I’m up early today because I’ll be heading out on a road trip.  Yes, me, a road trip.  It’s a 5-day road trip with some other writers from the Seattle area and is sponsored by some nice folks in Oregon.  (A full list of sponsors will accompany subsequent posts.)  Joining me will be:  Andy Hayes (from Sharing Travel Experiences), Kelly Goodman (from Travellious), and Michelle Schusterman (from Unlikely Places)

The group will be meeting later thing morning (still in the early hours for most of us)  at EverGreen Escapes who will be providing our driver and transportation for the trip in one of the comfy, bio-fueled Mercedes touring vans.  Not familiar with EverGreen Escapes?  Well I love these folks – I’ve met them personally – and was taken with their love of the Pacific Northwest, their commitment to their eco-friendly practices, their commitment to a quality touring experiences, and their just darned nice people.  Today will be my first opportunity to tour with them, and I’m so freaking excited that I can hardly stand it!  EverGreen escapes offers a host of day trips around the Pacific Northwest, perfect for visitors to the area as well as those of us who’ve lived here awhile but have missed some of the sights here at home, and they’ve got some very cool multi-day excursions.  (Check out their Cascadia Cuisine Ultimate Adventure – an 8-day sightseeing and gastronomic feast!)

Our five day trip is crammed full of activities, and I do mean crammed, including:

A visit to Astoria and the Columbia River Maritime Museum

• Cannon Beach
• A tour of the Tillamook Cheese FActory
• Newport
• Bend Ale Trail via Cycle Pub (sounds interesting, huh?)
• Bend
• High Desert Museum

There’s lots, lots more, so consider that a teaser of things to come!

I’ll be trying to write while on the road, but given the schedule it will more likely be posts to Facebook (you are a friend, aren’t you?), photos to flickr, and updates and photos on Twitter (follow me!).

My bags are all packed, I’m having my coffee and finishing up email, and soon I’ll be hitting the road.  Why don’t you come along with me?

Photo credit:  SXC

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When heading to the beach, the fun usually starts when you arrive at your destination.  However, sometimes the stunning views along the road to the beach can mean that the journey itself is an enjoyable one thanks to the amazing sights you can take in along the way.  Great ocean drives allow you to witness some stunning scenery of both sea and land while enjoying the freedom of the open road.

Below, are five of the best driving routes with views of the ocean:

Pacific Coast Highway – California

Heading along the Pacific Coast Highway in southern California will see you travelling a 123-mile route that affords breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.

Starting from Monterey, the highway takes you through the Big Sur region of the state to Morro Bay and as it is a designated All-American Road, you can be sure of some stunning sights.  Driving the entire motorway can be completed in a couple of hours, but you may want to take your time in order to see everything that the area has to offer.

After departing Monterey, you’ll arrive at Carmel Highlands. Take a diversion at Garrapata State Park (in photo above), and head to the beach to look for sea otters splashing around in the water.  Continue northwards and you’ll soon arrive at Bixby Bridge; the single-span concrete bridge is one of the most-photographed features of the western coast of the US.

Among the other attractions on the route are the Little Sur River and Andrew Molera State Park, with the highway ending at Morro Rock, an extinct volcanic cone that is some 23 million years old.

Pirate Route – Jamaica

You’ll be able to take in the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean by going on Jamaica’s so-called Pirate Route. This 380-mile trip sees you start from Port Royal, winding your way clockwise through the country along the A1 and A2 roads.

As you drive, you’ll see beached freighter ships and come across a number of historic forts that protected Jamaica’s coastal towns from pirates during the 17th and 18th centuries. Eventually, you’ll arrive in Kingston, the Jamaican capital, where you can see the remains of a 19th century courthouse.

Along this route, you can stop of in Negril which is home to the Seven Mile Beach (in photo). The beach is absolutely stunning with golden sand, crystal clear blue water and plenty of things to do.

Atlantic Highway – Devon and Cornwall

In the UK, there is a great drive along the coast of Devon and Cornwall. The section of the A39 which runs from Barnstaple to Newquay is known as the Atlantic Highway and you’ll come across a great number of places to stop off as you drive.

Take a quick diversion at the A399 and pay a visit to Exmoor Zoo, where you can see creatures ranging from penguins and kangaroos to meerkats and cheetahs.

You’ll also be able to take in Tintagel. According to local legend, the village is the birthplace of King Arthur and you may be able to learn more about the iconic figure by visiting Tintagel Castle.

