If You’ve Ever Wanted to Road Trip With Your Bestie, Here’s What You Can Expect
When my best friend proposed we spend three weeks driving around the entire country, I was so excited. I'd always imagined road trips to incredibly glamorous like in the movies and began picturing our trip.
(via Shutterstock)
But what waited for us was definitely not what I had imagined. The trip was nowhere near glamorous and we were constantly surprised by what we saw and experienced—in a good way!
1. Straight Up, America is Stunning
As someone who was able to travel Europe, I have to be honest when I say that I was worried America wouldn't be able to live up. But I was so wrong. The U.S. is packed with some of the most breathtaking spots like the fields of bison in Yellowstone National Park, the beaches of Cape Cod, and the cobblestone streets in Philadelphia. Everywhere we stopped had something new and different to take in…. and post to social media.
2. Spending 21 Days With Your BFF Can Be Hard, but Also the Best
Traveling with friends is way different than just hanging out with friends—you're constantly around each other, learning one another's private habits and every decision has to be made as a team. However, spending more than six hours in a car everyday with a person I already loved really helped me get to know every part of my best friend. Plus, we got to share the experience of a lifetime with each other and those memories are well worth the lack of quiet alone time.
3. You'll Lose Cell Service, and Believe it or Not, You Won't Care
Yes, of course I knew that there wouldn't be service at certain times during the trip, but I never thought about how nice it would feel to disconnect. I thought it would be hard to live without my emails, but I had amazing views, my awesome friend and a killer playlist to keep me happy during those drives.
4. Each State Has Something Amazing to Offer (Especially the Food)
Have you ever heard of Stillwater, Minnesota? No? Neither had I! But it's just one of the many picturesque towns I got to see thanks to this trip. Each city we stopped in (more than 30) had something incredible to offer. Whether it was the music in Nashville or the custard in St. George, Utah, we were never disappointed. Pro tip: If you ever get the opportunity to eat a waffle in the shape of Texas, do it—you won't be sorry.
5. No Matter Where You Go, There's Always a Wall Perfect for Insta
I can't deny that I'm a millennial and of course wanted to share the photos of this life-changing trip. And what's more Instagrammable than posing in front of a cool wall, you ask? Posing in front of a cool wall in almost half of the nation's states! My personal favorite was Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina. Look how pretty it is!
At the end of the day, we all have our vision of the perfect trip we'd like to someday take—I just didn't know that such a perfect one could literally begin in my own front yard. So put together a vision board or start reading about places you want to someday travel. There's so much waiting for you out there and there's no better time to start dreaming and planning than now.
Regardless of where on the map you go, you need to pack all of THESE style staples in your luggage.