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But when you’ve had a chance to see how lots of different people live, it’s humbling. We’ve met people who treat strangers like family — and people who would rather pretend they’re alone even when surrounded by a sea of people. But it’s a whole other thing to venture outside our bubble and live there, even if it’s just for a few days. Presidio — complaining that there’s no way we could travel full time like the other people we’d read about.

What We’d Do Differently: Cheap, small coolers don’t stay cool, especially in the heat of summer. What We’d Do Differently: Even though some people would call us crazy for saying this, I think we should have de-prioritized some of the creature comforts offered by state parks. What We’d Do Differently: Even though some might say two months to get across the country is a long time, it really isn’t. What We’d Do Differently: House sits and help exchanges are an awesome way to travel more slowly, take a break from the van and have a memorable travel experience.

There are some things you just can’t do while you’re traveling full time, like join social clubs, home-brew beer or have a vegetable garden. If you’re traveling now, or thinking about traveling in the future, it’s good to know when it might be time to stop. Once you’ve decided it’s time to stop traveling full time, you need to plan your next moves. Once you know what you want your new life to look like, figure out what that’ll take financially.

So, without further ado, our favorite U. S. road trips: Piety and sin, all against a backdrop of dramatic desert with red rocks you won’t see anywhere else—and far enough from city lights for views of the Milky Way Spring and fall, since winters are freezing and summers are brutally hot (and crowded) Vibrant towns filled with makers, artists and outdoor activities, all with a dash of Southern hospitality Almost any time of year, although it can snow in winter at higher elevations It’s warm year-round, with plenty of campgrounds, water sports and subtropical scenery—plus some of the best state parks for wildlife Fall, winter and spring, because it can be oppressively humid in the summer (and you probably want to avoid hurricane season) Portland, OR > Eastward along the Columbia River > Pendleton, OR > Coeur d’Alene, ID > (unless you want to ski near Coeur d’Alene) Clockwise or counterclockwise around Lake Michigan, which takes you through Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan Get a taste of large and small midwestern cities and enjoy incredible views of some of the Great Lakes, which look a lot like oceans * Summer and maybe early fall * Madison, WI, an artsy city with biking, good food and lots to see Wide open grassland and curious prairie dogs, leading to spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery, 14,000-foot peaks and outdoor adventure Late spring and early summer have warmer weather and more greenery; Badlands National Park is an inferno in late summer, although the rivers will be moving more slowly in late summer if you prefer mellow paddling