Story by: Sascha, Germany
Published: October 10th 2016

It has always been my dream to take a road trip through California, but I never had the money nor the time. A few months ago I finally managed to save enough together, so that was the beginning of a 3 weeks long vacation, mostly spend on asphalt, in the desert and in the heart of beautiful sceneries.

A road trip like this is certainly not for everyone. But for me it surely was like an adventure. Like being on the trail of the gold diggers in the 19th century. It was especially important that I could design the trip individually and secondCASA helped me a lot find accommodation through by journey.

During my trip I visited various nature reserves, parks, dunes and bizarre rock formations. I especially liked the Mono Lake South Tufa Preserve, which can be reached via Route 120, as well as the Trona Pinnacles, which can be reached via the Pinnacle Road south of Trona. The drive along the California Pacific Coast Highway was another highlight on my trip with it´s fantastic sceneries. In general, I recommend a car with air conditioning to anyone who is also planning to make a road trip, since the temperatures can be extremely high. Also, a road trip of this kind is much more fun when you travel with others. Otherwise the long drive easily can be very lonely.

In addition, expect long waiting times in some of the natural parks as these often can very crowded in the high season. Remember to bring the necessary patience or plan you trip outside the main season.

My experience with the American dining culture was a very mixed experience. After a long day of driving you don´t have the energy to search out the good restaurants, and you end up eating fat greasy junk food in one of the many stops located near the highway.

A road trip is an urge for freedom where you leave all your worries behind and simply enjoy the wind as cruise away and enjoy the adventure.