The sense of freedom you have on an American driving holiday is hard to beat.
Cruising alongside the Pacific Ocean with the feel of the warm sun on your face. Motoring through the deserts and canyons of the south-west National Parks or the iconic Americana of Route 66’s roadside diners and vintage gas stations. Embracing the open road stretching out ahead.
We’ve travelled extensively across the USA and can help you plan the perfect open-road adventure. From luxury lodges to family-run B&Bs, our little black book is brimming with tried and tested places for you to stay while you’re on the road. Whether you need a vehicle for the whole family or a classic convertible just for two, we’ll make it happen. All you need to do is put together that perfect road trip playlist.
In the words of Jack Kerouac, “the road is life”. Time to get your motor running.
-
Portland to San Francisco
Journey from the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest to the vineyards and giant redwoods of northern California on this epic west-coast road trip.
Begin in Portland, a hip yet laid back city renowned for its buzzy restaurants and craft breweries, before returning to the rugged coast for a spell in picturesque Cannon Beach. Back inland stay amid the stunning mountain scenery of Crater Lake and Bend, where hiking, biking and water sports await.
Then follow the Avenue of the Giants through forests of towering redwood trees to Eureka, gateway to the Redwood National and State Parks. Head south along the California coast to explore the wineries, galleries and boutiques of pretty Mendocino before riding the cable car and cycling the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran.
-
California Coast
Turn California dreaming into a reality on the classic coastal road trip, from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Begin in San Francisco, where you can ride the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf, cycle the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and take a trip across the water to infamous Alcatraz.
Pick up your car and head south on the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping first to discover Monterey’s rich marine life. You’ll then arrive at this road trip’s most dramatic section: the twisting coastal road of steep cliff-faces and unforgettable vistas that is Big Sur. With the ocean to your right and the sun on your face, cruise south all the way to Pismo Beach for a stay beside the ocean.
Your next stop is the wide, golden beaches and Spanish style buildings of chic Santa Barbara. Watch the surfers at Stearns Wharf, discover nearby vineyards and go kayaking in the Channel Islands.
Round off your road trip in L.A. where we recommend basing yourself in beachside Santa Monica, where you’ll find a great choice of sophisticated restaurants and chic bars. See the Hollywood sign, browse the upscale boutiques of Beverly Hills, or head to Universal Studios and Disneyland for theme park fun.
-
Sounds of the Deep South
Expect incredible cuisine and traditional southern hospitality on this musical journey through the southern states of Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Fly to Nashville, the home of country music, to begin your odyssey. Visit the Grand Ole Opry, take a tour of legendary Studio B and soak up the atmosphere of the city’s honkytonk bars.
Then hit the road to Memphis – home of the blues and the birthplace of rock and roll. A visit to Graceland is a must for Elvis fans, while other music-based attractions include tours of the Gibson Guitar Factory and Stax Museum of American Soul Music. No visit is complete without a visit to the excellent Civil Rights Museum or indulging in some authentic Memphis-style barbecue.
After driving through Mississippi, visiting Vicksburg and Natchez to explore their Civil war battlefields and historic plantation homes, you’ll finish up in New Orleans. Here you can explore the French Quarter, visit the famous jazz bars of Bourbon Street, learn about voodoo culture and sample steaming bowls of gumbo and jambalaya.
-
Texas & New Mexico
Head out on the ‘Barbecue Trail’, taking in Texas’ hip towns and vast plains before crossing into the rocky desert landscapes of New Mexico. This is real cowboy country!
Pick up your car in Dallas and head directly to Fort Worth, where the historic Stockyards district provides an atmospheric slice of wild west life. Then drive south on the I-35 to Austin, one of the USA’s most exiting cities known for its lively music scene, excellent food trucks and vintage clothes stores.
Strike out on the Barbecue Trail, where you can feast on indulgent platters of ribs, brisket and pulled pork in towns like Driftwood and Lockhart. Next up is San Antonio, where you can visit the historic Alamo and explore its cobblestone, café-lined River Walk. It’s then a long drive across Texas to tiny Marfa, an isolated town that’s become a place of pilgrimage for art lovers.
Cross into New Mexico, driving north through the rugged Sierra Blanca mountains range to the village of Ruidoso, whose alpine setting is ideal for hiking, riding and mountain biking. Immerse yourself in the history of Billy the Kid at the deserted Wild West settlement of Lincoln, then hit the I40 all the way to Albuquerque.
-
Desert Southwest
Learn what epic really means on a drive through the USA’s desert southwest, where cavernous canyons and sandstone monoliths create a wild west landscape of vivid reds and burning oranges.
Touchdown in Phoenix, then hit the road north to the striking red rock scenery of Sedona. Here you can travel over the crimson rocks on a 4×4 jeep tour, climbing to panoramic lookout points before descending on the Road of No Return.
Continue to Arizona’s canyon country, where we can set you up with engaging local guides for a series of heart-stirring hikes. Trek down hidden trails to the quietest viewpoints at the indescribably vast Grand Canyon. Then float down the Colorado River on a pontoon raft, passing beneath canyon walls which tower 1,000 feet high.
After crossing into Utah, hike among the otherworldly, orange-hued hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, stopping along the trail for a picnic among the pinnacles, before continuing to the vast wilderness of Zion National Park then finishing up in Las Vegas.
