Cars, rules of the road, park passes and reservations: what to know before you go.
A road trip is the freest way to see the American West: national parks, long roads, motels along the way. It works well if you arrive prepared for a few things that are different in the United States.
Hiring the car
- Age: you usually need to be at least 21, and drivers under 25 pay a daily surcharge. Rules differ in some states and for some car categories.
- Credit card: in the main driver's name. A deposit is blocked when you pick up the car. Some companies accept debit cards, many do not.
- Licence: bring your Italian licence. Whether you also need an International Driving Permit depends on the state and the rental company: check before you go. If you need one, apply in Italy, because it is not issued in the United States.
- One-way: picking up the car in one city and dropping it off in another, for example from San Francisco to Las Vegas, costs a fee that can be high, especially across state lines. Check it before you plan the route.
- At pick-up: walk around the car and photograph every scratch.
Car insurance: what to check
Car hire in the US is full of acronyms. The two main ones:
- CDW or LDW: covers damage to the hire car and theft. Check the excess, which can still be a few hundred dollars.
- SLI: supplemental liability insurance, covering damage to other people and their property. The legal minimum in many states is low, so it is worth topping it up.
Rates booked from Europe often include both already: read the contract carefully before signing at the desk, so you do not pay twice for the same cover. For yourself, take out health and baggage insurance with adequate cover: medical care in the United States is very expensive.
Driving rules that differ from home
- Right turn on red: allowed almost everywhere, after a full stop and giving way to pedestrians and cars, unless a sign says "No turn on red". In New York City it is banned, except where a sign allows it.
- All-way stop: everyone stops. Whoever arrived first goes first; if two cars arrive together, the one on the right goes.
- Yellow school buses: when a school bus has stopped with its red lights flashing and its STOP arm out, traffic behind it must always stop. Traffic coming the other way often has to stop too, but the rules on multi-lane roads vary from state to state. If in doubt, stop.
- Miles per hour: speed limits are in mph. 65 mph is about 105 km/h. Limits change often along the road and checks are frequent.
Fuel and distances
Fuel is measured in gallons (about 3.8 litres). Many pumps ask for a ZIP code, the US postcode, and foreign cards are often declined. Go into the shop, give the cashier your pump number and prepay an amount. In desert areas there are many miles between filling stations: fill up when the tank is half full.
Distances are deceptive. From Phoenix to the Grand Canyon is about a four-hour drive. Plan no more than 4-5 hours behind the wheel a day: that leaves time for stops, walks and the late-afternoon light. In many parks there is no phone signal: download offline maps before you set off.
National parks: passes and reservations
The America the Beautiful annual pass covers entry to national parks for everyone travelling in the same private car. Since 2026 non-US residents have their own pass, which costs 250 dollars (2026 price). On top of that, at 11 very popular parks non-residents aged 16 and over pay 100 dollars per person in addition to the entrance fee, unless they hold the annual pass. The parks are Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. If you visit two or three of them, the pass quickly pays for itself.
Some parks also require you to book entry for certain time slots and months, and the rules change every year: in 2026, for example, Arches and Yosemite did not require it, Rocky Mountain did. Some famous trails, such as Angels Landing in Zion, need a permit allocated by lottery. Always check the park's page on nps.gov a few months before you travel.
Where to stay and tipping
Lodges inside the parks are convenient: you wake up already inside and save hours of driving. There are few of them and they need booking well ahead: at Yellowstone, reservations open 13 months in advance. Outside the parks, in the small towns near the entrances, you find motels and simple hotels with parking in front of your room. In high season, book those too.
In restaurants, tips are part of the server's pay: you usually leave between 15 and 20 per cent of the bill. Check the receipt, though, because service (gratuity) is sometimes already included. Displayed prices almost never include tax, which is added at the till.
Best time to go
- Utah and Arizona: spring and autumn. At Arches the average high in July is about 38°C; April, May and mid-September to October are the mildest months. In late summer, storms can cause flash floods and road closures.
- Yellowstone: from early November to late April almost all park roads are closed to cars. Go between late spring and early autumn.
- In summer: mountain and northern parks are the better choice. In the desert, set off at dawn and stop during the hottest hours.
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The Dream Destination editorial team
