Travelling Across the US | General Discussion

To sum it up, I'm thinking about road tripping across the USA sometime in the next year or so and was wondering if anyone here on FR has done it?

There's so much information out there on road tripping - where to go, where to stay, how to make money, etc, etc - but I love hearing stuff straight from the horse's mouth as it were.

And even if you haven't personally road tripped across the US, tell me where you want to go! I'm coming up with a list of places and am falling woefully short on non-East Coast locations, haha.

mutewolf

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January 01, 2016 19:13:35

To sum it up, I'm thinking about road tripping across the USA sometime in the next year or so and was wondering if anyone here on FR has done it?

There's so much information out there on road tripping - where to go, where to stay, how to make money, etc, etc - but I love hearing stuff straight from the horse's mouth as it were.

And even if you haven't personally road tripped across the US, tell me where you want to go! I'm coming up with a list of places and am falling woefully short on non-East Coast locations, haha.

Not across USA but I've done some pretty long trips before. The easiest way is to just save up money in advance to avoid running into the "Oh **** we ran out of money, how do we earn more" problem. Make a quick budget plan and see how much you think you'll need, then save up more than that. Most importantly though, make sure you have tools on hand for car repair. There is nothing worse than having your car break down in the middle of nowhere.

Skub

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January 01, 2016 19:17:38

Not across USA but I've done some pretty long trips before. The easiest way is to just save up money in advance to avoid running into the "Oh **** we ran out of money, how do we earn more" problem. Make a quick budget plan and see how much you think you'll need, then save up more than that. Most importantly though, make sure you have tools on hand for car repair. There is nothing worse than having your car break down in the middle of nowhere.

@Mutewolf
I have twice, but a long time ago, for moving purposes! The second time we went sightseeing, and it took about 11 days. Totally worth it though! If you decide to, hit Yellowstone at some point! It's incredible there. ;)

ImpossibleJedi4

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January 01, 2016 19:31:40

@Mutewolf
I have twice, but a long time ago, for moving purposes! The second time we went sightseeing, and it took about 11 days. Totally worth it though! If you decide to, hit Yellowstone at some point! It's incredible there. ;)

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@mutewolf I did a driving tour of the American West once. It was the best experience of my entire life! My family piled into the SUV and proceeded to hit all the major parks and tourist destinations we could in about three weeks. We started in the south with the Grand Canyon, then made our way roughly northwards, hitting Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, finishing off at Mt. Rushmore... plus a whole ton of more minor attractions along the way.

I can definitely recommend a ton of nifty attractions out there, and also in California (used to live there!) Do you have a tentative itinerary, or a rough idea of which states you'll be driving through?

As for road trip tips... @Skub has it right: set aside a nice cushion of money in advance! You don't want to get stranded with no way to pay to get your car fixed. My grandparents lost a car that way. :(

Other things... if you're going with other people, really try to keep the driving schedule fair so that no one person gets stuck doing all the night driving. Plan out in advance who's paying for what so that nobody get stuck with a massive unexpected bill.

Pack carefully, and for a lot of different types of weather! Plan on dressing in layers; bulky sweatshirts might not be fashionable, but if you wind up stopping at a scenic overlook in the mountains, they'll be your friends. Also, if you do buy souvenirs, do so wisely! You could spend $50 on fridge magnets from every place you go, or spend that same $50 on a stunning piece of unique, handmade Navajo silver jewelry. The latter will certainly take up less space in your luggage.

Speaking of which, I'd recommend packing two different bags: a small day pack, which will contain your snacks, drinks, camera, warmer/cooler clothes, hat, toothbrush, and anything else you're likely to need before you hit the next hotel. Then jam everything else into your much larger suitcase, which you can put into the trunk and only unpack in a hotel. That way, you don't have to dig through the entire trunk several times a day, looking for some small item you want for a stop along the way.

