The journey is almost every time more important than the destination – especially when talking about road trips. Capturing that on your camera can be a challenge though, so in this article I collected the most wonderful photo ideas for the American road trip! And also add some tips how to make sure that your road trip doesn’t end up being a series of disconnected, blurry pictures.
Regarding the purpose of your trip, whether it’s a specific project, like making a photo collection on some topic or just to explore some area, or maybe simply a desire to have a rest and see some new places. Whatever prompts you to take a road trip, you’ll want to come back with interesting photographs, not just to document what you saw but to capture the spirit of what you experienced.
Likely, USA has a lot to offer for all of purposes: from a whole list of great natural destinations, like national parks and nature wonders to numerous spots in big cities for filling the urban pleasure. With so much to see and do here it will be a good idea to put together a list of the best spots to photograph for professionals and amateurs. So let’s begin our exciting list of best US places for taking great photos!
We will start our journey with the sunny state California with all the breath-taking spots for the best summertime photos!
1. San Diego
This is truly heaven on earth. Apart the city with many colorful streets and interesting architecture styles, here you can find one of the most beautiful coastlines! Ocean Beach is a popular destination for those who love antiquing, dogs or just love the low-key beach life. Sunset Cliffs is one of the key attractions in Ocean Beach. For great bay views just hit Point Loma Harbor. To my mind it has everything to satisfied photography hunger: from gorgeous bay views to bright sunny fields, the Point Loma harbor is a go to spot for golfing, eating and general leisure. Another cool spot to catch the best sunsets and rocky views is The Ho Chi Minh Trail. It is a rocky hike down to Black’s Beach in La Jolla. While it can be quite steep and difficult for an amateur hiker, the views of the Pacific Ocean make the hike worth it.
Also let’s talk through organizing moments of your trip and first of all about transportation. If it’s not possible to make a road trip on your own car the next best option will be renting a car! If we’re talking about car rental in San Diego, then you may find a lot of different variety of cars at low price to rent in In the San Diego airport Budget. The prices are categorized into three main levels. The first level is Cheap One. You may rent cars such as Chevrolet Spark or Ford Fiesta. For this category, the price range is from $20 to $30. They usually will charge you per day. Other budget car rental may offer to let you rent at a different rate depending on which budget car rental services which you are using. The second level is Standard. For this category, the price range may vary from $30 to $37. You may rent cars such as Ford Focus. You may pick your car up at the agreed place and pay for the car at the same place. You also need to drop it at the exact same spot unless they have agreed to do otherwise. The third level is the Premium. The price range for this category may vary from $37 to $89. The cars offered are Cadillac XTS, Lincoln Continental, and Chrysler 300 LTD 3.6L. So those are your options if you plan to use budget car rental services.
2. San Francisco
This fabulous and quaint West Coast city is an ideal escape destination for families, love couples, or even those who are still single to experience its beautiful views, popular spots, incredible streets, and of course it’s outdoor dining. These are the elements that make a part of what San Francisco is. Get yourself a journey on Francisco Bay, take some pictures at Alcatraz, drive through the Golden Gate Bridge to get a breathtaking view, take a walk around the Fisherman’s Wharf, or maybe just simply get in a streetcar to explore the popular spots in the city. I do personally advise you to visit this city during Summer or Fall as this is an ideal time to visit and experience this beautiful city. However, you may also visit this city during any other time of the year as the climate here can be considered as gentle. Keep in mind to always bring a high-quality camera to get the most out of the pictures that you will capture.
3. New York
New York is indeed a city that is different from any other city in the world. You really need to experience the views of it with your own eyes in order for you to be able to fully appreciate the beauty of the city. For those who have not gone to this place yet, you really need to see the streets of this city. I can tell you that walking in the streets of New York City is like walking in the streets of a Spiderman movie set. It really is. There is a lot of popular spots at each turn of the street ranging from the Empire State Building to Chrysler Building, Central Park, Rockefeller Plaza, 5th Avenue, Times Square, Broadway, and indeed the majestic Statue of Liberty. You may explore the streets during the day, take a look at the Broadway Show during the evening, shopping at Times Square during the night and just enjoy and indulge yourself with a scrumptious meal. There are certainly lots of things for you to see and do in New York City.
