NY to Utah by way of Memphis :)

My husband and I are planning to drive from PNW to NY this summer to see family and then take a week or so to make our way to Utah where we'll spend the last days of our vacation. We'll be in our small SUV not a RV. I'm curious about driving thru some of our southern states and then making our way to Utah. Any suggestions on great routes? Also, considering looking into KOAs for less expensive overnight options? Ideas? And finally, I've been hesitant to book hotels olong the route because I wonder if we won't get a bit of the last minute wanderlust. Am I crazy?

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

As it is, the drive from New York City, through Memphis, and on to Salt Lake City would take by far the better art of five full days. Add just a day for you to see whatever you want in Memphis, and maybe another day to see whatever has drawn you to Utah and you've used up the entire week you're setting aside for this leg. This is especially true if you plan to set up camp each evening and strike it the next morning. That takes time. Even if you just stuck to the major Interstates, you really wouldn't have sufficient time for major sight-seeing in the South, Midwest or Rockies and that's a shame. So see if you can find some more time for this portion of your drive.

Camping, surprisingly, does not save as much money as you might think. State parks tend to be the lowest cost option and the fees charged can vary wildly, but $10-30/night might be a fair working number. National parks tend to charge more and are often booked to capacity within hours or days of opening their reservations systems. Commercial campgrounds such as KOA are the most expensive, and even without hookups can get into the same price range as low-end motels.

There is an open debate as to whether it is better to make motel reservations or not. It is rarely absolutely necessary to have a reservation, so if you want to preserve your freedom don't make them. Occasionally you might not be able to get your first choice of rooms or will have to pay a slightly higher 'rack rate' rather than getting a discount when reserving the room, but if wanderlust arises you'll be able to indulge it.

AZBuck