Windhover

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January 01, 2016 19:41:04

@mutewolf I did a driving tour of the American West once. It was the best experience of my entire life! My family piled into the SUV and proceeded to hit all the major parks and tourist destinations we could in about three weeks. We started in the south with the Grand Canyon, then made our way roughly northwards, hitting Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, finishing off at Mt. Rushmore... plus a whole ton of more minor attractions along the way.

I can definitely recommend a ton of nifty attractions out there, and also in California (used to live there!) Do you have a tentative itinerary, or a rough idea of which states you'll be driving through?

As for road trip tips... @Skub has it right: set aside a nice cushion of money in advance! You don't want to get stranded with no way to pay to get your car fixed. My grandparents lost a car that way. :(

Other things... if you're going with other people, really try to keep the driving schedule fair so that no one person gets stuck doing all the night driving. Plan out in advance who's paying for what so that nobody get stuck with a massive unexpected bill.

Pack carefully, and for a lot of different types of weather! Plan on dressing in layers; bulky sweatshirts might not be fashionable, but if you wind up stopping at a scenic overlook in the mountains, they'll be your friends. Also, if you do buy souvenirs, do so wisely! You could spend $50 on fridge magnets from every place you go, or spend that same $50 on a stunning piece of unique, handmade Navajo silver jewelry. The latter will certainly take up less space in your luggage.

Speaking of which, I'd recommend packing two different bags: a small day pack, which will contain your snacks, drinks, camera, warmer/cooler clothes, hat, toothbrush, and anything else you're likely to need before you hit the next hotel. Then jam everything else into your much larger suitcase, which you can put into the trunk and only unpack in a hotel. That way, you don't have to dig through the entire trunk several times a day, looking for some small item you want for a stop along the way.

Last edited on Jan 01, 2016 19:44:50 by Windhover

okay i would totally recommend you coming to arizona! it's a nice, peaceful place.
the only bad thing about it is the heat in the summer, it gets over 100 degrees...

Sadone

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January 01, 2016 19:44:37

okay i would totally recommend you coming to arizona! it's a nice, peaceful place.
the only bad thing about it is the heat in the summer, it gets over 100 degrees...

The farthest I've traveled outside of the southern east coast is getting stuck in a Minnesota airport for seven hours but, I have been all over my home state of Florida which has a lot of off the beaten path stuff to see and do in addition to the bigger stuff so if you haven't planned for that I can direct you to some neat stuff

Plenilune

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January 01, 2016 19:55:22

The farthest I've traveled outside of the southern east coast is getting stuck in a Minnesota airport for seven hours but, I have been all over my home state of Florida which has a lot of off the beaten path stuff to see and do in addition to the bigger stuff so if you haven't planned for that I can direct you to some neat stuff

Well-behaved women seldom make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

End corruption now

@mutewolf

Haven't done road trips, but have traveled a bunch:

Carry cash. You never know when you might need to use cash over credit, and of course you'll want to tip at some places. Quarters, too, especially if you lose your phone.

Split your cash and cards. One wallet with you, one at the very bottom of your suitcase or backpack. If someone picks your pocket in a busy area, that leaves you with more than just lint. (I also like to keep $10-20 in the front pocket of my backpack just in case as well.)

If you're going alone, make sure you've got someone to check in with every couple/few days--if you go quiet, they'll know something's up.

Bring stuff like sketchpads and books in case you end up without internet in some spots but you don't feel like going out.

Bug spray and sunscreen.

Portable laptop or phone charger, just in case. I don't think they get too expensive.

Vely

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January 01, 2016 20:41:13

@mutewolf

Haven't done road trips, but have traveled a bunch:

Carry cash. You never know when you might need to use cash over credit, and of course you'll want to tip at some places. Quarters, too, especially if you lose your phone.

Split your cash and cards. One wallet with you, one at the very bottom of your suitcase or backpack. If someone picks your pocket in a busy area, that leaves you with more than just lint. (I also like to keep $10-20 in the front pocket of my backpack just in case as well.)

If you're going alone, make sure you've got someone to check in with every couple/few days--if you go quiet, they'll know something's up.

