It would be nice to spend a day or two away from crowds and the rush of the city buzz, and just sit back by the sea sipping cocktails. While that is a great getaway idea, trends are changing and more Americans are choosing wellness trips instead of luxury getaways. These types of trips are great for physical and mental wellness and there’s is nothing like a road trip that encourages you to travel and get to know the land. So, pack your bags and get into that RV and prepare to hike, wakeboard, surf, or relax by the stream, all in one trip! Read on to find out about these five recommended trips across the United States.
Pacific Northwest: Olympic National Park to Silver Falls State Park
Travel time: 394 mile-drive, approximately 5 hours and 50 minutes.
A trip to the Pacific Northwest will lead you to a tranquil rainforest, partly concealed coves, and some grand waterfalls. The Freshwater Bay located in Juan de Fuca (Washington’s Strait) has smooth waters that are lovely to sail on. There are shops where you can rent some gears (Port Angeles), or, load up your gears in an RV if you have them. Cruise near the shore going westward. Pass through solid arches and cool shadows of trees. Once inside a cove look around for otters and seals, or even a whale. The place has a trail that’s about a mile long, great for a quick hike. The Hoh Rainforest’s Hall of Mosses Trail can be found on the Olympic National Park (West of Washington) and it is full of large overarching trees covered in moss, as if in the midst of a mythical place.
The Willaby Campground where guests sleep is by the foreshore of Lake Quinault, in the Olympic National Park. It is safe and has pastoral views, and it can accommodate larger RVs that are up to sixteen feet long. Hike through ten scenic waterfalls in the Trail of 10 Falls, situated in Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park. Take your time, take snapshots of the many views that allowed you from various angles, even from behind the majestic North Falls as it plunges down 136 feet deep into the boulders.
Southeast: Through the Blue Ridge Mountains
Travel time: 341-mile drive, approximately six hours and thirty-three minutes.
Hiking through the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway will open up to a number of detours you can opt to take along the way, in this “Appalachian Trail.” The length of the hike is only 4.5 miles, but it’s not that easy to complete, as the Angel’s Rest area in Pearisburg, Virginia boasts of a challenging climb of approximately 1,600 feet. Once you get to the top though, all the effort will be worth it, catching the view of rolling hills and expansive valleys.
After the trekking and climbing in some areas, relax at the Hot Springs Resort and Spa, located in Hot Springs, North Carolina. The whole mountain has many natural mineral springs, and its population is only 567. These hot springs are therapeutic and believed to have healing properties. To sleep here, take a couple of minutes’ walk to the Hot Springs Campgrounds. This is where travelers converge to rest, located close to the French Broad River. Don’t worry if you haven’t brought a paddleboard in your RV. You can rent one at the Morganton Point Recreation Area and head straight to the Lake Blue Ridge in Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest. Cruise along in the midst of the silence, pierced only by the sounds of birds; passing along the grand view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Southwest: Moab to Denver
Travel time: 402-mile travel, approximately 6 hours and 46 minutes.
Taking this route will give you the opportunity to stop by two national parks in a single day. Start in Moab, Utah, surrounded by sandstone arches and flat-topped hills. Driving on, the Colorado River awaits you, alluring travelers to a white water rafting experience.
The Canyonlands National Park located in Utah is world-famous for its terrain that’s great for mountain biking. It is fit for advanced, veteran riders though, as the landscape is a bit rough. But it affords adventurers with breathtaking views that make for an overall ideal ride experience.
Alaska: Denali to Kenai
Travel time: 379-mile drive, approximately 6 hours and 58 minutes.
Take the route that affords you a view of Alaska’s wonders- from the zenith of Denali to the Kenai Fjords. Don’t be overwhelmed by the expansive area of the Denali National Park and Preserve if you are up for a hike. There are only a few trails that can be taken out of its 6 million acre land, and the rest of the place can be viewed off-trail. But that takes a different kind of preparation like learning how to use a compass. There’s an easier path you can follow called the Rock Creek Trail where you don’t have to be scared of losing your way. At the sled-dog shelter, witness a demonstration of Alaska’s traditional means of transportation. Take a break at Denali Viewpoint South where you can amble along the pathway where you can regard the beauty of the Denali Peak (previously Mount McKinley).
You can tell your friends later that you’ve witnessed both the tallest (land-based) mountain in the world, as well as North America’s tallest. You can spend the night at the Matanuska River Park that is located in Palmer, Alaska. It is a basic place to set up in and isn’t far from reach of some of the most panoramic areas in south Alaska like the Turnagain Arm Drive. It is that stretch of road that goes from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, where you get to drive past glorious mountain ranges, thick forests, and marshes. It’s one of the best roads to travel through in the world for its breathtaking view. If you plan to go kayaking here, the Kenai Fjords National Park lets you cruise along with the cold seawater, while surrounded by blue glaciers and hills. The park itself is a rainforest rich in vegetations, and a habitat to magnificent animals you should look out for like the black and white orca whale, puffins, and seals.