Your 135-mile road trip ends at Newquay (in photo), a resort that is popular with both families and young people. Here, you can go surfing at the renowned Fistral Beach and visit the Blue Reef Aquarium.

Pacific Highway – Australia

Visit Australia for a road-trip and you’ll be able to travel along the Pacific Highway from Sydney up to Brisbane.

This 596-mile road also affords you views of the Pacific Ocean and you’ll be able to take in a number of bustling destinations on your way, including Port Macquarie (in photo) which is a popular spot for surfing. The beaches in the area are unspoiled and reasonably quiet.  In total, the Greater Port Macquarie is home to 18 beaches, 6 of which are patrolled by lifeguards, 8 of which are dog friendly and pretty much all of which are suitable for swimming and surfing.

The Pacific Highway forms part of Australia’s highway one, which links all the country’s major cities, and at the end you’ll come to Brisbane. Upon arriving at the Queensland state capital, you can visit attractions such as Brisbane City Hall, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art and Roma Street Parkland.

Seward Highway – Alaska

Up in Alaska, the Seward Highway (in photo) will offer you a very different US coastal driving experience. While the views may not be of the beaches you’re used to in terms of golden sand and sunny weather, this coastal road will allow you great views of the ocean and stop off points which allow you right onto the coast.

While you’ll still be able to see the Pacific coast for large parts of your trip, it’ll be ice fields and fjords rather than golden beaches that you’ll be taking in from your car.

Starting in Anchorage, the state’s largest city, the 127-mile road takes you southward to the harbor town of Seward.  Stop by Chugach State Park, the third-largest state park in the country, where you can go horseback riding and cycling in the summer and enjoy snowmobiling and skiing in the winter. Upon reaching Seward, you can take a charter boat ride along the waterfront and dine at a number of restaurants that specialize in fresh seafood.

Photo credit:  Provided courtesy of the author

Author bio:  Written by the Travel Supermarket car hire team

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In honor of Black History Month, I am pleased to feature this guest post on the Underground Railroad, a part of history that’s well worth spending time learning about.

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Over the years, I’ve found that introducing history to my children through travel has made more of a difference than anything they’ve read in history books. Visiting the places where history actually happened gives children and adults so much more knowledge. It also gives them a real connection to the past. As February is Black History Month, I’ve been researching Underground Railroad locations to bring history to life in our neighborhood and in preparation for our forthcoming family travels.

Here are the most interesting Underground Railroad destinations on the East Coast which are open to the public:

• Florida – Fort Gadsden State Park, Route 65, Sumatra – This abandoned fort, also known as Negro Fort, previously occupied by the British, served to hide Seminole Indians and runaway slaves until it was destroyed by the U.S. Army in 1817. Today, you can still see earthworks and trenches used to hide slaves.
• Tennessee – National Underground Railroad Museum, 115 E. Third St, Maysville – The oldest Underground Railroad Museum that houses memorabilia including runaways’ diaries and letters and slave sale broadsides. Also located in Maysville is the Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum, 2124 Main St, Maysville – Author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe made trips through Maysville to witness slave auctions and collected many of the artifacts now seen in the museum during these trips.
• Georgia – First African Baptist Church, 23 Montgomery St on Franklin Square, Savannah – Many churches hid slaves on the underground railroad, but not many were designed and built with that purpose in mind. The church design includes 4-feet wide underground tunnels with diamond shaped holes cut into the walls for ventilation.
• North Carolina – Coffin Home, now Guilford College Historic District, 603 W. Main St, Guilford, NC – Vestal Coffin, a Quaker farmer assisted hundreds of runaway slaves by hiding them in his farm house which is now part of Guilford College Historic District. His cousin Levi, who became known as President of the Underground Railroad, helped drive sales out of the state and eventually started his own underground railroad stop in Indiana.
• West Virginia – Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Harpers Ferry – Harpers Ferry became famous when abolitionist John Brown seized the federal munitions arsenal there in 1859 in an attempt to help southern slaves rebel. Unfortunately, Brown was captured along with 21 other men helping him and was hanged by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Today, Harpers Ferry is a picturesque little town with a number of small buildings and a museum dedicated to the slaves. Brown’s headquarters, Kennedy Farm located in Sharpsburg MD – is also open to the public.
• Washington DC – Mt Zion United African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1334 29th St SW – Mt Zion harbored slaves, ingeniously, in an above-the-ground family burial vault in the church cemetery.
• Pennsylvania – Dobbin House, 89 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg – A secret room hidden between two floors and reached through pantry doors is now proudly displayed to patrons that frequent the Dobbin House. The residence now functions as a restaurant. New Jersey – D.B. Cole House, Creek Rd, Lumberton – Can be seen from the road, and rumored to be open by appointment – Cole used a well to hide runaway slaves by building a room with 20-foot ceilings at the bottom of the well. The room was reached by climbing down a long rope. As you might imagine, this secret room was never discovered!
• New York – Peterboro Area museum and Gerrit Smith Exhibit, Main St, Peterboro – Gerrit Smith, a wealthy businessman, spent his adult life fighting slavery by hiding runaways in his barn and a secret room under his kitchen. He also employed dozens of freed slaves. His biggest risk, though, was purchasing guns for John Brown to use in his attack at Harpers Ferry. Smith was never charged with a crime because he signed himself into an insane asylum and had his doctors use an insanity plea, an incredibly savvy move for the time!
• Connecticut – Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford – The site of the first Amistad trials, the Old State House is now a museum that puts on a short, 30-minute play every Tuesday and Thursday re-enacting the trial.

