How to Take an Interesting Road Trip

Many scenic highways have historical signs on pull-out areas and scenic overlooks. Long trips, especially, can get very tiring but it can be more interesting for the whole family if you are watching for the historical signs and landmarks. You can not only see the various points of interest with the scenery but you can learn many things about the history of the area. There are books and brochures that have numbered areas listed. Most of these have a very brief explanation, a short one page story and some interesting facts that make the stops quite meaningful.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car
• Road Map
• Book or Brochure

1. Plan your road trip deciding basically which area you want to tour and the state (or states) where you will be traveling.

2. Before you go check with a bookstore, visitors center, historical society or library to find a book or brochure that lists historical signs and scenic spots. Good information will list each sign or area with a number so you know which one it is.

3. Get a good map that lists the scenic routes and secondary highways. Mark your route on the map and get ready to travel.

4. Before you start out be sure to look at the book or information that you have obtained. Note where you are beginning your tour and what numbers or markings you will be watching for. It's best to read a little bit about the first couple of markers to have a better idea of what you will be seeing. If it has a short story to go with it that may make it even more interesting.

5. Time to start your trip. Have a pleasant tour.

Tips & Warnings

• You might want to take a small notebook and a pencil with you to track your progress. You may get off the main planned route for awhile but if you note where you left off you can continue your trip at a later time or at another distant area.
• Use caution when entering and leaving the pull-out areas. During bad weather or busy vacation times these areas get somewhat busy and drivers often do not pay close attention to cars entering and leaving these areas. You do not want a nice trip ruined due to an accident.

Resources

• Road sign Books
• Road sign books by State