The Great American RoadTrip Forum

The Great American RoadTrip Forum http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/ This is a discussion forum providing information about road trips in North America en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:28:14 GMT vBulletin 30 http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg The Great American RoadTrip Forum http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/ Four days to Vegas http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22332&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:31:45 GMT Hi,

My girlfriend and I are planning a vacation to Las Vegas in April 2010. We have ten days in total and we want to split that time "doing Vegas!" and the rest of the time taking in some sights on a road trip-So we want to plan a scenic route that will allow us to view some fabulous scenery and visit some interesting towns/areas. Would love to visit Death Valley and The Grand Canyon.
We were thinking of a fly drive coming in from the U.K, picking up the rental in maybe seattle, and dropping it off in Vegas- any suggestions on routes. Or Suggestions on maybe flying into a different city. We definitley want to spend five days in Vegas though.
I look forward to your help and expertise.

Andy ]]> Going to Las Vegas! gunnerfitz http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22332 Planning West-Coast 11 day RV-trip (Vegas-Yosemite-SF-Coastline-LA) http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22331&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:02:18 GMT Hi,

Been following this forum alot lately, read and learned alot.
I'm from Belgium and am planning a trip with my brother-in-law.
Limited to 11 full days in the US, mid june 2010 (Wifes :||)

I'm attaching my temp calendar to this post, which should give you a good idea of what kind of planning we have now. (The days traveling down the coast from SF to LA should give us some leniency to move some things if necessary)

Calendar: Calendar-USA-June-2010.doc

Obvious questions are:
- possible? Have we, underestimated the driving time?
- Where should we trim/expand our time? (My brother-in-law is a truckdriver, so he's able and used to drive)
- Is Sequoia NP beter than Yosemite? Should we stop at both?
- Should we do Universal Studio's? Worth the day?
- Which other things along the coast (SF to LA) shouldn't we miss?
- Is Downtown L.A. worth a full day? It's just another city no?

We are especially looking for those special places that are worth a stop (or small detour)? Things known only to locals. (Our last trip to New York wouldn't have been the same without the icecream-parlour at the end of the brooklyn bridge)

Also looking for any laws on RV-camping in California... What may we do, what not? Can we stop anywhere and sleep? Or only on special RV-stops?

Any idea's and remarks are more than welcome !

Thanks in advance !

Triion

Attached Images

Calendar-USA-June-2010-V1.jpg (29.6 KB)

]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips Triion http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22331 Road Trip with the kids .... http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22329&goto=newpost Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:23:07 GMT Hi! We are Aussies with three kids (aged 9,7 and 4) who will be coming over next year. In mid-May we plan to leave Vegas and head to San Francisco. I like the idea of driving as we have 3-4 days available so would love to go through Death Valley and stop at Yosemite for 2 nights to chill out. Our... Hi! We are Aussies with three kids (aged 9,7 and 4) who will be coming over next year. In mid-May we plan to leave Vegas and head to San Francisco. I like the idea of driving as we have 3-4 days available so would love to go through Death Valley and stop at Yosemite for 2 nights to chill out. Our kids are good travellers but I'm not sure whether this would be too much (eg. the boredom stakes). So my question is, do I do the drive from LV to SF, or fly from LV to SF then drive out from SF to Yosemite and just cover that area instead and possibly Lake Tahoe? I've been reading the threads and have gained heaps of info so far, so thanks for that! ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips suzey267 http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22329 Cross Country with kids http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22327&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:24:09 GMT We will be meandering across this beautiful country of ours beginning in June. By my calculations will be back in DC sometime in late August. We will be traveling with a pop up camper and don't plan on stopping in motels unless Mom needs a serious break. The kids are 9, 6, 4. They want to run, play, and swim. I want to use state parks for camping and make it our homebase for multiple places to see. I don't mind driving up to an hour from our home base. I will consider further drives if need be.

