The Art of Travel: USA Edition
Interview by Jennifer Cooper
“When I travel, I feel alive. I feel more connected to myself and the world than I ever could within four walls.”
Summer is finally here and after a year and a half of being holed up in our homes, I thought it was high time to discuss travel.
Like, properly and enthusiastically.
So I called up my friend and travel expert, Carla Joelle Brown. Carla has been to every single state in the U.S. for her documentary Everyone But Two. Considering the majority of us have only been to 12 states, at most, that’s quite an accomplishment.
In the documentary, currently in post-production, Carla retraces the path of her grandparents across the contiguous U.S. as a way to connect with her family legacy while exploring the history of Black mobility in America.
She knows every strange, obscure, out-of-the way place across the country; every haunt you hadn’t considered, and she does a lot of traveling by RV. And because I want this on the record, she did it long before it was “influencer-chic.”
Because it’s true that that RVs are super hot right now and the pandemic accelerated their popularity. In fact, it’s estimated that 11 million Americans now own one and more people than ever before are using them to travel across the country, so I thought it was right to get some tips from one of the original trailblazers who de-stigmatized that sweet mobile-travel life.
Heading into the summer, we’re all itching to travel. Especially now that more and more of us are getting vaccinated. That said, most of the travel will be within the U.S. borders since much of the world is still struggling with COVID. What are your tips for finding the best U.S. destinations? Do you have any favorite sites or apps?
Yes, indeed. I am one of those people itching to travel. In fact, I’m taking a day trip to Detroit which I’m excited about.
But long answer short, keep in mind that everyone and their mom will be heading to the first few places on your list. That means there will be crowds. Now, it’s not that you can’t have an enjoyable time with thousands of your fellow travelers, but it can impact your experience. So plan accordingly.
My biggest tip for finding the best U.S. destinations while avoiding the crowds is to go for the sleeper and underdog places that are adjacent to the top destinations on your list. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box or even your comfort zone. For instance, if there’s a place you’ve never been to, go. If you haven’t done it, try it.
That is why I like the travel sites I list below. They are for the road warrior and have a lot of themed itineraries that are helpful for making a decision on where to go, including places that may not have ever been on your radar.
Favorite sites: Road Trippers, To Go RV and good old KOA.
“Picking your travel squad is like dating; for it to work you must be compatible. ”
What are some of your "must brings" when you travel?
My journal, a black liquid gel pen, insulated water bottle, music (which is attached to my iphone but I try my best to stay offline while traveling), and camera (which is also attached to my iphone. I have discovered that as much as I like my DSLR, the iphone can capture the same quality images), sunglasses, and bourbon (will purchase on site), a comfy sweatshirt/oversized cardigan, and as my grandmother called them “slipper slacks.” We call them flip flops. I can buy everything else I need or would have forgotten.
photo: Dave Cooper
How do you stay hydrated?
Agua y mas agua! I keep my insulated water bottle with me and fill up whenever I can always. Even at home. I have reached an age where my body and mind will let me know if I am not hydrated in a very rude way! Dehydration can cause some harrowing and embarrassing moments and my ego has learned its lesson. I should be drinking water in some quantity every hour.
What’s one of your tips for making the most out of a trip?
Look friendly and talk to as many locals when you can, and ease drop on fellow travelers. Don’t be afraid to ask these people questions. You don’t know them, so it is ok to annoy them. I often find that locals are always pleased to share their best of’s their hometown. Most people are home proud. And fellow travelers are good litmus test for recommendations too. They’ll tell you if they found out something was or was not a good use of their time and/or money. But generally, I have one motto that encompasses all – say yes to it if you can’t eat, do it or buy it at home.
Do you keep a travel journal? If so, what are some things to note in it?
I absolutely do. I don’t travel without one. I tend to get all philosophical at times and make observations about life, whether it is about race, love, our environment, people I met along the way, even something as small as the colors of a sunset. Maybe even people back home. I am a Gemini – I am mercurial with my thoughts.
What’s been one of your favorite places in the North? South? East? West? Central?
North: Maybe not the north you meant, but I am going to say anywhere in Alaska. It is such a mysterious, untouched place with a sprinkle of all the life fixings we are used to in the lower 48. I understand why there are so many shows now about how people live off the grid there. You can lose yourself, but you need to know how to survive.
South: I am huge fan of Charleston, SC, and New Orleans, LA. The food and the culture are such rich experiences. That said, be wary of the commercialized tourist bits. Otherwise, they are great places if you are a fan of history and are open to connecting the dots to how cultures grow and transform. Sidenote and perfect example: the fascinating docu-series on Netflix called High On the Hog shares not only are the origins of some of our food, but after watching it you will want to eat, and travel, and eat some more.
East: I am always going to be a die-hard NYC fan. Yes, it is hectic, and every other adjective one can find, but it is like a big snow globe of life as we know it in every form and shape. West: The Pacific Northwest feeds my romantic, dreary soul. Rain dripped trees in the fog never gets old. The Pacific Ocean down 101 must be on everyone’s list of things to do. The coastal views are epic.
