Free Stuff! Win a Camera!! Or a really Big TV!!

Here's something some of you may want to know about:

Great American Road Trip Contest

Hi Jamie,

I came across your travel blog today and thought I’d stop by to let you know about a giveaway at Panasonic’s Livinginhd.com where summer road-trippers can upload their favorite photo and be entered to win Panasonic’s newest digital camera, the DMC-GH1 (valued at $1,499.95), or a 50” Viera G10 Series Plasma HDTV (valued at $1799.95).

The ‘Great American Road Trip’ photo upload contest starts today, Monday, August 17 and runs through Sunday, August 23th. The photo upload theme will then change weekly to ‘Vacations for Two’ and ‘Food Creations’. You can enter once daily for four weeks, and every week one winner will be selected. If you’re interested, here is a link to the landing page with all of the details.

Thanks,

A Person @ Panasonic


More to come from me soon


-- Jamie

Cross-Country Honeymoon!

Subject: Honeymoon Road Trip
To: ROADTRIPUSA@hotmail.com

Jamie,

First-let me say I love your website, your interactive map is very cool and informative.

My fiance and I are getting married on September 6th of this year, we spent some time last year on Route 66 in Arizona, and absolutely loved it. We are planning on taking our honeymoon the last week of September. We will be flying out to Jackson's Hole, WY and spending a couple days there. We are planning on taking the Oregon Trail Route back east (we live in S. eastern Massachusetts) definitely want to spend some time in Yellowstone and Niagara, do you have any interesting or offbeat sights for us to see along the way. We really love retro-feeling/kitschy places. Please help!

Thanks,

Kate R

====>>>>

Dear Kate --

Thank you for your nice note, and for taking the time to write in to Road Trip USA.

Your honeymoon road trip sounds fantastic -- the Grand Tetons / Yellowstone region is full of amazing scenery, and well provided with old-time Americana. (Long live Jackson Hole's "Million Dollar Cowboy Bar", while West Yellowstone has another photogenic collection of old motels and a great Main Street!). Heading east, you can shop for his 'n' hers cowboy gear at Lou Taubert's in the heart of Casper (very near a great old movie theater and some slightly unloved 1920s/30s shopfronts.)

How's that for retro-kitsch?

One stop I strongly recommend across the Great Plains stretch of US20 is northwest Nebraska, with lots of real history and one essential piece of kitsch car culture art: Carhenge, outside the town of Alliance. The Black Hills to the north hold Mt Rushmore, that even more gigantic Crazy Horse, and lots of mountain scenery. And Wall Drug is not too far away (on I-90, which may work as way to save time crossing the Midwest.)

Iowa is another long flat stretch, with some pretty near Lincoln Highway-era buildings along old US30, and just west of the Mississippi River is another odd attraction: the Field of Dreams, where that surreal Kevin Costner film was "lensed" as they say in Variety et al. The same small Iowa town, Dyersville, also holds a very intriguing basilica -- full of Catholic kitsch, if you are so inclined. Dyersville also used to have a great die-cast toy tractor (and mini-muscle car) museum, too, but I think the spirit of the place has faded a little since the factory moved to Mexico.

East of the Mississippi, Galena is a very neat little town, and for 1920s architecture Rockford IL is also worth alook (it was also the home of pop band Cheap Trick, if that means anything to you!)

Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and other urban Great Lakes places are packed with too many things for me to choose from, but if you have time they are all very rewarding places to explore. A couple of less-famous stops along the way are the college town of Oberlin (nice central square) and the old Mormon Temple in Kirtland. And just before you hit the PA border, Conneat OH has a great roadside cafe: the mostly outdoor, summer only White Turkey Drive In, serving up turkey sandwiches and root beer floats (though I think they close for the season in early Sept...)

New York State has some great stretches. Needless to say, Niagara Falls is one of those must-see places, but most of the fun, and the best views too, are on the Canadian side, so bring your passport! I love Buffalo but accept that it is something of an acquired taste, but Skaneatles in the Finger lakes area is a very pretty place, as is Cooperstown. Albany, and neighboring Troy across the Hudson, are both packed with characterful diners and other travel essentials.

Closer to home, you probably know all about the Mohawk Trail (Route 2 from the Berkshires) but if you haven't shopped for rubber tomahawks there amongst all the characterful old towns and villages, have a look -- just keep an eye peeled for a 20' tall "Big Indian", right around Shelburne Falls (which is itself well worth a visit.)

