10 Useful Tips for Traveling Around the US in a Car

There are a lot of beautiful places, parks, and canyons, which all of us should visit during life. To make it more interesting and spend time with pleasure you need to be ready for it. Practical information and useful tips about the car trip you may find in this article.

1. Car Rental

If your trip will be long, you may lease a car. It will be much more comfortable and profitable than to use your own car. Remember, it is better to take care of it in advance. Be sure that you have enough driving experience.

2. Travel Route

Plan your travel route in advance, prepare a program of your trip for each day, and plan it with lots of details. Distance and time on the road can be calculated in Google Maps. You can find many interesting places to stop by at on your way to your final destination.

3. Children

If you are going to travel with children you should have a child seat. You may rent or buy it. If the trip will be long it’s cheaper to buy and then sell it afterward. When traveling with children it’s also helpful to have a safe car with good safety ratings.

4. Navigation

Traveling by car around the US is more convenient with a GPS. To save on its rent (about five dollars per day), do not forget to bring your own navigation or download offline maps on your smartphone.

5. Road Fees

Don’t forget that travel on some roads and bridges can cost money in the United States. For example, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. There are especially a lot of paid roads in large metropolitan and surrounding areas. It is convenient to pay the fees with the help of a special transmitter—a transponder, which can be rented with the car.

6. Money

On a trip, you should always carry cash with you in small denominations, as well as coins (especially quarters), for small expenses and payments in various toll machines. Keep in mind that some places far away from the city may not accept credit cards, so it will be good to have some cash on hand.

7. Road Rules

Always follow the rules of the road. Do not exceed the maximum allowable speed by more than five miles per hour in order to avoid getting an infraction. Be sure that when parking a car you don’t create a barrier to other drivers and pedestrians, especially in unfamiliar areas. On the road, pay attention to other road users and always give pedestrians the right of way (pay special attention to children).

8. Animals

In the USA, around parks and forests along the road, you may meet a lot of wild animals. That’s why if you see the appropriate warning sign, don’t ignore it. Slow down and focus on the road and the surroundings, especially in the night. Otherwise, an unpleasant meeting can hurt, not only animals, but you and your family as well.

9. Water

You should always have enough water in your car, especially during the hot days. It's better to buy a big pack of water in advance and put it in the trunk.

10. Gas

In some states, the distance between gas stations can be quite significant, so fill a full tank and make sure that there is at least half the gas tank left at all times. This is especially useful for people who are going to travel to US national parks. This way, you can save time and avoid any headaches.