Plan the Perfect Thanksgiving Trip

Thanksgiving is that special time of the year to be with loved ones and to indulge in a delicious Thanksgiving feast. Many USC students choose to head back home during the four-day break to celebrate the holidays with their family and friends. If you’re like me, however, you may not be able to go home for Thanksgiving because your family is too far away. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s time to consider making some plans for the holiday break. Why spend your Thanksgiving holidays in your dorm room when you could be out exploring the beauty of the U.S.? 

Check out these steps to planning the most memorable Thanksgiving road trip ever:

Make a List of Destinations
Ask your friends and roommates to make a list of all the places they would like to go to during their lifetime. Then choose the top three within a reasonable distance and vote to decide on which you’d like to see during your road trip. I found some great ideas for where to go by checking out popular travel bloggers’ Instagram accounts, browsing friends’ Facebook pictures and asking friends and family for travel ideas. If you’re still out of ideas, check out U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Visit in the USA.”

Create an Itinerary
Once you have figured out which places to go — whether it is landmarks, national parks or scenery — and activities you are going to do on the road trip, you can create an itinerary. Calculate a budget by estimating costs associated with your trip. Quick tip: Check out Travelmath.com, which is a free online trip calculator that can help determine transportation costs by factoring in travel distance and travel time.

Suggested Itineraries and Things to Do:

 Roadtrip to Utah
At the Park City Mountain Resort in Salt Lake City, Utah, you can ski and snowboard in one of the country’s ultimate winter resort destinations. Zipline across the canyon between Lookout Peak and Red Pine Lodge, which spans over 2,111 feet, or snowmobile across trails and forested mountain terrain.

Roadtrip to Arizona
In Arizona you can hike in the beauty of Grand Canyon National Park. You might want to go river rafting in the Colorado River while viewing amazing wildlife and scenery, or tour Antelope Valley for spectacular views of one of the most famous canyons on earth.

Roadtrip to San Francisco
Take a scenic drive along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, and make stops along the way whenever you want to snap a picture of the beautiful coastline. To break up the drive, about two hours before you hit San Francisco you can take a detour to the charming shopping district in Carmel-by-the-Sea, or visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and explore some cool sea life exhibits

Go. Have Fun!
Most importantly, don’t forget to de-stress from the pressures of school deadlines, assignments, exams and projects, and just have fun. This is the time to take a few days to keep your mind of off school, build closer bonds with your roommates or friends, and focus on enjoying the precious yet fleeting moments of college life.

After all, once college ends and you are busy working it will probably be more difficult to find time for an adventurous road trip with friends. In a few short weeks it will be time to sit back, relax and enjoy your vacation — so start planning your trip soon.