What It’s Like To Travel Across The Country In Three Days

Have you wondered what it's like to travel across the country? Well, I've done it in three days. Here was my experience doing it!

You must be thinking, that’s impossible, but travelling across the country in three days is totally doable. With a little preparation and patience, you could do it too. For the first time ever, I left the comfort of my suburban home in Riverside, California to move to the second largest city in Georgia, Columbus. Since I had just graduated college it was the perfect time to pack up my belongings and start fresh. Mostly our (my amazing fiancé and my Chihuahua) trip consisted of fast food, beautiful scenery and cold weather. Keep reading to find out what it’s like to travel across the country in three days, and some helpful tips for your cross-country trip.

Preparation

Before we could travel across the country, we needed to make travel arrangements. One very important factor was the route. Which is very important considering the car you plan on taking, the weather and any sight-seeing you want to do along the way. Being a southern California native, I had never really driven in the snow and so that was the deciding factor. We left early December, which meant snow covered some of the bordering states. Just be sure to bring along plenty of comfortable clothing fit for both warm and cold weather. Keep scrolling to see how day one of three went when travelling across the country.

Day 1

Many people might assume that leaving bright and early is the best thing to do, however we decided to sleep in and make sure we had everything we needed. Sleeping in of course didn’t work out so well, since we were both nervous and excited for the days to come. We decided to make a nice hearty breakfast because breakfast is key when you’re going to be on the road all day. If you’re leaving your family for good like I did, make sure to get in all your goodbyes, it’s essential.

By 9 am we hit the road, in my convertible bug. Somehow, we managed to fit all of my belongings, including a brand new 5 x 7 Moroccan shag rug, in the back seat. I’d recommend getting a sizable car so that you’re comfortable during your trip. If that is out of the question consider packing light, it’ll give you a chance to pick up goodies along the way. Having a nice meal the night before is a MUST, preferably a good ol’ home cooked one. Due to food poisoning from fast food the night before, our trip was delayed a few hours. So be sure to eat at home, it’ll surely save you the trouble of feeling sick halfway through your first day.

Day 2

By the second day, we had only made it to the neighboring state due to an unexpected illness, but that didn’t stop us. We were high in the mountains, thousands of feet above ground and the elevation sickness was kicking in. However, that wouldn’t stop us either. With Tylenol and Dramamine on hand we hardly noticed the change in elevation. For breakfast, I recommend eating meals such as oatmeal and hash browns. Both are filling and the oatmeal surely gave me energy for the day.

With a total drive time of 36 hours, we were sure to download plenty of music because there wasn’t a signal half of the time. While road tripping you can expect some beautiful scenery, so don’t skip out on bringing your Fuji-film Instax mini because you might regret it. A quick tip is that when you’re travelling with a pet it might be wise to bring a small carrier or a pet harness so that your furry friend(s) are safe and so you’re comfortable. My little dog has a habit of jumping on my lap making it especially difficult to drive. Be sure to keep scrolling to find out how my last day went travelling across the country in three days.

Day 3

By your last day of travelling, you will definitely be craving a nice comfy bed and lots of sleep. Don’t get me wrong the road trip was great and being able to say “I Traveled Across the Country in Three Days” is so worth it, but I was ready to be home. Your last day will be bittersweet and you’ll constantly be checking how much longer you have. To pass the time you can listen to books on tape, music or comedy skits if you have them pre-downloaded. Hopefully you can take what I learned, and start planning your cross-country trip.

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