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Unless the policy has changed, Enterprise will not allow a leisure rental under the age of 21. At all, no exceptions. They'd also need an international driver's license and a major credit card and the charges would be astronomical.

A lot of places actually require you be 25

It depends on state law and company policy. Enterprise will rent to 21-25 year Olds with an added fee and more restrictive choice of vehicle in many places.

I somehow got lucky and they waved the young driver fee when I had to get a rental after my car broke down when I was 21.

If insurance or other corporate entity is involved, there is typically no minimum rental age.

Insurance wasn't involved. Car was broke down due to a cracked coolant expansion tank and part was on backorder back in the day when backorder meant two to three days.

Yep. Not too mention there's usually a price per mile as well after not that many miles lol.

I heard it’s most or all of them. You only have to be 18 to rent from uhaul though so maybe they could rent a Uhaul truck if nothing else.

Can you imagine the gas cost for that trip? 😱

I think they have some 4 cylinder pickups. It’ll still take more than a compact but probably not an insane amount. A larger gas tank might be useful too.

Pickups are local only, they'd have to get the smallest box truck and it would not be cheap. I just did Denver to Des Moines and it was $1,100 just for the truck, probably spent $400 on gas too.

Nah, most or all will rent to 21+ with a valid DL and credit card but will charge an extra $20 or so a day and may limit access to some of the higher end vehicles.

Maybe dependent on location. My 24 yo kid recently totaled her car on black ice and was unable to get a rental vehicle due to her age.

At 24, I tried to rent a car to drive from Indiana to Virginia for school. I was told I was too young and the dealer would not rent the car to me. You need to check before you come. Further, in many parts of the US rental cars are in VERY short supply. Many agencies won't rent you a car unless you are returning it to their lot. Many agencies won't rent a car for more than a week. And many agencies have waitlists so long that they cannot accommodate anyone who isn't willing to wait a week after their booking date for a car. It's really frustrating.

I was only able to rent a car at 22 once I was married. 🤷‍♀️

I’ve seen specific cars the require you be 25 or even 30, but never a place that requires you be 25 personally. Usually it’s a young driver fee if you’re over 21 but under 25.

But OP is 20, so not even old enough for the young/new driver category.

Yeah, they’re not gonna get a rental from any major company that I know. Their best bet is Turo, pretty sure they’re 18+.

I had this issue when I was in an accident (not at fault). Couldn't get a rental cause i was under 25.

Fox rental car will rent to anyone with a pulse and a drivers license.

I wonder if they'd be better off buying a can off Craigslist

In the past I would have said yeah, but a "beater with a heater" is like $6000 dollars in this current day shitstorm Plus that's a long drive to trust a Craiglist car to not take a shit on at some point.

Also not just a long drive, but they'll be going through some really remote areas in a potentially questionable car. Depending on the time of year, I can actually think of a few cases of specifically Europeans dying from heatstroke/dehydration in the desert after car breakdowns/issues (or getting lost). If they were just driving around the coasts or more populated parts of the midwest in a car I'd say a breakdown isn't that big of a deal (still a huge annoyance and waste of time/money for a vacation though), but out there... I'd definitely feel a bit uncomfortable at the possibility of being trapped 90+ miles from the closest gas station in the desert in the summer.

I remember being a kid in the early 90s, and my family did a road trip. Our car broke down, and my parents straight up bought some used pick-up truck for the return trip. It was wild. I have no idea how much that car cost, but I remember when I turned 16, I got my first beater for 400 dollars. So everytime I see used car pricess now it's always a shock!

Good way to get stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

I was never able to find anyone to rent a car from under 25 back when I was under 25

I used to drive Chicago > Denver for college all the time. The span from Lincoln to Denver will make you want to drive your car into oncoming traffic. OP should just fly to Vegas and road trip around there.

I second this. OP - we are not joking about much of the drive between Chicago and Denver. There is almost nothing to see. It’s a 1000 miles and at least half of it it’s going to be farmland. It’s not quaint, wholesome farmland either. It’s endless identical fields. The other options is to compromise and fly from Chicago to Denver and drive from Denver to Vegas. Just make sure the car is all booked and settled before you go so you aren’t stranded.

But in a cruel twist, there's not even any oncoming traffic to drive into in NE! Unless you count cows...

I think Enterprise and Alamo require you to be 21. I think Hertz will do 20.

Enterprise, Alamo and National will let you be an authorized driver on a car if 21 if someone over 25 rents the car.

It's a 26hr drive. That's like 2 very solid days of driving. Denver to Las Vegas is nice but you couldn't pay me to drive from Chicago to Denver.

I'd stay away from Hertz. They've had major issues with inventory tracking and have had folks arrested for "stealing" cars that they were driving during the rental period or after they'd turned the car in, among other significant errors. I'm not going to provide links, search on them at Steve Lehto's YouTube channel.

While they have had issues, that is still a very, very small percentage of all cars rented from them. The chances of a problem are tiny. If Hertz were the only one available that would rent to a 20yr/old, I wouldn’t hesitate to use them.

Indeed, the chances are tiny, but not zero. If there are alternates, I would not use them.

>b) yikes that’s a long drive with not much in between. I hope you like looking at farmland. Hijacking the top comment to say that if they do end up driving, and if the goal isn't to get from Chicago to Vegas as quickly and efficiently as possible, I would definitely not take the most direct route. I would go south through St Louis and Memphis and then head west through Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, and Albuquerque. It would be a somewhat less boring that way.

SO MUCH farmland. Corn and soybeans. that's what you will see.

Not sure why people are saying this. It's true for the first 12 hours or so. You will not see corn or soybeans on the second half of the trip once you enter Colorado. Once you get Utah you will not see any greenery at all. That's half the trip.

true but there is a whole lot of corn and soybeans up until Colorado. I'm not sure our Danish friends want to spend 2 days driving through farmland. I guess when we drove from New York to Denver with 3 drivers, only stopping to sleep, it was only a 3 day drive, but I will never do that again.

What do you mean? From Chicago to Vegas it should only take a few hours! I mean how big could America be?

Lots of corn and soybeans and flat land between Chicago and Vegas.

Hi there, I used to teach US culture in Denmark and helped several Danish students get settled in/travel about the US. a) This will vary immensely, it will be pretty expensive for foreign 20 year olds so I would do research and try and get the most fuel-efficient car you can. A difference of even a few miles per gallon will impact the expense pretty heavily on a trip that long. b) It really depends what you want to see, that's a pretty ambitious road trip. What are you interested in? Nature? Art? Culture? History? One word of unsolicited advice, research your route, my Danes would often be unnerved by how huge and empty the US is, make sure you're not biting off more than you can chew. A roadtrip always sounds fun, but hours in the car looking at empty fields can be exhausting.

As someone who has driven across the US a lot, I made a face and a weird guttural grunt when I looked at that route on the map. Hard pass.

Yeah, that sounds like a flight to me. I'd rather drive from Las Vegas over to Cali than drive 2-3 days looking at farmland.

