Travel USA travel tips and tricks

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Booked in for a 36 day road trip starting 30th March, next year. I'll outline our itinerary for any feedback, which will be greatly appreciated.
Ignoring all the overnighters designed just to get us closer to our next destination due to the tyranny of distance these are the main stays along the way. We'll be driving unless indicated.
Los Angeles - 2 nights
Las Vegas - 3 nights
Austin - 2 nights
New Orleans - 3 nights
Miami - 3 nights (fly to cancun)
Cancun - 4 nights (fly to Washington DC)
Washington DC - 3 nights
New York - 4 nights (fly back to Los Angeles)
Yosemite National Park - 2 nights
San Francisco - 3 nights
Monterey - 1 night
End back in LA for 1 last night.

Apart from the 3 short flights all other transport will be a rented car. managed to secure a Jeep Grand Cherokee for 4 of us. Mainly staying in cheap motels and hostels although we did "splurge" a little for an all inclusive package at a resort in Cancun.
Like I said, any suggestions or thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
 
Having a great time in Orlando. So far we have been to Kennedy Space Center, Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Universal Studios.

The humidity is brutal though.

Going to Magic v Thunder tomorrow night.

Head to LA on Sunday for 4 nights and then fly back home. Will go to Clippers v Suns while I am there.
 
G.O.B said:
Booked in for a 36 day road trip starting 30th March, next year. I'll outline our itinerary for any feedback, which will be greatly appreciated.
Ignoring all the overnighters designed just to get us closer to our next destination due to the tyranny of distance these are the main stays along the way. We'll be driving unless indicated.
Los Angeles - 2 nights
Las Vegas - 3 nights
Austin - 2 nights
New Orleans - 3 nights
Miami - 3 nights (fly to cancun)
Cancun - 4 nights (fly to Washington DC)
Washington DC - 3 nights
New York - 4 nights (fly back to Los Angeles)
Yosemite National Park - 2 nights
San Francisco - 3 nights
Monterey - 1 night
End back in LA for 1 last night.

Apart from the 3 short flights all other transport will be a rented car. managed to secure a Jeep Grand Cherokee for 4 of us. Mainly staying in cheap motels and hostels although we did "splurge" a little for an all inclusive package at a resort in Cancun.
Like I said, any suggestions or thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I do a lot of travel/road trips thru the US each year by car. Since I retired 4 years ago I average around 30,000 miles (50,000 kms) a year, and you may be interested in some of my posts in this forum as background for you (in order not to repeat what I previously wrote).

Here are some specific comments on your itinerary:

1. As I read your itinerary, of the 36 days, you plan to spend a total of 31 days actually in the cities/areas you mention. That leaves you 5 travel days on the road between the various cities (excluding your flight sectors). This can't be done - the distances are too great.
2. I am not sure if you are traveling as a family - this can make a difference as to daily travel time on the road.
3. Anyway, looking at your proposed routeing (scenic routes on a scale of 1 -10):
LA to Las Vegas is about 5 hours driving time. The drive is thru very arid country, although mountainous in parts - I give it a 3 [altho admittedly I am not into dry desert country and prefer green]. As a tourist with limited time I would not do that sector by road. And unless you gamble why go to Las Vegas?
Las Vegas to Austin is around 20 hours driving time, using the most direct route down to Phoenix and then onto I-10. That is 3 days driving, 2 nites motels.That route is thru dry, boring country, with the exception of the wooded high mountain areas around Flagstaff AZ, thru Sedona, Jerome and Prescott AZ (I used to live in Prescott). Overall scenic rating 3; Flagstaff/Sedona/Prescott area 7. I would not spend 3 days Vegas to Austin as a tourist on limited time. Austin now has the reputation as a buzzy city but is long way to go by road as it is in the middle of nowhere (speaking as a guy originally from Houston). .
Austin - New Orleans is around 8 hours driving time mainly along I-10 past Houston and into Louisiana and then NO. Once you get into south east Texas it is green and lush, but flat all the way. Driving along I-10 on the Atchafalaya causeway is interesting. Overall scenic rating 5. I would not do that drive as a tourist with limited time. 3 nites in NO may be 1 too many.
New Orleans - Miami is around 13 hours driving time = 2 days, by the most direct route. I would take a longer route on I-10 then onto US 98 along the Gulf of Mexico coast thru Apalachicola (see earlier comments on this thread about this route and Apalachicola) and then down to Miami thru Cape Coral and Alligator Alley- traffic is way less that way as well. Scenic rating 6.
DC - NYC around 5 hours driving, heavy traffic on the Interstates, heavily populated.Some very pretty scenery and small towns all thru that area, but not on the Interstates. Scenic rating 6 to 7 not on the Interstate.
LA - Yosemite NP about 5 hours on the road and not all that interesting until you get past Fresno. It would be better to fly into SFO from NYC and drive to Yosemite from there, unless you are locked into plane fare routes. Yosemite is one of my 3 most favorite NPs (Yellowstone is #1 and is much bigger and more spectacular than Yosemite). If you are in the Yosemite area Lake Tahoe is also well worth visiting.
San Francisco - I gave some tips on SF attractions in some earlier postings on this thread.
Monterey - LA: it would be a real shame not to drive US 1 - the coastal route down to LA. Driving time is around around 6 and a half to 7 hours, without stopping. Scenic rating 8+ (altho the northern coastal road US 1 from SF to Portland is more scenic and I rate it a near 10).

