Ask the Readers: Planning a Cheap Road-Trip Vacation?
Published on - November 14th, 2008 (by J.D. Roth) Jonathan has an interesting request for Get Rich Slowly readers. He wants to make a month-long cross-country road trip next summer, and he wants to do it on the cheap. But how? He’s hoping that you can help. Here’s an abridged version of his e-mail:
I’m trying to figure out how to save money on vacation. My girlfriend and I have always had a dream of spending a month driving out to the Grand Canyon then to DC for the Smithsonian and back and stopping at all sorts of interesting sites on the way. We’re in Michigan, so the trip will probably be about 6,000 miles making room for all our random stops.
I’ve done some work in figuring out how to make this affordable, but everything adds up fast. The worst expenses are obviously gas and lodging, followed by food. We plan on camping, since it is a lot of fun and a lot cheaper than hotels. If we’re good, lunches for a week could stay under $30 — mainly sandwich stuff and snacks, but fast food will probably be tempting some days. Dinner will probably be even more expensive.
So far, I’ve added up over $1000 in expenses and we haven’t done anything yet! I would love any suggestions in lowering those expenses, and in what sort of things we could do along the way that are low budget. We hate normal touristy locations, which will hopefully help a lot in keeping the price down.
p.s. I’m considering getting some sort of mobile internet card for my laptop so we can take lots of pictures and blog the trip as we go. Any suggestions on getting a month worth of internet cheap would be great too!
.jpg "Kris doesn't get this joke. It's highway robbery, see? Dig the old-style hand-pumped gas!")
I’m envious. I’ve always wanted to do this sort of thing. The older I get, the less likely it is to happen, though, so I’ve begun to live vicariously through the adventures of others. In the past, for example, I’ve enjoyed reading about The Frugal Traveler’s American road trip.
Though I don’t have any first-hand experience with this sort of travel, I have discovered a few related sites over the past year or so:
- Last June, the New York Times published a list of 31 places to go this summer, though the advice is applicable to other seasons, as well. Be sure to read the 268 reader comments to find other useful info.
- Roadtrip America has some expert tips on the fine art of the cheap road trip.
- At Wise Bread, Jessica has some advice on how to survive a road trip. (These are more “how not to go crazy” tips than “how to save money” tips.)
- I’m not a big fan of the About.com, but their America Road Trips 101 article actually contains a great collection of tips and links, including advice for finding free wireless internet connections.
Trips like this used to be commonplace, but they’ve become much less popular since the rise of cheap air travel and “destination” vacations.
Click the strip to open a larger version in a new window.
Have you ever made a cross-country sightseeing trip? Do you have experience camping for days on end? Are you an expert at eating cheaply while traveling? Do you have recommendations for low-cost points of interest across the United States? Are Jonathan’s projections realistic? How much would you budget for a trip like this?
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I noticed a few people mentioned CouchSurfing and I just wanted to say that I have tried this several times and had great luck with it (my parents have done it too). Tends to be really nice people who are registered and they always do nice things like offer dinner and showers. They may even have a guest room rather than a couch, like my parents do. I usually try to buy them a drink or something in return for their kindness in letting me stay. For some people staying with strangers is not their thing, but you sound open to experiences.
Also, places that I loved on my cross country trip: sand dunes (great sand dunes, white sands), Bryce/Zion NP, Glacier NP, Grand Teton NP. Our country is an amazing place. You will love your trip. Enjoy!
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We’ve done the cross country thing too. So have some of my friends. (Husband is from AK, I’m from FL.)
I think that you have to decide on what’s important to you before you can adequately plan.
My friend told her kids $3/day for 1 meal out…they went to fast food where they could get 3 $1 items (Wendy’s). I thought that was pretty neat since her kids were happy with that. For me, eating out is part of the fun and part of the trip itself and not simply fuel—her mantra was “food is for fuel, not fun”. For me, the food is part of the fun. So, I’d just save up a little longer to not have to cook. (That defines vacation for me–no cooking!–cooking over a campstove sounds terrible–unless someone else would do it and then do the clean up.)
1. National Parks Pass. Visit the parks. Since you’ve never been there before, it would be shame to go out west and then come home and say, “We never made it to the Grand Canyon.” Unlike the person who said it wasn’t worth it…it was amazing and well worth it to me! But there are lot of amazing sights out west. There are many canyons. Try the Petrified Forest too. Yellowstone, Tetons, etc. Lots more I’d love to see. But, the caves in the east were neat, too.