As you can probably tell, I’ve ordered the Underground Railroad stops from south to north in order to imagine escaping in the night as a slave might have traveled in the 1800′s. Most of the Underground Railroad were private homes established by abolitionists that wanted to help slaves escape. Many of these homes are still standing and continue to be privately owned, so they are not likely to be open to the public. You may be able to do a walk by in your town by checking out the Underground Railroad Map.

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Author bio:  Milan and her family of six have saved over $14,000 vacationing by home exchange over the last 5 years. Follow her on Twitter @HomeExchangeMom for tips on how to find house swaps for your family.

Photo credit:  Curtis Anderson via flickr

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If the kids tell you that the house rules make them feel like their in prison, put the Old Idaho Penitentiary on your vacation stop.  No commission of a crime required, just stop by their location in Boise, Idaho.

The kids will love visiting the Old Idaho State Penitentiary in Boise

The Old Idaho Penitentiary State Historic Site was used as Idaho’s prison between 1870-1973. The prison was originally a single building, but the growing population brought a need for a growing prison, and several additional buildings were added, all surrounded by a high sandstone wall.  These additions to the prison complex were constructed with sandstone that the prisoners quarried and cut, back at a time when hard labor was a part of prison life.

As happened at many prisons in the 1970’s, the over-crowded conditions led to a prison riot, occurring here in Boise both 1971 and again in 1973.  As a result, prisoners were moved to other facilities, with the State Pen closing in 1973.    That same year the prison was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visitors to the prison have the opportunity to view a video detailing the history of the prison, along with some of its notorious inmates, and some of the conditions of prison life.  You’ll also see an array of weapons (some great old swords), and and learn the history and meaning of prison tattoos.  You can also visit Siberia (solitary confinement) as well as Death Row.  Touring the prison involves lots of walking and often uneven ground.  Good walking shoes are recommended,

Among all dreariness of stone and bars is a rose garden.  The prisoners maintained the grounds and the garden, and both are in the same condition today as it was prior to the prison closure.  There was some beauty in prison.

Location:  The prison is located at 2445 Old Penitentiary Road in Boise, Idaho (map).

Hours:  It is open all year long (closed on holidays).  Summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day) are 10 am – 5 pm.  The balance of the year, hours are noon – 5 pm.

Admission:  $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 children ages 6-12.  Discounts for groups and AAA members.

Photo credit:  Peter Wollheim

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Today I have a guest post from Jason Bean.  Jason and his family took a road trip during Spring Break, covering 8 states in 6 days.  When I heard about it, I thought he was nuts – so I encouraged him to write about it. Whether he’s nuts or not you can decide, but it does sound like he and the family had a great time!

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This year for Spring Break we decided to do a little road trip to the Kansas City area to visit some friends. The drive from our home in Indianapolis isn’t that bad. We decided that along the way we would stop in St. Louis to see the St. Louis Gateway Arch and visit the St. Louis Zoo, which has free admission.

The trip then started to expand into a big zoo tour! We thought we’d hit the Kansas City Zoo and towards the middle of the week even head up to Omaha to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo, which I’d heard lots of great reviews from different people.