Here is our route:

DC - Blacksburg VA (overnight)

Blacksburg - Lake Guntersville, AL (Space center in Huntsville) (2 nights)
(Will stop in Knoxville or Chatanooga for sightseeing

Huntsville - Memphis, TN (1 night) want to stand outside the gates of Graceland, let the kids do something

Memphis - Fredericksburg, TX (there will be an overnight somewhere just not sure where I want to go)

Fredericksburg, Tx for 3 nights
(Austin, San Antonio, relax)

Fredericksburg, TX - Carlsbad/Roswell, NM (overnight)
(see the bats, see the aliens)

Roswell - Santa Fe/Taos (3 nights)
Enjoy the area

Taos - Durango, CO (3 nights)
Sand Dunes/Mesa Verde

Durango - Gallup,NM (overnight)
Canyon de Chelly

Gallup - Flagstaff, AZ (4 days)
Sedona/Grand Canyon/relax/Rte 66

Flagstaff - Kanab, UT (5 days)
Grand Canyon North Rim/Grand Staircase/Zion/Bryce

Kanab - Las Vegas, NV (2 Days)

Las Vegas - Palm Springs, CA (2 days)
Joshua Tree

Palm Springs - Santa Cruz, CA
visit with family

Any tips, advice, recommendations on state parks would be great. Hidden gems would be awesome.

Happy travels...Brigid ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips brigid68 http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22327 New Mexico to Delaware http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22326&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:40:52 GMT So I am moving to Delaware from NM and will be driving my car starting December 20th. My plan is to try to get to Delaware in a week but this could be extended. Am trying to take my time and see as many places as possible with my family who will be helping me move. We will be starting at Las... So I am moving to Delaware from NM and will be driving my car starting December 20th. My plan is to try to get to Delaware in a week but this could be extended. Am trying to take my time and see as many places as possible with my family who will be helping me move. We will be starting at Las Cruces, NM. Things that my family would love to see is a fashion design school, an aviation school, live music (jazz), major tourist attractions and historical places. I have narrowed it down to these places NM to Austin, New Orleans, Orlando - Florida, North Carolina and finally Delaware. Any tips on great places to see, stay and save money on will be greatly appreciated. ]]> Abanya http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22326 US East Coast Road Trip - Any good books? http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22324&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:57:11 GMT Doing a US east coast road trip next summer. probably miami to NY, seeing many places in between. just wondering if there is any good books i can read on this route? or even good books people have written of their own personal experiences on the east coast travels? any help would be great,... Doing a US east coast road trip next summer. probably miami to NY, seeing many places in between.

just wondering if there is any good books i can read on this route? or even good books people have written of their own personal experiences on the east coast travels?

any help would be great, thnaks! ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips ash213 http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22324 Sacramento, CA to Columbia, SC http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22322&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:25:28 GMT What would be my best route in January to drive from Sac to Columbia? Looking at Mapquest and other maps I could take the I-80 across the top but fear snow or take I-40 where I think I would have less chance of snow and ice? Your thoughts from experienced raod trippers?? What would be my best route in January to drive from Sac to Columbia? Looking at Mapquest and other maps I could take the I-80 across the top but fear snow or take I-40 where I think I would have less chance of snow and ice? Your thoughts from experienced raod trippers?? ]]> Alvo http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22322 <![CDATA["Where in North America is this?" Section X]]> http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22321&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:44:18 GMT This is the Tenth section of a popular mind puzzle first brought to the membership by member Quebec Gen.

General Rules of the "Where in North America is this?" Game
1) Anyone can play -- just follow along and test your mettle about places found in North America.
2) You'll need to be a registered member of this Forum if you want to contribute your own photographs and/or participate in the discussion for each place.
3) Every photo of a mystery place needs to be unique in some way -- And there should be "visual clues" in the photo to enable us to solve where the mystery location is...

(Inactive -- you can look, but not enter new posts!)
Section I = 33 pages of places you might know
Section II = 28 more pages of places and some REALLY gorgeous photographs!
Section III = 28 more pages of places that might really stump you!
Section IV -- 15 more pages, with some very tricky clues
Section V -- 15 more pages of some very pretty and engaging places....
Section VI -- 15 more pages with more of those "very creative" clues that are nearly as vexing as the images....
Section VII -- Marked by some very clever clues and some VERY challenging puzzles spread over another 15 pages of places you might have seen in your travels in North America.
Section VIII, started on September 22nd with mystery puzzles from a dozen or more states and some new players have joined the merry band of geo-wizards...working on another fifteen pages of puzzles.
Section IX-- Some really beautiful and challenging puzzle mystery locations from all over North America found on another 15 pages.