Well, there are a few days worth of fun, retro-feeling/kitschy places things to see. Hope you have a great trip (and a nice life together...)

Congratulations & Happy Trails,


Jamie Jensen
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Road Trip USA the Book ** new edition out now **

East Coast and Appalachian Trail road trip

Subject: Roadtrip Sept / Oct
To: roadtripusa@hotmail.com



Dear Jamie,

My husband & I are planning a roadtrip holiday in the USA with another couple end of Sept / start of Oct 2009. I was in the States on honeymoon last Sept and we did an amazing roadtrip in New England which we loved (planned with the help of Trailfinders and the Lonley Planet). We are from Dublin, Ireland. We will be hiring a car from DC.


We have 10 days to play with, we are starting our vacation by spending 3/4 nights in Washington DC, then we wish to travel for approx 10 nights and we definitely want to take in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah Georgia for say 2 nights each before heading back to DC. We would also love to go back via the mountains. We would really like to stay a night or so in the mountains but would not be too keen on camping.
I think it might be an amalgamation of your routes 6 & 5?

I was hoping you could give advice on a good loop, we enjoy scenery, history and would like to see some civil war heritage and some Plantation heritage.

We have a midrange budget and would like to stay in B&B/ Historic Inns rather than motels. On the route at some stage my friends would like to play a round or 2 of golf.
I have read the helpful information on your website and feel we would like more authentic towns / stops on the coast as oppossed to places like Myrtle Beach which I feel would be too commercial. In New England we loved towns like Camden and Bar Harbour. So the States I guess we are interested in are North & South Carolina, Georgia, and back via Virginia.

We are unfamiliar with these states and are finding the amount of information on the internet overwhelming.

Any help would be gratefully received,
Many thanks

Ellen S

===>>>

Dear Ellen S --

Thank you for writing in to Road Trip USA -- and sorry it took me so long to reply.

Your trip sounds very interesting -- a loop trip along the Atlantic coast and back up along the Appalachian Trail will be a blast, and late Sept / early Oct is just about the best time of year to be out there. (So long as you are lucky to avoid any hurricanes!) The "fall color" of the mountains is justly famous, and the coastal areas are usually still warm but without all the summer crowds -- good timing.

Both routes offer an abundance of characterful inns (in the USA, B&Bs are definitely upscale and much more comfortable than their UK/Irish equivalents -- I list a few in my book, and towns like Charleston and Savannah have some of the nicest inns in the country, along with an abundance of Civil War sights.)

Accommodations in the mountains are also very nice -- there are some rustic lodges in the National Parks (Smokey Mountains and Shenandoah), and many more along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a fantastic part of the trip.

If you really only want one night in the mountains, I'd suggest aiming for Asheville, North Carolina, which has a lot of charm and offers very easy access to glorious mountain scenery -- there are also some very nice hotels and restaurants (and golf courses!). And if you find you have more time, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia has some nice towns (like Lexington), and abundant Civil War heritage.

Please write me again when your plans start taking shape -- and in the meantime I hope you enjoy my website, and my book (which has a lot of info and ideas and photos which don't appear on the website).

Happy Trails,


Jamie Jensen
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Road Trip USA the Book
** new edition out now **

Missouri to Colorado -- Route 66 and more!

Subject: Would love your advice..
To: roadtripusa@hotmail.com

My husband and I have decided to take a road trip to from Springfield, MO to CO, in early August. We plan to be gone only 7 days (this could be negotiable). We are in our early 50's with no younger children, and will be making the trip in our personal vehicle. What route would you recommend, and what are the MUST SEE'S for a trip such as this. Additionally, we have heard that we can return via a southern route which could include Santa Fe.

What are your thoughts and advice?

Thanks,
Barb

===>>>


Dear Barb --

Thank you for writing in to Road Trip USA -- and sorry it took me so long to reply. I hope I catch your before you head off, or if you're on the road I hope I'm not too late to help with your travel plans.

Your trip sounds very interesting -- you say Springfield MO to Colorado in 7 days, and I assume you're making this a round trip (it's not a one-way, is it?) .

