsburg and its candy factory - Springfield: Bass Pro Shop outdoor store (37.179, -93.296) - Carthage: The Precious Moments Chapel (37.113, -94.345) - Foyil: Ed Galloway’s Totem Park - Tulsa: Harley Davidson dealership (36.111, -95.885) - Oklahoma City: Stockyards City—one of the trip’s highlights. Cattle auctions are wild; plan ahead for open days/hours (35.456, -97.552) - Centennial Land Run Monument (35.461, -97.504) - Amarillo: VW Slug Bug Ranch (35.191, -101.985) - Cadillac Ranch (35.191, -101.985) - Palo Duro Canyon State Park - Bandelier - El Morro, NM - Canyon de Chelly (detour) - Little Painted Desert (35.157608, -110.47105) - Winslow: *Standin’ on the Corner* (Eagles) - Oatman and its burros - Las Vegas: two days, one spent at Valley of the Fire and Red Rock Canyon. Pick a hotel near Fremont Avenue for nightlife - Rainbow Basin Area (35.012369, -117.03858) - The Bottle Tree Ranch (34.69113, -117.34206) - The Justice Private Automotive Collection in Duarte (34.13830, -117.94591) - Los Angeles: 4 days. Start at Griffith Observatory for a city overview and the Hollywood sign. Don’t forget to see the end of Route 66 in Santa Monica. Venice is worth a visit for a more authentic vibe. Check out the Walt Disney Concert Hall and surrounding buildings for the architecture. Distances are huge. We mixed driving with the metro. Avoid the Interstates—they’re packed with traffic and frequent jams. Stick to parallel roads

Hi everyone! First time for me in the States from March 24 to April 7, 2025—only 15 days, so choices have to be made. I want to explore part of the West, but obviously planning the route is the trickiest part, so here’s what I’ve come up with and where I have doubts: -Leaving Paris for LA 1 or 2 nights to visit -Heading to Vegas, where one couple would go by motorcycle (they’re fans and want the thrill of Route 66) and another by plane (I won’t linger here either—1 or 2 days max!) Then, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, all by rental car for everyone, so the motorcycle gets returned in Vegas.

Now here’s where it gets tricky: either I continue the road trip through the big parks to finish in San Francisco (but it doesn’t seem like the best time—might be too cold), or I head down to San Diego for the return flight. But which itinerary? Kingman, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, and San Diego—does that make sense? Is it better to go back to Vegas to take a plane or drive the whole way?

So many questions—your help and advice would be super welcome! Thanks in advance, Anne from Périgord Noir