As I started spending more time looking at Google Maps and planning the best course of our road trip, I begin to get excited about visiting states I’d never driven through or visited before and I began to expand my sites on other places of interest in states further away.

It wasn’t long before I realized that if we were going to drive to Omaha, it might be cool to keep heading north and hit Minnesota and South Dakota. When I looked at South Dakota I then saw that visiting Mt. Rushmore was within reach. I’ve always wanted to see Mt. Rushmore and now it was a possibility. Plus I had the excitement of having my wife and kids along for the ride too.

We decided to venture out on our first real family road trip. We were both excited and nervous about what our adventures might entail.

Kansas City

We enjoyed our time in Kansas City with friends and were able to take a little bit of a driving tour of various locations in the city and the downtown area. My perspective of Kansas City changed on our trip, it’s not flat and downtown has beautiful architecture and design around all dining and entertainment venues that are available. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art even has the opportunity to let you play a giant game of badminton if you feel you’re sized-up to the challenge.

After our short visit in Kansas City, we started driving north through Iowa and headed to South Dakota. It was a long drive, but it was exciting to be visiting places we’d all never seen and seeing a different part of the country from the windows on our van instead of from 35,000 feet out of an airplane window.

As we were driving across South Dakota I kept seeing these ring-necked pheasants that I’d only seen as a child in pictures in my dad’s office. They were everywhere! What a beautiful bird, and just running wild along the I-90 the entire way to Rapid City. I found out later the ring-necked pheasant is the state bird for South Dakota, so it makes sense.

The meat of our trip out west was to spend as much time as we could in the Black Hills area of South Dakota. The area is home to six national parks and plenty of other great things to see and do while you’re there. We came a little before the normal “season” so there were a number of attractions that were closed, but the ones we came to see were all available and ready to show us their splendor.

Mt. Rushmore

Having only seen pictures of this national treasure (and of course seeing it in the movie National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets), it was very impressive to see this great stone monument and sculpture that was created by Gutzon Borglum and the team of workers. Mount Rushmore was blasted out of raw granite to immortalize and remember four of our greatest United States Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The beauty of the mountain is only made that much more memorable by the natural beauty of the Black Hills that surrounds the area.

Sadly we were unable to drive on Needles Highway, which is another great attraction, but we were able to continue our drive a little further west into Wyoming, with the goal of seeing Devils Tower. When we discovered it was even a little further drive than we thought, we decided we wouldn’t be able to make that trip and see the other destinations we had planned for our trip before we had to head home in the middle of the week. Also on the way to Wyoming in the Black Hills is Jewel Cave, another location we would have loved to explore further but didn’t have the time.

Crazy Horse Monument

A new monument carved into one of the hillsides in the Black Hills is a monument to the North American Indians that called this land home. In the early period of construction, Crazy Horse isn’t scheduled to be completed until 2050. Yet, 40 years from that date you can already see the face and form of the Indian leader. Getting into the park itself for an up-close view is a bit pricey ($10/person), seeing this monument take shape from the beginning with plans to come back upon its completion will be very memorable indeed.

Custer State Park

When we decided to head west, I’d hoped to see lots of wildlife. As our original intention was to visit a number of zoos on our trip, substituting beautiful animals roaming free instead of in a zoo was a great exchange. A trip out west wouldn’t be complete without seeing the American bison (a.k.a. the buffalo). The place to see these animals has to be in Custer State Park, just south east of Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills.

Initially we didn’t see buffalo for quite some time, it wasn’t until we got off the Wildlife Loop road in the park that we really got up close to these amazing animals. Be sure to drive on the off-road paths that are available. This lets you meander and criss-cross back and forth along the countryside to see more wildlife. In addition to buffalo we saw numerous white-tail and mule deer as well as some bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope and even some wild turkeys as well.

Badlands National Park

On our last day of the trip, we started to head back east but we weren’t done seeing the beautiful, natural landscape of Midwest. On our way out, we drove through Badlands National Park. This barren and desolate area has beauty that’s completely different from what we see just a few mile further west in the Black Hills. This area looks more like the shots we saw come back from the Mars rover expedition than what you think you’d see on this planet. It’s truly other-worldly. We didn’t see a lot of different wildlife in this area, but the prairie dogs were everywhere and were very entertaining to watch in a variety of locations.