From Springfield the obvious Road Trip route west would be Route 66, which crosses some of its best stretches in nearby Oklahoma -- I really like the Will Rogers country east of Tulsa, where the old road is still the main way to go. (And where Vinita's fantastic Will Rogers Rodeo kicks off on Aug 25th!)

If you wanted to take Route 66 all the way to Santa Fe (or maybe use this as your return route...), it is easy to veer north into the lovely parts of SW Colorado -- the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the NM/CO border are some of the wildest and prettiest parts of the whole USA.

Another great drive in this region is the famous Million Dollar Highway, which runs north from Durango and Silverton, over some of the highest passes in the country. All safe and easy to drive, but spectacular to see.

Another favorite place of mine in Colorado is the town of Manitou Springs, at the base of iconic Pike's Peak. From here you can head back east to Springfield -- via US50, which follows in the path of the historic Santa Fe Trail.

This Road Trip route works equally well going counterclockwise -- Springfield MO to Kansas City then west on US50 (covered in my Loneliest Road chapter, in Road Trip USA) to Colorado, then back east via Santa Fe and Route 66.

Please write me again if there's still time for me to help -- and once again accept my apologies for my slow response. I hope you've enjoyed my website, and that you get a chance to look at my book.

Have a great trip, and

Happy Trails,


Jamie Jensen
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Road Trip USA

Trip Advice 9 -- coastal road trip, NJ to FL

Subject: going from nj to fl and need some help
To: roadtripusa@hotmail.com

hey jamie, I am taking a 5 day trip in late august from atlantic city, new jersey to tampa, florida. Im going to take the atlantic coast route i found on the website, but im not sure where i want to stop. I want to see some beach towns and some historic towns as well, so i was thinking i would stop in ocean city maryland, virginia beach, the outer banks nc, myrtle beach, charleston, savannah, and daytona beach. where do you think i should stop? what places should i avoid? what and where are cheap places to stay? what should i be sure to bring on a trip like this. i have never been to any of thesse places or in a car for this long before. im 19. i would appriciate any suggestions/advice. thanks -mike

=====>>>

Hi Mike --

Thank you for writing in to Road Trip USA -- and sorry it took me so long to reply. Your trip sounds fun -- hope there's still time for me to help you have a good time.

you asked: >>"i was thinking i would stop in ocean city maryland, virginia beach, the outer banks nc, myrtle beach, charleston, savannah, and daytona beach. where do you think i should stop? what places should i avoid? what and where are cheap places to stay?"

Much depends on what you like -- for tacky seaside fun, Ocean City MD is hard to be, but for amazing wild scenery (and waves, and lighthouses...), there's no place on the East Coast better than Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks.

The other places you mention, Charleston and Savannah in particular, are wonderful -- not so much for summer fun, but they are rich in architecture and history (and food!)

I also really like the Georgia coast -- it feels calmer than SC or FL, but it really special -- and the offshore islands (Sapelo, Cumberland...) are as close to "unique" and unspoilt as you're gonna find. Bring bug spray if you go, though.

One place you didn't mention that I really like is St Augustine, in north Florida -- it has nice beaches, fascinating history, and enough tacky tourism (the "real" Fountain of Youth, Alligator Farm, etc) to satisfy any road tripper.

In terms of places to avoid, I personally find Myrtle Beach to be way too busy and over-developed (and they tore down its one really redeeming feature, the neat old Pavillion amusement park, recently replaced by a shopping mall...). Daytona is also pretty tacky and grungy, but that's what people go there for...

Finally, almost anywhere along the coast, in the peak of summer, "cheap" places to sleep are as rare (if not extinct.) There are some campgrounds here and there, if you have a tent and sleeping bag, but otherwise accommodations will likely be your biggest expense -- esp in the prime beach resorts (I've had trouble finding motel rooms in Ocean City MD for under $125 a night...painful. If you go in November, on the other hand, no problem!)

The one and only reliable "cheap" place to sleep indoors is in Virginia Beach -- it's an HI youth hostel, sometimes known as Angie's, at 302 24th St (757-491 1830) email:
AngiesGuestCottage@hiusa.org

Let me know what you get up to -- and hope this helps point you toward some fun. Drive safe, and in future I hope you enjoy my website, and especially my book.

Happy Trails,


Jamie Jensen
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Road Trip USA ** new edition out May 2009 **