Maps

[pfunk]

Hello, I was wondering if there is anywhere I can send out to for free maps. I am planning an extensive loop of the United States that will cover around 10 000km and 18 states. I know this will require a large amount of planning and lots of money, (lots for me since im a university student right now) so the plan is to do it in the summer of 2009. So if anyone knows of any places I can get free maps it would be greatly appreciated.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Hello, I was wondering if there is anywhere I can send out to for free maps.

Most of the USA state and Canadian province offices provides free maps -- and, of course, travel clubs like AAA, provide free maps to their members. Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! But I recommend that you use the online planning programs -- all of those maps are free! Here are some of them that we have reviewed -- there are several more -- but we haven't gotten around to them yet.

Mark

[pfunk]

I was actually thinking about putting a 56" x 40" map of the states on my wall and then planning my route from there. Since the goal is further away than I would really like I want to keep it fresh in my mind the whole time. Do you know if you can get access to hardcopies of the maps from the governments online site? I have checked briefly but have come up lacking. Thank you for your help once again.

[Mark Sedenquist]

One option is to download these student editions and then print out what you need.

Mark

Update July 2024 (RTA):The downloads are no longer available.

[pfunk]

Thank you so much, it is greatly appreciated. I'm very certain we will talk again, this forum is very informative and friendly and I will definitely be on here regularly from now on.

[PNW Judy]

But nothing beats a paper map while you're on the road.

Since you have time, I strongly suggest that you google
"tourism ___state/province___" and you should find the official state or province tourism office for that state. All of them offer not only free maps but planning guides and various other free items that are quite helpful for travel planning.

[Midwest Michael]

It looks like Judy beat me to the punch, but I also was going to suggest that you write to the department of tourism of each state you are going to travel. Usually they are more than happy to mail you a free map and lots of other good information about the state.

[RoadTripper Brad]

But nothing beats a paper map while you're on the road.

Since you have time, I strongly suggest that you google
"tourism ___state/province___" and you should find the official state or province tourism office for that state. All of them offer not only free maps but planning guides and various other free items that are quite helpful for travel planning.

Many Dept. of Transportation offices also will send you their free state map. I know Washington does this, I get a new one from them every other year at least. They make the best WA state map!

-Brad

[pfunk]

Thanks so much guys, I'm visiting the sites for all the states as we speak, though some of them are not so helpful as they only ship the guides within America (im Canadian). The dept. of transportation is a great idea thanks for the info Brad.

[Foy]

Hello pfunk-
Although I am impressed with the utility and convenience of using various navigation systems, I have a saying which speaks to the continued coexistence of hardcopy maps and navigation systems:

The technical term for one who relies solely on navigation systems is: LOST

And before I'm flamed for offering that slightly tongue-in-cheek adage, read it carefully and note the presence of the word "solely". My son just navigated from Ventura, CA to Park City, UT with his new instrument, Tom-Tom. He overlooked my emailed street map and written directions to his destination, the home of our host. For some reason, most navigation systems depict the street name as existing some 3 miles away from where it actually is, and in another subdivision entirely. Tom-Tom took him to the exact address he'd punched in, the wrong one. LOST, as it were.

I also value greatly the "big picture" aspect of hardcopy maps for overall planning. I'd much rather have the wall map before me than either a reduced scale computer screen image or flipping back and forth between larger scale images. Having become adept at map reading during a college and professional career as a field geologist in the days long before GPS, I still very much prefer maps to nav systems.

Old School? Absolutely. Lost? NEVER.

Foy