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What parts/states of America should be avoided during a cross country road trip as a European?
What parts/states of America should be avoided during a cross country road trip as a European?
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Flint Michigan and Mississippi both have toxic drinking water right now.
The biggest threat is boredom. Are you sure you don’t want to road-trip the east coast and then fly to Vegas and then drive up the California coast?
I have driven cross country twice and it’s a lot of hours of nothing. Then maybe you see the worlds largest baseball bat or rubber band ball and then several more hours of nothing.
I’m planning a road trip through America and wanted to know what places aren’t worth it or are maybe a bit unsafe to visit/go through?
Edit: my hopes are to see some great nature spots and famous places in the states, doesn’t have to be too mainstream or only like big cities, I’d like to maybe see some small towns like they’re portrayed in movies if they actually exist haha
Ohio
Only 49 of them. Hawaii is ok 👍🏼
Nebraska is the most boring state to drive through, it’s just a straight flat road running through fields.
Well… Depends. Are you white? And I I’m not trying to make a statement here with that question, but unfortunately it really does matter quite a bit.
Doing a cross country road trip at all should be avoided, honestly.
Pick a place you want to visit and plan around that. If you want to see things that are in different areas of the country, then I’d highly recommend flying instead of spending multiple days in a car driving through cornfields to get to where you want to go (or 18+ hours in a single run if you aren’t going to stop and spend the night at a cheap motel midway through).
Europeans in particular often don’t seem to realize how long it takes to get places. Like, if I was driving from Chicago to New York, I’d stop and get a hotel midway through in Pennsylvania and make it a 2 day trip so I don’t spend 12 hours in a car, and that’s only like a third the width of the country.
Avoid the Midwest. You could go to New York to site see and eat well, and the NorthEastern/New England states like Vermont and New Hampshire can be pretty in the fall. Vegas is legendary if you like to gamble. Coastal states are always nice-you can get a nice Airbnb on any beach. I live in the Pacific Northwest-went to the lake today-we have a nice lake for swimming in the summer in northern Idaho-and some nice skiing. in the winter. The Oregon coast is pretty and Seattle if you don’t mind traffic.
As a European who did this & as others suggested: do not drive cross country. It is boring af. Do part of the east coast (e.g. start in Boston and go south), fly west and continue there (e.g. SF and go south). Tons of suggested routes to be found.
Should you go with an RV, stay out of the cities. Park outside the city and rent car or use public transport into the city.
US is a very interesting country alltogether and you will meet many awesome people. And there’s a reason a lot of US folks take pride in their national parks, visit whenever you can.
Everything between Canada and Mexico
As a former American, I have to agree with a lot of the comments here. The USA is huge, and there is a whole lot of nothing but farmland or desert. A drive along the historic Route 66 from Chicago to California sounds romantic, but you’ll face many hours of long, boring roads along the way.
Even the suggestion from San Diego to Seattle (basically from the southern border to the northern border along the west coast) is more than 2000 km. If you average 75 km per hour, that’s already more than 26 hours diving time (realistically 4 to 5 days travel time, assuming that you’ll stop for some sightseeing along the way). If you plan to stay a few days in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, you could easily take 2 weeks or more. And add a detour to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe or the National Parks? Add another week.
The Midwest
Drive through the Bible Belt as fast as you can. Only stop for gas. Avoid eye contact. Don’t wear colorful clothing. Do NOT mention Trump or Obama or Biden. If you’re LGBTQ in anyway hide it until you’re through the Bible Belt. If you’re a person of color print off a list of Sundowner towns and avoid them at all costs.
Christians be getting scary here. I was born and raised in this shithole and these Jesus freaks are out for blood.
Stay out of Chicago. Just drive all the way around it bro. Same with Detroit to a lesser extent.
Don’t. America is very dangerous in unexpected areas.
I’d avoid any kind of inner city tbh.
Definitely avoid any city in California they have some of the highest violent crime in the country. Plus the homeless problem is out of control and there’s needles in human feces all over the ground when you’re walking on the street.
As long as you stay in the tourist cities you will be mostly fine in nearly all cases. There are a few exceptions in certain areas but if you’re sightseeing you have nothing to worry about
[A good list to read through and get some ideas](https://www.attractionsofamerica.com/thingstodo/50-states-50-attractions.php)
I don’t think there are any entire states that are markedly dangerous? It’s mostly certain cities/towns and even just certain parts of certain citiess
I do know Louisiana has a pretty bad reputation for corrupt cops, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the risk of being extorted by one is higher there–but nowhere near as high as like, Mexico.
Detroit
Honestly, the dangerous places are mostly inside big cities in the wrong neighborhood.
In rural/small areas the dangerous time is just to be alone at night and look like you are easy prey for someone opportunistic, but that tends to be rare.
No state or part is safe there, no tap water = no good.
A traveler in Nashville was recently struck in a hit and run accident after posting on social media about the lack of proper sidewalks.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/italian-tourist-dies-in-hit-and-run-mentioned-lack-of-nashville-sidewalks-in-online-posts/
Avoid Alabama. Like, all of it.
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