Section X-- Started November 18, 2009 is currently the Active Part of this Game/Contest

Quote:

Originally Posted by vambo25 (Post 89641)

GLC's right - we do still need a final answer for Twilight's boat/canyon challenge: Click here to see the original query and the attempts at solving it! -- A summary of those clues and attempts can be seen in the next post below!

And in the meantime here's one from me (which should be instantly recognisable to films buffs):

Peter

]]> RoadTrip Field Reports Mark Sedenquist http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22321 CT To Palm Bay Florida http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22320&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:34:00 GMT Hello all I'm new to this site but so far this is fantastic.

I don't know if you would call this a roadtrip or some sort of psychotic fantasy but my best friend and I are doing a marathon driving trip thanksgiving week from Central connecticut to Palm Bay Orlando area to see his parents for Thanksgiving. We are planning on leaving Tuesday at noon and not stopping. We are hoping someone could give us a clue on what the 78/81 trip thru PA is like for real. We want to avoid TOLLS (haha) but we don't want to get stuck on a road that is really more of an expressway (two lane) in the middle of nowhere. Basically we are trying to get to Florida as fast as possible without paying the most in Tolls. Really want to avoid those $8 New York bridge tolls and traffic.

Or if its unavoidable, does anyone know what the total cash for the tolls are from New York to Orlando? We are working with limited cash (we are plastic people lol.)

I know this goes against most roadtrippers creeds but this is the worst we've undertaken so far. Two weekends ago we tried Philly for the weekend and got stuck on a bridge in New York for 3 hrs so that we could pay that $8 toll.

Any advice besides telling me we are crazy would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! ]]> pattiericia http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22320 Daughter and Mum Roadtrip, tips and advice please! http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22319&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:02:07 GMT Hi there!
I was wondering if any of you could give us some advice.
We're from the UK and are hopefully planning a roadtrip around America next summer.
We're totally new to this roadtrip experience and this is the first step I've taken in trying to organise it.
We don't know where to go or what to see and would love to hear suggestions of great places and routes.
We're pretty easy with where we're going; we love crafts, art, theatre and quirky places; all that sort of stuff.
We're not really big fans of long hikes or sports.
My mum wants to end up/start in/go through California so that needs to be somewhere on our route.
We stayed in and around New Hampshire for quite a while a couple of years ago so are looking for new places to go in a different area!
Where's good to stay/to eat/to visit??
Also, we were wondering if there is an age restriction for driving? I'm 20 and will be 21 when we take the trip.
Is it easy to hire a car if you're not from the US? Will it cost a fortune?
I don't really know what else to ask. We're total novices that like the idea of road-tripping this amazing country!

I'm not really sure how this website works (I've only just registered) reply on here!

I want to make this a roadtrip to remember :)
Thanks,
Laura!

[Removed e mail address Use this thread to ask all questions regarding this trip, Thank you ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips laurajo http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22319 New York - Niagara - New York 6 days May 2010 http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22318&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:49:27 GMT I last used the Roadtrip USA Forum in preparation for a 3 1/2 week trip from LA-SanDiego-Mesa Verde-Arches-Death Valley-Big Sur plus all the absolutely fantasic sights and experiences in between during 2008. We loved our Road Trip! April May 2010 we are again heading to your great country but on... I last used the Roadtrip USA Forum in preparation for a 3 1/2 week trip from LA-SanDiego-Mesa Verde-Arches-Death Valley-Big Sur plus all the absolutely fantasic sights and experiences in between during 2008. We loved our Road Trip!
April May 2010 we are again heading to your great country but on the east coast. After 5-6 days in New York (which we hope will be long enough) we are getting a car for about 5 -6 days (wish it was a nother 3 1/2 week trip!) and want to do a loop up to Niagara and back to JFK.
I know there are a few other trip forums covering the area but any ideas on the best possible loop trip would be really useful to us two Kiwis (from New Zealand). During our last trip, everything was great - we are planning another longer trip a few years out with a group of friends who have never been to the USA - we have convinced them they would love it. But for now - any ideas/suggestions for our 5-6 day look will be eagerly awaited. Many thanks
NZPadre ]]> Spring RoadTrips NZPadre http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22318 LA to Denver and back in 9 days (late March) http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22316&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:40:53 GMT Hi,
I'm a 22 year old college student/musician from Los Angeles, CA and am planning a 10-day trip with my friend across the Southwest and mountains in the second half of March, where we will be playing shows in each of the following cities in order:

Phoenix, AZ
Flagstaff, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Santa Fe, NM
Denver, CO
Grand Junction, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Provo, UT
Las Vegas, NV
drive back home to LA

I've traveled to all of these cities before with the exception of Utah and Colorado, so I'd like to be prepared as possible. Even with the expectations that we have to arrive in each city by 6-8 PM at the latest so we can make it to our show, none of these drives seem too crazy (right?)

