How I Planned a 10 Day Solo Roadtrip Through the US: California to Mississippi
The day I arrived home to Mississippi
In 2021 while living in Oakland, CA, I felt a strong urge to pack up and relocate back home to Mississippi. Because I’d been living in the Bay Area for 10 years, I knew I needed to leave with a bang to honor the memories and expansion I’d experienced there. So, I decided to plan a 10 day solo road trip through the US from California to Mississippi.
I’m excited to finally share how that journey went and what I did to prepare!
If you’re a solo traveler, woman-identified, or someone who’s simply interested in taking a cross country trip via car, read this post to find out how I traveled safely and successfully across the country in my 2003 Corolla alone over the span of ten days.
Table of Contents
Do you consider yourself a solo traveler ?
1. Car Prep
My 2003 Toyota Corolla
Before purchasing or packing anything, I knew I first needed to make sure that my car could even make the drive cross country, especially since it was an older model (2003 Toyota Corolla). So, I took it to my local dealership to make sure the following were up to date:
Car Battery
Engine Belts/Hoses
Fluids and Filters
Air conditioner (especially because I was traveling across the desert in the summer time)
Brake pads/fluids
Car Insurance/Coverage
It’s so important that you don’t skip this step because you never know what might happen out there on the road. Before departing, I’d read many stories of people breaking down in the desert with no cell service, and the thought of that happening while being alone was terrifying. Luckily, I was blessed to not experience any car trouble during my trip, and taking the extra precaution to make sure was so worth it.
2. Route Planning
Routes suggested by Google Maps
To decide the route that I was going to take actually didn’t take too long to plan. I knew that I wanted to take my time arriving in Mississippi, so I felt like being on the road for at least ten days would be enough time to have a reflective and memorable driving experience.
For my first step, I looked at a map of the US in its entirety to determine what state stood out that would be most interesting and exciting to travel through.
Arizona was the state to stick out to me because I really wanted to see the Grand Canyon. This helped me to figure out how’d I actually get there and how to keep traveling from there.
So whether you’re looking to travel north, south, east, or west, first decide how many days you’d like to be on the road. Then, begin pinpointing a state that you’ll definitely want to stop in to help you figure out the flow of your trip.
I did make it to the Grand Canyon, btw!
Once I knew I wanted to travel to the Grand Canyon, I decided that driving down to southern California and then throughout the southwest would be the best option for me.
But to confirm this, I double checked with Google Maps to see alternate route options. Looking at the routes that didn’t require too much time on the road, I decided that after Arizona, I’d continue on through New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, to Mississippi.
Using Google Maps also helped to guide my research on which cities were the safest and most interesting to stay in in each state. Once I decided on the cities, I could then calculate and break up my drive over the span of ten days. Here’s what it looked like:
One night in southern California
Two nights in Arizona
Two nights in New Mexico
Four nights in Texas (the state is huge, so I knew I’d be making several stops throughout)
One night in Louisiana
When planning your route, also make sure to calculate how many hours you’re realistically able to drive during the day. This is so important because it’ll help you estimate your arrival times.
3. Lodging
An intro message to my AirBnb Host
Once I decided on the cities I would stay in, I began to book.
Now, my lodging reservations shifted a few times and the reason why is because servicing my car took one extra day than I thought it would, and so I had to push back my departure dates for each place…annoying, yes but at least I was able to notify the hosts in enough time to receive the benefit of flexible booking.
That being said, I recommend making sure that your car is serviced at least a week or two in advance to account for any surprises. That also goes for any other major To Dos before your departure! I think I waited so late because I was so focused on selling my furniture and packing.
Anyway, back to the lodging. I decided to use Airbnb for my booking, and that’s because that’s what I’ve mostly used during many of my travels. I did check out some hotels, but ended up going with Airbnb for more flexible, interesting lodging experiences.
4. Packing
Your road trip could be inspired for many reasons. Maybe you’re wanting to travel to one, specific destination and spend your entire vacation there. Or you might be interested in passing through several states and exploring each one. Or, maybe you’re like I was and you’re making a permanent move to a new state, which means you’re traveling with clothes, valuable items, and all of the things that can fit in your car. If you’re any of these, then the following items are necessary to pack.
Sidenote: You won’t see food on this list because it really needs its own section.
Car Chargers
It’s so important to have at least two car chargers with you, so that you’re able to have a fully charged phone. I say two because you just never know. You might lose or drop one inconveniently, and having a backup is always nice.
Portable Charger
Yes you’ll have the car chargers, but think about when you’re out exploring for the day. Having a portable charger with you can ensure that your phone stays fully juiced so that you can stay in touch with loved ones, your lodging host, or even just stay up to date with what’s happening locally.
