Ditch the tour guide, hit the road

Independent travelers from China ranged in age from 28 to 45, according to data compiled by Qyer.com, a popular website on which users share anecdotes and information about their trips, such as route planning, sights, hotels, restaurants and car rentals.

Arranging one's itinerary beforehand based on information gleaned from the Internet is crucial, said Yang, who previously planned trips to Italy and Greece by herself. She finds the information available from fellow independent travelers on Qyer.com "very useful".

"The best pizza place we went to in Italy was mentioned in a post online. There is no way the travel agencies would take you to that kind of place," she says.

It's a challenge to visit an unfamiliar place, let alone a country, on your own. But in the digital age, with information just clicks or screen-touches away, the discovery can be fun and relatively easy.

"We spent two months planning our trip," said Feng Dan, who traveled around several big West Coast cities.

Information available online is comprehensive, including the US visa application process as well as airline, car rental and hotel reservations, she said.

Traveling by car is a great way to see sights away from big cities and well-worn tourist attractions, said Feng, who appreciates the convenient US interstate highway system.

"I like to grab the wheel and search for the real beauty the country presents on the road. I still remember the endless, crystal-clear blue sky and white curves along the coast when we were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway" and the scenic 17-Mile Drive in Northern California.

Driving in the US is a much different experience than hitting the road in China, said Zhang, the visitor from Shanghai, who savors breathtaking views while behind the wheel.

"Driving in Chinese cities can be very intense sometimes," she says. "Cars are squeezing on the road in heavily populated cities and people sometimes will suddenly jump out in the street, but people in the US tend to stick to traffic rules."

American movies and television have fueled many Chinese visitors' dreams of independent travel, she said.

"Although this is my first time visiting the US, I have familiar feelings while driving down the road. It was thrilling to see many yellow (Chevrolet) Camaros on the street because it reminds me of my favorite American drama, Hawaii Five-0".

Feng, who was impressed by the natural beauty viewed on her journey as well as the multiracial culture of the US, cautioned that safety concerns can put a damper on the exhilaration of travel.

"Someone broke into our car and stole our bags and cash, as well as passports, when we parked around the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco," she recalls. "Luckily, the Chinese consulate in San Francisco helped us get new passports in a short time, so we didn't miss our return flight."

Young, bilingual Chinese have high expectations about the quality of their travel, particularly when tour guides and group excursions aren't in the picture.

"It takes more time to travel independently," said Ji Tingting, marketing manager for Qyer.com. "But people value relaxation and entertainment on their trip over the desire to visit as many attractions as they can."

Feng recalls not having practiced her English since graduating from college, "but I picked it up during the trip, and we had a great time while chatting with local people".

Said Yang: "The language barrier might be a problem if you're going to Europe, but my trip to Italy and Greece proved that as long as you're an English speaker, you can go anywhere you want."