Bring stuff like sketchpads and books in case you end up without internet in some spots but you don't feel like going out.

Bug spray and sunscreen.

Portable laptop or phone charger, just in case. I don't think they get too expensive.

Ancient Cafe Hatchery - Brown-range Ancients

Woah, this is great y'all!

It would be my boyfriend and I, we're thinking maybe a few months or so of traveling which is a lot, I know, but I love slow/lazy traveling and spending lots of time in lots of places. I can always cut a trip short, I can't make it longer!

The tentative plan is to circle from Kentucky, up the east coast towards Boston, down the east coast, across towards Texas, up and over through Denver towards Portland, Seattle, then back east to Chicago, Indianapolis, home. I've skipped AZ, CA, NV, just because I don't know what's out there! We love local stuff, kinda touristy things (the cheesier the better), and are planning on camping along the way to save some lodging costs.

I just got a new (to me) car since my prior got totaled, so I'm not 100% worried about the car breaking down but good point re: the tools.

We're hoping to spend a few months bulking up a sizable travel fund (I'm thinking close to $5-10k but I've got to do more research!), selling/storing most of our belongings, and taking off. The idea is that this would sort of be a 'practice run' for us traveling overseas for 6-12 months. Haha. It's much easier to get emergency things dealt with when you're in the same country as your family and speak the language!

@Vely - Thanks for reminding me about cash. I'm so bad about carrying it.

@Plenilune - Any tips about Florida would be great! We're thinking about going down to Ft. Lauderdale to see some friends but I haven't been to FL since I went to Disney when I was 8!

mutewolf

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January 01, 2016 21:52:04

Woah, this is great y'all!

It would be my boyfriend and I, we're thinking maybe a few months or so of traveling which is a lot, I know, but I love slow/lazy traveling and spending lots of time in lots of places. I can always cut a trip short, I can't make it longer!

The tentative plan is to circle from Kentucky, up the east coast towards Boston, down the east coast, across towards Texas, up and over through Denver towards Portland, Seattle, then back east to Chicago, Indianapolis, home. I've skipped AZ, CA, NV, just because I don't know what's out there! We love local stuff, kinda touristy things (the cheesier the better), and are planning on camping along the way to save some lodging costs.

I just got a new (to me) car since my prior got totaled, so I'm not 100% worried about the car breaking down but good point re: the tools.

We're hoping to spend a few months bulking up a sizable travel fund (I'm thinking close to $5-10k but I've got to do more research!), selling/storing most of our belongings, and taking off. The idea is that this would sort of be a 'practice run' for us traveling overseas for 6-12 months. Haha. It's much easier to get emergency things dealt with when you're in the same country as your family and speak the language!

@Vely - Thanks for reminding me about cash. I'm so bad about carrying it.

@Plenilune - Any tips about Florida would be great! We're thinking about going down to Ft. Lauderdale to see some friends but I haven't been to FL since I went to Disney when I was 8!

@Mutedwolf

The best advice for coming back is of course sun screen because it seems to get hotter every single year. This year's "winter" has mostly been in the 80s which is fun. Depending on which way you plan your route through the state I suggest visiting some of the weirder or more historical locations like any of the various old sugar mill ruins around New Smyrna or The Devil's Millhopper in Gainesville. Some of them require light hiking but are in beautiful areas untouched by over development. The Millhopper is a work out since you're climbing into a giant sinkhole. Bongoland in Port Orange is neat and features the ruins of a sugar mill but also the left overs of when it was a tourist attraction from the 50s. They're spread out through a really nice garden.