As you can see, I am not all that enthused on some of your choices (my opinion only) and I could give you some other options which I think you would really like (e.g sections of the Natchez Trace or Blue Ridge Parkway/Upper Mississippi Valley, etc). As a road trip guy, a road trip to me is just that - on the road, driving thru country USA (which is the real USA) which most tourists don't see - they always go for the big cities. A road trip is not destinations, but being on the road itself and staying overnite in small country places/seeing the sights. Your itinerary is not really a road trip per se, time-wise.

Some road tips (assuming you have not driven in the US before):
  • Don't have any open bottles/cans of booze (beer/wine/liquor) in the cabin of your car when driving.
  • If stopped by a highway patrol keep your hands on the wheel where they can be seen. Do not reach into the glove box for ID/insurance papers until you tell the cop that is what you are doing.
  • Keep up with traffic on the Interstates looping thru major population areas, even if over the limit. In a number of states - especially Texas - this is the law.
  • Many states require traffic to move to the next lane over when there are govt vehicles/road work vehicles/police cars etc stopped on the shoulder with flashing lights. On the Interstates it is a good safe idea to change to the next lane whenever you see parked vehicles on the shoulder, anyway.
  • In California and some other states if you are on a one-up/one down road then if going slow you are required to pull over to let faster traffic past - there are some pullover areas on some country roads for this.
  • Be aware of one-way drop off charges on rental cars - see if you can get a vehicle which the company wants driven back to that particular center, for no extra charge.
  • All gas stations have credit card pay facilities at the pump. Try to get a credit card which will fit this scene. I can't help on this as as I have US credit cards in USD. Some pumps require a zip code - if an issue see the cashier inside.
  • Buy a Garmin GPS/sat nav at Best Buy for around $60 - $100. Best thing ever for road trips. Particularly when searching for food/motels en route.
  • All states have tourist centers just past the state lines on the Interstates with free maps etc. There are rest stops on most Interstates at various intervals.
  • Motels - I always go for smaller motels outside main centers, with doors outside each room where you can park your car in front and unload easily (but this is not so common in snow areas). I usually pay no more than $60.00 a nite, and in the South it is even lower - often $45 or less. Unfortunately many US motels have now been bought by a certain nationality who do not maintain/clean them properly, so be careful. In that event always ask to inspect a room and check that the a/c controls work etc etc. Just sayin...If in doubt, walk away and try another one.
  • Motels (cont) - do not stay in cheap motels in larger metro areas/cities as it can be dangerous for a whole bunch of reasons.
  • Motels (cont) - It is possible to negotiate prices, especially in some of the larger chains, in the evening. For example, I stopped over one night later than usual (I always try to find a motel by around 4 or 5 pm - but this was at 7 pm when driving from Houston to Hastings Minnesota up I-35, and I had done about 8 hours on the road). It was one of the bigger more up-market chains and I asked for the rate. The cashier said $80.00. I said -that's beyond my budget. He said - well, how much do you want to pay? $60.00, I replied. Done deal, he said. [But I wouldn't do it at the 4 Seasons New York City...]
  • Meals - I never eat fast food on the road, or at all. In the country I ask where the nearest mom and pop restaurant is for breakfast - the motel will usually tell you (or look up restaurants on your Garmin). The one with the locals' trucks parked outside is the one. Get a good breakfast from between $4 - $10. Similarly lunch/dinner - always go local. But if I am in a place which has a Ruby Tuesday I go for that.
 

