Hopi Point at Sunset, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Thanks to online resources (including review sites) anyone can decide WHERE to go. But when it comes to a road trip, you’re often in motion for as long or longer than you’re at your key destinations.

That’s where I come in.

In my free online Q&A, session, I will share ideas for how to enjoy your traveling companions in the car along the way and how to travel America’s scenic highways and byways, which is where the best historical sites and roadside kitsch are often to be found.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Can you trust online reviews and tour operators?

PBS News Hour recently reported on the issue of fake online consumer reviews. According to the report, freelancers who’ve never visited destinations that they review often write online reviews for pay.

When considering the precious allocation of time and money toward a vacation, vacationers should be cautious of what they learn online.

And it’s not only fake reviews that you should be wary of. For example, how do you know that you’re not getting travel advice from someone with a vested interest in a particular destination? That’s like getting advice about a new car from a Ford dealer.

Me and Matt at Yellowstone National Park circa 2012Fear not, that’s why I’m here.

I’m completely independent and have no vested interest in any specific destination. My only concern is that travelers have the best vacations possible.

That’s why I’m offering an online “Ask Me Anything” session for anyone interested in how to make the most of a road trip vacation.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

How to plan the perfect summer road trip

I began road tripping as many of us did, traveling with my parents to visit extended family. On our biannual road trip from Ohio to California, I became acquainted with a vast territory from the Midwest to the Great Plains, and the iconic landscapes of the Southwest.

Since then, I’ve traveled 49 states and 5 Canadian provinces, mostly solo and mostly on my motorcycle. The U.S. is comprised of 3.8 million square miles, (factoid: Europe is 3.9 million) so while I haven’t been “everywhere” across our vast country, I’ve been in everywhere’s vicinity.

I maintain a philosophy toward travel that helps take the disappointment out of anything you encounter on the road, from a fight in the back seat, to unpleasant weather or “closed-for-repairs” Walley World.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Pleasing everyone in the mini van

Whether traveling alone, with family, or a significant other, during my Q&A, I’ll answer all your questions about how to plan a trip where everyone gets to do some of the things they most enjoy.

For example, few people enjoy traveling the Great Plains. They complain about the endless miles of straight roads, the monotonous fields of grain, and the stinky (and depressing) cattle feed lots. Travelers faced with I-70 through Kansas can’t wait to get through the Sunflower State, so they gut it out for six hours—essentially losing a full day of their lives to boring travel.

But that’s what you get when you stick to the Interstates. I’ll share a better way to travel the “boring” regions.

Get started now—what would you like to do on your next vacation? Comment here on the blog.

“Ask Me Anything” will be recorded and available to registered guests for replay through August.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).