Whether you have intimate hideaways with roadside diners or upscale bed and breakfasts on your mind, a romantic road trip can be a creative addition to a couple’s quality time. From creating the itinerary to navigating elusive backroads a road trip can be specially tailored to a couple’s budget and interests.

Goals and Resources

Even if you are spontaneous, your trip will go smoother with a few items mapped out in advance. Pitfalls that can really add aggravation to a drive are construction and weather delays, and seasonal demands for certain locations.

Consult a current road atlas and start negotiating your trip’s goals. Are you both interested in covering as much ground as possible, or more focused on exploring the backroads of a particular area?

Get the low-down on current major highway construction by searching online a particular state’s DOT. Let these first “planning meetings” become a romantic investment in your trip’s overall tone.

What are your goals? Drive til your hearts’ content and then “crash”? Spend only a couple of hours driving then be able to enjoy each other’s company in romantic accommodations? Will you drive your own vehicle or rent? Where will your roadtrip begin? End? There are many questions to answer.
If you’ll be driving your own vehicle, make sure it is up to par on its maintenance. Check the spare and the jack. Renting a vehicle? Online sites such as Travelocity, Expedia and Hotwire will quote a variety of rental car prices, besides advertising the current specials. Sign up for email alerts through these online portals and stay atop of rental bargains. You can also make reservations online with the major carriers, such as Budget, Dollar, National, and Hertz, to name just a few. Most have a broad range of luxury to more economical options and frequently run their own specials.

Some “Famous” Roadtrips

Route 66, beginning in Chicago and ending in Los Angeles has been celebrated in literature and song almost as long as America has had roadways. This historic route does not even appear marked as such on most modern maps, but don’t think for one minute that it does not still enjoy a celebrated following and entertain road travelers even today. For a comprehensive online guide to this mother of all roadways visit “Historic Route 66” at http://www.historic66.com.

The Pacific Coast Highway, a mesh of highway 1 and 101, is one of the most spectacular for viewing dramatic Pacific coastline from southern California, through Oregon and into Washington. Expanses of steep rocky coast eventually wind through ancient Redwood spires. Whale-watch, eat seafood, linger at roadside scenic points. At any point travelers are in proximity to some exclusive wine country, and cities such as Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Portland. Visit “Pacific Coast Highway” online guide, http://www.travel-notes.org/pch.html.