America has always been an exciting travel destination, especially since the country is huge and each state has at least the size of a small European country. I fondly remember the first time I visited, then with a stand-by airplane ticket, and all the times thereafter. We booked the tickets at the end of last summer after my goddaughter relocated to Montgomery, Minnesota for her school exchange year.
The plan was to pick her up and take her on a road trip, before returning back to Vienna. My friend and I wanted to show her a good time and what traveling is all about. Adventures, meeting people, and just living the dream! And that’s exactly what happened. America is so much more than whatever happens on the news. Because when you are on the road, there are no news. There’s just an endless stream of states, highways, and really friendly people.
the start of our adventure @New Prague
We started in Minnesota and drove all the way to New York City. Okay, so maybe I didn’t drive at all, but I was a really good co-driver. And okay, maybe not the perfect co-driver, because there was this one instance when we circled Indiana thrice. It cost us a dinner at a lighthouse and instead we ended up at Burger King along the highway. Don’t ask, but ChatGPT is not my friend when it comes to travel advice.
For the rest of the trip though it worked out well enough and I lead us through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania before finally reaching NYC. We had a week to cover the distance and we made the most out of it.
from Minnesota to NYC @road trip USA
There were four of us in the car: my friend aka the designated driver, my goddaughter, her friend who we spontaneously took along for the ride, and I. It turned out to be the perfect combination. I wasn’t sure how a teenager would manage the long hours on the road, but with the two of them in the backseat keeping each other company there was never any complaint. It also mixed up the program and we ended up at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Center, a place us girls never thought about before.
We crossed the Mississippi, leaving Minnesota behind us and started driving through Wisconsin. I hadn’t even realized that the Mississippi river starts in Minnesota and runs for over 2000 miles until it ends in the Gulf of Mexico, which makes it the second longest river in the U.S. In Chicago we met friends, took endless pictures at ‘The Bean’ before heading to a rooftop bar with a great view. We had no problem to bring the youngsters with us and payed a fortune for non-alcoholic drinks.
stuck together for the next week @The Bean
The beach in Indiana Dunes was as good as a real one, despite it being on Lake Michigan. There was sand and dunes and a lot of sunshine.
Porter beach @Indiana Dunes
After that it was the afore mentioned aerospace museum, which had exhibits from before WWI to Top Gun. Here Bernoulli’s Principle was not only explained but shown, so that a science dummy like me finally understood why planes do not fall out of the sky.
Bernoulli’s Principle explained @Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Center
The next morning saw us in Sandusky on Lake Erie in Ohio and I got a message from an American friend asking me “Why oh why are you there?!”. That’s the advantage of a traveler, you have no prejudice to any place and just enjoy what comes along. Too bad that we had not enough time to rent some kayaks and glide over the lake.
SōLSTAY Lodging & Marina @Sandusky
Niagara Falls was next, which included an evening walk in the park to watch the illuminated falls and board the Maid of the Mist the next morning to get completely soaked despite rain ponchos.
Niagara Falls @New York
Camelback resort was an ‘interesting’ overnight stay, but the Mountain adventures the next morning saw us smiling while zip lining down the mountain.
zip lining @Camelback resort
After that we were off to NYC, where bunk beds and two days full of adventure awaited us. From the High Line to Broadway, from the Circle Line to Ground Zero. We saw everything and so much more.
Times Square @NYC
America, we had a blast! This was one intense week of driving with countless stops along the way. There was so much to see and explore for us and now I have so many stories to tell. Come along for the ride. Yours, Pollybert