Although we didn’t stop and see it ourselves, the Minuteman Missile National Historic site is also located in this area. You can do a self-guided tour of one part of the missile site, but in normal season you can also visit the control bunker to see this part of the Cold War history of the United States.

Heading Home

We ended up getting back on the road after all of our adventures much later than we had originally intended. We decided that in order to make up the time we would drive all night to get back home to Indianapolis. I think all-in-all our family had a great time on our trip out West. Looking back my kids say they hated the drive, but they did great. My wife and I commented to each other during our trip that these days taking a road trip like this is much easier than when we were kids. We didn’t have hand held game systems or portable DVD players and that kind of stuff. We just had to sleep or look out the windows the entire trip.

There you have it! Eight States Over Spring Break: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota.

If you haven’t taken a family road trip, I encourage you to do so. I’m now looking at all the areas within 1200 miles of Indianapolis as potential destinations for future road trips. If I could do this trip again, I’d just give ourselves more time. I hate that we were out that far and weren’t able to see everything we wanted. Oh well, maybe in a couple of years we’ll go back and explore even more of the area.

Photo credits:  Courtesy of Jason Bean

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Jason Bean has been publishing online content for since he installed WordPress on his personal website back in January of 2004. Shortly after that he started writing professionally for a variety of online networks and websites. Over the years he’s covered topics ranging from technology, software, current events, TV shows, music, travel and his home city of Indianapolis. Jason tries to squeeze his writing into the time between being a husband and father, his full-time job and his web design clients. You can try and keep up with him on Twitter, Facebook and his personal blog.

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When I’m on the road there never seems to be enough time to follow all my favorites travel bloggers, let alone find new ones.  This week, with travels to Las Vegas for five days, followed by a quick trip to Dallas,  was one of those weeks!

Here’s some posts you won’t want to miss:

The New York City Traveler combines two of my favorite food groups, bacon and beer, in his post about a limited production beer at the Brooklyn Brewery.  Another reason to make the trek across the bridge!

Nerds Eye View takes us along her road trip – in a 32 foot RV.  I’m not a camper, but maybe RV-ing it would be a little different.  What do you think?  Is a road trip in your future?

MSNBC gives us some tips on how to spot a hotel in bankruptcy.  Ignore these warning signs at your peril.

Seattle PI Blog has an interview with Hollywood screenwriter Mike Thompson, and he talks about his new movie, Love Happens starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart.  Parts of the movie were set in and around Seattle.

Fox Nomad suggests that we ask for a corporate discount, even if we don’t work for that business.  Or ask for a conference rate, even though we may not be attending the conference.  A good topic at the intersection of budget and ethics.

A Traveler’s Library reviews the recent Travel Insight 100 poll about using Twitter.  Members of Travel Insight 100 are travel writers, travel industry professionals, advisors and analysts, and travel bloggers.  (Full disclosure:  I’m a member of the panel.)

A Single View has a beautiful photo of the Hotel Cala di Volpe on the Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, Italy.  Beautiful!  And makes me long for my return trip to Italy.

Traveling the Green Way lists some green activities in the Portland area.  Some great stuff happening just down the freeway a-piece.

Photo credit: SXC

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Do you scratch your head and wonder how they schedule routine highway and bridge repairs?  I assumed that it would be a pro-active process,  with planning and timing designed to work around any peak travel times.  Clearly any major repairs are going to involve disruption, but I would think that the powers that be would want to minimize the amount of disruption caused to drivers.

San Francisco-Bay Bridge will be closed over Labor Day Weekend

In most cases, this means that repairs are going to happen over a weekend, when the disruption to commuters is minimized.  Okay, that makes sense.

But why, I am asking myself, would anyone schedule repairs to the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge over Labor Day Weekend?

The repairs are necessary bring the bridge into compliance with current earthquake standards.  It’s necessary and important, of course, but why close the bridge over Labor Day weekend?

Sure, there won’t be people commuting into the city.  But this is one of the chief driving holiday weekends, and these repairs mean that the Bay Bridge will be closed down over Labor Day Weekend.  Offering up alternatives like “allow extra time for travel” and “use the other bridges” (Golden Gate Bridge, Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, San Mateo-Hayward Bridge and the Dumbarton Bridge) just don’t seem like they’re going to be terribly helpful or practical.

If you’re going to be traveling in the Bay Area, you’ll want to keep up-to-date with information provided by the Bay Bridge Public Information Office.  And I’d start making other plans straight away.