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Strange question:

I am looking to travel somewhere in December and January, yet cannot decide what to do.

My options as they stand are

1) Live in NYC for 6 weeks (my mate has an apartment in Manhattan and his roommate is away for that time)
2) Travel India with friends
3) Do my own thing (would think about Central+South America).

Any thoughts, questions or advice would be much appreciated
 
trueblue_91 said:
Strange question:

I am looking to travel somewhere in December and January, yet cannot decide what to do.

My options as they stand are

1) Live in NYC for 6 weeks (my mate has an apartment in Manhattan and his roommate is away for that time)
2) Travel India with friends
3) Do my own thing (would think about Central+South America).

Any thoughts, questions or advice would be much appreciated
Click to expand...

Slight Chinese fortune cookie answer - it depends on what you are looking for and what you want to experience. Only you can decide.

If you are young you usually look for adventure and exotica and the associated hardships - #2 and #3 would cover that. But if you want to have a good immersion into US urban lifestyle by getting to know your local 'hood for 6 weeks, and travel around it as a base not just as a tourist but as a kind of resident, then your NYC option is great. Plus presumably free NYC accommodation. But NYC in Dec/Jan will be very, very cold.

PS In my own experience you either like or loathe India, and ditto Central/South America. But you probably won't know until you go there. If you like a comfort zone like the USA, then NYC is for you.

PPS I would steer clear of Central America. Can be very dangerous.
 
deltablues said:
Slight Chinese fortune cookie answer - it depends on what you are looking for and what you want to experience. Only you can decide.

If you are young you usually look for adventure and exotica and the associated hardships - #2 and #3 would cover that. But if you want to have a good immersion into US urban lifestyle by getting to know your local 'hood for 6 weeks, and travel around it as a base not just as a tourist but as a kind of resident, then your NYC option is great. Plus presumably free NYC accommodation. But NYC in Dec/Jan will be very, very cold.

PS In my own experience you either like or loathe India, and ditto Central/South America. But you probably won't know until you go there. If you like a comfort zone like the USA, then NYC is for you.

PPS I would steer clear of Central America. Can be very dangerous.
Click to expand...

Cheers. I did a 7 month trip last year by myself in North America and Europe. Had a blast, but I moved around too much (every 4 days on average) and was exhausted by the end of it.

I have an opportunity to live with my American mate in Manhattan (as his housemate is away), I feel like this opportunity is a bit rarer than the others. However, for some reason I have really interested in exploring South America. I guess I will need to make a decision soon, so I can book flights. Flip a coin maybe?

Thanks for your advice.
 
im going over again next year. at this point all i know is i will be in Dallas the first weekend of april. trying to figure out what to do before or after that

Many states require traffic to move to the next lane over when there are govt vehicles/road work vehicles/police cars etc stopped on the shoulder with flashing lights. On the Interstates it is a good safe idea to change to the next lane whenever you see parked vehicles on the shoulder, anyway.
Click to expand...

the lack of this in Australia really annoys me. most people dont even move to the other edge of their lane, let alone the other lane.
 
deltablues said:
And unless you gamble why go to Las Vegas?
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For mine, this is a fallacy. Vegas is worth a trip at least once in your life, and you don't have to gamble to have a great time there. There's certainly more than enough things to do and see in a 3 night stay that doesn't involve sitting down at a card table or slot machine.
 
