Book Review: "Road Trip USA" by Jamie Jensen

For many, thinking of summer, of freedom and adventure, conjures up going on a "road trip." With good reason, road trips can be all that and more. Speaking from experience I can tell you that the best road trip moments are often found far away from the Interstate and that the best way to find these is a good travel guide book. One of the best ones that I've come across is Jamie Jensen's "Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways."

Because the U.S. is simply too big to encompass in any book, Jensen narrows the topic by focusing on five north-south and five east-west cross-country journeys. I've done three of them (PCH, Route 66 and the Oregon Trail) and will be doing a fourth (Appalachian Trail) this summer. Arranging the book by the route is a superior planning tool instead of doing it by city or state--how most other tour books are oranized.

"Road Trip USA" is well written and informative and serves as knowledgeable traveling companion (however note that it is a sizable book weighing in at 964 pages). What I most like about the book is its off-the-beaten-path approach to the great American adventure. You will see more about small towns and back roads than just about any other tour book. This means you'll find odd museums, out-of-the-way eateries, tacky tourist traps and much more.

My copy has also gotten much use as a coffee table book (just about anyone can pick it up and find something that grabs their interest). "Road Trip USA" is also an excellent gift book for those in need of an escape or near retirement.

One book can't be everything and it's probably a good idea to complement "Road Trip USA" with a comprehensive guide book to supply more detailed lodging and eating information--especially for the big cities. The free AAA guides (for members) are perfect for this role.

Note that Jensen has also come out with smaller more targeted books on some of the routes and are available at the link below.

Amazon Link: Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways