Defining a road trip can be quite difficult, because a road trip means something different to everyone, and with more knowledge of others definitions, it can change from trip to trip. My idea of a road trip is an adventure, planned or not, to a certain location for a sort of vacation, -and for getting away from reality for a brief time period while also learning about yourself and finding out where you see yourself at. It also means becoming more independent and doing things on your own and becoming closer and more confident with yourself. If I could take a trip like this, it would be a sort of “Coming of age trip”. I’ve never really been able to see most of the country, let alone by myself, so this would allow me to see where I could possibly see myself in the future.
Growing up, I have been very blessed to have my parents support me for anything that I do, mentally, and monetarily. After college, I want to be able to break those ties easily, and by taking this road trip, it will be the first step in gaining my independence. My brother took a huge risk and just up and left one day to Virginia to live and work, and it paid off very well for him. I too would like to see more of the U.S., and be less dependent on my parents after graduation. Taking this trip would allow me to see different places I could possibly live, while also being fun and exciting as a last hoorah before growing up and being an adult in a 9 to 5 job.
Taking a trip that would help to define my definition would be one from Austin, Texas to New York City, New York. This trip would help me explore new cities and gain knowledge about different parts of the country. As I said earlier, I’ve never seen much of the United States, so it would be interesting to learn more about it, and decide if I would want to live in certain places around the country. I would really like to get out of Texas when I graduate, so I think this trip would be taken just after graduation, to see where I would like to settle down. New York City is one of the major cities for public relations and there are a lot of entry level jobs, but I want to check it out before I go there, so that I know for sure if I want to move so far away. This trip would mostly be about learning about myself and where I can see myself potentially living, but it would also be a reward for my graduation. Therefore, there would be a “vacation” feel to it since New York City has so much to offer to tourists, and I would definitely hit all of the tourist spots and get away from the reality of life for a bit.
I would definitely travel with my boyfriend, Brian, and my dog, Charlee. I had initially thought about taking this trip by myself, but I feel like the two people who I will most likely be moving with, would be these two, so they should be able to travel with me. I know Brian would pick up at any moment and follow me wherever I wanted to go, and of course my dog, well she doesn’t really have a choice! I’m sure she’d be happy to travel and see different places just as much as I do. In order for this trip to be feasible, we’d both have to put in a significant amount of money. We’d have to stay at cheaper hotels that were pet friendly on the way over there and any place we didn’t have family at. Gas alone is expensive enough, but I think we both have enough money saved that it would definitely be a feasible trip to take. Along the way and back we would also have places to stay at family members’ houses, so this will save us some money. The trip itself would probably last around 19 days. I don’t think either of us can really afford to take off for too long before reality comes creeping back on us. I’ve budgeted $3,450 for this trip, which includes, food, gas, shopping money, tourist sites, hotel, and pet boarding. Anywhere that doesn’t allow pets, I’ll need to take Charlee to a Petsmart to board her for the day, so I factored in the cost of that as well.
Along the way I will check out other locations I can possibly see myself living in the near future, to see where I fit in the best. The first stop with be Nashville, Tennessee. Here I would like to set up some networking meetings with PR agencies in the area and also maybe at some of the stops we’d be visiting as well. The tourist sites I’d want to see are the Grand Jackson showboat, for sure. It is a 3 hour cruise and comes complete with dinner and a history of country music, which I’ve always been a fan of. I’d like to visit the Ryman Auditorium, the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, and possibly see some entertainment there as well. I would of course visit the current Grand Ole Opry just to check that out as well. For the nightlife I’d have to go to the Wildhorse Saloon because its supposedly Nashville’s #1 dining and entertainment destination. I feel like Nashville would be a great place for me to live because it is so filled with entertainment, and that is the field I’d like to get in to. It is also a little closer to home than NYC.
After leaving Nashville, I’d like to make a quick stop at Hershey Park and stay there for one night. I’ve always been a fan of chocolate and wanted to go here since I was a kid and visited my aunt in Scranton one year. We visited the museum part of it, but never went into the actual theme park. I could totally promote this park as my job, because deep down, I’m still a chocolate loving kid at heart.
Once I get to New York City, I intend on staying with one of my best friends, Ashlee. We were best friends in high school, and now she attends New York University. I have always, always wanted to live in New York City. I’ve been a big city girl, but this would be the ultimate big city I would choose to live in. There are so many opportunities here for any field of work, and my field of public relations is booming in NYC. I will try to set up a few appointments with some entertainment PR firms, such as AMP3, 5WPR, and of course the big agencies, Hill and Knowlton, Fleishman Hillard, and Rogers and Cowen. I’d also like to schedule in an apartment locator to see what kind of prices we would be looking at for housing but, this is a vacation, and I planned on driving into NYC on New Year’s Eve! I’ve always wanted to witness NY during the winter to see the Rockefeller center Christmas tree, and of course see the ball drop in Times Square on the eve of the New Year. Other typical things I do are go shopping on Canal Street where you can find an amazing looking Prada purse for 30 bucks.
I’d also like to get a tour of the Statue of Liberty, and go up in the Empire State Building during the daytime, as I’ve only seen it at night. I want to take Charlee to Central Park as well so she can experience the city park. As far as the nightlife, I hope my friend Ashlee, who we will be staying with, can show us the hot spots that aren’t too classy and pricey, and also I hope to see a few musicals, the Lion King is my favorite all time musicals that I’ve seen twice already. Also, I would like to see Legally Blonde. I feel like this one is appropriate because it is about a girl who is trying to be independent and do things on her own for once, and this is what I am trying to do with my trip!
During the drive back home, I would like to take a different route, just to see a little more of the country and the East Coast. I’ve never really ventured out on that part of the country at all, so it would be interesting to see something different than I’m used to. First I'll go through Washington D.C. This is somewhere I’ve always wanted to live and visit because Brian used to live here and talked about how amazing it was. He’s in the military so he was only here for a few months but he said he never really got to see as much as he wanted so this would be a great opportunity for both he and I so learn more and witness all that D.C. has to offer. I’d like to take a look at all the major monuments in Washington such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and take a tour of the White House. This needs to be set up a while in advance, so I’ll need to take care of that before our trip takes place. I’d also like to tour the Smithsonian’s and a good chunk of the museums there. Of course a little shopping will take place in between. Next I’d like to visit my Aunt in Navarre, Florida, and I know she’d be willing to house us on our trip. We’d then head to New Orleans to stay a few nights, and then head back to Texas.
This journey will fulfill my criteria because I will be a vacation, but at the same time I will be learning about myself and different locations to see if I really want to move out of Texas. I’ve never taken a road trip without my parents, so it will sort of be a test of how I’ll do in the real world, and it I’m really ready to break ties with the parents. I feel like I rely on them a lot, and going on a road trip, being a real adult for once, would help me to learn a lot about myself. I would help find out where I can see myself in the future, while still getting away for a while and having a little fun.
