What's A Road Trip Food You Can't Do Without?

It's time to embark on an epic family road trip adventure through the rugged wilderness of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Whether you're planning to hit only a few of these places or want to cover the entire park circuit through Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Monument Valley, Arches, and Canyonlands, here's how to make the most of your trip without wasting a cent. Slow down and savor the beautiful scenic byways While your trusty GPS might say there are faster ways to get you from point A to point B, stick to Utah's Scenic Byways as you travel between the parks. State Route 12 takes you from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon on a beautiful 124-mile journey with awe-inspiring views at every turn. Give yourself at least three hours so you can stop for photo ops along the way. Step into your favorite movies in the places they were filmed There's a reason why some of this scenery looks so familiar. It's been the background in plenty of films, from John Wayne classics like Stagecoach (filmed in the Monument Valley area) to Thelma & Louise, (filmed in Arches National Park; the final scene was really filmed in Dead Horse State Point State Park, not the Grand Canyon—who knew?) Die-hard Forrest Gump fans can also be seen pulling over at Mile Marker 13 on Highway 163, outside Monument Valley, for a chance to take the perfect photo in the spot where, one day, Forrest just stopped running. Get to know lesser-known national parks like Capitol Reef Often overshadowed by Zion and Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef National Park is definitely worth visiting: Admission is only $5 per vehicle, and you'll have access to unspoiled views of red rock country and a chance to explore the area's rich pioneer history. Infamous outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid even used parts of the park as a hideout! Stop by Rim Rock Restaurant for a gorgeous vantage point of the red rock as you dine, and stay around the corner at Broken Spur Inn (Rim Rock Restaurant, 2523 E. Highway 24 in Torrey, therimrock.net; Broken Spur Inn, rooms from $99 per night, 955, E. SR-24, brokenspurinn.com.) Don't miss Page, Arizona, on your way to or from Monument Valley Spend some time on the shores of Lake Powell, part of Arizona's scenic Glen Canyon Recreation Area ($15 per vehicle for a weekly pass), or rent a kayak at Lake Powell Resort to see the area from the water (kayak rentals from $45 per day, 100 Lakeshore Drive, lakepowell.com). Stop by Horseshoe Bend just south of Page on Highway 89 (free). Don't be intimidated by the three-quarters-of-a-mile hike through desert sands to reach the scenic overlook point. (Author's note: If I can do it, you can do it, and that amazing view from the top of the ridge was totally worth it!) Immerse yourself in Native American culture and history in Monument Valley Stay at Goulding's Lodge, a remote but charming outpost minutes from Monument Valley that's home to Goulding's Trading Post Museum. View photos and artifacts from the Old West; learn about the area's Native American tribes; check out John Wayne's Cabin, where She Wore a Yellow Ribbon was filmed; and catch classic western flicks at the Earth Spirit Theater. Goulding's also offers several guided trips into Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, including its three-and-a-half hour deluxe tour, which gives you a close-up look at scenic rock formations like the Mittens, the Three Sisters, and North Window, and the chance to explore parts of the park that are off-limits to the general public (tour from $70 per person, rooms from $89 per night November through April, from $211 per night May through October, gouldings.com). Explore Bryce Canyon on horseback Embrace your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) and get a different view of the park from the back of your trusty steed. Bryce Canyon Rides takes you on a two-hour guided tour from Bryce Canyon Lodge down to the canyon floor, past scenic spots like the Wall of Windows and the Chessmen. Bring plenty of water, and whatever you do, don't forget your camera! (from $60 per person for a two-hour trip, from $80 per person for a half-day guided tour, canyonrides.com; admission to the park includes unlimited use of park shuttles and is valid for seven days, $25 per vehicle or $12 per person entering on foot, nps.gov/brca). C'mon and take a free ride at Zion and Bryce Canyon While you can bring your car to Bryce Canyon National Park, we recommend staying at Ruby's Inn (rooms from $149 per night, 25 S. Main St., rubysinn.com), leaving your car there, and hopping on the free Bryce Canyon Shuttle to avoid spending your precious time in the park worrying about traffic. Parking at Zion National Park, meanwhile, is limited to a frequently overcrowded parking lot near the entrance, and after a certain point, no cars are allowed and you must take free shuttles to see the rest. Leave the car at your hotel—we love the Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park (rooms from $197 per night, 1127 Zion Park Blvd, hamptoninn.com)—and take the Springdale Shuttle to Zion, where you can catch the Zion Canyon Shuttle inside the park (admission to the park includes unlimited use of park