We are officially five months out from our 2027 USA road trip! The excitement is starting to feel very real. This trip is going to be a bit different for us—it’s a child-free American holiday, which opens up a whole new pace of travel, longer driving stretches, and a completely different style of itinerary.
To say that I have mixed feelings is an understatement… I’m excited for the holiday, sad to leave my kids, nervous due to to continuous negative news cycle that comes out of the States, grateful that I am getting to go on holiday… and well, you hopefully you can understand.
If you’ve ever planned a long-haul trip from New Zealand to the United States, you know that the five-month mark is where vague ideas turn into concrete logistics. Here is a snapshot of where our planning stands, what’s locked in, and what we’re tackling next.
What We Have Locked In For Our Holiday So Far… 5 Months Out
By the five-month mark, the heavy lifting of big-ticket bookings should be mostly complete to avoid surging prices and limited availability.
- Flights: Booked and confirmed. Securing transatlantic/transpacific long-haul flights early gave us our fixed start and end dates. We also scored really good priced deals in the Air NZ USA & Canada sale. We booked these about 10 months out from our departure date.
- The Route: Our driving route is locked. We’ve mapped out the entry and exit points, calculated average daily drive times, and set our main stops. Google Maps was a lifesaver for this! We plotted our overnight points on the map to nut it all out.
- Core Concept: Child-free, adult-paced travel focusing on local culture, scenic drives, and key national/state landmarks. This means we can go a lot faster and tick a lot more things off than if we were bringing our 4 year old and 2 year old with us!
Accommodation Strategy: Work in Progress
We are currently in the middle of securing our accommodations. For a major US road trip, mixing accommodation types keeps both the budget and the experience balanced:
- Anchor Cities & Popular Hubs: Booking these first. Major US tourist destinations and areas near National Parks fill up fast, so locking these in 5–6 months out is essential.
So far we have locked in our NYC, Nashville and Las Vegas accomodation. - Unique Stays vs. Convenience: Balancing boutique stays or classic road-trip motels with standard hotel options close to major highway routes.
- Flexibility: Utilising free-cancellation policies where possible so we can tweak our exact daily schedule if needed.
Activities: From “Loose Ideas” to Daily Flow
With the route fixed, we’re shifting focus from broad ideas to day-to-day itineraries.
- Must-Do Anchors: Identifying the 1–2 non-negotiable activities per location (e.g., specific tours, iconic hikes, or event tickets) that require advance booking.
- Buffer Time: Consciously leaving room in the schedule for spontaneous road-side stops, local eateries, and relaxed evenings.
The 5-Month USA Trip Planning Checklist
If you’re planning a similar long-haul American road trip, here is a quick checklist of what to focus on at the 5-month mark:
- [ ] Lock in flights & main transit hubs
- [ ] Finalize the daily driving route & mileage
- [ ] Book key accommodations (especially near National Parks or popular cities)
- [ ] Check visa requirements (apply for ESTA early if travelling on a NZ passport, and if you have a conviction and need B-1/B-2 Tourist Visa, then hopefully you already have your appointment in Auckland booked… trust us, the waitlist is months long!!)
- [ ] Set up a realistic budget tracker for food, fuel, rental car, and activities
- [ ] Research rental car specs (ensure unlimited mileage and proper insurance coverage)
What’s Next?
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be finalizing the rest of our stays, locking down rental car logistics, and refining our daily activity hit-list.
Are you currently planning a long-haul road trip or have favorite US spots we shouldn’t miss? Drop a comment below —we’d love your recommendations!