2. I found, by buying groceries I didn’t necessarily save much money in the overall cost of food. Walking into a store, paying retail (I usually shop sales and loss leader type items) and then having to store it, and possibly throwing it if it spoils, gets squishes, uneaten, etc. isn’t necessarily “cheaper”. We would stay at hotels (trying to find the best deals) that included breakfast and then “tank up” on breakfast. Then, we’d eat one more time during the day…preferably about 2 pm. Of course, if you are trying to get local color with restaurants, this might not work, since we didn’t do that.
3. We’ve done the camping thing. We got pretty fast at setup. If your tent is small, you can do it in a few minutes–my kids could do theirs in less than 10 minutes–esp. the little pup tent. But, hotels look pretty good after “wilderness camping” and you need a shower!
4. Stay with friends is a great idea. They usually do want to show you around and at least our friends seemed delighted to have us. Everyone (that I know) understands the need to save money when possible.
5. Don’t be afraid to get the whole picture. Drive the freeways if you want to get somewhere faster.
6. We got a AAA credit card that gives you back $ on all gas purchases, not just one brand (such as a BP card might). This lets you buy at the cheapest gas stations and still get the discount.
7. We’ve traveled with 7, and to be honest, travel isn’t cheap. But, as someone said, you’ve got to eat, even if you didn’t travel.
8. We bought souvenirs at each place…either a Christmas tree ornament or something that could be made into a Christmas tree ornament. Every Christmas we remember the places we go as we decorate the tree. You can do it reasonably. If you are only going to do it once in 20 years, then, don’t regret that you didn’t get something every time you think about it.
9. Pack light for sheer convenience, even if the savings on gas isn’t a consideration. We spent 2 months with our carryons (Our whole family of 7 traveled in an Astro van–each person had a carry on size–we needed dress clothes as well as knock around). We packed carefully.
10. We’ve found that in many hotel’s parking area, you can access wifi. Some will need a password, but many won’t.
11. Don’t McD’s have free wifi?
12. You can do searches for cheap hotels using PriceLine, I think it is (the place where you bid). My brother in law does that. You could stop at a place where you have Wifi and bid and try that. We’ve never done it, but could attempt it. If you have a AAA card, you can often get discounts at hotels. Get those coupon booklets that are on the freeways for cheaper lodging. It is also on line, but I don’t know where.
13. Remember you may have to trade off a bit of sight-seeing with economy. The freeway doesn’t cut out the interesting places.
14. Depending on where you are coming from and your own standard of living, the trip might not be that radically expensive or tight.
What you are used to often determines whether or not you really feel like something is a hardship or spendy. For me, I feel like I’ve wasted a ton of money if I go to a restaurant and spend $50 for 2 people. To others, it’s “nothing” and do it regularly. If you enjoy camping, fixing your own food, sleeping on the hard ground, etc., go ahead and do it. Make sure it isn’t too cushy, or you won’t remember it anyway. Sometimes the hard times bring the funniest chuckles later. (like snow on the outside of the tent when you wake up in the morning! BRRR!)
FWIW, I didn’t feel like $25 or $30 for a campground was that great when you could often find a hotel (for 2) for another $10 and that would include all-you-can-eat-breakfast as well as heat/cooling, internet, showers, etc..
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there isn’t much i myself could add since i have never traveled cross country, and there would be nothing i could add that hasn’t already been said…
on that note though, my ex-roommate from college recently took the plunge to voluntary homelessness (that sweet spot after you graduate and want to travel the world before you “settle down”). she sold much of everything she owned, including what was left in our apartment in san francisco, some vehicles she owned, etc. she’s been on the road for three months and will be traveling “across the pond” to see relatives in england.
i’m amazed by what she’s done. she eventually bought a reliable old car for cheap and depends on budgeting, minimalism, and the kindness of her various network of friends nationwide (she makes friends easily, through places like maker faire and burning man). she camps mostly when weather permits and stays at friends places for a few days to recoup from traveling, and at hostels when necessary. i believe she buys the majority of her food from grocery stores and prepares meals like anyone else (though i think the lure of famous local eateries has gotten the better of her at times).
she’s got the iphone which i think makes finding resources, checking her account balances, contacting friends for couch surfing, etc a lot easier. other than that, she’s pretty low tech and low… every other possession!
i envy her! i wouldn’t have the guts to dedicate an indefinite amount of my life to traveling, but she’s really inspiring me to consider taking a look at parts of this country that don’t have a strip mall or a hotel.