shuttles and is valid for seven days, $25 per vehicle or $12 per person entering on foot, nps.gov/zion). Treat yourself to dinner and a show For the Moab portion of your trip, spend your days exploring nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks (admission to the parks is valid for seven days, $10 per vehicle or $5 per person entering on foot for each park). Don't miss the Moab Adventure Center's Dinner and Night Show: You'll start with an hour-long Dutch oven cowboy-style dinner, then board a jet boat for a two-hour journey up and down the Colorado River. Watch as the canyon walls are lit up by 40,000 watts of light and hear stories of how the are came to be settled by Native Americans and later, cowboys ($69 for adults, $59 for children ages 12 and under, 1861 N. Highway 191, moabadventurecenter.com). Back in Moab, stay at Kokopelli Lodge, a funky, retro-style motel a few blocks from Moab's walkable downtown along Highway 191 (From $79 per night, 72 S. 100 East, kokopellilodge.com). Surround yourself with culture and history in Salt Lake City Use Salt Lake City as a base for your first or last night and spend a day at the Natural History Museum of Utah, one of 13 attractions covered by the Visit Salt Lake Connect Pass ($29 for adults, $24 for children 12 and under, $23 for seniors over 65 for a one-day pass; two-day, three-day, and annual passes are also available). If you're working on a family tree, stop by the Family History Library for access to millions of records and complimentary help with your research. Stay at Hotel Monaco, a swanky Kimpton hotel with family-sized rooms from $159 per night (15 W. 200 South, Monaco-saltlakecity.com) and stop by Eva's Bakery for a delightful French café breakfast (155 S. Main St., evasbakeryslc.com). Don't forget to pack: Sunscreen: apply an ounce (about a shot glass) of SPF 30 broad-spectrum sunscreen every two hours while you're exposed to the sun. Sun-protective clothing: Wear a wide-brimmed hat and protective shirt and pants. (Hold them up to the light; if you can see the sun through your shirt, it's not protecting your skin from damaging UV rays). Water: The National Park Service recommends that you bring one gallon of water per person per day. Sure, it sounds like a lot, but you'll be glad you did. Layers: While the dry heat of midday in Utah can be challenging, don't forget that evening temperatures drop quickly, especially at altitude. Be sure to bring sweaters and jackets. Hiking shoes: Leave the sandals and flip-flops in your hotel room! When exploring any national park or other wild place, it's best to wear durable socks and closed-toe shoes with sturdy support and water-resistance. Take advantage of free weekends at all national parks Aug. 25, National Park Service Birthday Sept. 26, Public Lands Day Nov. 11, Veterans Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Presidents' Day Weekend Opening weekend of National Park Week in April

Hop in the passenger's seat on the ultimate road trip! We're posting real-time dispatches as Budget Travel's Photo Editor, Whitney Tressel, journeys across the country using tips from locals as her guide. Prepare for beautiful beaches and parks, amazing local cuisine, and one-of-a-kind experiences you only get when you talk to the real Americans who make this country great. Is it over already? After two weeks chock-full of unique towns, local eats, and activities from two-stepping to peacock-spotting, Whitney's cross-country road trip came to a close. But not before she pumped the brakes in order to settle into Georgia's slow southern pace, eventually winging her way up to South Carolina, to see the sun set quite literally on her trip. Dusk in Savannah. As the sun melted like hot butter over the horizon, over the rooftop of Whitney's hotel, she plotted her morning journey to Clary's Cafe for breakfast, on the recommendation of a local she met back in Tallahassee. Once there, a plate of perfect eggs florentine, two bright-yellow paprika-sprinkled hills, cozied up with a generous bowl of grits, materialized in front of Whitney. A side of homemade corned beef hash? Why not? Whitney hopscotched among Savannah's 22 lush, grassy squares to iconic Forsyth Park, draped in the Spanish moss that's inseparable from the idea of Savannah as a city. Trivia: The historic park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape architect who designed New York City's Central Park. After capturing the trees and fountains on camera and doing some serious people-watching and music-listening—musicians constantly play in the park—Whitney took her time meandering along the river, stopping at Savannah's Candy Kitchen for a candy-dipped apple crisscrossed with ribbons of white and dark chocolate to bite into as she took in the water views. Pre-dinner candy aside, this is the south: There's always more room for home cookin'. The Olde Pink House restaurant has a much-deserved reputation for its classic dishes, including "southern sushi," smoked shrimp and grits rolled in coconut-crusted nori, and a side of "hoppin' john," black-eyed peas and rice that Whitney spooned up like it was her last meal on the road. But not so fast: One last southern state loomed on the horizon as Whitney zoomed up I-17. Folly Beach, South Carolina, grabbed her attention immediately with its