A question mailed to roadtripusa.com asked which route two retirees should take to travel from Birmingham, Alabama, to a friend’s summer home in northern Vermont.

While their trip will occur entirely within the United States, Canadian travelers can learn from what was recommended to them.

For lodging, they prefer bed and breakfasts, but settle for motels when convenient.  Their culinary preference is to picnic, and their activity of choice is hiking.

The route that best suits their needs is the Appalachian Trail.  It is one of the longest, continuously marked footpaths in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length. The Trail goes through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian mountain range from the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the Trail’s northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.

The Trail is spotted with many bed and breakfasts there is an abundance of picnic and hiking areas. There are scenic roads that wind through the mountains as well as faster freeways (I-81 through the Shenandoah Valley).

The couple planning their trip wants to visit Niagara Falls on their way back.  To accomplish this, travel via the Finger Lakes region was recommended along with a stop in Chautauqua, New York.

Mapping the best routes through the United States is can be a difficult decision with all of the opportunities available.  You are encouraged to share your experiences or questions with our Facebook community or by tweeting @Canadadutyfree.