US Roadtrip suggestion/Advice!
Discussion
We'd love to go on a road trip in the US- but trying to work out what it would cost us.
We're not looking to stay in any fancy hotels or anything but would like to go for around 3 weeks.
Either West or East coast- what should be budget for car hire/food/hotels etc?
We spent nearly £5k last year to stay in San Fran/Chicago and that was nothing fancy, surely this road trip can be done for less?
We're not looking to stay in any fancy hotels or anything but would like to go for around 3 weeks.
Either West or East coast- what should be budget for car hire/food/hotels etc?
We spent nearly £5k last year to stay in San Fran/Chicago and that was nothing fancy, surely this road trip can be done for less?
I've done a lot of US road trips and would say I average £200-£250/day all in (inc flights). That's just for me, and living very simply.
Hotel - £100
Car - £50
Food - £20
Fuel - £20
It adds up fast.
Though also depends a lot on where you go, and whether you pre-book or not.
I do a lot of national parks, but never camp, which means very limited options that are often expensive for what they are. I also like fun rental cars, which adds up
Hotel - £100
Car - £50
Food - £20
Fuel - £20
It adds up fast.
Though also depends a lot on where you go, and whether you pre-book or not.
I do a lot of national parks, but never camp, which means very limited options that are often expensive for what they are. I also like fun rental cars, which adds up
I do a 3 week road trip around the USA every 2 years, picking a different start point each time (always circular routes to save one-way flight pricing)
2014 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2012 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2010 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2008 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
As a guide, this year:
5,500 miles driven
$744 fuel
$600 car hire (Hyundai Tucson)
$79 per night average hotel cost - this varies wildly, obviously a night in New York will cost way more, some places $50 gets you a decent place.
$35 per day budget for food - we did breakfast at the hotel, lunch was a picnic created with things bought from Walmart, dinner was in a restaurant on the way to the night stop - no alcohol obviously.
$100 per day sightseeing - we cram a lot into our days so there's a fair amount of entrance fees etc, if you're more relaxed then this cost will be less.
$100 per day incidentals, this covered souvenirs and anything else
2014 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2012 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2010 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2008 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
As a guide, this year:
5,500 miles driven
$744 fuel
$600 car hire (Hyundai Tucson)
$79 per night average hotel cost - this varies wildly, obviously a night in New York will cost way more, some places $50 gets you a decent place.
$35 per day budget for food - we did breakfast at the hotel, lunch was a picnic created with things bought from Walmart, dinner was in a restaurant on the way to the night stop - no alcohol obviously.
$100 per day sightseeing - we cram a lot into our days so there's a fair amount of entrance fees etc, if you're more relaxed then this cost will be less.
$100 per day incidentals, this covered souvenirs and anything else
K50 DEL said:
I do a 3 week road trip around the USA every 2 years, picking a different start point each time (always circular routes to save one-way flight pricing)
2014 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2012 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2010 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2008 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
As a guide, this year:
5,500 miles driven
$744 fuel
$600 car hire (Hyundai Tucson)
$79 per night average hotel cost - this varies wildly, obviously a night in New York will cost way more, some places $50 gets you a decent place.
$35 per day budget for food - we did breakfast at the hotel, lunch was a picnic created with things bought from Walmart, dinner was in a restaurant on the way to the night stop - no alcohol obviously.
$100 per day sightseeing - we cram a lot into our days so there's a fair amount of entrance fees etc, if you're more relaxed then this cost will be less.
$100 per day incidentals, this covered souvenirs and anything else
Excellent! Looking forward to reading your blogs! Love that sort of thing! We're thinking of booking this:2014 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2012 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2010 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
2008 - http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.ph...
As a guide, this year:
5,500 miles driven
$744 fuel
$600 car hire (Hyundai Tucson)
$79 per night average hotel cost - this varies wildly, obviously a night in New York will cost way more, some places $50 gets you a decent place.
$35 per day budget for food - we did breakfast at the hotel, lunch was a picnic created with things bought from Walmart, dinner was in a restaurant on the way to the night stop - no alcohol obviously.
