How To Use The Road Trip Feature On Hotels.com

Hotels.com is a website offering trip planning including hotel, flight and car rental booking as a package, or just part. One of the more interesting features is that of the road trip planner. This feature is unique as it allows trip planning when there is not a definite destination in mind. The classic road trip provides a freedom rarely found in any other vacation. The ability to stop at any roadside attraction on a whim allows a person to truly experience a vacation. From the simple tourist trap to museums and historical markers, the American roadways and landscape are dotted with some spots that truly allow one to experience America, Once someone has selected the road trip section on the main Hotels.com webpage, a screen is brought up to help determine the trip information. The first thing to determine the drive time. Any times between one and six hours can be entered. Then the starting zip code is entered, and an option can be set as to which direction the trip will go. The next screen brought up is the results of the drive time search. A small map gives a visual representation of the destination cities, along with a sidebar showing the city names and approximate drive times. Clicking on the cities listed to the side brings up a description to the city, offering points of interest, history, and interesting facts. Links on the top of this page also provide information on the practicalities of the city, including public transportation, car rentals, and tourism offices. Other links on the top of the information page provide links to dining, entertainment, shopping in the chosen city. On each city description page, there is also a link for searching for hotels in that city. The selection page of the hotel also provides other locations and attractions in the destination city. Planning a road trip can be achieved as simply as entering the information on the first leg, determining the destination for the first day as well as the lodging. Entering the zip code for the destination city allows planning of another leg, setting the drive time, and direction again. This feature allows planning of a trip to destinations that someone might not consider

otherwise. Pairing this planning strategy with internet searches of the destination cities allows one to find anything and everything that might interest them. Harkening back to the days of old Route 66, road trips are an example of a vacation in its most basic form. Nothing planned other than the day’s destination, allowing choice of where and when to stop. An assortment of odd and interesting things to see and do is available along almost any American highway, interstate, or state road. A little patience, a little time invested in research, a little willingness to take in the unusual spots of Americana is what the road trip is all about, and Hotels.com can help you plan this.