I’m thinking that lots of car trips are going to be cancelled or changed.

Photo credit: yanec @flickr

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I read lots and lots of travel blogs posts over the course of a week, but it’s only the best of the best that I share with you.  This week, these blogs made me smile, laugh, wonder, question, or simply admire.  Perhaps you’ll feel the same way.

The Buenos Aires Guide – Be careful when booking you’re hotel, or you may wind up at one that rents by the hour.

Nerds Eye View – Pam is off at BlogHer with a bunch of other Seattle travelbloggers.  While I had to miss the event due to a scheduling matter, I’m keeping up on the travels via her blog.  I loved this section of their trip through Cody, Wyoming.

Travellious – My pals over here spent three weeks in Italy shortly before I did.  While I love, love, LOVE the food in Italy, I could relate to the urge for a food quintessentially American – onion rings.

Tripso – Cruising may not be the luxury experience we hope for.  Read about the five dirtiest cruise ships before making your plans.

LA Times – Commuting airline crew members who “live” in RV’s in the parking lot at LAX.  Yep, this is a real glamour job.

Gadling – Always a great stop for great photography, but this photo taken from the edge of the Grand Canyon made me realize how insignificant we all are.

Wanderlust and Lipstick – Beth gives some solid advice for a young woman about to embark on her first solo trip.  I’m reading Beth’s book on solo travel right now, so look for a review and more solo travel tips in the coming weeks.

Photo credit: irrezolut @flickr

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Driving, texting, cell phones.  They are gadgets and tools that just don’t mix.  It seems like a basic concept, one that didn’t really need a statue, but starting with my own state of Washington, other states have followed suit, enacting legislation that regulates cell phone use, text messaging, and driving.

While I’ve been known to put on lipstick or glance at an email while my car IS AT A COMPLETE STOP at a STOP SIGN, I’ve never believed that I was capable of texting and driving at the same time.  At least not do them WELL at the same time.

Whether you’re taking a road trip, or merely renting a car at your destination, it’s a wise idea to put your phone down and drive.  14 states and the District of Columbia have laws that ban texting and driving.  But I say, don’t bother trying to keep up with the driving laws of the various states, just put down the phone and err on the side of safety.

Do you really think you can drive and text at the same time?  HA!

Check out your reflexes and see how well you can text and drive with the Distracted Driving test (hat tip to the NY Times).

I couldn’t do it!

Photo credit: gcbb @flickr

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While normally I am a big fan of public transportation, and opt for trains, planes, and buses while on vacation, our trek to Italy and Croatia required covering a lot of ground to remote locations.  A car was a necessity.

Although the driving was left in the hands of the guys, we’ve covered enough ground that I can make a few observations (albeit from the passenger’s seat) about driving in Italy.

• People drive fast on the Autostrada.  Really, really, fast!
• Tailgating seems not only permissible, but encouraged.  Even when you’re going fast on the Autostrada.  Leaving any discernible gap between the car ahead of you is an invitation for someone to pass.
• You need a navigator or two to read the map and watch for directional signs.  When you blowing by them at speeds of 100+ kph, you need some extra eyes reading them.
• All roads lead to Rome – or so it seemed – as no matter where you are there is a sign pointing you toward Rome.
• In rural areas, you’ll find lots of narrow roads, frequently on the side of a mountain, and frequently containing lots of switchbacks.  People still drive fast.
• When you are driving along the steep side of a mountain, you probably won’t find any guardrails or warning reflectors.
• On these narrow winding roads, drivers will pass on a curve.  And sometimes that driver is in a large bus or truck.
• In the small, picturesque hill towns, the roads are very narrow and rarely go straight.  People drive on them, even though there is very little room on either side of the car.  We did this once, and in error.  The photo shows the street, a term used loosely, that we drove down.  Most of the time we parked and walked.
• Don’t expect drivers to stop for you in a cross walk. You’re going to need to dash across the street.

The stereotype of aggressive Italian drivers has some roots of truth, but these observations are not meant to be demeaning.  We soon found ourselves conforming to many of these driving habits as well.

If you’re staying in one of the larger cities like Rome, Florence, or Milan, you’ll probably have no need for a car.  If you want to take a day trip, you can rent one for a day or two.  But, if you’re going to explore the beautiful rural areas of the country, like Tuscany or Umbria, you’ll need to have a car.

Have you driven in Italy?

Photo credit:  personal collection

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