I'm from the States and want to show my Kiwi partner the real USA - an off-the-beaten-track-style road trip from coast to coast. What route would be best if we were looking to drive between New York and Los Angeles? We're summer types, love the water, sun and outdoor activities. I love photography and am really keen to get some great panoramic landscape shots. She loves vintage clothing and would be very keen on the fashion side of things. - Brandon
Lonely Planet's Sarah Bennett and Lee Slater reply:
To get a wide-ranging taste of the real America, we suggest tracing a route that joins the dots between some of the US' national parks and cosmopolitan cities.
Hire a car from New Jersey rather than New York, as this will be cheaper. Head south along the eastern seaboard visiting historic Philadelphia with its burgeoning food, art and music scene, then drive the grand boulevards of Washington DC before exploring its excellent museums.
Further south, take in the antebellum allure of Charlestown and Savannah before heading inland through Alabama to New Orleans and its soundtrack of smokin' hot jazz, brass bands and succulent Cajon and Creole cuisine. In Texas, don't miss the state capital, Austin, where revelry is on tap in the form of indie music and craft beer, nor Big Bend National Park that boasts dramatic mesa and desert scenery.
