Los Angeles

Where I Still Need To Go

Welcome to the most geographically diverse country in the world, the U.S.A.! This guide is written based off of a road trip that we took in late 2020. The full itinerary is a little over three weeks (23 days, 22 nights), starting and finishing in Orlando (where we were living at the time). The best part about the itinerary? It's a loop! Allowing you to start and finish wherever. This itinerary is 100% personalizable and as many stops can be added or removed as you'd like. This route offers some amazing places, including the beaches in Florida, the deserts of the southwest, and the coastlines of California. The most optimal time to take this road trip is during the summer as you'll find the best weather everywhere. But because we're mainly down south, you can take this road trip in the winter without too much trouble in the snow. This itinerary includes 15 states, nine National Parks, 6000+ miles, and all of the costs we incurred along the way. This itinerary also includes things to see, places to eats, and our favorite things in each location. This itinerary does not include overnight accommodation, so it is necessary to find hotels/airbnbs on your own.

Ever contemplated a new method of travel? A way to break up all of the traffic-filled roadtrips or miserable treks to the airport, only to wait 2-3 hours for a flight? Fed up with the same old highway views (or lack of views from the plane)? If so, this guide is for you! From the very first time I boarded an Amtrak Long Distance (LD) train in 2016 in Oakland, CA, I was immediately overcome with excitement, which quickly morphed into a passion. I have yet to go on a trip and not catch myself in a trance staring out the window on multiple occasions, failing to read/watch all of the books/shows I thought I would need or having a deep conversation with a complete stranger in the observation car. These experiences are the reason why I write this guide, to share and hopefully inform prospective travelers. If you are not familiar with Amtrak’s LD services, fear not! I intend to offer as much information about the train options, destinations, schedules and anything else I can think of to lead your potential adventure. If for some reason, I don’t cover something, feel free to reach out! This is just part one of a three-part guide and will cover the intro as well as the first five long-distance trains (numerically). Be sure to check out the other two sections, the individual more in-depth route guides, as well as 20 Questions for an Amtrak LD First Timer (all coming soon!).