TomTom or GPS (unless you have navigation built into your vehicle)
A must! Don’t just rely on your phone to navigate you. Your phone could get overheated or you could lose cell service in lesser populated areas. Keep your phone available for emergencies, phone calls, or additional directions. And instead, have a TomTom or GPS designated just for your navigation.
My TomTom Go 52
I purchased the TomTom Go 52 at the time, which is a basic entry-level satellite navigation. Heads up: the TomTom Go 52 now uses Europe-based maps for some reason, however there are other TomToms available that support the US maps. I really liked this navigation system because it plugged into the cigarette lighter socket of my Corolla and easily sat atop the dashboard out of my way but still in eyesight. Whenever I’d stop for the night, all I had to do was remove the screen and take it inside with me.
There are lots of other brands to go with as well, so do your research and find what works best for you. If you do decide to go with an external GPS system, make sure you plug your entire route in before you depart, including any additional stops you plan on making. This helps to save time by preventing you from having to plug in each new destination while actually on the road.
First Aid Kit/Safety Items
I packed a small first aid kit for any emergencies that might have come up. Just stash it in your glove compartment so that you can easily access it if needed.
To feel safe and protected from danger, I decided to purchase portable pepper spray that I carried throughout my journey on my car key ring. For you, it could be whatever makes you feel safe, but have something just in case you run into any trouble.
Clothes/Valuables
Again, if you’re moving across the country you might be moving some of your personal items or lots of clothing. Make sure to check the weather at each of your destinations, so that you can pack accordingly and have easy access to the type of clothes you’ll need.
Lugging my luggage and cooler in Texas
Depending on the size of your vehicle, you might have to ship some of your belongings to your new location ahead of time. I tried to downsize by selling as much as I could beforehand, so that I could store most of my valuables in my trunk. However, I did end up having to place quite a bit of stuff in the backseat, too. It wasn’t my favorite thing to do, just because I worried about things being left in the car overnight but here’s what I did with that:
I purchased and found some totes and milk crates to store my items in. This helped to consolidate space by being able to stack them on top of each other. Once my trunk was full, I began to fill up the floors of my backseat. I covered things I placed on the seats with lots of blankets. That way this would lower any speculation or curiosity of people who passed by and saw my windows. I’ll share more about how I handled things in the car overnight later on in this post. But for now, depending on how long you decide to travel, make sure you have enough clothes and extras to change into. When it comes to laptops, just be careful. Because there was no way for me not to bring mine, I would make a point to always carry it with me, but rarely pulled it out during my trip. I’ll share why below.
Notebooks
It was so important to me that I used a notebook to write down all of my lodging information, addresses, contact info, and time/distance between each destination. Call me over-prepared, but it felt necessary to have important information somewhere other than just digitally in case my cell service went out.
I also wrote down some of the places I wanted to visit, so that I wouldn’t have to rely on researching on my laptop too much. I was very finicky about pulling out my laptop, so being able to refer to my notebook took care of that for me. We’re in a tech savvy world now, so of course use your phone if you feel that’s better. As I write this post right now, I realize that also writing down emergency phone numbers would have been an extra safe thing to do in case something happened to my phone and I couldn’t recall numbers. So if you think that’d be helpful, definitely write those down too.
Easy to Drink from Water Bottle
Of course having a water bottle is necessary on any long trip, however I thought about how I’d be able to take sips while continuing to drive and pay full attention to the road, scenery, and signs. So, I opted for a water bottle that didn’t require twisting a cap or popping open a top. I settled on my Hydroflask 32 Oz Wide Mouth with a Flex Straw. Not only do Hydroflasks keep drinks cold for 24 hours, but this particular one has an easy to flip straw cap that requires only one hand to open and drink from. 32 oz felt like the right amount to have access to between stops, but of course choose the size, brand, and type that feels best for you.
Coolers
Because I was bringing as many of my favorite beverages and snacks as I could pack, I brought two small Igloo coolers with me - one for food and one for drinks. These rode on the front seat so that I could easily grab from them whenever I wanted something. Make sure to fill them with ice. You can easily buy new bags of ice at any gas station throughout your journey.
My lil pepperoni plant in New Mexico
Miscellaneous
Some other random, miscellaneous items I brought along with me were bungee cords, headlamps to use at nighttime, travel utensils, paper towels, and a few rolls of tissue…hey you never know when you’re going to have to pull over on the side of the road and “take a whiz” behind your car…it happens! I also made sure to purchase a steering wheel cover since I was planning to travel through the desert during the day. Because my steering wheel is made of leather, the cover helped ALOT.
