I have no idea where to start

[diannatho]

I have no idea where to start. I am trying to plan a road trip for my son and I who will be 8. I live in Northern Indiana, and I do not want to drive more than 3 days each way, espically since this is our first road trip. I think we are planning to go in the spring, so that we have plenty of time to plan and save money. I need ideas of where to go and what to do, I think that we are more interested in sight seeing than just driving. I would really like some great ideas, espically those that my son would enjoy( worlds largest rubberband, something of that sort) !!!! Also, I am wondering if it would be cheaper to rent a more fuel efficient car for atleast 7 days, or stick with my explorer, which at least has plenty of room. I am not opposed to staying in a " Cheap" hotel, or camping it out for 1 or 2 nights weather permitting !!!!! any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

It looks to me like you actually have already got a good start. You know about how long you have and you know the siteseeing, and seeing unusual things is a big part of your goals. Now you just have to work out the specifics.

Working out the specifics can be the fun part of planning. There are lots of choices of things to see, so you'll really have to narrow things down. This part of the RTA Site focuses on the oddities, and here is a list of thing to do in every state, and those lists just start to scratch the surface. With 7 days, most of the east coast and the midwest are really within your reach.

As far as your car, renting a car could save you some money, especially if you factor in the wear and tear of putting additional miles on your own car. But you'll have to shop around to find how much a rental car will cost for your trip, and if math works out, so to speak.

[PNW Judy]

You might enjoy reading this discussion about the "should I rent or drive my own car?" issue. Lots of varying viewpoints with tips about different things to consider.

I think one of the best ways to plan a trip, especially if you're still trying to get ideas on where to go, is to pour over a good map. If you only want to drive 3 days, maximum, each way, you are looking at going, at most, 1500 miles (we recommend driving no more than about 500 miles each day). Of course, if you really want to spend time sightseeing, less miles each day is better. I think Indiana offers a wealth of options within 500-1000 miles from your home area.

You could explore the Great Lakes, parts of the East Coast or Southwest, and more. It really depends on what intrigues both you and your son.

So pour over a map and see what cities, national/state parks, landmarks, etc. jump out at you. You might google "__state name___ tourism" to get the state tourism websites for the various states that you might want to travel to and through. Not only will they have good information on their website, they are also willing to mail you maps, guidebooks, event information, etc. for free.

You can also use the search feature for these forums to search for more information about places that intrigue you. Also, you might visit the various forum sub-sections here and randomly read through discussions that have titles that interest you. I'm sure you'll find a wealth of great information.

While you're doing this, I encourage you to get your son involved. The more involved he is in helping plan the trip, the more fun he will have (and then, you, too).

You have lots of time to plan so I encourage you to enjoy the process. Most of us here believe the planning is half the fun anyway! While planning, keep in mind that we generally recommend that people not over-plan their days. It's great to know types of things are in the area so you can choose a few "must-sees". After that, the rest are just options. Enjoy those that you have time and energy for and don't sweat what you don't end up having time for. You'll never see it all anyway. And always leave yourself the option to explore something you run across...allow flexibility.

You might also get some tips from this discussion about camping, and ways to save money on the road, and eat healthier, by eating out of your cooler. At the top of that post is a link to a post with tips about how to figure out your budget.

Keep asking questions while you're planning so we can help you plan a great trip! Happy planning.