HELP!!!! Atlanta, GA to NYE in NYC & Toronto, ON, Canada, Snowboarding, etc...

Hi there.
My two best friends and I are taking a two week trip leaving the day after Christmas from Atlanta, GA. Following the schedule, I will have some questions. Here is the itinerary:

12/26/06: First (sleep) stop, Washington, D.C. staying in Hostel.
12/27/06: Second (sleep) stop, Philadelphia, PA, staying with someone.
12/28/06-12/31/06: Four nights in New York City including NEW YEARS EVE! Staying in hostel 3 nights and hotel 1 night.
1/1/07: (sleep) stop Buffalo, NY, staying with someone.
1/2-1/4/06: Toronto, ON, CA staying three nights in hostel, plan on snowboarding (suggestions?)
1/5/06: (sleep) stop Detroit, MI... going to rock show? staying with someone
1/6/06: (sleep) stop Lewisville, IN staying with someone
1/7/06: tour JD (loretto, ky) & makers mark (lynchburg, tn) distilleries and drive back to Atlanta...

As you can see, we won't be spending too much on lodging, as we are staying in hostels or with someone for the majority of the time. However, I have a few concerns. This trip has been "in the making" since we were high school seniors (we are now 21, 22, 22)... my concerns are a) three girls, dangerous cities b) we're from GEORGIA, hence not really driven too much in the snow/mountains c) we really don't have much "planned", so just looking for general suggestions. What precautions should we take, as we have had the danger of this trip drilled into our heads by everyone we know :)

Please reply with precautions and/or suggestions! We want to do a bit of touring in EVERY state, but within budget... We love things that are cheap/free/on the way... THANKS in advance!

Tiffany

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

The subject of young women travelling alone is one that comes up from time to time on the forums. So you can start by reading up on the experiences and tips from those have gone before you in these threads:

Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3

AS far as driving in snow and other winter weather, that came up earlier today on another thread, so read that as well as these hints. And while we're at it we've got more suggestions for keeping costs down.

Now, many RoadTrippers prefer to have no set plan or itinerary. They glory in the spontaneity of it all. To be perfectly honest with you, when I travel, I plan some, but spend very little money on 'attractions'. Much of the best that America has to offer is either free or very low cost through state and national parks, museums, etc. If you plan to stop at more than a couple of national parks, then look into getting a National Parks Pass. But you will have to know ahead of time whether you will use it enough to make it worthwhile.

Most of your driving legs are not at all outlandish. The one exception is your first day's drive of about 640 miles to DC. That's just barely within the realm of reason, so make sure that you get an early start and make sure that the hostel knows that you may be arriving late. And just to make sure that the three of you really are on the same page and to give some thought to what you want to accomplish and how, take our RoadTrip Compatibility Quiz.

AZBuck