And believe it or not, I also brought along a few of my favorite plants…yes I know - say what? Only one of them didn’t make it out alive, but the rest did and are actually sitting beside me today. If you’re a plant parent and want to take some of your babies with you, it’s possible! Just take some of their clippings and store them in little containers with water - I got some glass ones from Dollar Tree. I placed some in my cup holders and others in a box tightly packed together on the floor. I did have a moment where I made a hard U-turn and some flavored juice spilled into one of the cups, BUT, I was able to pull over and empty it and refill it back with fresh water.
5. Food/Beverages
When it comes to food and drinks, stock up on the snizzaacks. Like, for real. Whatever your favorite snacks are - healthy or sugary, pack ‘em. Same with drinks, and don’t forget the ice. Maybe you’re planning to stay in a spot for a couple of days. If so, pack a lil’ wine or some cans of beer to celebrate with for later.
For those who’re moving, stack up on your favorite things that you might not be able to find in your new location! For me, I stocked up on Trader Joe's items and brands from my local market that I knew I wouldn’t find back in Mississippi.
6. Leaving Things in the Car Overnight
So this was the biggest worry for me because I knew I would have things laying on the back seat. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to not have any incidents such as break ins or stolen items. Here’s how I avoided it:
Parking close to my lodging in New Mexico
I continued to keep my totes hidden with blankets whenever I stopped at gas stations, attractions, or at my lodging.
When I went into stores, I always parked away from lots of cars/crowds so that no one was easily able to see what I was traveling with.
I made sure that when I was ready to turn in for the night my car was parked as close to my lodging as possible so I could hear if anything was going on.
When I went to bed, I made sure to bring in bags that held extremely valuable items i.e. family photos, laptop, jewelry, etc. I also brought in all of my food, too, just to make sure nothing could attract animals or spoil.
Now, I’m not saying that this will 100% guarantee you protection from unfortunate events, however it will definitely help you feel that you’re doing the best you can to keep your valuables safe.
7. Checking in with Loved Ones
As annoying as it might seem to constantly have to check in, we have to be honest that our loved ones worry. Plus, they’d probably love to hear about your experiences on the road.
In order to mitigate having to send multiple text messages, I made a group thread so that I could send updates to everyone at the same time.
Before I started my trip, I told my folks that I’d make sure to check in with them at a specific time each day so that they’d know when to expect to hear from me. I chose to check in with them every morning and at night before bed, plus I sent pics every now and then of the beautiful things I saw along the way.
8. Altering Your Trip While on the Road
Requesting to change my lodging
When I got to Marfa, TX about 6 days into my trip, I realized that I was really enjoying my AirStream lodging and that I could also use a little more rest. So, I decided to book another night. Before I did this though, I made sure to check in with the hosts of my upcoming lodging to make sure it was even possible to switch the dates, and luckily it was! Then, I booked another night.
Changing your mind while en route is possible, just make sure you check in with everyone that’s involved before making any adjustments.
9. Playlists for the Road
While you’re traveling on the road, there may be moments where you’ll want to drive in silence and simply reflect. However, there’ll probably be many more times where you’ll want to hear some good tunes to get you through and enhance your journey! For me, it was a lot of dance/electronic, deep eerie sounds from the British artist, FKA Twigs, and even Coldplay that kept me moving along my route.
If you’re into making playlists, create a few that contain your favorite tunes to keep your trip interesting and upbeat, especially on those longer roads where there’s not much to look at.
But also, I encourage you to turn on your radio and listen to the different stations of other states. When I was passing through the beautiful hills of Arizona that were completely covered in Saguaro Cacti, the radio was playing “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees and I promise it felt like the Cacti were groovin’ right along with me. It was a whole divine mood!
10. Capture the Experience
Hanging out at the hot springs in New Mexico
Honestly, taking time to take photos and record videos of my trip was the best thing. It’s taken me almost two years to finally dive into sharing my trip, and to look back on the pictures and videos I have really send me back into the experiences, and help me to remember what it felt like to be on that drive! Plus, when the trip is over, you can share your pics/videos with others…or maybe even write a blog about it ;)
So that’s it. That’s what it took for me to plan a solo roadtrip, get on the road, and travel across the country for 10 days through the US, from California to Mississippi.
Doing all of the above helped me to feel prepared and as safe as possible so that when I was out there on the road, I was able to move with confidence.
All of the research and preparation was so worth it to ensure my safety. I hope this inspires you - whether you’re about to embark on a road trip or are simply thinking about what it would require to drive and vacation throughout the US.
Have you been on any solo road trips through the US? If so, what states or cities did you travel through, and do you have any tips/suggestions that aren’t listed above? Share down in the comments below :)