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On the left, the the writer's kids standing for a picture in front of white RV. On the right, A view of the painted cars lined up at Cadillac Ranch
We rented an RV to road trip across the United States.Karen M. Alley

We took a road trip from North Carolina to Arizona.

The colorful gardens at the biltmore house
The Biltmore House in North Carolina had a beautiful garden.Karen M. Alley

When we decided to rent an RV and road-trip with our kids, we chose to take I-40.

Even if it meant trading off on some interesting sights and diversions, the consistency and predictability of interstate travel seemed worth it for first-time RV drivers.

We got the best of both worlds.

We traveled for 14 days and came across a lot of interesting places. I would consider them must-sees.

America's castle is the beautiful Biltmore House.

View of the Biltmore House, which is huge with a green lawn and trees
The Biltmore House is the Vanderbilt family mansion.Karen M. Alley

The first stop on my I-40 itinerary was a mansion in North Carolina. The estate is more than just a large house.

Imagine yourself as a guest in the house, enjoying a meal in the grand dining room or a book in the library, and escaping reality.

The veranda at the back of the first floor is one of my favorite places. The gardens should be visited by visitors.

You can take a tour of the winery and finish your stop with ice cream at the carriage house.

We went to a different type of royalty.

A view of the stairs and chandelier in Graceland, with an Elvis picture
It was fun to explore Elvis Presley's home.Karen M. Alley

The estate made famous by the King of Rock and Roll is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is fascinating to see how Elvis lived, even if you are not a fan.

Despite the shag carpet in the basement and a harvest-gold refrigerator in the galley kitchen, there was still plenty of glamour, from the huge chandelier in the dining room to the legendary Jungle Room, where Presley is said to have spent most of this time.

It was like visiting back in 1977. We spent a lot of time at the attractions across the street, walking through museums filled with cars and jumpsuits.

I made sure to eat a fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich at the diner before we left.

Burns Park is a great place for hiking.

White RV parked in tree-filled area, Burns Park
Burns Park is located in Little Rock, Arkansas.Karen M. Alley

Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, this 1,700-acre municipal park is located in the southeastern part of the Ozarks, which is a mountainous region in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri.

The hiking trails, small amusement park, and water slides provided the perfect break from traveling. The shade canopy of the trees in the campground was perfect for a hot day.

This was the beginning of the experience. We were able to see miles of the Arkansas River Valley while we were in Arkansas.

I didn't think I would fall in love with the museum.

A view of a statue in National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum had more than I expected it would.Karen M. Alley

I wasgrudgingly go along, thinking it would be just cowboy hats and spurs, and a few random cooking utensils from the trail. It was one of my favorite stops on the trip.

The museum is located in Oklahoma City.

The art gallery has beautiful works by American painters like Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Remington that depict life in the Old West. Prosperity Junction is a replica of an early-20th-century cattle town.

The museum had everything from Native American artifacts to Hollywood Westerns.

Cadillac Ranch was a fun stop.

A view of the painted cars lined up at Cadillac Ranch
We got to add our own art to the cars.Karen M. Alley

A public art installation in Amarillo, Texas, features a line of painted Cadillacs buried halfway deep into the ground.

Purchase a can of spray paint at the entrance and then get ready to leave your mark.

This place reminded me of a prehistoric site. People will wonder about this array of cars centuries from now.

It is a great diversion in the middle of a boring landscape.

Russell's Travel Center is a truck stop in New Mexico.

A yoga statue in hat and tie at Russell's Travel Center
Russell's Travel Center had a fun Yoda statue.Karen M. Alley

Russell's Travel Center in Glenrio, New Mexico is on my list of must-sees, even though I wouldn't normally put a truck stop on my list.

We stopped to get gas and grab a bite to eat, but then walked into a museum that housed everything from Route 66 gas pumps to a statue of Big Boy.

The forest in Arizona is worth the detour.

Two kids sitting on piece of petrified wood in Petrified Forest
Petrified wood is fossilized.Karen M. Alley

Sitting on a rock of petrified wood was like being transported to the time of the dinosaurs, and this short detour off of I-40 in Arizona was awesome.

The north entrance to the forest is 55 miles from the New Mexico border, and the road through the park is 28 miles south of Highway 180.

I recommend getting out of the car at least once, as it's not easy to do in an RV.

We traveled past the Wigwam Hotel on the detour off of I-40. The concrete teepees inspired the Cozy Cone Motel in Pixar's Cars, so seeing them was a highlight for my son.

The original article can be found on Insider.

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