Why a road trip is awesome and beneficial
There are a lot of really exotic places out there in the world just begging to be seen, ranging from the ancient cities of Europe, to the lush, coconut strewn, paradisal sandy beaches of the Pacific islands. But although Tonga, Vienna, and Melbourne may all be on your travel bucket list, there are a lot of great ways you can spend a holiday at home in the good old USA. One of the best ways of seeing and appreciating this enormous country is to do a cross-country US road trip.
Whether your primary waypoint is a hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina, a glam night in Vegas, or a visit to Yosemite, you’re bound to find that the journey alone justifies the outing.
People travel for different kinds of reasons. Some want to see the world, experience new adventures, and others just want to escape the routine of everyday life. Regardless of the reason for traveling or going on a road trip, there are many benefits why traveling is good for the mind, body, and soul.
Traveling increases the daily physical activity a person needs. It also forces people to activate and use the brain instead of just being in automatic mode. It triggers creativity and inspiration.
There are many other reasons one should travel, but how should one is the better question. Some travelers love flying, others prefer the train, and some love road trips. There is a reason, if not multiple ones, why each traveler chooses the way they want to travel, from time-saving to fear of flying. Nonetheless, there are benefits of each mode of transportation.
Here are some benefits of doing a cross-country US road trip.
You get to see those out-of-the-way wonders you’d never have known about otherwise
There is a lot more in the US than just the major urban centers which tend to make it into all the movies and music videos.
Small town America is very much alive and thriving, and although you may not get a rush from driving through every little settlement you come across, you are likely to find the difference in perspective eye-opening, especially if you’ve lived all your life in suburbia.
Driving across the country doesn’t just give you a glimpse of small-town life, however, it can also give you a glimpse of history and of those out of the way little wonders you would likely never have even heard about otherwise.
It might be that you’ll accidentally pass through an old prospecting town with fascinating landmarks and stories, or a UFO sighting hotspot in the desert, on your way to more widely acclaimed places.
A road trip gives you space and freedom to decide on spur of the moment that you want to stop at the Grand Canyon and yell at top of your lungs to let all that built up frustration and stress out.
You get to see the full scope of the country in all its weird and wonderful variety
The USA is an enormous country, all things considered, and it contains a huge amount of weird and wonderful variety, ranging from desert plains to rich, lush woodland, mountain-peaks, and flat arable land.
Culturally, you’ll find everything from slick metropolitan urbanites, to modern day cowboys, and New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrants, and Florida gator hunters.
There’s food of just about every type imaginable. No road trip can be completed without stopping in New Orleans to try the famous Jambayala and overall Cajun cuisine.
The US has a deep and rich history, making it a perfect travel destination for the history buffs. From US states performing Civil War reenactments to the Renaissance Fair, and even to the historical park National Mall, which houses the famous memorials, White House, and museums in Washington D.C, there is plenty to see and experience in America.
Throughput the states there are even strange and fearful attractions such as the country’s most haunted buildings, abandoned asylums, and deserted amusement parks. For the thrill seekers, doing a cross-country road trip in October during Halloween to see all the scary decorations, go on haunted hayrides, or walk through corn-field mazes in the dark, can be an adventure of a lifetime.
If you a Christmas lover, then hitting up the Christmas markets throughout the country is another great way to experience America in all its weird and wonderful variety. Pennsylvania is known for it’s Christmas light shows and mesmerizing Christmas markets. You can choose to check out the towns of Bethlehem, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and even Nazareth, PA for Christmas musicals, markets, and other performances during the month of December.
You may think you’re getting a good sense of the scope and size of the country from TV, books, and the internet, but unless you take the time to travel, you’re really missing out.
You get some quality time with your friends to talk, joke and celebrate
Road trips are arguably some of the best possible occasions for spending quality time with your closest friends and forging the kinds of memories that can last a lifetime.
Doing a cross-country road trip in the US is a more realistic way of getting your best buddies together than a European road trip, for example, while also giving you ample time to really catch up meaningfully.
During the course of a normal life, the time we get to spend with our friends is often fleeting. A few hours on a Friday night, every couple of weeks isn’t uncommon. As we all know, life is unpredictable and sometimes short. The time spent with family and friends often is the most treasured keepsake.
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