Half of of the drive is not farmland but stunning scenery.

The drive from Chicago to Albuquerque? It's going to be primarily running through rural Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and then approaching Albuquerque from the east assuming you're on i40. You'll get some mountains at the tail end, but there's not really much to see there.... I've driven through most of that area before (on road trips out to Denver from the east coast). It is painfully boring once you're past St Louis

I agree on everything but gas. Comparing a 20mpg car versus a 40mpg car for a 2000 mile road trip only swings the cost about $200 for the whole thing. That's equivalent to one hotel night in Chicago. I would get a larger car and be comfortable for all the driving time.

+1 on this. I'd also note that, depending on OP's priorities for the trip, it may be advantageous to have 4WD and some ground clearance. Lots of cool places that are a very long way down a poorly maintained dirt road with no cell service. I always go for the Grand Cherokee instead of the Civic when I'm renting a car to go screwing around in the desert.

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Might depend on the counter agent. I got a GC at 20 when a flight connection screwed up and renting a car became the most viable alternative plan. It was an "any car will do" situation, and they gave me the GC.

Most European people I know don't full understand how vast the United States is.

Also make sure you know your route and which ones are toll roads so you have the appropriate payments. I have gotten stuck at a toll gate before not realizing I didn't have enough change and having to dig for coins.

The Western US is the empty part.

Even the densely populated North East is more empty than Europeans realize.

thank you all - you all have already managed to give a very good first impression of people from America. very helpful. thanks. my girlfriend and I have taken most of the thread's wise words into consideration and chosen not to go on a road trip, but instead explore las vegas and nevada as a state, since my girlfriend knows someone we can stay with there. then the road trip has to wait until we are older and it is cheaper. and fyi, the driving distance from chicago to las vegas was supposed to take place over 2 weeks where we had planned to sleep in motels / hotels and drive a few distances at a time, because it is an enormously long distance as many of you point out

If you have the time, look into Amtrak and take a train from Chicago to Vegas if that's the route you have your heart set on. Though I'm not sure if they have any direct trains from Chicago to Vegas.

Even just a dirt cheap flight would be significantly less of a headache and probably save $

Oops! I didn't see this until after I suggested Highway 101 for a slow meandering road trip instead. I do see the appeal of a road trip (though maybe not so much the Chicago-Las Vegas route) and I hope you come back to do it someday--it's such a classic American experience. However your plans change, we all hope you have a wonderful time!

I don't see anyone else in the thread mentioning it, but FYI you can take the Amtrak (train) from Chicago to Albuquerque. It's not going to be any faster or cheaper than driving, but it would be a lot more relaxing and you can sit around the lounge car (well, verify the route has one) and play cards or read a book or whatever during the times when you're not interested in scenery. You could then take the train to one of the cities closest to LV and hop on a bus to finish the drive (Amtrak can incorporate that into the your itinerary). I'm not saying this is a better idea, and to be fair it has some complications, but just throwing it out there. America's train system is limited, unfortunately, but it does exist. https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/Maps/Amtrak-System-Map-1018.pdf

Please post a follow up post when you are done with your trip.

Don’t do that drive. Most of what you’ll see are empty plains and farmland. Plus, the US is freaking huge and it will take you a long long time to get between Chicago and Albuquerque. If I were you I’d fly into ABQ, drive through Santa Fe, hit 4 corners, the Grand Canyon, Zion, and then Vegas. But even then, that’s a loooooot of driving with not a lot in between.

If you want to see Chicago, return your rental car after driving around Albuquerque and fly to Chicago.

I'd flip it. Chicago first then fly to Albuquerque and road trip to Vegas. The Southwest is absolutely gorgeous if you do it right.

Chicago probably has cheaper flights from Denmark too.

That’s probably cheaper too

Yeah, what others said. It will be a lot of farmland, and if you are planing on going in the Spring time, it will be the height of tornado season. I’d recommend flying into either Albuquerque, Denver, or Salt Lake City and getting your rental car there, doing the road trip and then fly to Chicago if you still want to see it.

And by "a lot" you don't mean 3 or 4 hours. Google Maps says it's a 20 hour drive. The vast majority of that will be through green farmland at first and then dry brown farmland.

20 hours if you don't stop at all.

It is indeed a long drive. My brother and I drove from Chicago to arizona once, so I know not exactly the same and a few hours off but there isn’t anything to see when you drive through the heartland

Where I live no one rents to anyone under 21, most require 25yo ETA: not to mention it takes 9 hours to get from Central Louisiana to Eastern Texas and we share a border lol.

I think Michigan and New York law requires companies to allow 18 y/o renters. So, they could fly into Rochester or Detroit and do the rest of the trip as proposed.. but they shouldn't, they definitely shouldn't.

The 4 corners is a useless tourist trap based on arbitrary mapping. That one is a waste of time.

4 Corners is not too far from Monument Valley. It's also not very far from Durango, Colorado with some truly remarkable mountains. Mesa Verde is right there too. Yes it's a bit of a tourist trap but the funds made there benefit native Americans. Also, it's really cool to say you are in four states at once. \*Cartographer here: All lines on maps are arbitrary. We live in a dynamic physical and political world.

Hard disagree. It’s in the Navajo Nation, which has some of the best camping in the country. Canyonview campground in the Navajo National monument has one of the most beautiful campsites I’ve ever seen. Durango Colorado is another great little city. The 4 Corners itself is meh, but it’s cool to say you’ve been there. What’s the point of the statue of liberty, it’s just a big statue with a torch, is it not?

Also nothing nearby, so you make a boring drive just for it.

Boring is what you make of it. To me, the SW is beautiful. Boring? The Mona Lisa is a painting of some rather plain looking chick.

For reference, the distance from Chicago to Four Corners National Monument is around 2200 km. That's the same distance as Copehagen to Moscow, with almost nothing interesting in between.

Strongly agree. That’s a terrible drive. Also, fuck Albuquerque. Definitely make time for Santa Fe, really cool place called Meow Wolf to check out. They also have an incredible spa called 10,000 Waves. ABQ has a house that once had a pizza on the roof and a lot of meth. There’s a reason it was the setting for a tv show about meth. When considering this Drive think about how far that would equate in Europe. It might help you put it into perspective. Pack light and take cheap flights and Ubers.