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I was also going to suggest a National Park Pass. And couchsurfing.com to stay on other peoples couches for free! Or even house swapping.
Also, take a cooler (Dry ice lasts a long time but dont touch it or eat it) and a camp stove.
An air mattress for the tent is a must have and eat at the grocery store!
Bring along some cards and games for entertainment when you cannot get out to do things (like when it rains).
Have a blast!
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We did a short road trip down the west coast this summer. We took a cooler and ate our lunches in parks. Before leaving, we made a block of ice in our freezer and it lasted several days. I also made several different types of salads like pasta salad to have instead of sandwiches.
We traveled at the height of the gas crunch in July and paid top dollar especially in the smaller out of the way towns. Do gas up in larger cities if you can. We also mapped out the locations of the Costco gas stations. They were just about a day drive for us so we gassed up there most of the time and only had to pay really expensive gas ($4.99) once.
We didn’t camp. We stayed a low cost chains and took advantage of any discounts they offer. For us, we got senior discounts. Many also have AAA discounts. Definitely get the National Park Pass. It pays off fast.
If you are going to stay in a location for a couple of days, take a look at vacation rentals. They would be a nice break. Many have free laundry facilities, DVDs, good cooking facilities, free internet. They also give you the opportunity to reorganize/stock, etc. You would have to plan ahead and it would remove a little bit of flexibility but add a lot to your enjoyment. We’ve used VRBO. We stayed 4 days at Mammoth Resort in a rental and we loved it.
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We took such a trip this past summer – five weeks, from Toronto to Dawson City and back – a total of 16368km, which is just over 10,000 miles.
I think the best frugal thing we did was to buy an old Volkswagen campervan, intending to sell it again at the end of the trip. Although we had room in the budget to stay in hotels every now and again, we loved our “bus” so much we never did – we camped every night, in provincial, federal, or private campgrounds. Besides having room to sleep four plus an extra child, the bus has two gas burners, a small fridge (runs on a second battery that charges when the bus is running), and a sink. Most of our meals came from regular grocery store trips; cereal for breakfast, a hot bought lunch, and soup and/or sandwiches for supper. We could have gotten a lot fancier with our meals, but didn’t end up spending the time on it.
The idea was to sell the bus at the end of the trip for as much or more as we paid for it, since we proved that it could travel extensively with no problems. However, we loved the trip so much we’re now planning another one for next summer, so the bus is carefully put to bed for the winter!
Because we were traveling in Canada, our biggest expense was gas, at almost $2000 Cdn.
Like Jonathan we blogged – internet access was often free at tourist centres, or cheap for a night’s worth at a campground. Our blog is at http://yukonadventure.blogspot.com/ and I’d be happy to answer questions for anyone who comments on it.
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Camping:
Rustic national forest service campgrounds are often free. If not, in most national forests you can camp on any national forest land. In the case of the campgrounds, it means pit toilets and sometimes no water. If you camp on forest service land, you obviously need to have your own water and a small shovel. Check on some no-trace camping info if you haven’t done that before. Obviously there are no showers.
For showers, stop in developed campgrounds. In many popular tourist areas state park camp grounds are going to be full at the peak of the season and sometimes more expensive than the commercial campgrounds. In the west, there are large truck stops along freeways that offer showers.
In terms of meals, breakfast is the cheapest meal to eat out if you stick to the breakfast special at local family style restaurants. Just don’t order the juice, which is a lot cheaper from a grocery store.
If you can find blocks of ice, instead of cubes, it lasts a lot longer. That means you can buy a half gallon of orange juice instead of small bottles – or buy frozen concentrate. You can let the concentrate defrost and reconstitute it a glass at a time.
Stay off freeways to the extent you can. You will see a lot more of the country. And that is the purpose of the trip isn’t it?
Get out of your car and walk or bring bikes with you. You would be surprised how much more relaxed the trip is if you don’t spend the whole time in the car going from one place to another. For instance, choose a laundromat in a small town that looks interesting so you can spend time walking around while the wash is getting done.
Save your hotel/motel stays for bad weather. Camping is great, but setting up a tent in pouring rain can make things unpleasant for several days when you have to pack all the wet stuff back into the car.
