March 29, 2018, 8:45 am | Read time: 8 minutes

1. Pay attention to the weather conditions!
In the U.S., weather conditions can be quite extreme. In the mountains, such as Yosemite National Park or the canyons in Utah, snow can linger until June. On the other hand, temperatures in the deserts of Arizona and Death Valley are already very high in June. Therefore, even with rough planning, you should always keep an eye on the climate chart. It’s a big detour if you want to drive from Yosemite National Park to Death Valley and the road is still closed due to snow. Or it’s so hot in Death Valley that you can’t take a step. It’s also advisable to check the weather forecast during your vacation. Especially in the mountains, heavy rain can occur, making roads impassable (this even happened to me in Death Valley).

2. Book flights and rental cars early!
A good rule of thumb for booking is six months before your trip. “There are sufficient capacities then,” says Frieder Bechtel from the comparison portal Billiger-mietwagen.de. Wolfgang Streitbörger advises considering package tours as well. Those who book flights and rental cars as a package benefit from the EU Package Travel Directive, explains the head of the tourism office for Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The advantage: better service and regulated claims in case of travel defects.

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3. Ensure proper insurance coverage!
In any case, a travel health insurance is worthwhile. For the car, only a statutory liability coverage of $5,000 applies in some U.S. states, warns rental car expert Bechtel. Therefore, taking out comprehensive and theft insurance is recommended. It’s best to arrange the insurance from Germany. “It’s almost always cheaper than upgrading the insurance on-site,” says Bechtel.

4. Book at least the first hotel in advance!
No matter how unplanned and spontaneous a USA road trip should be, you should definitely book a hotel for the first night in advance. After a 13-hour flight (+ two hours at the airport beforehand), going through immigration, picking up luggage and rental car, you won’t feel like looking for a hotel. Ideally, you’ve booked a hotel next to or in which there’s a restaurant. Then you don’t have to search long for something to eat and can sleep right after the first meal. Even if it’s just a short nap–after all, you want to adjust to the new time zone as quickly as possible.

5. Invest in a cooler!
The first stop on a rental car tour often leads to a supermarket to stock up on essentials like water and snacks. You should also buy a cooler there. They are available for relatively little money in most supermarkets. Since all hotels and motels have an ice machine for crushed ice, you can refill the cooler with fresh ice every day, always have cold drinks, and keep fruit fresh. Especially in summer, this is a pleasant luxury.
Tip: It’s better not to go to the ice machines with the whole cooler; that’s not well-received. Each room has containers you can fill–if necessary, even twice.

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6. Don’t overplan!
The vast distances in the U.S. are easily underestimated. Especially for the national parks, travelers should plan time during their road trip. Many have overextended themselves in the U.S. in the rush of sights and barely lifted their foot off the gas pedal, says Frieder Bechtel. Road trip enthusiast Stephanie Pardie also advises: “Less is more.”

7. Avoid highways!
Travel blogger Christian from feel4nature.com recommends on his blog: “If you really want to see something of a country, you usually have to get off the main roads on your road trip. Go where real life happens. Also, you should travel as slowly as possible on a road trip to enjoy the landscape and surroundings.”

8. Turn off the GPS outside the city!
In American metropolises, I wouldn’t want to miss the GPS. Despite the grid structure of the cities, it’s sometimes difficult to find the right approach to the hotel. But outside the cities, you should turn off the GPS and rely on good old road maps. The reason: The GPS only decides between the fastest or shortest route, but doesn’t have an option for the most scenic route. Especially in the U.S., there are many scenic routes that are simply beautiful to drive. And driving on scenic routes is an important part of a road trip. If you’re not in a hurry, you should definitely take these side roads.

9. Bring enough music!
A road trip without music is unthinkable. Driving along the American highway with the windows down and the music turned up–that’s road trip pure. But a three-week road trip can be long. It’s best to load your phone and/or mp3 player with good music and also bring a line-in cable. Most rental cars now have at least one line-in connection. So you always have music in the car. The good old music of the ’60s and ’70s fits very well with road trips.

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10. Avoid national parks on weekends!
Americans love their national parks as a weekend destination. Accordingly, they are very crowded then. If you can foresee and plan it, you should try not to be in a national park on the weekend. Instead, weekends are suitable for visiting cities. These are usually a bit emptier then–at least the rush hour traffic is gone–and often there are interesting events, markets, etc., on weekends.

11. Stay overnight in the national park!
Even if it costs a bit more, staying overnight within a national park is always the best choice. This saves you the time of traveling to and from the park and gives you more time to explore. You’re also in the park before the people who stay outside arrive. It also provides a better and easier opportunity to photograph the park at sunrise and sunset. However, it’s worth mentioning that the food supply in the parks is often not good; in Yosemite National Park, for example, it was very basic and not particularly tasty. Staying in a national park means a pure nature experience.

12. Engage in small talk!
This may be a very unusual tip, but Americans love casual small talk, and you can quickly strike up a conversation with them. They often ask where you’re from. Many will then tell you about a German ancestor or that they’ve even been to Germany. Sometimes you even get a tip for the rest of your trip. And you shouldn’t be embarrassed if your English isn’t perfect. That’s not a problem at all.

13. Have breakfast in a diner!
In many hotels or motels, breakfast isn’t provided, and if it is, it’s either bad or you have to pay for it. Instead, you should have breakfast in a real American diner. That’s America pure, like on TV. Those tight booths where you wonder how four people can sit in them. The waitress in her dress, always coming by with the coffee pot. And of course, the huge selection of incredible breakfast options, from cereal to pancakes to steak.

14. Nothing works without a credit card!
Whether at the hotel, gas station, or supermarket: Even small amounts can be paid with a credit card in the U.S., says German expat Stephanie Pardue, who has taken several road trips herself. Additionally, many rental companies won’t give you a car without a credit card.

15. Drive defensively!
This should be self-evident, but it’s especially important in the U.S. Americans drive extremely defensively, which is often difficult for us Germans. In big cities, it’s a bit rougher than in the countryside, but even here, driving is more defensive. Pedestrians, in particular, are given a lot of consideration. Besides, you’re on vacation and want to see something of the route.

16. The perfect route for beginners
Especially for USA beginners, the following route is recommended, for which you should plan about three to four weeks: San Francisco Highway 1 Los Angeles Joshua Tree National Park a piece of classic Route 66 Grand Canyon Page (Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend) Monument Valley Arches National Park Bryce Canyon Zion National Park Las Vegas including Valley of Fire Death Valley Yosemite National Park San Francisco.

17. The perfect route for pros
From the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty: Using a computer algorithm, American Randy Olson calculated the most efficient route to see 50 highlights of the USA. You can find the road trip map to follow and many more details here.