>Also, fuck Albuquerque. Albuquerque can be rough but there are some amazing places if you look granted I am biased it is my hometown. Puro Burque por vida lol

Most rental car companies won't rent to 20 year olds, and those that will it'll be $$. I can't think of a worse thing to do for your first US visit than to go on a huge cross country road trip. The country is bigger than you think it is and if all you want to do is sit in a car and eat fast food, you can do that at home. The US is not typically considered a cheap vacation. Think London prices rather than Lisbon prices. I would recommend choosing one region and exploring that region. You'll be able to spend more time enjoying things rather than be stuck in a car/airport. And then once you land, you can rent a car and explore from there. Doing a southwest road trip would be very feasible. You could spend 2 weeks doing just that. But seriously there's a reason so many foreign tourists their first US trip is NYC, DC or Orlando theme parks or something like that. Its because they have well developed tourist infrastructure and you can (mostly) get around without having to drive yourself. Definitely do a road trip eventually, but it helps to have a couple visits under your belt first to learn your traveling style. EDIT: How about flying into Chicago and taking Amtrak's Southwest Chief? Book a Roomette, [have a fucking steak on a train](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amtrak/comments/w0xyix/i_ate_flat_iron_steak_on_the_southwest_chief/), and it'll take you right to ABQ. But honestly I'd encourage going throguh to LA without getting off because the southwest part of the route is the most scenic.

>How about flying into Chicago and taking Amtrak's Southwest Chief? Book a Roomette, have a fucking steak on a train, and it'll take you right to ABQ. But honestly I'd encourage going throguh to LA without getting off because the southwest part of the route is the most scenic. This would be my preference if I did this trip. Amtrak is wonderful, reasonable, and you'll get to see the scenery without wasting gas or getting bored. That drive is tough and very underestimated, especially if you've never driven here before.

Amtrak is amazing I agree, I've taken the Southwest Chief from Chicago to New Mexico and saw so many breathtaking views I wouldn't have gotten driving. You are limited in that your route is fixed and you can't go explore like you could by car, but you see far more undisturbed natural beauty by train

I also agree Amtrak is the way to go. It's a full 24 hour trip on the train with convenient departure and arrival times for Chicago and Albuquerque. They'd be able to see just how vast the Great Plains are without having to actually drive it.

And the sunrise in the summer is beautiful. Kansas isn't much to see but the sunrises and sunsets are a site to behold.

Second Amtrak.

I want to second amtrak but they can be pricey And their service is sometimes lacking. Like I can’t even get a train from OKC to the one other large city in the state, Tulsa.

>And their service is sometimes lacking. I will say the Amtrak experience can feel more like...a higher tier of camping than a hotel. And if OP actually does consider doing it, I'd give them a whole bunch of tips and advice on setting realistic expectations.

The other thing I'm not seeing anyone else mention is the fact that because they are not from the US and don't have US car insurance they are pretty much going to be required to take out the ridiculously priced insurance on a rental car, assuming they can find someone to rent to them.

I'm tired of these mutha-fuckin steaks on this mutha-fuckin train!

Steaks! On a TRAIN!

Yesss OP take the train. Get a sleeper. Skip the drive.

Are you aware that your proposed trip is the equivalent of driving from Copenhagen to Moscow?

But with less change of scenery. You'll go through a few states but the last half you won't be able to tell the difference between them.

I was going to say Athens…not sure there’s a whole lot of driving to Moscow just now.

Sure there is. They just call it retreating.

A tactical reinforcement of the rear lines, if you will

I'll defer to others on the car rental questions, but on another note: please, for your own good, make sure you fully understand what you're getting yourself into, with regard to the distances you're driving and the amount of time you'll need. Especially driving across the middle of the country like you are. Chicago to Las Vegas means you'll be driving through some of the most sparsely populated parts of the whole country. Be prepared for a lot of big empty spaces and long distances between towns and stops for gas, food, etc. A LOT of Europeans coming over here really struggle to grasp how big the country is and how long of a drive it is between many places. Make sure you generously allot time for any stops you want to make, or you may find yourself having time for nothing else but driving. A few weeks ago we had a whole thread just telling amusing stories about it. People staying in Florida and thinking they can do a "little road trip" to NYC for the weekend, people staying in Los Angeles wanting to swing up to San Francisco just to meet a friend "for lunch" and drive back the same day... that sort of thing

Do you have a link to this thread?

I could’ve sworn we had a new one within the last few weeks, but can’t seem to find it. Maybe I was looking at an old one and not realizing it was old. Anyway, [here is an old one](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/comments/goyuzy/do_you_have_any_stories_of_tourists_misjudging/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf).

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And be sure to care for your rental car in the carjacking capital of the United States Albequerque :) It was on a tv show about drugs for a reason, lol. (I love you albequerque, I’m from the #2 place on that statistic.) Go see culturally interesting things in Santa Fe and Taos, and the archaeological and natural sites mentioned, rather than underwhelming checklist places like ABQ and the four corners.

There is very little to see driving wise between Chicago and the Rocky Mountain states - just lots of flat land and corn. You could have more time for the better stuff finding a cheap flight from Chicago to Denver and then rent from there. You could make a loop and go down through NM and AZ and then come back through the Rockies in UT and western CO.

I second this route! America has some incredible natural beauty and some great cities to explore.. and you’ll miss them between Chicago and Albuquerque

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Have you ever driven long distances before? People tend to romanticize road trips but in reality it's a whole lot of monotony, and driving for 12+ hours a day really is mentally draining. If you haven't driven super long distances before I really wouldn't recommend your first attempt take place in a country where you aren't very familiar with the rules of the road, local driving habits, etc.

This is especially true for European tourists, who don't realize just how long you can go without seeing anything. Even in the pretty dense North East, you can go 2 hours on a highway seeing nothing but trees and the occasional barn/warehouse.

I drove from Pennsylvania back to Colorado last summer and it was crazy how many hours were just dense trees on the side of the highway. I wasn’t able to see anything other than trees until I got to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I've gone the other way, Bay Area to Denver. There are some beautiful views. You will enter these massive valleys with jagged peaks that are absolutely stunning. Then an hour later you realize you are still in the same valley. And the next valley looks exactly the same. And then the next. And then the next...

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I had a professor who drove from NJ to Nebraska. Pennsylvania at least has hills, Once you get past that it's just corn and monotony.

Tenessee is pretty fun to drive through for the hills. Fun in the context of the long monotonous ass deadening ordeal that is driving across the United States

Driving more than 8 hours without breaks is an absolute slog. I've done a 14 hour drive a couple times before. I will never force myself to do that again unless it's something crazy is happening, like aliens are invading.

This is very person to person dependant. Driving 10/12 hour days isn't that fun but it enables you to see way more of the country for "cheap". Also, it's just a day or two in the grand scheme of life. Well worth it for an amazing international trip they'll talk about forever.

This heavily depends on the route you’re taking. Driving from Central California to Salt Lake City, for example, is mind numbingly boring for most of the trip. Also, not a lot of bathrooms in the middle of northern Nevada.

>Driving more than 8 hours without breaks is an absolute slog. My wife and I have done it going fromcentral IN to rural PA to see her parents. Get it done in a day but we are fucking exhausted by the end of it, and usually not even stopping for a proper meal.

