Published: August 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Renata Parker
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At one time, summer vacations were simple. You packed your car, your tunes and a sense of adventure. Maybe a map, but a plan was optional. The gravity of a canyon, the roar of a waterfall — your curiosity led the way. A stop at a neon-signed motel was a must, as was recharging at the spirited diners and greasy spoons. You followed the series of scenic two-lane roads, played “eye spy” and cruised the boulevards of isolated towns before turning around. The thrill on the open road was the unknown and the stories yet to be told.

While the appeal of a road trip is not for everyone, increased costs and the hassles of air travel have caused travelers to take another look at vacation alternatives. The all-American road trip is making a comeback.

America's love affair with the open road officially took off in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, which created the network of interstate highways we know today. Since that time, we have become a nation of car-loving road warriors accustomed to the freedom, control and independence that only our cars can provide.

For Leslee O'Kelly of Greenville, taking a quintessential road trip is where adventure awaits and memories are made.

“My mother is from California, and we grew up driving there to visit family. We would all pile into my parents' station wagon, no air conditioning or seat belts. Our vacation was driving there and back,” said O'Kelly.

Last year O'Kelly decided to head west, and plotted a route from Greenville to Bull Head City, Ariz.

“I took only 12 pictures during the entire trip. For me, it was an internal journey as much as it was a vacation,” said O'Kelly, who wove visits with family into her 5,000-mile cross-country road trip.

“I saw more cows than cars,” said O'Kelly. “Our expectations are based on what we know and what's familiar. So rest stops without water and “beware of snakes” signs were unusual experiences.”

O'Kelly's road trip stretched through cities like Memphis, Tenn., Jefferson City, Mo., Topeka, Kan., Pueblo, Colo., and Gallup, N.M., before ending in Bull Head City, Ariz.

O'Kelly, who has a strong sense of curiosity, stopped at diners and read local newspapers cover to cover along the way. She stocked the dashboard of her Mini Cooper with a library of books on tape. She wandered into eclectic shops in Texas and perused walls stocked with rugs and horse saddles in Winslow, Ariz. She feasted at the Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas, and visited Great Dunes National Park. She volunteered at a Scottish festival at Rhodes College in Memphis, where her sister is a voice teacher.

“We don't fully take advantage of what's available on a road trip,” said O'Kelly. “The distance and the terrain helped me gain a whole new perspective.”

“For South Carolinians, the most popular destinations include trips to D.C., Yellowstone Park, the Grand Canyon, Rapid City, S.D., and Las Vegas. Shorter trips include Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Asheville and the Outer Banks in North Carolina,” said Tom Crosby, communications director for AAA of the Carolinas.

Packing low frills but big on the wow factor, the road trip is yours to own and shaped by the road ahead.

ROAD TRIP CHECK LIST:

• Visit sites like AAA TripTik (www.aaacarolinas.com) for mapping your route.

• Pack a cooler with water and snacks.

• Plan ahead for gas, especially if you're headed west.

• A dashboard library of books on tape.

• A cool car — preferably a convertible.

• Lots of issues to resolve.

• Forgo fast food. Seek out authentic diners.

• For deals on gas, visit www.aaa.com/fuelfinder.

• Bring with you a strong sense of curiosity.

BEST STRETCHES:

ROUTE 66 — Cruise the most popular segment of this iconic route, 100 miles between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY — Best experienced in a convertible from San Francisco to San Diego. Pebble Beach, Carmel, Big Sur.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC — Follow old U.S. 80 cross-country for 3,000 miles. Highlights include deserts, hometowns of Buddy Holly and Otis Redding, The Thing?, UFOs, Bonnie and Clyde museum, Whistle Stop Café.

GREAT OREGON TRAIL — A 2,000-mile trail of the Wild West. Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful, Mount Rushmore, Field of Dreams, Yoder Popcorn and Niagara Falls.