I'd like to go from Long Island to California; I need lots of help planning it out!
a friend and I (we're both 19, almost 20) would like to drive from Long Island to California next summer. I'm going to try and condense this as best I can, seeing as I don't know where to begin! so, here it goes:
- about how much money would we need?
- what's the best route to take? we'd like to do some sightseeing, but just getting there is more important because we want to do most of our driving through California.
- what's best as far as sleeping arrangements go? I'm so down for roughin' it, I love to camp and wouldn't mind sleeping in the car at all.
- how long would it take to drive there and back? whatever amount of time we actually decide to spend in California depends on other plans we have for the summer.
- the car we would probably be taking is a little Toyota Corolla. it's in great condition, but about how much would the cost of gas be?
- would weather be an issue for driving at all?
anything else? I feel like I might be forgetting a lot of things, but it's no worries... just fill me in on whatever I need to know. thank you (to whoever replies to this) for all your help!!!
Not an Answerable Question in the Bunch
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!
Don't get me wrong, the questions you ask are the first anyone should ask, but that doesn't mean that any of them have a hard and fast answer that someone can give you. For the most part they are either best answered by you and your friend, or else useable answers simply don't exist. But here are the best 'guesstimates' that I can give you:
Money - Really as much as you can afford. I use a rule of thumb of about $150/day for two people traveling together. NB that doesn't include gas, just food, lodging, and minimal entrance fees to see a couple of small sites. You might be able to get by on a bit less by camping rather than using motels and making your own meals as often as possible, but trying to drive costs down too much defeats the purpose of a RoadTrip as enjoyment.
Route - Read through enough posts on these forums and you'll see a consistent refrain: There is no "best". There's only the route that meets whatever criteria you and your friend have. Start sitting down with your friend and a map and mark points of interest that you want to include in your journey. Pretty soon the right roads to connect those dots will become obvious.
Sleeping - Camping will save you money, no doubt. But it will also cost you time in finding campsites, setting up and taking down your equipment, and repacking it all to get back on the road. Do not even think about making a habit of sleeping in the car. It will not be comfortable, You will not get a good night's sleep. And it will affect your ability to be an alert and careful driver the next day. With two of you in the car, all those problems get magnified, plus there's the odor problem.
Time - You will need roughly a week each way to the west coast and back in order to make the trip safe and enjoyable. More time (and more money) means that you get to see and do more than just sit in the car and watch the world glide by your windshield.
Gas Costs - Here's a simple app to try to get a handle on that. I have no idea of the price per gallon at the time you make your trip, how many miles per gallon your car will get, or how many miles you'll end up driving.
Weather - No one can predict the weather accurately even three days ahead, let alone a year. But on a trip of this duration you can pretty much guarantee that you'll run into inclement weather at least a couple of times.
"just fill me in on whatever I need to know." - Surely you jest!
AZBuck