$100 per day sightseeing - we cram a lot into our days so there's a fair amount of entrance fees etc, if you're more relaxed then this cost will be less.
$100 per day incidentals, this covered souvenirs and anything else
http://www.theamericanroadtripcompany.co.uk/roadtr...
Does it seem reasonable value for money?
sat1983 said:
Excellent! Looking forward to reading your blogs! Love that sort of thing! We're thinking of booking this:
http://www.theamericanroadtripcompany.co.uk/roadtr...
Does it seem reasonable value for money?
I'm assuming that includes flights which isn't too bad but that's £1800 per person is it not?http://www.theamericanroadtripcompany.co.uk/roadtr...
Does it seem reasonable value for money?
You'll find it more fun sorting yourself a rental car before you go and a rough idea of where you're going then rocking into a town and staying on a local motel.
I've done 2 big RV road trips and we look up a rough route and approx distance we want to travel per day then look at towns etc around that distance away from that days start point. That way we have a target to aim for but have enough time to explore en route.
I'd echo the above. Travelling in the US is so easy (and reasonably priced and clean roadside accommodation is very easily available) that it's much more fun to wing it.
Make a list of the things you want to see and do, whether there are any special places that you want to book to stay, and then attempt to work it into a round trip. That way the car rental and flights are cheaper, and you can often get a much better car.
Last time out I promised myself a Crown Victoria, as they would be going out of the rental fleets soon afterwards. A bit of fiddling around managed to get me a two week rental for $400, picking up and dropping off from Jersey City for a 3000 mile round trip to Memphis, Tennessee. I don't think we paid more than £100 a night for a hotel, and most of the "in-between" stays in motels were probably less than half that.
I've done that trip, and SF-San Diego-SF. I think if I go again I want to take a look around the Pacific Northwest.
Make a list of the things you want to see and do, whether there are any special places that you want to book to stay, and then attempt to work it into a round trip. That way the car rental and flights are cheaper, and you can often get a much better car.
Last time out I promised myself a Crown Victoria, as they would be going out of the rental fleets soon afterwards. A bit of fiddling around managed to get me a two week rental for $400, picking up and dropping off from Jersey City for a 3000 mile round trip to Memphis, Tennessee. I don't think we paid more than £100 a night for a hotel, and most of the "in-between" stays in motels were probably less than half that.
I've done that trip, and SF-San Diego-SF. I think if I go again I want to take a look around the Pacific Northwest.
I did one earlier this year on a motorbike. Chicago to San Francisco, circa 4500 miles. Lots of fun, winging the hotels and finding amazing roads. Loved every minute of it.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Fuel is cheap (even more so on a bike), so didn't even think about that.
Hotels: I budgeted around $100-$130. Some were cheaper, so more expensive.
Bike rental was $2.5+ (not cheap) for 22 days
Food and stuff: $100 per day (spent alot less at times)
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Fuel is cheap (even more so on a bike), so didn't even think about that.
Hotels: I budgeted around $100-$130. Some were cheaper, so more expensive.
Bike rental was $2.5+ (not cheap) for 22 days
Food and stuff: $100 per day (spent alot less at times)
Edited by Rich_AR on Monday 3rd November 04:54
Rich_AR said:
I did one earlier this year on a motorbike. Chicago to San Francisco, circa 4500 miles. Lots of fun, winging the hotels and finding amazing roads. Loved every minute of it.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Fuel is cheap (even more so on a bike), so didn't even think about that.
Hotels: I budgeted around $100-$130. Some were cheaper, so more expensive.
Bike rental was $2.5+ (not cheap) for 22 days
Food and stuff: $100 per day (spent alot less at times)
Those pictures looks amazing! We thought about just planning our own trip but very often I find it just ends up costing more? Would like a nice rental car though don't get me wrong!http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Fuel is cheap (even more so on a bike), so didn't even think about that.
Hotels: I budgeted around $100-$130. Some were cheaper, so more expensive.