Goodo73 said:
For mine, this is a fallacy. Vegas is worth a trip at least once in your life, and you don't have to gamble to have a great time there. There's certainly more than enough things to do and see in a 3 night stay that doesn't involve sitting down at a card table or slot machine.
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Heh, yes I have to admit that I absolutely detest Las Vegas.
 
Vegas isn't great. I've been twice, once by myself and once with a group of about 10 mates, it's basically casinos and srtippers, not much else to it. The outlet stores up each end are amazing though.

Those stores and the fact it's probably The easiest way to visit the canyon are the best things about Vegas.
 
Hard Ball Get said:
Vegas isn't great. I've been twice, once by myself and once with a group of about 10 mates, it's basically casinos and srtippers, not much else to it. The outlet stores up each end are amazing though.

Those stores and the fact it's probably The easiest way to visit the canyon are the best things about Vegas.
Click to expand...
If you are interested in the Grand Canyon then the more interesting and quicker route (compared to doing it from Las Vegas) is to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor then get the Arizona Shuttle to Flagstaff along I-17 climbing up to 7,000 feet (3 hours 10 mins) then hire a car from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Village - about 80 miles away (80 minutes ride). Stay in old Flagstaff o/nite. But you won't get the glitzy hotels in Flagstaff. Good in winter months too if you like skiing - e.g. see the Arizona Snow Bowl just out of Flagstaff.
 

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deltablues Your knowledge on travel to the US is great, I will be visiting San Fran next August, and we are in the process of booking appartment rental, in your opinion what is a good/ safe neighbourhood of SFO we want to catch some live music, convenient location and restaurants, I know that a matter of a few blocks an area can change.

Also, we want a week by the coast somewhere, are we better to go further south or is there somewhere around SFO?
 
Hard Ball Get said:
Vegas isn't great. I've been twice, once by myself and once with a group of about 10 mates, it's basically casinos and srtippers, not much else to it. The outlet stores up each end are amazing though.

Those stores and the fact it's probably The easiest way to visit the canyon are the best things about Vegas.
Click to expand...
There's 'occasionally' a show or 50 on the odd night
 
Kakkle said:
$17 was a stab in the dark. I think that's how much it cost from San Diego to Las Vegas, and I complete agree. Should've seen the people on my bus from Orlando to Miami. Jesus.


Already craving another USA trip. Hopefully in 12 months time.
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Yeah, in the south, wow.

My bus trips
Miami ---> Orlando
Orlando ---> Atlanta
Atlanta ---> Orlando
Orlando ---> New Orleans

Baltimore ---> New York
New York ---> Hartford
Hartford ---> Boston

Miami to Orlando and Atlanta to Orlando were, yeah, wow. Eye opening.
Orlando to Atlanta was alright as a lot of people were going up for DragonCon. So I just saw the weird side of things there
Orlando to New Orleans I met some lovely people there. Actually normal.
Baltimore to New York was packed with tourists
New York to Hartford were normal.
Hartford to Boston was students going back to school (Sunday morning bus)

edit: Though, I went megabus rather than greyhound. Price didn't phase me, it was more the fact I didn't want to pay for a printer at the hotels/hostels I was at and it was asking for residential address, but wouldn't allow an Oz one or something like that. SO rather than getting the hotel's address, I just went '* it' and went for MegaBus instead as it was more convenient (except maybe Baltimore. Probably should've gone Greyhound from there, ah well)
 
Last edited:
Bluesque said:
deltablues Your knowledge on travel to the US is great, I will be visiting San Fran next August, and we are in the process of booking appartment rental, in your opinion what is a good/ safe neighbourhood of SFO we want to catch some live music, convenient location and restaurants, I know that a matter of a few blocks an area can change.

Also, we want a week by the coast somewhere, are we better to go further south or is there somewhere around SFO?
Click to expand...
Will get back to you soon.
 
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