We have finally made some concrete plans for the USA leg of our trip, which given we’ll be there in a month and a half is quite the relief!
On May 15 we fly from Melbourne to Los Angeles.
For three months from the end of May/start of June we will be driving up the west coast of America and into Canada to Vancouver, then we will head east and stop in Calgary in time for the Calgary Stampede (I hope!). Then the plan is to drive south through Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona back to LA.
From there we are flying to Dallas (Texas! SO excited!) at the start of September and have one month to get to Fort Lauderdale via New Orleans and ALL the southern BBQ restaurants along the way.
On October 1 we fly from Fort Lauderdale to Lima, Peru and do Machu Picchu. Then I don’t know. We plan on doing much of South America before flying back to east coast USA.
If you have recommendations for any of these places please throw them my way! The Calgary Stampede was a recommendation from my friend Chelsea and given my affinity for rodeos, I’m VERY excited!
My Bloggable Day 
Absolutely head to Franklin Bbq in Austin- it’s classic southern bbq food done exceptionally well! If you can manage it- head there mid week, line starts forming around 10ish, I think the doors open at 12!
Yummm! I’m sure we can manage to get there at 10am on a mid week day! Totally worth it.
Your trip sounds so amazing! I’ve only driven the West Coast from San Fran to LA but it’s so beautiful. A taxi driver recommended we stop in a small seaside town called Cayucos and it was stunning. It’s just a sleepy little town by th me beach but we got a motel room right on the sand with a view of the gorgeous old wooden pier and had an amazing time. Lots of friendly locals, antique shops, bakeries etc. I think it was about an hour or so north of Santa Barbara.
Lovely, thank you! I’m sure we will pass right through there 🙂
The Calgary Stampede will be heaps and heaps of fun, but you may want to book some accommodation soon if you plan on being there. Many things are booked out (I had to book for a client) and it’s all very busy. You’ve gotta have an In n Out burger while you’re in California and stop by Portland, Oregon for some beautiful views!
What kind of car are you getting? A Ford Mustang Convertible is a little cheesy (and totally awesome!) and often cheaper than a Toyota to hire!
Good advice re the accommodation, will look into that asap! We are very fortunate to be borrowing a car from a relative of my boyfriend for the first road trip part. If we end up hiring on later on I would absolutely love a Mustang convertible! Just for the Thelma and Louise factor.
Oh New Orleans, my new favourite place in the whole wide world!! Get the three meat bbq platter at The Joint, the fried crawfish at Coop’s place, the red beans & rice at Felix’s, the gumbo at K-Paul’s, the beignets at Cafe du Monde (duh), the canoli at Angelo Broccato, the fried shrimp po-boy at Domilise’s…. and visit the Lafayette and St Louis Cemeteries, the Voodoo Museum, Kitchen Witch Cookbooks, and the best live music is Frenchmen St, not Bourbon St! OMG can I come?!?!
You sure can! Haha I am going to eat EVERYTHING in New Orleans, your list has me so excited!
For Arizona — the Grand Canyon definitely a must. If you stay in Flagstaff, it’s a short drive(a few hours) to the Grand Canyon and also down to Sedona. Also meteor crater is close by, and your directly on the I40 for easy commuting east and west. Depending on the timing of your trip, there may be some summer events going on. Note that May/June starts to get hot, which also means some of the spas in Sedona and Phoenix/Scottsdale start to run discounts — it’s not very touristy, but we locals like to take advantage of the deals! Let me know if you need/want restaurant recommendations as well. Went to university in Flagstaff and live in the Phoenix, AZ area. Always happy to provide options.
Thanks Katie! I loved the Grand Canyon and we are definitely headed back this time. We had friends in Sedona but they have just left, I’m keen to check it out anyway. Phoenix too. When I know exactly in Arizona we’ll be I will be hitting you up for more tips!
We are currently road trippin’ on the West Coast and my No.1 tip would be to go to Palm Springs. Seriously, it’s the best place I’ve ever been to and I kinda want to move there.