You can see a lot in the United States in 2 to 3 months! Here are 2 plans you may want to follow if you are planning a 2 month road trip across America.
See It All (Bucket List Style)
If you have a definite goal for what to see and what to do, this is the 2 month plan for you. This is a great plan if you have a very strict timeline, but plenty of money to spend.
This is the plan for the family that has a family bucket list and knows exactly what they want to see and how long they have to see it all.
Planning a trip on a strict schedule is more expensive because:
- You will cover more miles (Gas money)
- You will be seeing some things at peak times, like weekends
- You will be doing all the driving vs using public transportation or walking or biking
Step 1 Choose 1-3 Anchor stops
When you are planning the trip you will be using Google Maps, so you will need to have your destinations all listed out.
Begin by adding your starting point and your halfway point.
This will make it easier to add in stops.
You can move the stops around after you have added them.
Step 2 Add Stops
Take a look at your big stops and look at those cities in the middle. Add these stops in Google Maps and try to balance out your driving time each day.
Plan to drive no more than 10 hours a day, 8 is better. If you have young children stick with 8 hours a day. Children in car seats should be given a break every 2 hours, you can read more about this here.
Choosing How Many Stops
If you are struggling with FOMO, I am sure you want to make everyday count. A months long road trip likely took plenty of planning and lots of juggling of schedules and you do not want to miss anything on the list. Here are the guidelines to determine how many stops you can make.
- Plan to do no more than 2 stops a week
- This is going to reduce the risk of travel stress
- So 3 months is 24 stops, lots of checks on the list
- Big Stops should be given 8 days (the ideal vacation length)
- Move on early if you are getting restless, but don’t hang around till you hate it
- Drive no more than 600 miles a day
- This is about 10 hours of driving, which is the absolute most you should consider driving as a single driver in one day
- You could cover more distance with more drivers, but you will sacrifice comfort (by having to sleep in a moving car)
- 8 hours is a much more comfortable goal
- Take appropriate breaks for kids in car seats
- Kids in car seats need to stop and get out at least every 2 hours
- Newborns need to be given more frequent breaks and should not be fed while in the car seat
- Leave time for exploration
- Make sure there is margin in your schedule
- The unplanned portions of the trip may be the most memorable
Step 3 Add Lodging
Once you have added all the stops on your list, you can start to plan where you want to stay.
This is the point where you should start writing down your plan. You can use a notebook or a spreadsheet, but I do suggest you keep a hard copy in the car once you hit the road.
This is a great simple table you can use:
| Leg | Stop | Sleeping | Notes |
| Minnesota – Seattle | Bismark | Hampton Inn | |
| Bisman | Camping | Waterfall Hike | |
| Seattle – Texas | Air BbB | ||
You can use this printable version of the one page planner.
Sites For Finding Lodging
Hip Camp – I am in love with the crazy accommodations you can find here. There are farms and cabins, tent sites, backyards, 3 legged dogs. This site has it all and many are very affordable. This site caters to campers, but there are some amazing locations that are sure to be beautiful, luxurious and memorable.
Air BnB – Classic place to find really great places to stay. Make sure to book well in advance and take advantage of communicating with the host to make sure you know everything you need to know about the lodging.
Trip Advisor – Great place to find hotels. They also have vacation rentals, flights and events. This is a great place to start your search.
Make one big budget for lodging. Plan to spend a total amount and spread out the funds, and plan to vary the cost of accommodations to match your destination.
Some places will be amazing for camping and some should be seen from a high rise balcony.
Food
Food is a great place to be flexible with the budget.
If you have a roomy budget, add a few great restaurants to your simple spreadsheet. Plan to spend your monthly food budget times 1.5. If you normally spend $400 a month, you can expect to pay around $600 for a month on the road.
Be aware that grocery costs vary WIDELY in the states and you will want to stock up in smaller towns before entering large tourist areas where prices are likely marked up.
I HIGHLY recommend this product that allows you to cook on the road. COOK ON THE ROAD! You can cook raw meats, heat frozen meals or warm leftovers. My trucker husband uses his every day. I have a BUNCH of great meal ideas that we love here.
If you have a special diet, you are used to planning ahead, and this is no different. Treat your packing more like a pantry than a packed lunch. Buy ingredients and keep your staples stocked up.
This is a great opportunity to visit those legendary oil-free vegan restaurants or award winning BBQ joints. Make these stops count!
So if you are planning a bucket list style LONG road trip, you are set!
Slow Travel (Nomad Style)
If you have time and a thirst for adventure, slow travel might be the best way for you to spend a few months traveling.
What Is Slow Travel?
Slow travel is traveling when it best suits you. Slow travel is usually characterized by including public transportation, walking, and biking. It also allows for flexibility to stay or leave a location at the best time for your family.
Slow travel also leaves you free to fly, visit or stay during lower traffic times. This can save you stress and money.
Slow travel is a great way to have a great, longer travel experience with your family. Slow travelers do not set dates and times to be places and this might not work for every family. Choose the plan that will work well for your family so you can all enjoy the trip.
This beautiful woman shares a very inspiring account of her own slow travels. It is a great explanation of the benefits and philosophy of Slow Travel.
How to Plan a 3 Month Slow Travel Road Trip
So, if we are not going to make an itinerary, how do I plan?
Step 1 Choose Your Stops
Make a list of 4 or 5 places you want to stop during your months on the road.
Map out the route that you will take on Google Maps.
Print out this map or save it.
The best thing about having a set route is you can see which other cities you will be passing through. You can use this information to research interesting things to do while you meander across the states.
Find resources that will give you big lists organized by state.
Only In Your State is a good one for big lists, but interest focused ones are more helpful.
You can use sites like YesDirt to find outdoor activites and rock hunting informtion for each state.
I love to recommend Within Hours for the spontanious road trip. They give a lot of ideas while you are traveling.
Step 2 Select a First Stop and Reserve Lodging
Know where you are going for your first stop. This is what is going to get everyone excited and will help focus your packing efforts.
Make your reservations for the first night at least. Make sure you have a safe place to land when you are first launching. This is going to dramatically reduce stress while still giving you the flexibility to change plans quickly.
Once you are in your first location you can choose how long you want to stay. If you have a great hotel deal or a great museum you want to keep exploring, stay.
You will want to leave your first stop before you are bored. The ideal length of a vacation is 8 days, so plan to spend 8 days or less at your first stop.
Step 3 Know When to Move On
Talk with your partner and your children about how they are feeling. If the kids want another day at the pool or the museum, give it to them! If you and your husband are spooked out by the town or hotel, move on!
I have mentioned that the ideal vacation length is 8 days, and there are a few studies that support this number, but you are not a statistic! If you want to move every 3 days and everyone is loving it, then that can work too.
One Mantra for Slow Travel is “I may not see it all, but I’ll thoroughly enjoy what I see.”
What About Money?!
Budgeting for a long trip like this is always the first question people (like my husband) ask.
I created a great simple budgeting tool you can download for free here. This post really explains a very approachable way to budget for a long term vacation.
Make Sure You Document the Trip
I recommend using a family journal and record important memories or moments you want to remember. This also allows every family voice to be recorded. I love our family journal.
Those summer road trips are worth all the planning and I hope you love yours!
