In my experience of traveling the world, USA is by far the easiest country to travel in.  What’s more, the USA is home to some of the most beautiful places on earth as well as iconic cities.  I will show you how to plan a USA road trip with some of my original photography as inspiration.  Additionally, I will share some USA road trip tips from KAYAK.

Introducing KAYAK

When you plan your USA road trip, the most important part is the vehicle which you will spend hours driving.  Secondly, the hotels you stay at will also be an important part of your trip.  Using KAYAK is the best way to book both your vehicle as well as your hotels.  Read on.

Choosing a Car with KAYAK

KAYAK searches hundreds of car hire sites at once.  As a result, by performing one quick search you can see the prices from different car rental agencies all on one page.  Do you have a favorite car rental agency?  Simply filter out your favorite rental agency and see the different competitive prices they offer on different websites.  All you have to do is pick the best price.

Here is my tip for finding the best value car rental.  Different cities have different prices for the same car.  For example, it’s much cheaper to hire a car from Orlando or Las Vegas than it is from Houston or New York.  As a result, consider starting your USA road trip from a city which offers lower car rental prices.

Choosing a Hotel with KAYAK

Did you know the same hotel room has different prices depending where you book it?  At any given hotel, one guest could check in and pay $100 per night.  Another hotel guest could be paying $50 a night for exactly the same room on the same night.  Do you want to be the guest who pays $50 or $100 per night?  Simply search for the hotel on KAYAK and select the best value rate available.

Here is my tip for finding good value hotels during your USA road trip.  Book your hotel as soon as you are 100% sure when and where you’ll be staying.  For last minute bookings, search using the ‘current location’ feature and choose an available hotel from the map view.

Book Your Car, Hotel and Flight


USA Road Trip Inspiration from KAYAK

USA Road Trip Inspiration from KAYAK

The United States is a huge country with thousands of different road trip possibilities.  Maybe you need some inspiration to plan your USA road trip?  The KAYAK team have discovered several amazing road trips.  They explore the possibility of long weekend road trips, road trips in your area and they also share some popular tried and tested USA road trip routes.

Read the KAYAK Road Trip Guides to gain inspiration and tips for your future travels.

Six Experiences you Must Add to your USA Road Trip

Upgrade Your Hire Car

Upgrade Your Hire Car

Firstly, with all these great deals on KAYAK, why not enjoy your USA road trip in a more luxurious vehicle?

1. Drive Through the Rainbow Mountains of Arizona

Drive Through the Rainbow Mountains of Arizona

Did you know Arizona is home to Rainbow Mountains?  Highway 89A runs right through them.  On a road trip you have the freedom to stop where and when you want to view these multicolored natural wonders.

2. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is the most recognisable bridge in the world.  For this reason, you must drive over it once in your lifetime.  Other famous bridges to discover on a USA road trip are the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and the seven Mile Bridge in Florida.  Lastly, my favourite bridge is the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge on the Arizona Nevada border which offers stunning views of Hoover Dam.

3. Spot Bison from the Car Window

Spot Bison from the Car Window

On a visit to Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, it’s common to see Bison strolling beside the road.  These fearsome Bison are the kind of animal you want to view from inside your car, not out in the open!  However, visiting by car gives you the freedom to park and view them for as long as you wish.

4. Plan a USA Road Trip – Drive Over an Active Volcano

Mount Rainier National Park Road Trip

Mount Rainier is an active volcano 60 miles from Seattle in Washington State.  You cannot drive to the summit but there is a network of roads around the peak which form Mount Rainier National Park.  As a matter of fact, this is Americas fifth National Park and there’s a visitors center which gives information on the best viewpoints and hikes in the area.  Read a few of my Mount Rainier facts.

Discover Beauty You Didn’t Know Existed

Crater Lake, Oregon

As you drive around the USA no doubt you’ll discover beauty you never knew existed.  For me, the most beautiful spot in the country is Crater Lake, Oregon.  Crater Lake is in fact, the remains of a collapsed volcano.  Today it’s a blue circular lake offering surreal reflections of the cloud formations above.  Check out Kayak for hotels in the area so you can visit this beauty spot early in the morning.

Visit Iconic Landmarks

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Which is your favorite USA landmark?  Personally, I see famous landmarks in the movies, which in turn inspire me to visit.  I remember watching Superman II when I was young and the Mount Rushmore scene in particular.  For this reason, I made the long road trip out to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore.  My Mount Rushmore tip is to visit at sunrise when the low sunlight brings the former President’s faces to life.

Plan a USA Road Trip – Enjoy

I hope I’ve given you some inspiration to plan a USA road trip.  Be sure to check out the KAYAK Road Trip Guides to gain more travel ideas.  Remember, it’s your USA road trip and you have the freedom to go to the beauty spots and iconic cities you most desire.

Need more inspirations for a USA road trip?  Read about Seattle landmarks, Los Angeles landmarks, Las Vegas landmarks, San Francisco landmarks and Lassen Volcano National Park.  How about an Alaskan road trip?  Read about things to do in Fairbanks.