A South West USA Road Trip

By Rachel Lankester, Editor

A South West USA road trip is a great adventure to do, either with a travel partner or even alone. I did this very long road trip with my son when we were exploring US universities as study options. We dove-tailed colleges in Los Angeles and San Francisco around a tour of the US National Parks. But because he was only 16 at the time, muggins had to do all the driving!

We started our trip in Los Angeles, then to Las Vegas (where my son was disappointed to learn he couldn’t go even remotely near any casino, even though it was in our hotel!), Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Mono Lake and Yosemite, before ending the trip in San Francisco.

It was a spectacular holiday. The sheer scale of the US landscape is a marvel in itself. Everything is so much bigger! Including the rental car – I asked for their smallest car but have never driven anything so large in my life!

Going on a road trip is also a great way to connect with a young adult if you have one you’d like to do something adventurous with! (I always find young people talk more when you’re sat side by side driving!)

Climbing the peaks in Yosemite with my son was a real adventure. As was hiking the Narrows, the narrowest section of Zion Canyon which involves wading for minutes or hours depending on the river level. I think I got quite a lot of cool mom points!

The one place we didn’t go, that I wish we’d been able to visit, was Death Valley. But it being July, temperatures there hovering around 45°C and it only being the two of us, I thought that was an adventure too far.

This was a July trip over two weeks and driving over 1800 miles! The natural beauty of the US is truly a sight to be seen. It was amazing! Please enjoy some of my pics below.

Have some great travel photos to share? Contact us at info at themuttonclub.com.

Wondering what to pack? Check out my recommended travel packing list here.

Rachel Lankester helps women reclaim health, agency, purpose and power. She’s the host of the Magnificent Midlife Podcast and author of Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause and Beyond which was recommended in the New York Times. She’s the founder of MenoClarity, an online hub providing evidence-based information about menopause without hype or scaremongering. After an initially devastating early menopause diagnosis at 41, she helps women vibrantly transition through the sometimes messy middle of life, helping them cope better with menopause and ageing in general, and create magnificent next chapters. She’s been featured in/on BBC Woman’s Hour, iNews, The Sunday Times, Woman’s Weekly, Prima Magazine, Tatler HK and Woman’s Own amongst others. Get her newsletter.

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