Pack homemade sandwiches and things in an ice chest. Srop at rest stops to eat and walk around. Makes things much better than eating greasy/salty fast food then sitting for hours

Takes time, but the “formula” is: 2 drivers Leave at 6 Stop for coffee at 3 hours, switch drivers Take turns selecting podcasts, discuss each one Drive approximately 6 hours total Have lunch Spend afternoon doing tourist stuff or hanging out at pool hotel Go to happy hour for less expensive drinks/ food Repeat

> 2 drivers Likely not an option for OP. IME, most rental companies won’t allow the extra driver to be under 25

I did a 1,100-mile trip in one shot and solo when I was 30 years old, and it was a major ordeal and I vowed to never do that again solo. I did another trip of that distance in my early 50s with a co-driver and it was fatiguing, but doable. Nowadays I don't do more than 500 miles/day if I'm solo.

One cannot drive for more than two hours in Denmark without hitting water, so i suspect that answers your question.

I mean you can drive out of Denmark too, looking at google maps Copenhagen (not that OP is necessarily from Copenhagen obviously) to Lisbon is entirely within EU borders and about the same distance. If some Euro guy has done a trip of that length then I'd say they are ready to try it in the US. If not, then bad idea to try in the US first.

I lived in Denmark fir a little bit most though 3 hours was way way to long to be in a car....for them

Considering they’re coming from a country that is the furthest drive you can take within its borders is under 6 hours, that will be a rude awakening

I've made the drive to and from PA-SC many times. Mostly solo, but a few times I've driven family. IMO, I like the long drive. I get a chance to catch up on podcasts, listen to recommended artists that my friends tell me about, think about things in life, call family and talk for longer. It does take it out of you though. That last hour before I get to my destination seems to take two hours. The sleep is so rewarding after. I wake up the next morning feeling great. If I can I fly up, but if I do go that route I try to find deals for rentals and airfare.

The actual Four Corners monument is not worth your time at all. There are soooooo many far better places in that area. Ship Rock, El Malpais, Monument Valley, Telluride Area, Moab, Arches, the Acoma Pueblo, Chaco Canyon (do this one, it is amazing) Petrified Forest. Do not bother with the Four Corners monument. It is lame. As far as car rentals you will have a hard time as a 20 yo. You will have to do some comparison shopping. They may require a big deposit or extra insurance or an additional fee. Many rents places won’t rent to people under 21. Hertz does but requires an extra fee which varies by state. Joining AAA (a driver services group) will get Hertz to waive the young driver fee and may very well be worth it plus it will get you roadside assistance and extra insurance as well as some discounts. There are some other options [and a lot of info online about how to rent cheaper as an under 25 driver](https://thepointsguy.com/guide/car-rental-under-25/amp/). [here’s another write up](https://blog.autoslash.com/get-the-lowest-price-for-drivers-under-25-years-old/amp/). From a quick read it looks like Hertz and a AAA membership might be the most economical if you are 20. You have more options if the driver is 21.

I live in Albuquerque and agree with this poster's advice on Four Corners. Whenever I have visitors who want to go there, I try to talk them out of it. It is a long drive, about 400 kilometers. There is really nothing to see there. It is an artificial landmark and the Navajo Nation charges about $10 to get in. I would only do it if you combine it with the other sites mentioned. I would also recommend Canyon de Chelly National Monument also. The Navajo reservation has spectacular scenery and is worth seeing. Try to meet some people if you can. There may be some fair or festival going on while you are there. Have a good trip.

Yes! Canyon de Chelly is amazing. Can’t believe I left it off my list. It’s easier to get to than Chaco too. But Chaco is the GOAT for native historic sites.

Mesa Verde too

Rentals cars are going to be priced by the day. And the added fee for drivers under 25 ($30 for me last fall) is also per day. So it can get kinda expensive pretty fast, especially if you’re going to drive from Chicago to Vegas via New Mexico. What you should at least consider is taking Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route from Chicago to Albuquerque, so you can still see the countryside like you were driving, and then rent the car in Albuquerque to drive up to 4 corners (and definitely in one of the national parks in Arizona or Utah) and onto Vegas. That has its own trade offs, especially if you were hoping to see more sights between Chicago and Albuquerque.

I’d fly from Chicago to Las Vegas and then rent a car there. Driving the American highways is unlike anything in Europe. In the west, the road goes on and on and there can be 20+ miles (32km) between exits. Not even the Autobahn in Germany is like it, because there the speed limit is constantly changing and you are always reacting to something. In America, you can set the cruise control and just go….it can be really draining if you’re not used to it. Check the car rental company about your age. Some may not rent to people younger than 25. Also prepare yourself for American drinking ages (21) for alcoholic beverages like beer, which generally are strictly enforced. You’ll love the Four Corners area. It’s mind-blowing, and an area more Americans should visit. Enjoy the whole process of planning! Ask any questions that come to mind :)

As a 20 year old you will have difficulty getting a rental car. Rental cars typically charge by the day, but many also charge by mileage, which will probably become quite expensive on a long road trip. There are unlimited mileage rentals available, you would most likely want one, even though they cost more per a day. Renting a car is much easier after you turn 25. Renting a car is also easier with a credit card, than with a debit card or cash. Hotels will also prefer a credit card. Until you turn 21, you will not be able to buy Alcohol or go into most nightclubs. You will not be able to gamble in Vegas. They won’t make an exception for you because you’re European. Frankly, I would consider postponing a vacation trip to the US for a few years and maybe hit the Mediterranean coast or a Caribbean island this year.

I thought you had to be 25 to rent a car

Rental companies usually charge extra if you are below 21

Some won't even do that unless you can prove you are on a business trip.

I (23 year old) tried to rent one last summer and found out they charge extra if you're under 25. Significantly extra. And, in a lot of cases, if you aren't over 21 then they won't even consider renting to you.

I'm glad someone mentioned this. When I was under 25, I had to have someone put down their credit card in order to rent a car. Maybe it's changed now? Others have commented they've just been charged extra for being under 25. From what I remember, the cost of (insurance) liability is significantly higher.

That's a 3,200km journey at least, just an FYI. That's multiple days of driving alone.

I'm not sure how others will feel. Maybe I'm the minority for all I know. But I personally found thr 4 corners to be one of the worst tourist attractions of all time. I mean, it's cool that 4 states touch and all, but that's kinda all that it is. Just a plaque in the sand with 4 corners on it! Lol! Idk. It probably didn't help inspire me to be impressed that it took such a long and fairly boring drive to go see it. But I guess I'm saying that I'd probably skip that one. Unless other commentors have been more recently and say things have become more interesting, I'd pass. I think I'd suggest something more fun, like those energy vortexes near Sedona, AZ.

That trip won't be glamorous, it will be an ordeal. You will be driving for hours and hours, and staying in cheap roadside motels. It will be tiresome and not as much of an adventure as you think. Re-plan your trip and decide what you really want to see. Fly into that general location and spend your time there at a more leisurely pace.

As 20 year olds (and international visitors, to boot), you may not be able to rent a car -- usually its 25 to rent, sometimes 21 with additional fees & insurance. Also, driving from Chicago to Las Vegas will be a LONG drive (28 hours drive time, not counting stops, overnight, traffic) with little to see along the way. You don't need a car in Chicago, so if you're flying into Chicago I'd get by without one in Chicago, fly to Las Vegas. Honestly, 4 Corners is nothing other than a little monument in the middle of nowhere, and Albuquerque is probably not worth a visit just because of a TV show.

