Roadtrip! How many of you hear that word and shudder? Or do your eyes light up with joy at the thought of heading out on the open road for an adventure? Last week, I took an unexpected trip across the country. I flew one way and drove back in the other direction toward home. Thirty hours of driving! And I became inspired by what I saw—enough to consider having one of my heroines take a roadtrip too.
Will she find her love along the way? Or maybe she’s traveling across the country to win him back? Hmm … haven’t decided. All I know at this point is she discovers areas she’s never known.
Here are a few places I stopped along the way:
BUCCEE’S – This place was monstrous. Huge. I had no idea! We stopped for restrooms, but ended up wandering the aisles looking at gifts and food and sweets. My favorite kind of rest stop! (California, where I live, could learn a lesson or two about clean restrooms. Ahem!)
GRACELAND – Okay, I didn’t have time to go inside, but I stood on my tippy toes outside of a tall stone wall and took a few pictures. I hated to pass by without at least seeing Elvis’ much-loved home!
FALL – If you live up north (in the US), your leaves have likely fallen, leaving you with tell-tale signs of winter. Because the weather is only beginning to turn in the South, though, I saw lots of color!
BLESSED – So many clerks called me darlin’ and told me to have a blessed day. Thankfully, no one said “Bless Your Heart,” which I’ve heard is a good thing. LOL
As the resident writer of beach books here, you probably know that most of my novels take place on the West Coast. But I took many notes along the way and realized that the possibilities for my heroine to take a roadtrip adventure are endless!
Are you from the South? What places would you recommend my heroine see if she were to take a trip across the country? Help me do research and drop your ideas in the comments, okay?
P.S. Speaking of things to do on a road trip, are you an AUDIOBOOK LOVER? If so, I wanted to let you know that my three cozy Christmas novellas (romance & mystery in one) are available in audio exclusively on GOOGLE PLAY. So if you’d like to have a listen to some romantic mysteries for a low price, here’s the link to find The Christmas Thief and the rest of the series: Google Play – The Christmas Thief Audiobook
JULIE CAROBINI writes inspirational beach romances. She is the author of two dozen novels known for spirited heroines, charming heroes, quirky friends, and the secrets they keep. Her bestselling titles include Walking on Sea Glass, Runaway Tide, Beach Sunrise, Reunion in Saltwater Beach, and more. She has won awards from The National League of American Pen Women and ACFW, and her books have received bestseller status many times. Julie is Mom to three young adults and lives on the California coast with her husband, Dan, and their rescue pup, Dancer. Grab a free eBook here: www.juliecarobini.com/free-book
Hi Julie! This retiree loves road trips. We live in SW Michigan – 100 miles from Chicago and in our 50 years of marriage have driven coast to coast, plus East through Canada – from Michigan to Toronto and Niagara Falls. In 1984 we drove with our sons ages 6 & 3 from Chicago to California. We made stops at the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, drove through Death Valley and the Joshua Trees and saw a rodeo. We made two road trips to Florida – once with our 3 sons and once with our oldest son and 2 grandkids. We have driven to North Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. We have driven numerous times to Nashville, Tennessee, Washington DC, and Williamsburg, Virginia.
As retiree we often take back road trips through Michigan and Northern Indiana. A good road trip is to travel down an unfamiliar road and stop for lunch at a mom and pop restaurant. Road trips show us the diversity and beauty of our beautiful county. Not traveling the interstates, shows us the poverty, lack of internet. We wish more politicians would take back road trips.
We are planning a January 2024 vacation to Florida with 5 friends. In today’s world of technology – we still travel OLD SCHOOL. Our cars have a Rand McNally Road Atlas – can’t always rely on Google Maps. Depending on the season – we have a camp chair, paper towels, a towel, blanket, wet wipes for the windshield, plastic grocery bags, and snacks, and water. I have had kids get car sick. In winter a child’s snow shovel, hats, gloves, snow brush and scaper. No audio books for this traveler – love to see the country and hubby and I make up silly songs and jokes along the miles of travel. 1200 miles to Florida. We entertained our grandkids on trips to Florida and Williamsburg.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I LOVE road trips, and have taken quite a few!!! Depending on the route your heroine takes, she could hit Providence Canyon in GA, and stay at the Americus Garden Inn, a great B & B I’ve stayed at!! There’s lots to see and do around there. If she comes to Florida, she could stay away from the major theme parks and find hidden gems like St. Augustine, Micanopy, and Paynes Prairie. Plus, she could visit Kennedy Space Center!