Be aware that elevation matters. I once took a car trip in winter from Minnesota to Los Angeles. We drove straight through until we got to the “tropics” as we put it. We finally decided to stop and camp on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, at several thousand feet of elevation, it was anything but tropical with temperatures dropping into the teens.
Likewise, you can have sunny weather on one side of mountains and an hour later be in pouring rain on the other side.
Distances in the west sometimes surprise people from the east. Depending on where you are, there may be stretches where there are not services of any kind available. You need to pay attention to where you are going to get gas or food.
I would second the wi-fi. Free wireless is almost as accessible as cell service.
Stop at visitors centers, national park and forest service headquarters etc. for information about what to see in the local area.
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My wife and I take a couple of road trips each year and we try to use PRICELINE to save on hotel/motel costs. Oh, and we ride a Goldwing, which really helps on fuel costs….and it’s GREAT FUN!
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When we go on trips I will make several meals in advance such as spaghetti, bbq, soups, then freeze them in square containers so they stack well. When they are frozen you can pop them out and vacum seal them. Kept in a cooler with ice they will thaw slowly or not at all depending on how cold you keep it, and at the campsite all you have to do is boil the bag in hot water to have your meal. Clean up is easy too.
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My husband and I drove from Southern California to New York a few years ago, and spent about a week and a half exploring the southwest. I think the whole trip coast around 1500 in total.
First, we saved money by packing semi non-perishable food; a lot of Energy bars, Apples, peanut butter, rice cakes, and bagels. We tried to stay in hotels that included breakfast, but budgeted $20 for dinner each night, which was enough for a cheap meal, since we usually split entrees.
We got a national parks pass, which was a great deal. One of the many great things about national parks is that there is nothing in them for you to spend money on once you pay the admission fee.
Secondly, we price-lined almost all of our hotels. Priceline’s name your own price feature is absolutely wonderful if you haven’t used it. We are routinely able to stay in 4 star hotels for around $60 a night, and haven’t stayed in a motel since we discovered it. You can get more basic hotels for $30 a night, which is cheaper than some National Park campsites, if you want a break from camping. Betterbidding.com can give you some sort of idea of what bids get accepted in various cities.
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We’ve actually freed ourselves up enough to begin doing much more of this beginning this next summer. Got lots of places to go and things to see! Thanks for everyone’s input!!
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I did want to add that when you stay with friends, you do trade somewhat making your own decisions for the convenience of free lodging and usually board.
That may be a major player. If you need to get up early (5-6 am) and get going, you may not want to plan on staying with friends. There are some trade-offs. The same with arriving late.
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Absolutely agree with many of the suggestions above. I take several roadtrips a year, including two trips of 8300+ mi, 3 of 6000+ mi, and 2 of 5000+ mi (and several shorter ones) in the last half dozen years or so.
To reiterate a few key points:
-buy a stove, some easy to clean supplies, and a cooler. Cook when you can. Buy food and drinks from grocery stores, not convenience stores.
-snack throughout the day, end with an actual meal, either one you cook yourself.
-buy a national parks pass (now called America the Beautiful) and USE it. Focus your trip around America’s special places and you’ll not only learn a lot but you’ll experience the essence of America.
-skip the wifi card. You can find free (or very cheap) wifi in many places. Buy a starbucks card and use it once a month to maintain 2+hrs of surfing there, stop at hotel parking lots and use theirs, and so forth.
-camp or otherwise skip hotels. Camping can be a blast, and your costs will rise quickly the more you stay at a hotel (where it’s easy to hit the bar and eat out, among other things). Hell, we often even sleep for a few hours at rest areas or in nice hotel parking lots (which are a bit safer).
-pay attention to gas prices…you’ll often get better values if you don’t stop at the first or last station into or out of town. Also, truck stops seem to have the best prices.
-definitely use Google Gears or notepad or something to keep track of your adventures and post them online. Post pictures, too, but make sure to add comments and captions to reveal the true meaning of the photo.
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There has been lots of talk about food but what you really need it a very good tent. Get one with a tent fly that goes all the way to the ground. Have a waterproof ground cloth under your tent and extra garbage bags to store the wet tent. Bad weather is not a problem if your prepared for it. Thermarest sleeping mats and light, zip together sleeping bags, are a must.
Use your computer to write journal entries each night and add the digital photos when you get home. Buy an inverter to charge you computer, shaver, camera batt. while you travel.