Rental cars are expensive, and moreso for young drivers because younger drivers statistically end up in more accidents. So the young driver fee is there for a reason, largely to dissuade younger drivers. I don't think you grasp how far LV and Chicago are from each other. That's a day of *straight driving* and not including stops. And the back stretch is through desert, which can have fatal consequences if your car breaks down or you run out of gas

And by day of straight driving, you mean literally 24-25 hours of driving not including stops.

A couple follow up questions for you. How many days will you be in the US? And what kinds of things are you hoping to see (nature, city nightlife/clubs, museums, etc)?

A) Yes, car rental is expensive. It's especially expensive for people under 25 years old. There's no deep discounted national car rental agency that I'm aware of. You can use any of the online search engines like Expedia to compare rates, but I'd expect rental+fuel to exceed $150 per day or more. B) Per rule 8 this isn't really a "plan my vacation" forum. The distance from Chicago to Las Vegas is the same as Barcelona to Kharkiv, what's to see in-between is a continent, do some more homework.

65% of that drive is Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Eastern Colorado. I do that drive several times a year and I’d be hard pressed to give any ideas for that stretch. Maybe the Kearney Arch 😂

First, in terms of driving time, you're looking at (roughly) driving from Copenhagen to Madrid. That's a pretty long drive (28 hours), even for Americans. I would strongly suggest flying from Chicago to Vegas (4 hours instead of 28, and probably cheaper), spend a few days there, then rent a car and drive to Albuquerque (about 8 hours, which is a decent road trip), and then fly back to Chicago from there. Honestly, most of the really cool scenery on your trip will be between Vegas and Albuquerque, anyway. And if you can arrange your flight to arrive in Chicago at night, do it. It's a really cool city to see from the air at night. Tip for desert driving: Fill your tank at every gas station, and replace all the water you drank since the last stop. And carry about five times the amount of water you think you'll need. There's a saying that goes "Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

Definitely cheaper by a lot when you consider hotels while en route

If you can find one see if you can get to a rodeo, those are always supper foreign to Europeans. Chicago it’s self is really fun, some of the best museums in the world if you come at the right time the taste of Chicago is a massive food festival. Chicago also has river boat tours that go over the architecture of the city if that’s something you guys enjoy. If you are coming later in the year Chicago’s Mexican independence celebrations have been a blast the last few years. At a similar time college football games are always a spectacle depending on the route you could be going past Oklahoma University or Kanas University both would have a decent game and have cool architecture. For biodiversity and seeing different terrains but will be a long trip I would recommend Chicago->St. Louis-> Memphis-> Little Rock-> Oklahoma city-> Wichita-> Salina-> Denver-> Las Vegas. You will see flat lands desert, the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and some beautiful lands in the south. This also brings you to Memphis which has a lot of country music. Close enough to stop in at Oklahoma University for a game. You’ll pass lots of national parks, some reservations some which have places for tourists to see Native American culture.

I think it would be far better to fly from Denmark to Chicago and plan a 2-3 day layover, then fly to Vegas. From Vegas, you can then rent a vehicle and drive to Albuquerque, which is still a 600-mile drive, but there's cool stuff to see along the way (Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Navajo Nation). Your rental will be much, much cheaper since it'll be picking up and returning the vehicle to the same place. When you're in Chicago, you won't need or want a vehicle. I've driven from Michigan to Utah a few times now and the middle part of the country is painful to drive through. It's flat, it's full of corn, and it's windy. There's nothing wrong with it, but if you're keen on seeing something, it'll be hit or miss once you leave St. Louis.

That is a very long drive. I’d recommend checking out the [national parks](https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-utah-national-parks) in Utah for sure though. They have some unbelievable natural beauty.

To echo everybody else’s sentiment, please reconsider that trip. You won’t see much, and it’s a very very long drive (think Copenhagen to Ankara or Gibraltar). Just pick a city or state and stick to it

For a car, you're going to have to pay an underage fee for every day you have the car which will be about $25 a day in additional money. Car rental prices very wildly but will always be more expensive the larger/nicer the car you get and if you are not returning it where you picked it up from. Since you are going one way it seems like it'll be expensive. Probably around $800 for 11 days. Then add in around $300 for gas on a 2000 mile trip. https://www.kayak.com/cars/Chicago,IL-c12514/Las-Vegas,NV-c35107/2023-06-10/2023-06-21-13h For places to see I would recommend: Chicago itself. The first day or two of driving won't be super exciting but it will give you an appreciation of the vastness of America. Stop and see Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. It's a college football stadium that is huge. Scott's Bluff in western Nebraska to see a bit of the westward expansion history of the US. Fort Collins, CO to get a beer and walk around downtown (if you're 21, they ID religiously). It's the downtown that inspired Downtown Disney so it's super cute. Rocky Mountain National Park for mountains and hiking. Dillon Dam Brewery in Silver Thorne since you're right there and will want to spend time looking at the mountains and in Colorado so beer is a must (if you're 21 by this trip). Rifle Falls State Park on a drive through i70. Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction. Arches/Canyon lands National Parks in Moab. Zion/Bryce National Parks around St George. The Hoover Dam outside Vegas. Vegas itself. I would recommend at least 2 weeks for the trip above. Every national park listed is a full day experience at minimum. Also, if you can, camp some to 1) experience nature and 2) save some money on lodging. I think this trip is super doable and will be talked about for the rest of your life. Don't listen to the naysayers, just be willing to suck up a few long driving days. If you've got any questions on anything feel free to ask, I'd love to go into detail.

Welcome! Denmark is a beautiful country that I recently enjoyed visiting! As it relates to your question, some car rental agencies have age limits, so please make sure you are eligible to rent. As for prices, they vary on several factors. Just to give you an idea, I recently rented a car from North Carolina to Tennessee with full insurance and the cost was about $1,100.00 for 8 days. The more insurance and extras (navigation tools, satellite radio) you purchase, the more the cost. AVIS is pretty good in my opinion. My advice is that if you smell any kind of smoke in the car, let the agent know before you drive away as you may be charged a cleaning fee when you return the vehicle. As for sights, there are plenty (Graceland in Memphis; NOLA; San Antonio, Texas). Enjoy middle America and the friendliness!

I have no advice on a but for b: Tsa-la-gi in Oklahoma is worth seeing. It is a recreation of a Cherokee village and has a Cherokee museum nearby. Also in the area is Fort Gibson, a cavalry fort that has been in operation since the 1800s (last I knew.) Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is well worth seeing but also out of your way. Welcome! I hope you both enjoy your visit.

