It seems that every year (for that matter, every major holiday) the projected number of people traveling makes for another “record year.” This year, AAA is crediting the lowest gas prices since 2005 as the No. 1 reason they expect more than 36 million people to hit the roads for Fourth of July plans this year.
That’s nice. Where is everyone going? For Independence Day, it seems appropriate to visit one of our nation’s most patriotic cities. But which one?
The most obvious destination is probably Washington, D.C. Packed with memorials, museums and monuments, our nation’s capital is the perfect place to celebrate one of the most important dates in U.S. history.
Boston also comes to mind. It is, after all, known as the Birthplace of Liberty.
Philadelphia and Gettysburg are high on the list and should include visits to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the site of the Gettysburg Address.
To celebrate a few of the men who helped shape our country, a visit to Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota, may be your destination of choice.
If a place closer to home (and less crowded) is more your style, we have a plethora of cities with patriotic names across our great nation. For instance, if you wish to visit the city of Liberty, you can do so in Kentucky, Missouri and Texas. Or, you may be headed in a different direction, landing in West Liberty (Iowa and Missouri) or North Liberty (Iowa).
Independence would be a perfect place to celebrate Independence Day and you can do so in Kansas, Iowa or Missouri.
But, if you simply want to travel down one of America’s most famous highways, Route 66 seems the perfect road. American nostalgia is strewn from beginning to end and a particular 490-yard stretch of it, just west of Tijeras, New Mexico, may speak to you in a way you’d never expect.
Why?
Because if you travel at just the right speed (45 mph), the road will sing “America the Beautiful.”
Wherever the road takes you and whatever your plans to celebrate this year, have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
I hate writing about myself. You want me to write about a car. Definitely. Auto finance? Now you’re talking! Me? Snoozefest. But since I have all this space just begging to be filled, I’m going to give this a shot. The auto industry started calling my name way back in 2001. I cut my teeth…
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