summer road trip after graduating high school

hey everyone this is my first post. I need some advice. my best friend and I want to go on a quick road trip this summer. we'll be 18 of course. we live in Denver Colorado. we want to go to sometime in mid July so we have some time to start our summer jobs and save up
more money. we plan on going to Los Angeles. he has a reliable car, a 2007 vw Passat. we're thinking of leaving early on a Thursday morning and driving all day switching off and arriving to Cali late that evening. I know it's a long day but we don't have too much time to waste. we'll have 3 days in California and then drive back on Monday. he doesn't want to rent any motels and is down to sleep in the car or something but I think that's a little kind of ridiculous to do every night plus we will need showers. any ideas on cheap places we can stay at night? motels, hostels, camping, etc. also how much money do you think we'll need? I'm thinking $300 or $400 each for 4 nights of food, stay, gas etc. any tips? also we want to go to Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Santa Monica beach as well as the city of LA. any tips on a good route for doing all that in 3 days? also any road trip tips for a girl and guy together? we're like best friends and siblings but he can annoy me at times :P any tips or advice would help me out I'm trying to do all the planning cuz I'm more of a planner and he's a go with the flo doof:P thanks

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I'm sorry, but you need a reality check here. Your plan isn't close to being possible. Denver to LA is more than 1000 miles and that's simply impossible to do safely in one day. In the real world (not the fantasy one created by online mapping program estimates), that's a solid 20 hours on the road - and even with multiple drivers, you'll be a danger to yourself and others long before you get to California.

Even if you did manage to get to LA without killing yourselves or someone else, you'd have the new problem that you'll both be beyond exhausted and in no position to have any fun until you've had a couple days to recover.

That's not going to be possible under your plan, however, because you hope to "sleep" in a car, and there just isn't a car built for 2 people to comfortably sleep. On top of it, you're planning to be in the 2nd largest city in the US - so where do you think you could safely sleep in a car? I can't think of any place that would work.

So my tip for a good route for you in 3 days, is to look at something place much, much closer to home, or find quite a bit more time and money to do this trip (A week is about the minimum). There's just no way you can possibly do what you've laid out and have fun - and what you'll almost certainly be left with is a miserable experience that could very well cost you your friendship - if it doesn't cost you much more than that.

Add to the above that there is an ordinance in place which makes it illegal to sleep in your car in LA. The fines are quite steep. Many of the vandwellers have been subject to its restrictions.... even in a vehicle built to sleep in. You need to go to a commercial campground.

Your problems start with the fact that you two are not on the same page, and would escalate from there. Check out this compatibility quiz, and take it seriously.

Lifey

Michael speaks the truth when he says Denver to LA is a two day drive, not the 16 hours that some mapping program tells you it will take. I've driven between the two, many times. That mapping program assumes that you will not need to stop for gasoline, food, restroom facilities, nor will you come across any road construction or traffic issues. It assumes you will drive the speed limit the entire way. No human can possibly do that. At just over 1000 miles, it is going to take every bit of two days.

Sleep in a car? No. There's a campground called Little Cottonwood, just east of Beaver. Beaver County Travel page gives a list, which includes Little Cottonwood, of both commercial ($$) campgrounds and the national forest ($) campgrounds. Borrow a tent, get some sleeping bags and something to cook with/on, and you'll be better off.

As far as staying in LA in your car, Lifey also speaks the truth. Yes, it causes the homeless a problem. But LA area also has campgrounds available, just click here. Point Mugu and the Malibu areas are really pretty, and close enough to the Hollywood/Burbank/etc scene.

Sorry we have to burst your bubble, but we always think "safety first". Your parents probably would, too, even though you're 18.


Donna

I didn't say I wanted to sleep in the car, I said he did and I thought it was ridiculous so I was asking what tips you had for places we could stay. there's no need to be rude.

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Midwest Michael;175877]Welcome to the RTA Forum


That's not going to be possible under your plan, however, because you hope to "sleep" in a car, and there just isn't a car built for 2 people to comfortably sleep. On top of it, you're planning to be in the 2nd largest city in the US - so where do you think you could safely sleep in a car? I can't think of any place that would work.

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I don't see that anyone was being rude, just stating the facts and you yourself thought it was ridiculous, which no one here went as far to say so. All I see is good sound advice with the best will to help.

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Originally Posted by alaynaj123

he doesn't want to rent any motels and is down to sleep in the car or something but I think that's a little kind of ridiculous to do every night

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He wants to sleep in the car, you say you don't want to do that every night, and you then accuse us of being rude by pointing out that it is ridiculous to consider that idea for even one night?

But as we've also pointed out, and I imagine you also believe is "rude," finding a place to spend the night is the least of your concerns. The outline of a trip you laid out, even if you were planning to spend every night in a motel, is simply unrealistic and unsafe.

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Originally Posted by alaynaj123

I need some advice .. . also any road trip tips for a girl and guy together? we're like best friends and siblings but he can annoy me at times :P any tips or advice would help me out I'm trying to do all the planning cuz I'm more of a planner and he's a go with the flo doof:P thanks

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You were asking for tips and advice THAT COULD HELP YOU OUT.

I'll add one more thing to consider. How tired you will be after driving 1000 miles straight on the first day will pale in comparison to how tired you'll be rushing home 1000 miles three days later.

What do your parents think of this trip? Please show them these posts and ask for their advice.