6 Months -- South American Road Trip USA !

Hi Jamie --

I´m planning a trip , with my wife, all around USA. We got a tkt from Buenos Aires , Argentina, to Miami & the return is from LA. We´ve got 6 months to do it.

What places will u recommend not to miss it. We want to go everywhere!

Please please can you help us with the plan? We arrive mid-december to MIAMI, and we come back to Argentina early June from LA.

Where we should spend Christmas?? New Year?? Hotels? Motels?

Muchas preguntas!

Thanks a lot! Great stuff, Road Trip USA.

Best Regards


Pablo

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Dear Pablo --

Many thanks for writing in to Road Trip USA -- with 6 months to tour the country, you have a great trip ahead of you! I'm glad you like the website, and wanted to say that there is a lot more info and ideas in the Road Trip USA book (which is also more up-to-date).

You ask some big questions, and I'll try to give some helpful answers. I assume you will be mixing flying and driving, countryside and big cities. There is definitely a lot to see, por seguro. For Christmas and New Year, I'm tempted to suggest you fly up to New York City, where there is lots of shopping, and lots of seasonal activities (ice skating in Central Park, brights lights on Christmas trees in Rockefeller Center, all that sort of thing). Plus real Christmas weather -- though coming from Argentina, you may be used to a warm-weather Christmas lik eyou'll get in Miami...

So, after New Year in New York, then maybe come back south to Miami, and make your way west to New Orleans in time for the start of Mardi Gras (Feb 25th to March 8th). The earlier the better, many people say -- as the crowds get bigger toward the end of the party. After Mardi Gras everything quiets down considerably until May and June.

March and April would be a good time to head west, to Arizona and southern California, where the desert wildflowers are blooming and the weather is usually very nice. The California coast is very pretty in the Springtime, and you could also do a tour of the western National Parks -- Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and many more.

After this, I think Seattle could be a good place for you to explore -- there are more national parks all around the city, and Seattle itself is one of the most lively / appealing cities in the USA. Nearby Portland Oregon is smaller, and also very attractive (both have very good food, too -- an interesting mix of native fish and Asian influences...) And the Oregon coast is gorgeous, too.

Then loop back to LA (maybe via Las Vegas?), drop off your rental car, and fly home.

Obviously there are hundreds of choices to make along the way, but I hope this outline gives you some inspiration.

Buen viaje,



Jamie Jensen
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Road Trip USA