Is it possible to see many of the amazing Landmarks, National Parks and major cities in the US and Canada in just over two weeks?
We set out to find out using just an iPhone, a laptop and a rented car. Here is what we did and how it worked out!
Why would you do this?
Because you can and because it is easy.
Over 30 years ago my better half’s parents decided to do a trip around America. They flew to Canada, borrowed a car and a map and set off with their two kids. They used tents, random motels and a Honda Civic with no air conditioning.
Despite the challenges, the journey, plus all of the amazing places they visited, the memories have stayed indelibly etched in their minds ever since.
We agreed that once our own kids reached an age that they could absorb such a trip and remember it for the rest of their lives, we would do our own trip.
Why is it easy?
Today, we have the internet and wi-fi, smartphones and social networks. We can share information about things to do, places to stay and where to eat. We can decide using other peoples’ positive and negative experiences. We also have GPS Navigation!
The question was, just how much could we get done in only two weeks with no hotels booked, no concrete plans. Just us, three kids, a car and North America.
This blog is all about the journey we made and we hope to inspire you to do something similar or different. You might inspire our next trip. It really isn’t that scary, once you get the flights booked.
As we travelled, we discovered that many Americans had never visited the places we had, so maybe it will inspire them too. It is also a chance to get fitter, which based on our experience, could be a good idea for most of Europe and the US and us!
What if we live in America or Canada?
If you live in the US or Canada, the main costs – flights and renting a car would be way lower or even zero, plus your fuel is a bargain, so there really is no excuse not to see how amazing your continent is. If you don’t want to put miles on your own vehicle, rent one.
You don’t even need a passport or a visa!
The benefits of hacking a trip together this way, rather than booking a package trip is that it is easier, cheaper, and you are free to do whatever you want.
Visit wherever you want, stay where you want, eat where you want. You can also find the BEST places using the tools available. We changed our route lots of times along the way and asked plenty of local people where they would visit in their respective area, if they had just one day.
5,000 miles, 9 US States, 2 Canadian Provinces, 11 National Parks and Forests later, taking in Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Hoover Dam, Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and many many other amazing places in just a fortnight!
Who would have believed it was possible?
Well not me if you asked at the start, but in hindsight, we could have done even more, if we just knew what to expect…
One more thing…
…before we left, I planned to get a local SIM card for my iPhone. When we arrived, I struggled to find one.
I had however, set up a one month subscription to Skype Unlimited for £5. This gives free calls to US and Canada landlines and mobiles as well as UK and European numbers.
Once we realised there is free wi-fi everywhere, we never bothered with the sim card and it never affected us in the slightest.
We only used an iPhone with wi-fi and a laptop the whole time we were there. We probably could have got away with just the iPhone or similar.