There are plenty of U.S. travel ideas to help you plan your next vacation. Do you want to take a road trip? Pick a stretch from the 42,794 miles that make up the interstate highway system. If you like the outdoors, visit one of the country's 365 national parks. If staying in a national park is your worst nightmare, check into a luxury hotel in a big city. If a luxury hotel would bore your kids to tears, take them to one of the nation's 450 amusement parks. The United States offers something for travelers of all tastes and income levels.
One of the best highways in the U.S. for a road trip is Route 66. Route 66 runs from Chicago south and west to Los Angeles, passing through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Paved in the 1930s, for decades Route 66 was the road of choice for migration from the Midwest to Southern California, and historic monuments along the way evoke the golden age of the automobile. Start with breakfast at Lou Mitchell's Restaurant in Chicago, where neon, glass and aluminum exemplify the design aesthetic of the 1940s and '50s. Lou's opens at 5:30 a.m. on weekdays and closes at 3:00 p.m. It serves traditional breakfast fare, two eggs with sausage, ham or steak, and deluxe sandwiches for lunch. The service stations that fueled classic cars in their heyday no longer pump gas, but several have been preserved in their 1940s glory. The Provine Service Station in Hydro, Oklahoma, where the owner and his family lived above the station, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as are many other landmarks along the way. The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, beckons overnight guests with its blue neon swallow and pink lettering. The Motel still accepts overnight visitors by reservation only during the tourist season, April to October. End your trip in Los Angeles with a walking tour of the Broadway Theater and Commercial District. A road trip down Route 66 is perfect for travelers who aren't in a hurry.
If an outdoor travel destination appeals to you, you'll love Blue Heron Campground in the Kentucky portion of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Visitors can pitch a tent or stay i in a camper or trailer in one of Blue Heron's 45 camp sites, all with electricity and water, picnic tables and fire rings. Restrooms and showers are easily accessible. When you're ready to venture away from the campground, the nearby Blue Heron Mining Community teaches visitors what it was like to live in a company-owned mining town. Hiking, mountain biking, rafting and fishing provide a full range of outdoor activities for campers. Sites with hookups cost $17 as of February 2011. Other U.S. campgrounds include Yosemite National Park in California and Chimney Rock National Park in North Carolina.
New York City is the ultimate destination for the urban traveler, and the Plaza is the ultimate urban luxury hotel. The Plaza has four restaurants to choose from, including the iconic Palm Court, where many scenes from the Great Gatsby were filmed. The salon, spa and fitness center help guests look their best, while the Eloise Boutique and Demel Bakery give the kids something to do. Childcare is available. Outside the hotel, the family can explore the Central Park Carousel and Zoo, FAO Schwartz, and the Wollman Skating Rink. New York offers a diversity of activities and entertainment for travelers to enjoy. As of February 2011, the bed and breakfast package, including a Continental breakfast for two at the Plaza, started at $955 per night. Travelers can find luxury hotels similar to The Plaza in major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas and San Francisco.
Disneyland is for visitors who want to spend a day, not a week, at an amusement park. With only eight "lands" comprising Disneyland, the family can cover the entire park in a day without wearing out the little ones. The park opens at 10:00 a.m. during the winter and 8:00 a.m. during spring, summer and fall. Entertainment at Disneyland includes live performances at the Golden Horseshoe Stage and rides like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. Visitors can paddle a boat through Frontierland and shop for Disney merchandise at the Emporium. Kids will be thrilled to encounter familiar Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and the Disney princesses wandering through the park, giving hugs and posing for pictures. As of February 2011, a one-day ticket to Disneyland cost $68 for children 3 to 9 and $76 for ages 10 and up. Once inside the park, there is no additional cost for entertainment and rides. Similar amusement parks include parks associated with the Six Flags franchise in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