Instead of traveling a thousands of miles and using all that fuel go to one Nat. Park and setup a base camp. Explore that one place and relax. Doing to much, to fast, is just a recipe for disaster and stress.
Happy camping!
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I ditto what Jane said. A girlfriend and I drove cross country when I was 17 and stayed in youth hostels and with friends and family. I loved the one in Truth Or Consequences too, although at the time it was just a little building. We did stay in a teepee on Vashon Island near Seattle though.
We bought a panel van at the start of the trip, and slept in it a number of times along the way. Coming from Hawaii, we were ill-prepared for the cold that met us- even in summer- in some areas like North Dakota and the Grand Canyon at night. So definitely be prepared for anything.
As for budgets- well, we had maybe $1k, but that was almost 20 years ago. One thing that kept our meals cheap was having a big cooler for water and another for food. While milk might not have kept, things like string cheese did, and we always had water to drink and brush our teeth with.
Coming back to lodging, put the word out with friends and family. We stayed with all sorts of far-flung folks. Other resources you might tap are maybe fraternity or sorority members and other alumni of your high school or college.
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We just got back from a month-long road trip from SC up through New England and into Canada.
We learned:
1) We should have camped–BUT it’s really cold in November. Lesson learned: don’t go road trippin’ in November. The sun also sets earlier, resulting in sometimes thinking we were ready for bed at 7pm. Oops.
2) Couchsurfing is a great way to cut down lodging costs. People are super-friendly and you stay free. If that fails you, check around for Knights Inns or Motel 6s (always the cheapest we could find) and don’t forget to use your AAA discounts!!!
3) LISTEN when @Jen says take the snacks you’ll actually want to eat. We stocked up on meal bars and by the end of week 2 we were sick to death of them.
Have fun!!!
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As far as travel is concerned. The AP just released a story by Bruce Schreiner & Dan Strumpf entitled “Poor Economy is the nail in the RV industry’s tire”
If you travel in an RV, there may be a smaller option. I am one of many people who are building a teardrop trailer. It is usually a 4′x8′ or 5′x’10′ (like mine) small trailer. teardrops will not satisfy those who love all of the comforts of home in their large motor homes BUT they also won’t use as much fuel to tow. Most weigh in around 1000lbs. There is much more to learn about these trailers. If you’re still curious, you can read more on my website (http://jpodbuild.wordpress.com). If not, enjoy your motor home and I’ll see you out there next summer.
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Hope my reply is not too late to be relevant.
We visited DC (from Toronto) in late August 08. 2 adults, one 11 year old boy. Loved it! We tent camped at Greenbelt National Park in Greenbelt which is a suburb in Maryland. Can’t remember the exact amount but cheap and very convenient. Maybe $16./night? The park was almost empty and we were spoiled for site choice. Good choice of open and shaded sites. Very safe, rangers etc. were very friendly and helpful with great advice for getting around DC. We got on the train at the nearest stop Greenbelt which is about a mile from the park and were at the Smithsonian in about 30 minutes. Inexpensive and easy way to go.
We parked at the station very reasonably but you need to park after 9:30 am? on weekdays.(which is great because the museums don’t open until 10 am) and I think it might be free on weekends. There are reserved parking spots right beside the station entrance (covered parking) that after a certain time of day are available to anyone. Transit system was very safe and efficient.
Eat while in Greenbelt or surrounding suburbs. In addition to usual chains and grocery storesthere’s lots of local eateries. We really enjoyed the cheap and delicious Mexican, South American take out and eat in options. Check out frugal dining in DC area websites before you go if this sort of thing appeals to you.
We visited the museums during the heat of the day and toured the monuments etc. in the cool of the evening. I seem to remember the Lincoln Memorial being open even until 10:00 pm. The Vietnam memorial is lit up until late too (security guards all over the mall area)but take a flashlight if you’re looking for a specific name on the wall.
We really lucked out because of the week we went. The last week in August. Campgrounds not busy, temps. comfortable for sleeping at night. Congress is not “in”. Majority of the school kids in US have gone back at least the week before (But not Canadians) and school trips haven’t really started yet. But the Smithsonian is still on extended summer hours (7:30 pm instead of 5:30 pm closing even though its not published). No crowds, no lineups, especially after 5).
From there we went on to the Assateague National Seashore for an amazing oceanside camping experience at the National Park (not the state park) Great if you love sand, surf and wild horses.
Happy roadtripping!
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