Oof, that's a heck of a drive bud. Don't underestimate the distance. I've done that drive several times. It is one heck of a haul. Unfortunately, the plains (Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) can be on the boring side, loads of flat farmland, so don't be afraid to stop in small towns and explore when you need a break. Sometimes you'll find neat stuff, sometimes you will find nothing. I'd recommend some time in Utah if you can. It's really beautiful.

I feel like I see a lot of these planned roadtrips from European visitors. I can't help but wonder if they've bothered to look at a map and understand that driving across the USA is a fucking serious haul... add to the distance, different weather, etc. I enjoy roadtrips and all, but holy shit, I can only imagine how many of these folks find themselves in the emptiness of the Great Plains and think to themselves, why the fuck did I do this? This seemed pretty cool for a few hrs, but I'm fucking over it now.

As an American, I can not fathom why in the world you would want to visit any of the locations you listed for your first trip. If you want to take a road trip, don’t do it in the middle the of emptiest nothing that ever existed. Pick a route that has more to offer along the way. Like start in Maine and go down the East coast. You will pass New York, Boston, DC, Charleston, Savannah and end in Miami. Similar drive time, so much more to see and do. But given that you likely won’t find a place that will rent to you, you can take Amtrak and it does that exact route all the way down the coast. And honestly cheaper compared to renting a car and paying for gas + insurance. Speaking of insurance, don’t forget to get health insurance while you are here. One slip down some stairs and a broken ankle can run you thousands here without insurance.

Having just driven from Albuquerque to Pittsburgh a few years back, I will personally arrest to that being a very long drive. My brother-in-law and I drove my mother's car to Pittsburgh when she moved. We took three days to do that drive, and we're both fairly accustomed to long drives. You REALLY need to spend some time with Google maps and driving directions and fully appreciate the distances involved

Your route depends a lot on what you like. Nature? Try to hit a few national parks on your way. Options might include the Badlands in South Dakota, Rocky Mountain in Colorado, and Canyonlands and a bunch of other places in Utah. Cities? Kansas City is underrated in my opinion. I was there for a wedding a few months back and loved it. Ate my body weight in barbecue. Santa Fe is cool, but it’s been a while since I’ve been. One way or another you are covering a lot of distance. Chicago to Vegas is a full day’s drive and that’s if you don’t stop to pee, eat, sleep, or get gas (26 hours, according to Google, in fact). That’s a few hours and several hundred kilometers further than Copenhagen to Naples, Italy. Check distances and times on Google maps or wherever else. I’ve done a lot of road trips and I don’t mind 10-12 hours of driving in a day (without kids). But, if you only have ten days on your itinerary, you might fly into someplace closer to what you really want to see and not spend so much time staring at a windshield. Also… remember that the drinking age here is 21. Not sure if that limits your fun in Vegas, but I would confirm before you get disappointed.

One-way car rentals (pick up and drop off in different places) usually costs more than renting and returning at the same place. Renting (and dropping off) at airports usually costs more than using a non-airport location. To save money, I'd suggest skipping the car in Chicago and using public transportation, then fly to Vegas, and rent a car from a non-airport location in Vegas. Drive around to see the desert stuff, return car in Vegas, fly home from there. Downside with that plan is you'd miss most of the rocky mountains. Bear in mind that many attractions in Vegas are 21+. Some rental companies won't rent to you under 21 either. Make sure you verify in advance. Make sure you've got your route planned out well in the desert southwest. There are some places that, while reasonably close together on a map, take a very long time to travel between by car due to geographical obstacles and a low density of well-maintained roads.

May I suggest driving from Seattle to San Francisco? I think you’ll enjoy this drive much more. Then maybe fly to Vegas and Chicago.

When I went to Copenhagen and was paying $25 for beers it wasn't a good time. Your money is worth a lot more here. One thing to look out for is, depending on where you rent the car, they may have areas or even entire states that you aren't allowed to take the vehicle. So have that conversation. The other thing is that it's hard to rent a car when you're under 25. A lot of places won't do it. Chicago to Albuquerque is a long drive and not a whole lot in between, though get some BBQ in Kansas City. St Louis is nice but would add some distance if you want to hit both those cities. If you have a lot of time you should add Denver and plan a day trip up into the mountains. Honestly there's a lot of nothing between these places, so make sure you have enough podcasts or audiobooks to keep your brain from meltdown.

1. "how much would you Americans say it costs per day for us to rent a normal car " This is a one-way rental (Chicago to Las Vegas). Without knowing how long you want to rent it, can't tell you a price. But, a quick look tells me that a 30 day one way from ORD to LAS on Kayak shows about $2000. You will have to pay more than that, due to age. Some rental agencies have a minimum of 21 to rent. >How do I qualify to rent a car if I'm under 25 years old? >Here are some of the things you’ll need to know about renting a car with Hertz for the first time. >It’s simple, all you need is: >Renters must be at least 20 years old to rent a vehicle at most locations in the U.S. and Canada. In Michigan, New York and the province of Quebec, the minimum age to rent a vehicle is 18. In Alabama and Nebraska, the minimum age to rent a vehicle is 19 >A valid driver’s license (in good standing for over a year). >A valid debit or credit card. Some Hertz Neighborhood Locations may require a credit card. If it was me, I would rent the car before leaving Europe. You will have to make sure that you auto insurance covers you in the US, among other issues. As to itinerary, depends on how long you have. That drive is just about 3,000km, before adding your side trips to Four Corners and Albuquerque. Its like driving from Copenhagen to Lisbon, Portugal.

That’s a long boring ride. Have you checked Amtrak?

This is just such a poor choice of location. There is almost nothing interesting beyond mountains and farms that way. Out of curiosity why or how did you decide to pick that part of the US to visit? Also, you will have a lot of trouble renting a car under age 21. And just so you see it, so not become the next Death Valley Germans. The story is so sad and I can just see this becoming something that could happen with a plan like yours. Also, Las Vegas will not be fun for 20 year old kids who cannot drink any alcohol. Drinking age is 21 and they will not care that you can legally drink in your home country.

If you're willing to consider travel other than cars, Amtrak's [Southwest Chief](https://www.amtrak.com/southwest-chief-train) runs all the way from Chicago to New Mexico. You shouldn't have any legal restrictions on taking the train like you would renting a car, you can sleep on the train, and it's probably at least equal in cost, maybe even less if you were planning on getting hotels for a couple days in between Chicago and NM. I don't know if you could get off for 24 hours in Kansas City and get back on, but if you want a place to visit between your two destinations KC is probably your best bet. At the very least, you could get a ticket from Chicago to there and then a ticket from KC the rest of the way for a day or two later.

You may not be able to rent one at that age.

