Road Trips across the US? Anyone?

[HighFlyer]

I thought id kick start the new topic area off with a question ...

Has anyone here done one of those road trips across the US?

I have always fancied renting a small convertible and doing Route 66 or similar across the states, just me and the other half. I have scoured the internet but only found US citizens who have done it. I havent got a clue how a Brit would start. Do i rent a car from say Alamo in Chicago and give it back in Los Angeles? How does this work?

If anyone here can give me any information, hints or tips, i would be really greatful

A friend of mine did a one month road trip accross the USA. Starting at Boston and ending in LAX.

They used http://www.autodriveaway.com/ Basically this crew specialise im moving peoples cars accross the states when the owner has moved house and flown on ahead. All you pay is a deposit, and fuel (some even get a fuel allowance i think), and they will even assist in making a route for you. Then you have x miles and x days to make the journey. Certainly a cheaper method than a one way rental!

The only disadvantage is that there is no booking ahead, its as the cars come in and need to be moved that you can offer to drive the car. Ok if you dont have any plans set in stone and can be flexible.

Not quite as adventurous here - but am thinking of renting an RV to drive from Napa to Washington for New Years

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4961944/site/1/

Cheers

Michael

[Nottingham Nick]

I have never done the coast to coast thing - it is probably for when I retire and time isn't an issue:)

What we have done is several circular 'mini tours' (if there is such a thing in the US) taking in several States as we do so - we have this daft ambition of visiting every State in the US (we only have 5 'mainland' States left to do plus Hawaii and Alaska [8D] ) . The advantage of the circular tours is that you avoid the often punitive drop off charges.

If you plan it carefully then often neighbouring states have a very low or non existant drop off charge. For example a couple of years ago we picked a car up in Denver, Colorado then drove up through Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho before dropping the car in Salt Lake City, Utah. We saw some absolutely brilliant places / scenery, met some fantastic people and generally had a great time.

I am afraid McCuth's idea of an RV does not appeal to me in the slightest - some of the back roads in the mountains area bit hairy to say the least - and parking the thing in cities isn't easy either.

Nick

[HighFlyer]

Thanks for all your replies.

I agree with you Nick in the case that time is a bit of an issue for us, we could only manage 2 or 3 weeks a trip so yes sticking to a few states would be a better idea. There are so many overlooked places, like Arizona, Utah and Montana that id love to see, and a road trip seems ideal for it.

I dont kow about the RV, hadnt considered it myself, i thought about finding hotels along the way but i guess its an option. Although i crave luxury it doesnt seem right to do a luxurious road trip does it?

I might look into renting a car from Hertz or Alamo and see what their rates are like for drop-offs being different to pick-ups

Yeah, the RV option isn't probably too much of a luxury
Still, I've never driven one, and given the (relatively) short distance between CA & WA, I think it'll be fun [8D]

Cheers

Michael

[Bazz]

quote:Originally posted by mcuth
Yeah, the RV option isn't probably too much of a luxury

You want luxury? See:

http://www.winnebagoind.com/html/produc ... ntage.html

quote:
Still, I've never driven one, and given the (relatively) short distance between CA & WA, I think it'll be fun [8D]

Cheers

Michael

I thought you meant Washington D.C. Michael, not a little trip up the west coast!

Bazz

quote:You want luxury? See:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/html/produc ... ntage.html

Tremendous! I might have to go for that one [8D]

quote:I thought you meant Washington D.C. Michael, not a little trip up the west coast!

As my Mother used to say: "You know what thought did" :D

Cheers

Michael

[Decker]

Well in our neck of the woods it "stood behind a dust cart and thought it was a wedding". Pete and Iona Opie did a great book about this called "The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren" I seem to recall. What did thought do in Bradford MCuth?

Decker - you know what, after 32 years, she still hasn't @#~~&* well told me! That was all I ever got - I knew there was something I'd been meaning to ask her......

Cheers

Michael

Have always wanted to do a road trip. Bought this book a few years ago (albeit an earlier edition)....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 45-1841449

Its really good and has a number of routes for you to choose from depending on what parts of the US you want to see.

Hope it helps

I did NYC to The florida keys!
It took about a week and it was really cool. I took in washington dc, north and south carolina, virginia, georgia, miami and then down to key west.
In 2006 I am doing seatle to orlando, thats a biggy!!!

[Nottingham Nick]

quote:Originally posted by emmylou
I did NYC to The florida keys!
It took about a week and it was really cool. I took in washington dc, north and south carolina, virginia, georgia, miami and then down to key west.
In 2006 I am doing seatle to orlando, thats a biggy!!!

A week doesn't seem long for that drive! How much was the drop of charge? Your 2006 trip sounds fun, have you sorted out your time period, type of vehicle and drop off charge yet?

Nick

I drove about 6-8 hours a day, which is why I got there so quick! I had the car from JFK and kept it for 3 weeks (had a two week hol in disney!!) and dropped it back at MCO and it cost me £2000 with all insurance and stuff, quite pricey - but it was a 10 person mini van type thing!
I have checked car hire for a compact for my next trip and it looks like it will be around £1500 for 4 weeks, which is how long I have planned in for the journey!

SO I guess I better start saving now!!!

[Bazz]

Emmylou, Seattle to Orlando is indeed a biggy! Sounds great fun.

How much of your £1500 is the penalty for the one-way hire?

I am not sure, they just quoted me one price and told me it was fully inclusive of all surcharges and insurance. Not a bad deal really! I am currently trying to convince the other half to hire a red convertable (if your gonna do it, do it in style!) but that comes to a whooping $5600, so I don't fancy my chances!

If you're a people person I recommend an american company called http://www.greentortoise.com/. Its not self drive but you get to see huge swathes of the country and parts you wouldn't necessarily see.

Done two now, one in costa Rica, and the other coast to coast from NY to SF along the south. Planning to the same along the north next year.

Dean

I only did a circular trip about ten yrs ago!

LA-Vagas-Arizona-LA (3 weeks)

not that bad really obviously spend a fair amount of time at each point! ( about 5 days at the canyon too)

I guess the really cool thing to do would be to orgaise with someone else who wants to go the opposite way!
That way neither of you would need to pay the one way charge!
Still finding someone might be an issue also timing it right!