..we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing

[SweetTea&Grits]

sunglasses....
can anyone name that movie!?

Okay here's the deal. I'm pretty sure I'm not workin this summer, I finish class in one week and have june and july to do whatever I want

It will probably be myself and two buddies and we've ready for an adventure.
We live in Jackson, Mississippi and want to head west. I'm thinking about a month long trip with stops a few days at a time along the way. I've read a few threads and yall seem very helpful.

This is the classic "headin west" idea and we would want to do it cheap as possible. Three college kids on a budget. I'm thinking camping with a motel every 3 or 4 nights in there. Driving A Honda Accord.. Here's where you guys come in

Where should we go
What should we see
(big outdoors fans, definitely want to hit any national park along the way)

Thanks,
Patrick

[Mark Sedenquist]

sunglasses....can anyone name that movie!?

One of the classics of my youth....Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

I finish class in one week and have june and july to do whatever I want

That does sound like roadtrip nirvana to me!

It will probably be myself and two buddies and we've ready for an adventure.

First thing, have the three of you take this quiz and make sure you are all thinking about the same kind of adventure. Here are some tips about saving money on the road that you might find helpful.

Mark

[W. Larrison]

Once you've got your buddies and yourself through the road trip quiz, hopefully you'll have a meeting of minds on what sort of trip you've got laid out...

Camping is a good way to save money, but the problem with traveling in the summer is that everyone else has the same idea, particularly in the really cool, popular spots..

So my opnion would be to get a pizza, maybe a couple of beers and sit back with a map of the west and talk about where it would be fun to go. Draw circles on the map or push pins it in or something to sort of lay out where that might be. Then lay out a rough route... and estimate time and where to sty to get a rough idea of what to do. Once you get that done, we can all chime in with suggestions on where to stay, what to do, etc...

If you're heading for somewhere popular (Yosemite, Grand Canyon, campsites along the beach) those might be places you'll need to get a reservation for a place to throw your tent. If its during the week and not that popular, you should be OK in getting a location day-by day, particularly if you're flexible on schedule.

And oh yeah.. don't forget to schedule in some "alone time" and some "chores time". That is -- you'll all want to get out and get away from the guys you've been sitting and sleeping next to for the last week or so -- just to see some new faces and etc. Things like staying a couple of days somewhere and going day hiking by yourself, or to the beach, or sightseeing somewhere, or even just seeing a movie. And then the day every week or so of finding a laundromat and doing all the laundry and whatnot too...... Makes being in close proximity a lot easier to handle....

[RedCorral]

Ya'know, I was just thinking that you could take an unusual approach to your trip by going to the library, checking out a few photo books of the western states and/or national parks. David Muench, DeWitt Jones, Jack Dykinga and a bunch of other photogs have done great books on that area. You could pick out the coolest pictures of places you'd like to see, and if the captions are descriptive of the location, it would be a blast to go find those places...maybe even the spots where the photos were taken from.

I did done some of that when I was shooting a lot of stock scenic photography. Part of the fun is finding that although some really dramatic photos were taken from impossibly difficult places to get to, many were taken from an easily accessible trail, or even a parking lot on the side of the road (photo drama is created by light, time of day, and weather).

Shots from the rim of the Grand Canyon are pretty easy because of the somewhat limited accessibility, but still, it is a long road and good photographers are skilled at finding unusual angles to shoot iconic locations.

Just a thought, if you are up for a kind of scenic treasure hunt. Just think of the scrapbook shots you'll have when you get home!

Craig

[SweetTea&Grits]

Great advice guys. I'm in the process of convincing buddies, raising funds and plotting routes.

Question:
I know this is a broad question but what would be a good amount of money to bring. Could I get by on one thousand a person, more or less?..

In a four door Honda is four people one to many

We want to do this right... Kinda thinking we might need to save some more and hit it next summer.. Not really sure what to expect

[PNW Judy]

I've discovered that if I have to convince someone to do something, they usually aren't going to be "into it" as much as I am and can end up being a drag. You especially don't want this on a road-trip. Make sure you all take the compatibility quiz you were given a link to and then discuss the results so you've worked out any issues before you hit the road.

Post #7 in this thread will take you through the steps to determine your budget needs. Is $1000 per person enough? Go through the steps and find out. A lot of this depends on how many miles you plan on driving and what kinds of activities you plan on doing. The nights you plan on staying in hotels will add up so plan it right so you're staying in more inexpensive hotels. Food is a biggie and I have a feeling you guys at your age eat a lot. I've got a 21 year old son and the amount of food he and his buddies put away can sure bust my grocery budget. So you'll want to eat out of your cooler as much as possible and prepare your own meals to keep those costs down.

Anyway, play with the budget tips in post #7 and come up with a reasonable estimate and then come back here and tell us what you've come up with and we'll advise you if you're on the right-track or off-base.

Personally, I would say 3 in a Honda for 1 month is plenty. But if you end up leaving off a 4th person who is a real hoot to do things with, you might miss their company. Why don't you take a day-trip or a weekend-trip with 4 of you in the car to see how it goes? That should give you an idea.