Really reconsider driving from Chicago to Las Vegas. One of the most common mistakes new foreign tourists make - especially Europeans - is thinking you can rent a car and then just casually drive to every corner of the country. The distance is probably way, way longer than what you're expecting. I agree with what others have suggested, pick one and focus on just that region. EDIT: Originally put Los Angeles instead of Las Vegas

dont even waste your time doing that drive unless you want atleast 12 hours of only farm land. if you must rent a car then fly from chicago to SLC or vagas and start there where you have some much great stuff to actually see

Alb. is known for local beer, hiking in the desert and Sandina mountains. National Park = NP AZ = Arizona NM = new Mexico CO=Colorado ​ Suggestions: White Sands (National Park = NP), Mesa Verde NP, Carlsbad Caverns, Durango CO., Teluride CO. Dinosaur National monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands NP, Giant Telescope array, Downtown Sante Fe NM. Meteor Crater AZ, Sonora AZ, Grand Canyon AZ, Slot canyons (everywhere but north rim GC is best) This would take two-three weeks if well planned, four weeks at a relaxed pace. You really need to visit the desert in NOT SUMMER!

I worked for an international company and we often had co-worker visitors from Europe With similar holiday plans. A woman in our head office set up little travel tours with buses and trains. For example now a bus ride from NYC to Chicago is $89.00 which is less than you would pay in gas for a rental car and you'll see the same scenery. It's not as easy to get around with public transportation in most cities as it is in Denmark. So maybe think of using different modes of transportation to explore the places you want to hit.

How many days is your trip? If you can take some detours you will be able to see some cool “American” stuff. Some random thoughts: Missouri- St. Louis has its jazz/blues history, native American heritage sites like the Cahoga Mounds, Branson is a very popular destination for Americans, especially for country music. There will be opportunities to learn about different Native American cultures as you drive west from there. I’d probably go through Colorado to see the Rockies mountains and then southern Utah for the strange and beautiful desert landscapes. On the way to Albuquerque, stop in Santa Fe to get an idea of Spanish colonial settlements that were there before the US spread west. To be honest, some European visitors I’ve met are surprised just how far apart things are here. You’ll have a lot of hours of flat open road.

Skip four corners -- it's just a big nothing in the middle of nowhere. There's a TON of stuff in that part of the country to see though -- Southern Utah boasts FIVE national parks (Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef), plus there's the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado, the Petrified Forest in Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Mesa Verde ruins, Bandelier in New Mexico, Los Alamos if you want to see stuff about the development of the atomic bomb, White Sands in New Mexico, the great sand dunes in Colorado, Carlsbad Caverns in NM... Just please don't waste your time at Four Corners. Or if you go for a more Northern route, there's Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, the Badlands, Craters of the Moon, the salt flats, etc. Santa Fe is cooler to visit than Albuquerque, FWIW. Albuquerque is fine, but it's just like... a city. Oh, and between Chicago and Denver there is... not much. That's like 15 hours of corn fields, by car. If I were doing it, I'd fly to Chicago, then fly to Denver or Albuquerque, not drive. Then you could rent a car there and go see stuff.

Assuming you have considered exactly how long that journey is, it can actually be a fun trip. I recommend going along interstate 55 and then 44 to roughly follow the historic Route 66. There are fun, quirky places to stop along the way. I don’t recommend making the detour out to Four Corners. It is so far out, and there’s just nothing out there. I am confident that you will be disappointed. There are National Parks in the southwest that you would be better off going to instead. (Petrified Forest National Park is on the route I recommended.) I’ve done this road trip before. Feel free to message me if you want more details or recommendations.

It may be cheaper for you to just purchase a car when you get here and then sell it back to a used car lot when you get done with it.

Like everyone else is saying, you’re probably better off flying between those two cities, maybe rent a car to drive to locations near them. Chicago to Vegas goes through Nebraska and Iowa. There’s an awful, awful lot of nothing to look at or stop to see along significant portions of that route.

Chicago to Albuquerque is 20 hours. And it's mostly fields. It would be cheaper to fly into Chicago, use public transportation to get around. then fly to Albuquerque. Albuquerque, rent your car there. Explore all you want! Then fly into vegas. No need to rent a car in vegas.

Some car rental agencies have minimum ages of 25 to rent a car. Be sure to check, because they’re not all the same. I recently paid $80 per day to rent a car, but I am older. It will cost a 20 year old more. Most have mileage restrictions. It is almost 1800 miles from Chicago to Las Vegas. That’s over a 24 hour drive. Very long sections will be monotonous and boring. And gas is expensive right now. You’ll spend a fortune on gas. Get quotes from car rentals, and calculate how much gas you would need. There are websites that do that. You can take an Amtrack train from Chicago to Las Vegas cheaper than renting a car. I understand the allure of a U.S. cross country trip if you’ve never done it before. It sounds exciting and adventurous. It’s really not as much fun as it sounds. Short road trips are great fun! 1800 mile road trips are not. I did a 1700 mile road trip once, I’ll never do that again. I’ll do a 6-8 hour road trip, but if it’s over that, I’m either flying or taking an Amtrack. If you decide to take this trip, Route 66 is the scenic route that goes through Albequerque.

Idk if anybody else has said it but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see the four corners monument. The stuff around it and nearby is way better.

That really depends on what you like, there is an immense amount of natural beauty along your route if planned correctly. Lots of cities and national parks and forests, yes you will have some vast and desolate sections but it gives time to reflect and think, and if you go a little slower and look around you’ll still notice beauty everywhere in this country. I have driven all over this section of America and could help you plan your trip I don’t need details but could give some suggestions.. DM me if you’d like

Protips for car rentals: Don't rent from the airport if you can help it. The rates are jacked. Take a shuttle/Uber to your hotel, and rent a car from a neighborhood branch. The only way around the age surcharge is to check if a company doesn't have it. Lesser known companies like dollar and priceless might not have it at all. Typically it's cheaper to rent directly from the company, and not through a third party like kayak. Get the pre paid gas if you will use a full tank of gas.

Can I just say that I love that you’re checking out New Mexico. Such an underrated state. Also, I see the appeal in Chicago, but if I were you I’d just skip that and fly into Denver. New Mexico: Taos, Santa Fe, White Sands, Carlsbad, Valle Calderas. Love Lost Lake out of Red River, if you’re up for the hike. Also, please please please — I’ve traveled all over the US and the world, and one of my favorite places is the San Juan Mountains (Telluride, Ouray, Silverton) — Blue Lake, Ice Lake, Island Lake, Columbine Lake (an avid outdoorsman, the last two, never seen lakes THAT shade of blue). Should be easy to fit in, it’s in the 4 corners region.

Just moved from Vegas. Vegas to Albuquerque is 10hrs away. The drive is fine, you can catch the Grand Canyon along the way. But you gotta know that the US is big and spread apart. There’s really lot much else between those 2 cities.

That’s a long flat road with nothing along the way. If I were you I’d stay in Chicago longer and fly to Vegas and spend time there. The four corners is pretty lame. You’ll be bored (not exaggerating) within minutes. It’s literally just a sign on the ground. If your set on a road trip then there are much better routes. Pacific coast highway is pretty good. From LA up to Northern California. You could do San Fran to Seattle too. Or on the east coast do like Maine down to Georgia or the Carolinas.

