The United States is very large, and every time you go somewhere it's different. This summer, I went to Yellowstone and chose an SUV, but I regretted it because the high center of gravity made it tilt heavily on the mountain roads... and all the roads were paved, so if you don't have a need for a lot of luggage, don't choose an SUV. Last year, I rented a BMW 4 Series to drive around the Grand Canyon area and it felt great. I stayed in Yellowstone for 5 days, 2 days at Old Faithful, 2 days at Canyon, and 1 day at Yellowstone Lake. The itinerary was not tight, so I just played around and drove all the roads in Yellowstone. Accommodation in Yellowstone is expensive, and the itinerary was not optimized, but the gas prices were cheaper than in the Bay Area. As for cash and credit cards, to be honest, I haven't used much cash in recent years. I only keep cash for tips. Throughout the trip, I only used cash once at a strange restaurant in Salt Lake City for one night, and also used cash to send postcards at the Yellowstone post office. Everything else was done with credit cards, including self-service gas and meals. It was surprising to find out at a gas station in Carson City that they explicitly did not accept VISA credit cards and had to use a MasterCard. I remembered trying credit cards at gas stations in Utah and San Diego last year, and this year's experience was really different, as many gas stations have upgraded ?
United States Q&A
The Pacific Coast Highway, also known as State Route 1, is a popular scenic drive that stretches from San Francisco to Los Angeles. If you plan to spend 3 days driving along this route, here's a suggested itinerary:
Day 1: San Francisco to Monterey
* Start your journey in San Francisco and head south on the Pacific Coast Highway.
* Stop at the famous Bixby Bridge for some stunning views of the coastline.
* Continue driving south to Monterey, where you can visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row.
Day 2: Monterey to Big Sur
* Drive south from Monterey to Big Sur, a rugged and scenic stretch of coastline.
* Stop at the McWay Falls viewpoint for a breathtaking view of a waterfall cascading into the ocean.
* Continue driving south to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where you can hike to a waterfall and enjoy scenic views of the coastline.
Day 3: Big Sur to Los Angeles
* Drive south from Big Sur to Santa Barbara, a charming coastal city with plenty of restaurants and shops.
* From Santa Barbara, continue driving south to Los Angeles, where you can visit famous landmarks like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Griffith Observatory.
Note: The Pacific Coast Highway is a scenic drive that requires careful driving, especially in certain areas with narrow lanes and steep drop-offs. Be sure to take breaks and stay alert while driving ?
United States Q&A
Thank you for the reminder, it's really good advice, thank you! I'm flying in from Oslo and have been traveling in Norway before. I have a 4-night itinerary in Iceland, planning to fly in at noon and stay in Vik that night, then visit the black sand beach in the morning of the second day and go glacier hiking in the afternoon, staying at a hotel near Jokulsarlon glacier that night, visiting the ice lake and ice beach on the third day and driving back, passing through Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss along the way, staying at Selfoss that night, sightseeing in Reykjavik city and visiting the Blue Lagoon on the fourth day, staying near the airport that night, and taking an early morning flight to Stockholm on the fifth day. If I don't have time to see the attractions of the Golden Circle on the first day, is it possible to fit them in on the fourth day, or should I only choose one or two attractions of the Golden Circle, or give them up altogether? Thank you for your guidance, I really appreciate it ?
Iceland Q&A