Hi Renate ~ Love stopping at Mom and Pop shops. Those are the best! And I haven’t seen a paper map in years but I used to live by them! Enjoy your travels. They sound like such fun :-)
I regret not seeing much of Georgia (I flew in to Atlanta, but it was evening). Great ideas here. Thanks so much, Trudy!
Hi Julie!! I love road trips!!! If my husband would say, “Let’s hit the road” I would be on it!! We used to do that. Jump in the car and see where we end up. Not so much anymore. We were cured one year going across Pennsylvania when there were giant pow-wows going on. We couldn’t find a room until the wee hours of the morning. And it was so dark that night with construction going on. I was so thankful my husband was driving.
I have not gotten to travel extensively. We are from Ohio and go to Michigan and Kentucky now. Love Michigan, Renate. We stay in the Traverse City area. I was amazed the first time we went that Michigan had beaches, sand, and beautiful water!! Your heroine could go to Sleeping Bear Dunes. We were there, but did not climb the dunes.
It sounds like you had a pretty nice trip.
I love reading stories about road trips through America, they always sound so exciting with all the amazing places to visit and motels to stay in. I’m from the UK, so it’s a little different here, I think it would oy be about 15 hours to drive from one end of the country to the other lol, although there are also lots of fun places to visit.
I would love to travel if there were no $$ restraints. Time isn’t bad now that we are both retired but my husband also has Alzheimer’s. I really like listening to audiobooks when I’m traveling by myself. Otherwise I get too many interruptions. I do at home too though. I really like Inspy Romance because, liking romance I love that I can read the whole book without having to quit because it’s gotten too steamy! Thank you so much for being part of it!
Road trips can be fun. don’t do too many but I love that you got to go to a few different places.
When I visited America I loved going to cracker barrel. the food was good but the store was so fun. I found some candy sticks that are really yummy
I actually found the restaurants we went to in the south and the east coast area we friendlier and more accommodating than in parts of Washington state. In the East if I didn’t want the sides that came with the meal they were fine with it. The place in Port Orchard we went to I ordered the main and got fries but said I don’t want the other sides. they said you have to have them. there were about 6 different types of potato sides and a few others. I wended up with extra fries which I didn’t want (in fact the meal came with fries and that would have been enough for me) we ended up getting a doggy bag with all the extra sides I got. Here If I order a meal that includes sides and I don’t want them I just say can I have a xxx without the xxx and its fine.
I do not live in the South, but my Mom was born and raised in West Virginia. There are fabulous places in the Tucker county area where a mystery would be marvelous. There is Canaan Valley National Park as well as Black Water Falls National Park. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Hi Bonnie – Thanks so much for writing! I had a chance to see Lake Michigan once. So beautiful. Would love to see Sleeping Bear Dunes — great name!
Hi Ruthie – Oh, but the UK would be wonderful to visit too! I’ve been to England a couple of times. I should write about it :-) Thank you for writing!
Thank you, Shari. I love that you listen to audiobooks. I’ve been slow to start, but enjoying them now too. Blessings on you and your husband.
Some of our restaurants serve us larger portions than I’d ever make it home. Crazy, isn’t it?
God bless you too, Debra. I’ve never been to West Virginia!
Hi Bonnie! I live south of Traverse City near the Indiana Border – directly across the Lake from Chicago. We have Warren Dunes State Park 10 miles away. As a teen I climbed it many times, since our youth group often camped there. I have a Michigan State Park pass and in the off season we often walk the beach. I drive my Silver Beach weekly to see the water, sand and our historic lighthouse.
Hi Ausjenny! Enjoyed your comments about Cracker Barrel’s store. I live in the Midwest – SW Michigan and we have a Cracker Barrel close to the major expressway between Chicago, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan (with its International Bridge to Canada). Don’t often eat there, but it is near my granddaughter’s school, so after dropping her off, I stop to browse the Cracker Barrel store – especially now at the holidays. I enjoy wearing their holiday fancy T-shirts. I have 10 of them. Several for every season. Getting out my Christmas ones. Yes, American portions are huge. Enjoy your week.