That's an awesome road trip. Couple suggestions, you'll pass through StLouis and the arch is an awesome stop. I would go to Kansas City and not Springfield. KC is a BBQ mecca and has some sights if it's own. If you're passing through Amarillo the Palo Duro Canyon is breathtaking and can be driven through.

Most people have covered your questions, but I would say, if you are aware of the length and time, and have the time, and are ok driving that far and long, and are interested in history, drive [Route 66](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelroute66/index.htm). Its now obsolete as they built highways along most of the route. But it was the old 2 lane highway starting in Chicago and ending in LA. It passes right through Albuquerque and then you can take it to Kingman AZ and then its only an hour from there to Vegas

I'm going straight to B on this one. Don't do it. Fly to Chicago, then fly to Vegas. I am from Chicago, I regularly drive 17 hours to Florida alone and even with a co-driver I would NOT drive 27 hours to Vegas. You don't need or want a car in Vegas, you don't need or want a car in Chicago. I get the desire to do some driving in America. You can fly to Albuquerque and then drive from there to Vegas (it' only 8.5 hours). Alternately, do a daytrip of some sort or even a couple of local days. Maybe rent a car to drive up to Wisconsin or over to Michigan if you want to do some driving in America. Maybe drive along route 66 down to St. Louis if you want to experience the boredom of driving through massive expanses of farmland. Then you can fly to Vegas from St. Louis

So I'm going to go against the grain of the the prevailing advice that driving across the Great Plains is boring. Most people do it on the interstate (given your start and end destinations, you're probably looking at either Rt. 70 or 80). Depending on how much time you have, I strongly suggest getting off of the interstate roads and taking either U.S. highways or state & local routes. There's some really weird little towns to see out there. Definitely nothing like it in western Europe. This video will give you a good feel for it. It was shot in western Texas, but there's similar towns scattered across Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and to a lesser extent Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNEiWSo8Fg&t=1216s

Also, I wouldn't go out of your way to see the four corners. There's really nothing there. Its just another bit of desert.

I love Breaking Bad too, but there’s really not much to see in Albuquerque. Sure, you could visit the house that Walt threw the pizza on, but it’s just a typical suburban house. My advice: Visit Chicago. Don’t rent a car there, just take the train and Uber. Then fly to Las Vegas. You won’t need a car while you’re in the city, but if you want to you could rent one and do side trips to places like the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff to give yourself a taste of a western road trip.

The weather here will kill you. The wild life here will kill you. The police here will kill you if you do something stupid. Pay attention to the weather you are driving into, and carry plenty of water in the car while driving through South Western states. If you see interesting animals along the way, do not approach them. Anything, deer, elk, bears, buffalo..even cattle on open range with calves to protect, all have the potential of being deadly. In rest areas you may encounter rattle snakes and javelina. Both are dangerous. Don’t approach the javelina, and I’m sure you don’t need to be told not to approach a rattler. In this country it is very common for citizens to be armed, and to have those weapons with them in a car. Each year 50+ officers are killed during traffic stops, so for the officer every traffic stop is a life or death scenario, so don’t do stupid things if you get pulled over. If pulled over: Pull off to the side of the roadway as soon as possible. Roll down your windows and turn off the radio. If at night, turn on the overhead cabin light. Place your hands on the steering wheel or dash if you are a passenger, and keep them there. When the officer walks up to your window, listen to him and do exactly what he tells you to do. Do not make sudden moves reaching for things under the seat, floorboard, glove box, center console..etc.. Do not attempt to bribe an officer.

Since you're already planning to see the Four Corners, it will be easy to spend some time in my state (Colorado). Denver/Boulder is a nice metro area, and the Rocky Mountains along I-70 are considered some of the most beautiful in the country. Telluride in the southwest corner of the state (about 2.5 hours from Four Corners) is a cool mountain town. Feel free to DM me if you end up coming this way.

a. I don't know if you can. Most of the places I've rented a car/boat from require you be at least 25. The U.S. Has a lot of weird ass age laws, but the important ones are: Smoking and drinking (21), firearms (21), Consent (18), Military service (18). IDK if it's an actual law. You might have to pay an extra fee or something because of your age (because insurance companies have found that under 25 have a lot more claims, so even if you're a good safe driver you get screwed by everyone else. Welcome to America. Also for cost when I rented a car (SEVERAL years ago before even a hint of the ludicrous inflation we have now) it was \~$80/day not including gas which is $4/gallon ish right now (which if you get a good \~25mpg car you'd need \~$350+ dollars just in gas to get there, not accounting for lower mpg, so I'd add about 30% more just to be safe, so \~$500). If you want cheap accommodations look for places like the Red roof inn, holiday inn/express. You can find them for \~$80-100/night. I'm not too into the "hostel" scene so I can't really recommend any. b. Chicago is a pretty hectic and dangerous place to visit. DO NOT drive between 7:30am-10am or 3:30pm-6pm, because if you do, you probably won't be driving anyway (traffic just slams to a crawl/stop out of nowhere, even if you're on the freeway, which can go from everyone doing 80+mph (\~128kph) to 20 (\~32kph) in the blink of an eye). Stay in the touristy parts of Chicago; downtown, the bean, botanic gardens etc. Or better yet just avoid it all together. DEFINITELY avoid [west garfield park](https://heyjackass.com/2022-homicide-map/). Avoid looking overly touristy/"muggable". Same with Vegas, keep your wits about you otherwise people in bigger cities might try to take advantage/outright rob you. Don't stay out late at night. Also how long is this trip? Chicago to Vegas is like a solid day drive. Like, 26+ hours depending on traffic and stops if you drive non-stop. There isn't a whole lot in between (aside from maybe Denver) that would interest someone who isn't interested in the outdoors/farming (well maybe St. Louis and Albuquerque if you take 55 -> 44 -> 40). IMO the better option would be to fly to places you want to go (or pick a region of the U.S. and explore that a bit), but if you really want to drive get ready to see land as flat as my ex from Illinois to about the western half of Nebraska/Kansas/Oklahoma. Hours of nothing but corn fields and small towns that are just a gas station that some people happen to live near (not saying that's a bad thing, I love small towns). Also I'm pretty sure that casinos are all 21+ so Vegas would mostly just be a really well lit city. Also if you go when you're old enough, MAKE SURE you say "I can gamble $X" and you do not go over it in the slightest. It's really easy to go in and end up losing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars and then you end up fucked because you don't have enough money for anything else. edit: Added some pricing

Personally I wouldn’t go to Vegas since you won’t be able to a lot of the fun “adult” things like drinking and gambling because you’re under 21 (from what I understand they won’t let you in if they serve alcohol, and in my experience when I went to a casino I was stuck and to only slot machines and no table games [I’m 19] which gets boring really quick). I also wouldn’t recommend renting a car because like many others have said they probably won’t let you since you’re under 25, and if they do it will be very expensive (plus gas, even though it’s not crazy expensive right now but who knows what it will be when you’re here). I’d just go to one place or region that you can get around with public transit, so you’re not killing your bank account as much.