Central: I always surprise myself when I say this, but Oklahoma. Years ago, I visited Robber’s Cave State Park in Wilburton. Right behind my accommodations were the Sans Bois Mountains. For some reason, I was and still am taken by that landscape. Perhaps because it was completely unexpected and truly breathtaking.
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Any tips for women traveling alone?
It is funny you ask, because the other day I went to a beach in Delaware by myself and it wasn’t that far, about a 2 ½ hour drive. When I told people my plans, the first question was “by yourself?” Then it occurred to me that I am very much at ease traveling short and long distances alone. I try not to fall into any of this social conformity of gender and place. I see people as people, in the sense that if you want to eat, you need to know how to cook. If you want a clean place to live, you need not be afraid of a bucket and a mop. If you want great sturdy Ikea furniture, you better learn how to use some tools. I suppose I feel the same about travel. If you want to travel, you should be capable and prepared to do it alone. Of course, not all the time - traveling with friends, family and partners are their own enjoyable, individual experiences. However, traveling alone as a woman is different; it is liberating. I found after I did it once, the fear evaporated, and I could see all the soulful benefits besides not having to wake up when someone else does or compromising on plans. Being the captain of your own ship shapes your travels in a more holistic way.
Basic tips for women traveling alone: Number one and most important - be confident. If you are confident than you will look confident. Unfortunately, as women, we can fall victim to heinous acts. For said reason, be sure to have access to digital copies of any needed paperwork: reservation confirmations, plane tickets, ids, credit cards, passport, driver’s license (although all travelers should do so) as well as share that information and your itinerary with a loved one.
Another safety tip I practice is to carry what I call my “lady knife.” I’m not suggesting that everyone carries a weapon, but if I can bring it, I will have it on me. Ok, enough of the scary stuff. The bottom line is to always have a plan if one is required, and good common sense and awareness goes a long way.
“I try not to fall into any of this social conformity of gender and place. If you want to travel, you should be capable and prepared to do it alone. ”
How about traveling with friends? You know, sometimes things can get tense even between those in the best relationships.
Yes. I know of what you speak! I once drove 13 hours nonstop with a brief cat nap at a rest stop (because of this tense friend travel). Traveling with others is always a risk that you can only assess once tested. And you must determine what type of traveler you are first. Picking your travel squad is like dating; for it to work you must be compatible. Going to a restaurant with a friend before traveling could be a good gateway test. How do they treat the waiter, how long do they take to decide, do they make a lot of changes to the order, send stuff back, split the bill down the middle or how generously do they tip? Such actions reveal a lot. How you interpret them can be helpful.
What’s the feeling you get when you travel?
When I travel, I feel alive. I feel more connected to myself and the world than I ever could within four walls.
“Remember how it felt to be mandated to stay in place. Please, still be careful, but get out there because you can, and you should. ”
What’s one of your favorite quotes about travel?
This week I started reading Anthony Bourdain’s World Travel: An Irreverent Guide. Full circle moment, I know. Talking about Anthony has been a touchpoint for you and me. He was such a brilliant mind and it is such a great loss. His work truly resonated with me and always will. I travel because I love it, for what it does for me. Because it brings me such joy, I want others to feel the same.
From his opening quote in the introduction:
It was never my intention to be a reporter, a critic, an advocate. It was also never my intention to provide audiences with “everything” they needed to know about a place - or even a balanced comprehensive overview. I am a storyteller. I go places, I come back. I tell you how the places made me feel. Through the use of powerful tools like great photography, skillful editing, sound mixing, color correction, music (which is often composed specifically for the purpose) and brilliant producers, I can – in the very best cases – make you feel a little bit like I did at the time. At least I hope so. It’s a manipulative process. It’s also a deeply satisfying one.
When I share my love of travel and my experience, that is all I can hope for. I want the other person to feel a bit like I did and hopefully, just go.
What’s a surprising question you get when you tell people how much you travel?
“Where do you work?” I find it surprising because we all find the money and the means to do what we want, even if we aren’t rolling in the dough. We all make choices. I chose to spend my money and find the time to travel. I can’t prescribe to working yourself to death and not experiencing the world.
Anything you want to add/anything you wished I would have asked?
The only thing I would like to add is this: I would like everyone to stop and think about this last year and what we all experienced globally. Whatever that was for you. We were all shaken out of our normal and a lot of the things we took for granted were pulled out from under us. There was and continues to be unimaginable loss, a lot of revealing and reckonings, and a lot of time to examine ourselves individually and collectively, and quite frankly, the realization of the fragility of our lives. No matter who you were and where you called home, your ability to move freely was stifled. “Lock down” became a frequent and cliched term. Our ability to come and go at will was limited down to “essentials” and only for those that were brave enough to venture out into an unclear pandemic world. Let us remember how it felt to be mandated to stay in place. Please, still be careful, but get out there because you can, and you should.
Photo: Thomas Aaron
Many thanks to Carla for her insights and her tips. While she’s still working on the documentary, she is sharing scenes from the road on her IG, which you can follow @EveryoneButTwo. It reads and feels like a journal. She includes the mundane, the silly, the fascinating, and everything in-between. Basically, it’s travel.
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