How I did it: During my last year of university I mentioned to a friend that hey, wouldn't it be fun if we did a cross-country road trip after graduation?  Somehow, despite our best efforts, we actually managed to get our act together and took a trip! There were three of us and we drove from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco and then back.  We went via Chicago and Wyoming on the way out, and came back via Las Vegas, New Mexico, Memphis, and Ashville, N.C. 

The really important thing was to save some money beforehand and to set aside enough time to get it all done.  We were quite lucky because we all had a summer off before starting grad school, and I saved my money up during my last year of university.  We stayed with friends when we could, we car camped, and sometimes we stayed in motels.  It was truly a blast.

Lessons & tips:

• Set some time aside. If it's a fun trip, you want enough time so that you're not pulling marathon driving days every single day.
• Set some money aside. Food and lodging often cost money.
• It's a lot more fun with friends.  I thought three was a good number, because there could be one person driving, one person keeping the driver company, and one person napping in the back seat!
• Car camping is a great way to save a lot of money. There are truly gorgeous parks all across the USA--make use of them!
• It's good to have a AAA membership or equivalent. Once you're a member, you can get all sorts of travel guides, maps, etc from them for FREE.  Totally worth it.
• We went in July. It's really really hot in most of the country in July. If you can, don't go during July and August.  Car camping then can get a little unpleasant. 
• Know which parks have car camping sites, and know which of them take same-day occupants. Some parks have sites that need to be reserved well in advance. If the site needs to be reserved well in advance and you have your heart set on it, then make sure you get a reservation before setting out! If it takes walk-ins, make sure you get there early enough in the day to snag a spot.  (Jenny Lake campground at Grand Teton National Park?  Fantastic! Get there insanely early to snag a spot. Totally worth it though.)
• Make sure you have a guidebook that lists motels, parks, etc.  There are many on the market. 
• Maps. Take maps!
• Be flexible.  Part of the fun is saying hey, where do we want to go today? Some days you might be tired and not want to drive at all. Some days you might be in a really really boring part and want to drive a long distance to get to something more fun.
• Do your research--if you have a special hobby, see if there are any festivals or particularly good places to do it that might be included on your route.  For example, if you're a rock climber, you might want to make sure you swing by Joshua Tree, or Yosemite.
• Relax.  Have fun.  You might pass through those roads again--enjoy them!

Resources:

• American Automobile Association
• US National Parks website

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May 27, 04:19PM PDT | 0 comments | 6 cheers