(I understand this leaves no time for sight seeing, but I'd rather save touristy stops for a separate trip where I have more time to explore.)

My main concern is getting from Denver to Grand Junction- I've read that March weather in Colorado can be pretty rough. What are the chances of a storm that could close I-70, make the Rockies impassable, or otherwise prohibit us from making it to Grand Junction by the early evening?

I'd also be interested in anyone's input about any of the cities, highways, driving conditions, places to eat, things to check out, photo ops, or general advice.

Thanks! ]]> Spring RoadTrips KMG http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22316 Vancouver to San Diego to Las Vegas to Vancouver http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22315&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:40:13 GMT Hello, A buddy and I are planning a trip from Vancouver to San Diego during the first week of Feb, spending a week there (for work) then driving up through the interior to Vegas and considering doing the interior route back to Vancouver (only a week or 9 days to drive back). We are NOT... Hello,

A buddy and I are planning a trip from Vancouver to San Diego during the first week of Feb, spending a week there (for work) then driving up through the interior to Vegas and considering doing the interior route back to Vancouver (only a week or 9 days to drive back).

We are NOT looking for camping and parks but rather fun, party cities. Not so much into the whole club scene but rather fun bars that are NOT over dressy. Looking for a crowd 22-30 years old and not into places that attract people that are on drugs (except beer of course). Remote University towns would be appealing as well as small country towns with party reputations.

I don't know how concerned we should be given that we only have a 2 wheel drive Ford Explorer SporTrac but I do have so chains I bought but have never used. I am a very experienced winter driver seeing as I am from Toronto area and have done the drive from Vancouver to Whistler several times (in my truck and never used the chains).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks! ]]> jamesrrobb http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22315 Roundtrip possibilities http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22312&goto=newpost Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:16:35 GMT Hi all :) we would like to do a roundtrip by car in the USA. The one problem is, the things that we really want to do, are never listed in one package. We want to start in New York and spend 3 days over there. From there one, we want to make our way down to Miami Beach, where we would like... Hi all :)

we would like to do a roundtrip by car in the USA.
The one problem is, the things that we really want to do, are never listed in one package.

We want to start in New York and spend 3 days over there. From there one, we want to make our way down to Miami Beach, where we would like to relax a few days before heading back to Belgium.
We are able to travel around for 15 (max 17) days.

Could anyone give us some advice if this is possible? We really want to see a lot of things while driving to our end destination, but we don't want to drive all day long.
Which are the hightlights where we should stop for some time sightseeing and where are the best places to stay for the night?

Also, as a huge fan of Walt Disney, I'd love to go to Disney World. I was thinking maybe spending 2 days over there and visiting 2 of the theme parks. Which ones would you recommend spending a day? And ofcourse, which hotel would be the best choice?

We would be very thankful for your help. ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips sigurros http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22312 Need help planning the esential NY to LA roadtrip http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22311&goto=newpost Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:03:38 GMT Folks Im coming to the states with my Girlfriend in June 2010 . Its the last leg of a world tour and we would like to cover as much of the essential states as possible We have 2.5 months . We will arrive in LA and depart from NY Highlights we would like to include San Diego San Fran Folks

Im coming to the states with my Girlfriend in June 2010 . Its the last leg of a world tour and we would like to cover as much of the essential states as possible

We have 2.5 months . We will arrive in LA and depart from NY

Highlights we would like to include

San Diego
San Fran
Camping in Cali
Route 66
Vegas
Texas
New orleans
Memphis
Florida
Blue Ridge Mountians
Washington
New York

Is this to much for 2.5 months , could we do more ? Are we missing out on key places in the North ?

The route pretty much writes itself , but with 2.5 months I want to make sure we visit as much of U.S as possible

any route suggestions will be gratefully recieved

Thanks ]]> Planning Summer RoadTrips Firsttimetostates http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22311