4. The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is the place which you certainly need to look at. This place has successfully attracted a lot of people from many different places around the world for generations. Considered as a destination for people who loves to amaze at the beauty of nature itself, this place is absolutely beautiful and it is worth every single second of your time. Take a peek at the cliff walls to an infinite sphere and an endless depth below is just one of the focus point of every visit in America. You may effortlessly take a visit to the Grand Canyon on a day travel from Phoenix and Las Vegas to make a visit to the Grand Canyon located in the American Southwest. Another alternative way to visit the canyon is by a train from Williams, AZ. The most famous and frequently visited part of the canyon is the south rim of the canyon. You may visit this spot at any time of the year.
5. Las Vegas
This sparkling city of lights in the desert have a special appeal, and it is the one which has been the center of attraction for its guest for centuries. With a variety of things for you to see and do at any time, this element has made this place a destination that always attracts the attention of everybody ranging from newly married couples who visit this place to announce their oaths and promises to families who just wants to hang around and chill to relieve themselves of their stress. As for entertainment, the choices are infinite. Some celebrities or the entertainment industry’s top stars also do pay a visit to Las Vegas to play their music and have Las Vegas to be jam-packed with their fans every single night. When you are satisfied with all the experience that you’ve had in the city, you may also choose to go for an adventure in nearby places like the Death Valley National Park or maybe even the Hoover Dam. The best part is that you can do all this with an easy short distance.
6. Waikiki
Rated as one of America’s top places for beaching, Waikiki does offer all the relaxation of North America on an alluring tropical island located at the Pacific Ocean. Waikiki is the suburb of Honolulu which is famous for its fabulous golden sand beach. It stretches onward the oceanfront, where there is plenty of hotels and retails store for you to stay and shop at respectively. The things that you could do here is to rent a surfboard and challenge your skills in the waves. When you are done with the beach itself, you could spend your time to go for some shopping and indulge yourself with all types of dining options that are offered during the evening. This destination is perfect for people from all genders and ages. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an adult or a teenager. It’s just perfect and universal for everyone!
7. Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is the capital city of the United States. It is also home to a few of a popular spot as well as national treasures in America, ranging from the Capitol Building and the White House to the famous and incredible Smithsonian Museum. This city is so beautiful that it should be in everyone’s plan to travel on the East Coast. The Cherry Blossom Festival is indeed an amazing time to visit during the spring that is when the trees are in full bloom. Besides that, fall can also be considered as a good time because that is when the temperature of the hot summer has chilled off sufficiently so that taking a walk outside may be very cozy. After a fresh snowfall, the city will be brilliant and the number of people walking around outside will decrease during the winter.
8. Miami
Known as the popular spot of Southern Florida, Miami is more than just a great destination for travel for beach lovers. Lots of spectacular beaches may be found all over Florida, however, Miami offers a place and experience like no other city does. Indulge yourself at the Art Deco District located near the Miami Beach that brings back the memory of the 1930’s era. There is also the endless parade of sports cars which drift onward the Ocean Drive during the evening. Besides that, just in case you want to see some animals, you may want to visit the incredible Everglades National Park to take a look at the alligators, turtles, and birds in this area.
In a nutshell, you may visit all of the places mentioned above to take some good pictures and of course, these places may be visited with a rental car. There are a few tips that I would like to share with you before you plan to visit any of these places. The first thing that you may want to do is to call your bank to notify them regarding the date of your travel. By doing this, there is a slight probability that your bank may be partnered with a foreign bank which enables for a free cash withdrawal! How convenient is that? The next thing that you may want to do is to make sure that you have sufficient travel insurance for your trip. By doing this, your travel insurance company may be able to provide you with the necessary coverage for your trip so that you have something to rely on just in case if anything bad happens. Next, if you plan to rent a car for your trip, make sure your driver’s license is still valid at your destination so that you may be able to avoid any unnecessary problems during your trip.