classic Atlantic Coast vibe: locals fishing, eating ice cream, playing volleyball, dipping their toes in the surf, and lolling about on the sand. Come dinnertime, Whitney bellied up to the Folly Beach Crab Shack and ordered up a dish of crab balls with with rémoulade for less than 10 bucks, then set out for the best place to watch the sunset, according to a couple fishing on the pier.As Whitney watched the horizon shift from orange to pink to navy from a boat marina between Folly Beach and Charleston, she let her mind drift back to the start of her trip, her thoughts running backward across the country, up and down the south's peaks and valleys, past its ocean vistas, along the open road, accompanied only by her camera, now full of freeze-framed vistas, natural beauty, and the faces of new friends. Whitney's Final Travel Tip: Don't hesitate to travel alone. The act of traveling with others is irrefutably awesome, but embarking on a solo journey births new and different experiences that, quite honestly, couldn't happen if you weren't by yourself, surrounded by everything unfamiliar. Previously:#BTRoadTrip: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Tallahassee, Florida#BTRoadTrip: Del Rio, Texas, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana#BTRoadTrip: Tucson to Del Rio, Texas#BTRoadTrip: San Diego to Tucson#BTRoadTrip: Los Angeles to San Diego

Hop in the passenger's seat on the ultimate road trip! We're posting real-time dispatches as Budget Travel's Photo Editor, Whitney Tressel, journeys across the country using tips from locals as her guide. Prepare for beautiful beaches and parks, amazing local cuisine, and one-of-a-kind experiences you only get when you talk to the real Americans who make this country great. Swinging low from Baton Rouge to N'awlins and back up again to Slidell via I-10, Whitney found herself deep in southern Louisiana, where the pace is slow, the food is sinfully indulgent, and Lake Charles–born singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams's album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road can almost function as a road map in itself. If you've been to NOLA, you're probably no stranger to Cafe Du Monde's confectioner's sugar–dusted beignets. But we've got a new little-known pastry haven to put on your itinerary: On the advice of a photographer couple, Whitney coasted north, toward Lake Ponchartrain, to Morning Call Coffee Stand, which serves beignets off the beaten track (a.k.a. no long lines of tourists waiting patiently to shake their bags of doughnuts and/or steal your table). After Whitney placed her order, three beignets appeared on a white plate, plump and golden, a sugar shaker at the ready. After giving them a good powdery coat, she bit into the first one. Bliss. Sugar State bliss. Terrifically convenient for a post-breakfast stroll, this outpost of Morning Call is located in City Park, a stretch of nature where seas of purple and orange wildflowers paint the ground—a veritable rainbow resting beneath the trees. Think of the blooms as New Orleans's version of D.C.'s cherry blossoms. Totally worth the trip. The French Quarter, particularly Magazine Street, is a classic stop, and Whitney spent time there snapping shots of the iconic architecture. East of the French Quarter, though, she discovered the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood—Frenchmen Street in particular, a multi-block avenue with smaller blocks jutting out of it. One could say the Faubourg Marigny and Bywater 'hoods are the "new" French Quarter: edgier areas with street art (like the mural above) and gobs of live music. As Whitney walked, a lonely country boy crooned on one side of the street, a jazz singer played the piano on the other, and a singer-songwriter with two guitars appeared later down the road. It was, she says, like changing the radio station every 10 steps. Whitney couldn't leave the south without having a po'boy, and she got her chance in Fairhope, Alabama, at Down by the Bay Cafe, a family-run restaurant that Whitney chose partially out of nostalgia for the classic children's song. (Sure enough, that's what it was named after.) She ordered up a half-catfish, half-shrimp po'boy, "dressed," as one must specify in the south, with lettuce, tomato, and sauce (at Down by the Bay, it's tartar sauce, but other establishments differ). Whitney ate every piece of it. On clear days, you can see the Mobile, Alabama, skyline from the restaurant. After you eat your po'boy, walk down to North Beach Park for a stroll. Admire the ducks while you're there. Whitney continued heading east on I-10 and sought some advice from the front-desk attendant (and Florida State University student) at her hotel in Tallahassee, who gamely agreed to share her secret retreat with BT: While driving on I-10, take Route 27 about two and a half miles south, through suburban Tallahassee. Before you know it, Lake Ella will appear on your left. Grab a cup of joe at Black Dog Cafe and take a seat next to the water. It's a mini sanctuary in the city. Whitney's Travel Tip: Fight the urge to rely solely on internet reviews to determine what's good. Instead, ask the locals. Without their in-person advice, Whitney never would have found those mouth-watering beignets in New Orleans or a hidden lake in Tallahassee. Next stop: The East Coast home stretch. Previously:#BTRoadTrip: Del Rio, Texas, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana#BTRoadTrip: Tucson to Del Rio, Texas#BTRoadTrip: San Diego to Tucson#BTRoadTrip: Los Angeles to San Diego

