ROADTRIPPERS TO THE RESCUE – TAKE TWO!

Like I have mentioned many times before, I absolutely LOVE to plan. And, I like to plan as far in advance as possible, which most people think is insane. It brings me so much joy to plan an amazing trip with the perfect stops.

For our summer road trip last year, I spent months researching the places to go. In addition, I tweaked our itinerary more times than I can count. I searched Google, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, etc. for ideas. I started following travel blogs that could assist with ideas. And, I enjoyed every second of it. 

One day, I came across Roadtrippers. When I found this website, I finally felt like the trip came together. It allowed me to see a visual of where I was going. Roadtrippers is a free planning site until you plan more than 8 waypoints or stops in one trip. It is $29.99 to upgrade to Roadtrippers Plus in order to have up to 150 waypoints. When I reached out, Roadtrippers provided me with a 20% off promo code for all of our readers (FPRT235XTX)! Thank you so much, Roadtrippers (my referral link). 

When I began to plan this summer’s road trip from California to Florida, I, of course, used Roadtrippers for planning. I was able to try out different routes to see which one was the best for our trip. I found great stops using the app that I definitely would not have found when researching myself. Below is a screenshot of our cross-country trip.

Roadtrippers to the Rescue - Take Two - Cross-Country Road Trip Map

Ok, I guess I didn’t plan the most direct route, but it sure was a fun trip! As far as our itinerary, here it is:

  1. August 22, 2020 – Drive from Los Angeles to Springdale, AZ (World’s Largest Thermometer, Magic Mountains, Vegas Strip, Welcome to Las Vegas sign, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument)
  2. August 23, 2020 – Drive from Springdale, UT to Draper, UT (Zion National Park)
  3. August 24, 2020 – Drive from Draper, UT to Steamboat Springs, CO (Dinosaur National Monument – Quarry Exhibit Hall)
  4. August 25, 2020 – Drive from Steamboat Springs, CO to Boulder, CO (Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail ride with Sombrero Stables)
  5. August 26, 2020 – Drive from Boulder, CO to Denver, CO (Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks)
  6. August 27, 2020 – Drive from Denver, CO to Salina, KS (Prairie Dog State Park, World’s Largest Ball of Twine, Geographical Center of the Continental US, Rock City)
  7. August 28, 2020 – Drive from Salina, KS to Tulsa, OK (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Gathering Place, Golden Diller Statue)
  8. August 29, 2020 – Drive from Tulsa, OK to Little Rock, AR (Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site)
  9. August 30, 2020 – Drive from Little Rock, AR to Nashville, TN (Memphis to see Beale Street and the duck march at the Peabody Hotel, a quick stop in Mississippi, and Opryland)
  10. August 31, 2020 – Drive from Nashville, TN to Greensboro, NC (Ellie the Elephant, Surprising friends)
  11. September 1, 2020 – Drive from Greensboro, NC to Jekyll Island, GA (visit friends in Charlotte, Congaree National Park)
  12. September 2, 2020 – Drive from Jekyll Island, GA to Delray Beach, FL (Driftwood Beach, Washington Oaks State Park)
Roadtrippers to the Rescue - Take Two - Cross-Country Road Trip - Last Stop in Washington Oaks State Park

I know it seems like an insane amount of driving, and it was. But, we really did have the best time. Overall, it was about 4,200 miles!

Although the trip was as planned as it could be, I did want to point out a few things we learned along the way:

  1. Laundry – Most hotels have laundry facilities so do not feel like you have to pack enough clothes for the entire time. I actually did our laundry three times during our trip. Just remember to bring quarters or get them at the front desk. You can also bring detergent & dryer sheets or get them at the front desk as well.
  2. Snacks – This is usually a no brainer for us, but sometimes, I thought the girls would be fine without snacks… Well, learn from my lesson, and JUST BRING SNACKS… Some of the roads you will drive on will be extremely remote with no access to shops or restaurants. Snacks are always important. It is not fun when a hangry kid or mom shows up for the road trip. Always throw a snack in when you get out of the car as well… you never know how long the shuttle will take or if the line to Chick-Fil-A will be an hour!
  3. Things WILL go wrong – There is only so much planning you can do. Unfortunately, it is hard to plan for car troubles, and we did have our fair share of those! Just remember – things happen and try to have a positive attitude. We tried to look at is a part of the adventure instead of a hindrance.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN with whatever travel adventures you have! During this pandemic, I know it is hard to feel comfortable going on something like a cross-country road trip! But, you can still use Roadtrippers to find an unusual day trip! Thank you for wandering along with us!