Travelling the West Coast of the U.S. is a dream for many. And what with all the beautiful cities to visit, the breathtaking things to see, and the memories to be made, it’s no wonder. But travelling the West Coast of America isn’t just about the places you travel to. It’s not just about the destinations you arrive at and the things you see whilst in them. It’s about the journey. And to make sure you make the best out of a journey to the West Coast, make sure to read on.

First of all, you have to get your transportation sorted. You have to find something that is mobile enough to get you from place to place. You have to find something that is big enough to house you for the occasional night. And you need to find something that is robust enough to be able to handle various road trips — some of which take place over an extended period of time. You need to find and rent something like a campervan. This is a type of vehicle that is not only strong enough to be able to handle various trips, but big enough to house you and keep you safe at night. Because, on a road trip around the West Coast (especially a frugal one), you will have to park up every so often and snuggle up in the back of the van. This is simply because of the fact that some of the destinations you will want to cover are far away from each other when travelling by car. And to give yourself the rest you both deserve and need, you’ll need to make use of the bed space in the van. But, fear not, the bed spaces found in campervans can generally fit up to four people in them at one time. And if you have any worries about where it is you’ll be parking up, then fear not about that either. There are many safe places to park up for the night on the West Coast, in California especially. This means you’ll always be able to rest assured that you and whoever you are travelling with are as safe as can be.

Then, you have to get your itinerary sorted. It’s okay having all the gear, i.e. the van and your factor 50 sunscreen, but it’s all no good if you have no idea where you will be using it. And to organise exactly where it is you will be visiting, try using an itinerary site such as roadtrippers.com. By doing this you will be able to create and upload the map of your journey online. This means that, as long as you have an Internet connection, you’ll always be able to refer back to it. And when it comes to actually choosing where it is you’ll be visiting, then make sure to take as much heed of the more understated areas of the West as you do the famous places. Yes, a trip to Vegas and all the delights it houses as well as a trip to the Hollywood sign in LA are a must, but there are more to the West Coast then just them. When you visit California, for instance, there is nothing like a visit to old Sacramento Sate Historic Park. When you visit San Diego, you can’t go wrong with heading to Balboa Park. And in Big Sur, you simply can’t miss the Bixby Canyon Bridge. Yes, it’s important to see and revel in the top U.S. destinations that the West has to offer. But it’s also important to see and learn of its rich cultural heritage too.

So, when you come to booking a journey to the West Coast of the U.S., make sure to give just as much precedence to the way you travel as you do to the places you visit. And make sure to give just as much precedence to the more understated delights that the West has to offer as you do to the more famous ones.