As travelers from coast to coast contemplate how to make the most of
their Memorial Day weekend, Room
Key® has named the top five road trip routes originating from five
U.S. cities: Los Angeles, Houston, Jacksonville, Fla., New York and
Chicago. Factored into the rankings are driving distance, scenic nature
of the route and activities and sights one can experience upon arrival.
“A great vacation doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Road trips are a
wonderful – and often much more economical – way to create new memories
with family and friends and explore new regions of the country,” says
Room Key Chief Marketing Officer Stephany Verstraete. “We’re hoping our
list will inspire vacationers to pack up the car, prepare their
playlists and hit the road to celebrate the start of the summer travel
season.”
From California to New York, here are Roomkey.com’s
recommended road trips:
California:
Los Angeles to Monterey, Calif. (about five hours)
Monterey is an amazing California coastal city with sunset views that
are to die for. There are a couple different options for the drive north
from Los Angeles. Take a little longer to get there by driving the
coastal Route 1. One must-stop, if you choose this highway, is the Bixby
Bridge in Big Sur. Enjoy Cannery Row once in Monterey. It’s full of
restaurants, shopping and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. For golfers, an
obvious destination is the legendary Pebble Beach. There’s a little
something for everyone in this part of The Golden State.
Texas:
Houston to New Orleans (about five hours)
New Orleans is a great trip year round, but it offers a great deal to
travelers in the beginning of summer. Before it gets too hot and muggy,
take advantage of New Orleans City Park – a 1,300-acre park that was
completely restored after Hurricane Katrina. Take in the French Quarter
as you stroll around for a relaxing weekend. Café du Monde is the
perfect place to grab your Sunday morning beignet. The Big Easy is a
great trip east for those looking for something more than another visit
to the Texas Gulf Coast.
Florida:
Jacksonville, Fla. to Savannah, Ga. (approximately two hours)
Savannah’s charm and pedestrian-friendly layout beckon visitors to the
oldest city in the state of Georgia. Condé Nast Traveler picked Savannah
as a “Top 10 U.S. City to Visit”, and it’s a great place to explore not
that far from the Florida/Georgia line. Canopy trees, cobblestone
streets and historic architecture add flavor to the Savannah Historic
District, which features Forsyth Park. This park is the perfect place to
take a picnic or enjoy a small café and see landmarks such as the
Forsyth Fountain or the 300-year-old Candler Oak tree. If you’re
desperate for sand, The Beach on Tybee Island is only a 20-minute drive
outside the city. Miles of beautiful beach and kayak and bike rentals
make for a nice excursion. Mix together the quaint city and the outdoors
for the perfect long-weekend trip. Find a place to stay here.
New York:
New York to Virginia Beach, Va. (slightly more than six hours)
New Yorkers typically flock to the Hamptons, but here is an option to
see more of the beautiful East Coast. Boasting 35 miles of sandy beaches
and a three-mile oceanfront boardwalk, Virginia Beach is a popular place
to visit. Surfers can catch some waves, and everyone else can walk,
skate or bike the boardwalk – there are plenty of rentals available.
Mighty King Neptune watches over the shore, so take a photo with this
34-foot tall statue that weighs 12 tons. Another location to check out
is the Historic Cape Henry lighthouse, the first lighthouse to be
authorized by the U.S. government, which sits right on the Chesapeake
Bay.
Illinois:
Chicago to Louisville, Ky. (about four-and-a-half hours)
There is certainly no lack of things to do in this city. Louisville was
named the Top Travel Destination for 2013 by Lonely Planet, so take the
opportunity to visit this upcoming long weekend. Check out the site of
the Kentucky Derby: Churchill Downs, the Louisville Slugger Museum and
Factory or one of the multiple stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Southern hospitality abounds with fantastic dining on every corner. Fill
your weekend with great drinks, and take in all the personality
Louisville has to offer. For hotels click here.
About Room Key®
Room Key is an experience-tailored hotel search engine created by six of
the world's leading hotel companies. The personalized service enables
travelers to quickly and easily compare value for their stay – based on
specific attributes and preferences most important to individual guests
– and book directly with more than 100 leading hotel brands in 159
countries around the world. With a continued focus on providing
consumers the best, personalized value for their trip, Room Key also
allows travelers to compare properties based on the pricing and benefits
associated with their respective hotel frequent guest programs –
something that cannot be done on any other online travel booking site.
Room Key was founded in 2012 by Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH),
Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H), InterContinental
Hotels Group (NYSE: IHG), Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) and
Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE:
WYN), or their respective affiliates.
Through a collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Room Key makes
it easy to join the fight against cancer: for every stay booked on www.Roomkey.com,
Room Key will donate $1 to SU2C through February 2017, accelerating
vital research, delivering new therapies to patients and helping to save
lives now. Visit the campaign website for more information: www.Roomkey.com/StaytheNight.
For more information about Room Key, visit www.Roomkey.com.
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Copyright Business Wire 2014