Hop in the passenger's seat on the ultimate road trip! We're posting real-time dispatches as Budget Travel's Photo Editor, Whitney Tressel, journeys across the country using tips from locals as her guide. Prepare for beautiful beaches and parks, amazing local cuisine, and one-of-a-kind experiences you only get when you talk to the real Americans who make this country great. Like the Dukes of Hazzard on the run from Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, the law finally caught up with Whitney en route from Del Rio, Texas, to San Antonio. Two-plus weeks on the road will increase anyone's odds for a traffic stop, but in this particular case, Whitney had taken a long-cut around Brackettville, Texas, to avoid stirring up her irrational fear of wind turbines. (We are not making this up—it's called anemomenophobia.) Turns out, the road less traveled is often used by shady types looking to avoid the border patrol checkpoint along I-90. Before long, Whitney had two cops on her tail and was swiftly pulled over. After mentally running through a checklist of things she hadn't done (speeding, harboring contraband, etc.), she owned up to her wind-farm phobia to one very serious-looking officer. In Duke Boys terminology, she thought she'd never get out of this pickle. But as they say, the truth will set you free, and as soon as they realized her fear of giant windmills was no joke, they sent her on her way. Despite the trouble from the fuzz, taking the detour was ultimately worth it for the wildlife: Along the way, she spotted several antelopes with prominent spiral horns. Although seeing kudus in Texas is highly improbable, Whitney's mind immediately flashed back to the creatures from her Big Buck Hunter tournament days—she used to organize team outings, matching tie-dye T-shirts and all—and pulled to the side of the road, taking shot after shot of the big beauties. It was raining and cloudy by the time Whitney arrived in San Antonio. She took a much-deserved break at the Pearl, a cultural and foodie destination a couple of miles north of the River Walk, browsing handmade textiles, home decor, and jewelry at The Tiny Finch, then fueling up with a fresh fruit-and-veggie shake at One Lucky Duck. Next on the map? Austin. And the close wildlife encounters were just beginning: Back in Marfa, she received a true Keep Austin Weird–style suggestion to visit Mayfield Park, a "peacock park" that is not a zoo. The pretty beasts unfurled their plumage as Whitney snapped them mid-mating dance. Later that night, Whitney got her ultimate Texas experience at The Broken Spoke in Austin, a dance hall dubbed the "best honky-tonk in Texas," where locals pay a $12 cover to two-step to live music, sip beers, eat barbecued brisket and cups of potato salad, and watch newcomers try their best to fit in. Whitney had no problem there: Soon after she arrived, a local named Polo who says he comes every Saturday asked her to dance. Even better, a local legend was in the house: Dressed in a flashy red shirt studded with rhinestones, Broken Spoke founder James M. White made his way through the crowd, which treated him with deference and respect, as though he were a beloved local politician. As barbecue fans know, sampling only one barbecue joint's fare on a visit to Texas just isn't enough, so on the suggestion of a Houstonite, Whitney traveled southeast of Austin and spent most of her day among the "pit bosses" at Smitty's Market in Lockhart, Texas, an authentic smokehouse known for its sausages that's about as non-touristy as you can get. (Think: fictional Freddy's BBQ Joint on House of Cards before the media got wind of it.) Whitney eagerly carved into a pile of meat served on a double-stack of butcher paper, which was easier said than done: Smitty's gives patrons only a knife and a spoon, encouraging guests to eat with their hands and get delightfully sloppy. Wet-Naps? As if. A soothing punctuation mark to this Texas travelogue was a sunrise visit to artist James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyspace structure, a grass, concrete, stone, and steel structure with a rectangular window to the sky, designed to function as a mind-bending play on color when the sun rises and sets. Whitney lay on the ground and watched the colors of the sky change as the pavilion's artificial light glowed around it, tricking the mind into thinking the sky is a different color than it actually is—an immersive, highbrow version of the 'blue or white dress" debate. Visits are always free. Whitney's Travel Tip: First, don't cut around the Brackettville/Uvalde border patrol checkpoint if you know what's good for you. Second, at James Turrell's Skyspace, sunset viewings are usually packed with people and require a reservation, but if you have the chutzpah to rise and shine before the sun comes up, morning "shows" are wide open. In fact, you might have the entire exhibit to yourself. Next stop: Finding our inner Francophile in Louisiana Previously:#BTRoadTrip: Tucson to Del Rio, Texas#BTRoadTrip: San Diego to Tucson#BTRoadTrip: Los Angeles to San Diego