Bike rental was $2.5+ (not cheap) for 22 days
Food and stuff: $100 per day (spent alot less at times)
Edited by Rich_AR on Monday 3rd November 04:54
I do a couple of 4k milers a year on average. Just done a brutal run to Vegas and back (vegas to columbus in one sitting stopping only for gas - 2k miles in 27 hours!).
Honestly, as pleasant as vast swathes of the U.S. are, it's all about the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and Utah for me. I love the desert and Arizona, but unless you're into rocks and/or off roaring it might not be for everyone.
Colorado remains my favourite, very closely followed by Washington, Oregon and Arizona. I don't do planning though, much prefer to just wing it and do things as I feel. I usually have a general idea of what I'd like to see / do and just join the dots as I go. Try it, it's very liberating not being stuck to a plan.
Honestly, as pleasant as vast swathes of the U.S. are, it's all about the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and Utah for me. I love the desert and Arizona, but unless you're into rocks and/or off roaring it might not be for everyone.
Colorado remains my favourite, very closely followed by Washington, Oregon and Arizona. I don't do planning though, much prefer to just wing it and do things as I feel. I usually have a general idea of what I'd like to see / do and just join the dots as I go. Try it, it's very liberating not being stuck to a plan.
Here's my trip from last year:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=131... (http://vimeo.com/68943841 <- video)
Photos from a few of my trips:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthoulb/collection...
I seem to be trying to get through all the national parks...
I've been to 16 national parks, a couple of national monuments, state parks, and others. There are 59 national parks, so i have quite a way to go!
Hoping for Glacier NP (Montana), then Alaska and maybe Hawaii next year.
Such a huge and varied country. There is so much more to the place than California, Florida, New York, and Las Vegas.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=131... (http://vimeo.com/68943841 <- video)
Photos from a few of my trips:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthoulb/collection...
I seem to be trying to get through all the national parks...
I've been to 16 national parks, a couple of national monuments, state parks, and others. There are 59 national parks, so i have quite a way to go!
Hoping for Glacier NP (Montana), then Alaska and maybe Hawaii next year.
Such a huge and varied country. There is so much more to the place than California, Florida, New York, and Las Vegas.
Matt.. said:
I seem to be trying to get through all the national parks...
I've been to 16 national parks, a couple of national monuments, state parks, and others. There are 59 national parks, so i have quite a way to go!
27 National Parks for me, not even going to begin to count the state parks and monuments, well into the hundreds now for sure.I've been to 16 national parks, a couple of national monuments, state parks, and others. There are 59 national parks, so i have quite a way to go!
Rich_AR said:
Crossflow Kid said:
'kin 'ell! Who was that through?
We got 14 days for $900 in July.
$900.. what did you rent??We got 14 days for $900 in July.
Didn't need or want a tour guide, booked all our own hotels/motels without issue (and got some really good deals/rooms), no fancy logo'd van carrying our luggage...I mean....why? Bike trip, pack light etc.
All in, we did two weeks and 3500 miles for a few quid UNDER £3k for two of us all in....the bike rental, fuel, all hotels which ranged from Caesar's Palace to a log cabin, all meals, park fees, and the minimal spending money we took. Fights were on top.
For the bike I shopped around and eventually booked direct with Escape Eagles in Vegas...two blokes with a lock-up full of Harleys for hire. Nothing fancy, and no agent fees or other fluff to pay.
It meant a couple of trans-Atlantic phone calls but the saving was worth it.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 14th November 14:17
Crossflow Kid said:
We got a 2013 HD Electra Glide Classic,
HD's are cheaper to rent in the US. But it's not my style (in fact I rather dislike HD's and their image, horses for courses an all), hence opting for a Triumph. Mine wasn't with a tour or anything, but the dealer support and one way drop off do add up the costs. Plus the fact I booked in 7 days before I arrived! But yes, I'm sure there are better deals to be had.Here is my guide to Route 66..in the thread are links to state-by-state threads based on multiple trips. Not complete for the Ca section as I have yet to to they short part, but fairly comprehensive
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=140...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=140...
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