If you want to go bigger then first and foremost I suggest St. Augustine because it's my favorite place and I love it so much. It's packed with history and also has a lot of cool little shops you can visit. You could spend an entire day there and still not do everything. I'd suggest going on one of their ghost tours because they're fun and you hear some really good stories about the people who lived there. They have a variety to choose from. You can also visit Ripley's Believe it or Not which personally always creeps me out but it's a popular place to go. Same with the Lightner Museum which had some stuff I enjoyed looking at like sculptures but also had that creepy air about it that unsettled me. Use the elevator because the staircases are very narrow and steep to the point I got vertigo just looking down them. Other stuff to do is tour Flagler College (or at least check out the vestibule because the ceiling is beautiful), the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, the Ximenez-Fatio house, and if you're of drinking age then I suggest doing a tour of the winery and wine tasting which is free to do. Vilano beach is gorgeous. Do not go to Marineland because it is not worth the cost and they keep their animals in tanks that are way too small for them.

Apart from that you can also go to Jacksonville which has The Landing that's a place to shop and eat. The Cumner Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. Just walking around it is nice because you can see all of the old buildings and feel the history of the city. There's also the Jacksonville Zoo which I suggest wearing comfortable shoes for because it is huge. The drawback of being in the city though is that finding parking is a nightmare and you'll either have to go to a parking garage or use metered parking on the street. Daytona is nice for the beaches but that's about it unless you care about Nascar, otherwise it's a fairly boring town. If you're headed more towards the Tampa and Orlando area then I suggest visiting the Tampa Bay Aquarium because it has a lot to see and look at. If you're not going to do the big theme park scene in Orlando then Downtown Disney is fun and you can get a taste of Disney World there. There's also the Ringling Museum which I haven't been to myself yet but other people I know have and they say it's fantastic

Plenilune

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January 02, 2016 06:40:30

@Mutedwolf

The best advice for coming back is of course sun screen because it seems to get hotter every single year. This year's "winter" has mostly been in the 80s which is fun. Depending on which way you plan your route through the state I suggest visiting some of the weirder or more historical locations like any of the various old sugar mill ruins around New Smyrna or The Devil's Millhopper in Gainesville. Some of them require light hiking but are in beautiful areas untouched by over development. The Millhopper is a work out since you're climbing into a giant sinkhole. Bongoland in Port Orange is neat and features the ruins of a sugar mill but also the left overs of when it was a tourist attraction from the 50s. They're spread out through a really nice garden.

If you want to go bigger then first and foremost I suggest St. Augustine because it's my favorite place and I love it so much. It's packed with history and also has a lot of cool little shops you can visit. You could spend an entire day there and still not do everything. I'd suggest going on one of their ghost tours because they're fun and you hear some really good stories about the people who lived there. They have a variety to choose from. You can also visit Ripley's Believe it or Not which personally always creeps me out but it's a popular place to go. Same with the Lightner Museum which had some stuff I enjoyed looking at like sculptures but also had that creepy air about it that unsettled me. Use the elevator because the staircases are very narrow and steep to the point I got vertigo just looking down them. Other stuff to do is tour Flagler College (or at least check out the vestibule because the ceiling is beautiful), the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, the Ximenez-Fatio house, and if you're of drinking age then I suggest doing a tour of the winery and wine tasting which is free to do. Vilano beach is gorgeous. Do not go to Marineland because it is not worth the cost and they keep their animals in tanks that are way too small for them.

Apart from that you can also go to Jacksonville which has The Landing that's a place to shop and eat. The Cumner Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. Just walking around it is nice because you can see all of the old buildings and feel the history of the city. There's also the Jacksonville Zoo which I suggest wearing comfortable shoes for because it is huge. The drawback of being in the city though is that finding parking is a nightmare and you'll either have to go to a parking garage or use metered parking on the street. Daytona is nice for the beaches but that's about it unless you care about Nascar, otherwise it's a fairly boring town. If you're headed more towards the Tampa and Orlando area then I suggest visiting the Tampa Bay Aquarium because it has a lot to see and look at. If you're not going to do the big theme park scene in Orlando then Downtown Disney is fun and you can get a taste of Disney World there. There's also the Ringling Museum which I haven't been to myself yet but other people I know have and they say it's fantastic

Well-behaved women seldom make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

End corruption now