First ever road trip (hopefully)

Hi, I'm 16 years old and I'm from England and for my Gap year I've always dreamed of going on a great road trip across America. For those of you who don't know what a Gap Year is (most probably all of you) it's basically the time between, well High School and college where you take a year out to do your own thing, so I'll be 18. Usually most people do things that would be good to help their careers but I figured this would be a great opportunity to take.
This is my rough take on my route but I want to start frm New York and then go South down to Florida, then go West until I get to Texas. Then I want to go all the way West to Los Angeles and maybe go through Route 66 back East to New York, all the while taking detours to places I want to go to such as Milwaukee to see my Cousin (she's recently moved there so I can't ask her for tips) or to Las Vegas etc.
Has anyone got any advice, tips or anything for me? I've never been there before so this will make it all the harder.
I know this idea has so many bad things attached to it as in England we learn to drive at 17 so I'll only have a year's driving experience, I probably won't have enough money by then, it's not a particularly good idea to start going off in a car in a foreign country I've never been in...wow this is sounding worse to me by the minute but I'd really love to go.
I'd also like to have some kind of estimate of what amount of money I'd need for this trip for things like petrol, the car, food, lodgings and extra money for my own fun activities. I'm thinking of bringing along a friend so I won't be alone. Thank you!

I think the hardest part for planning your trip will be figuring out how you are going to obtain a car for your trip. Its very difficult for an 18 year old to rent a car long term, and purchasing a car has a whole other set of headaches not the least of which would be getting insurance, which could be very hard and very expensive if you only have one year of driving experience.

I see that my first thread I posted is here now, I posted it a couple months ago but couldn't find it for some reason.

I'm finding it all a bit stressful, mostly about the car situation.
I don't understand the whole thing about insurance etc. as I'm 16 years old and haven't gotten into that area of my life yet. Approximately how much would it all cost? Also, what kind of car would you recommend?

too much. i wouldnt even consider buying a car here an option. Perhaps youre best bet is to go by rail, you lose alot of the freedom of being able to go whereve you want, but its probably cheaper, and way easier on your nerves.

and in a lot of car rental places, you have to be 21 or even 25 to rent a car, so that right there shuts you down.

i know how you feel that this might be the only time you can take such an excursion, and it might be, but chances are, if you wait till maybe the summer after youre second year of college, youll have more money saved up, and a better head on your shoulders to go with it. you learn alot from 18-20, and obviously, even more afterwards, but at 18, in a foreign country, even the US, is iffy.

I'm sorry to say, I don't have any good answers for you.

Renting a car will be virtually impossible for you at 18, and purchasing a car would not only be logistically difficult, it would be extremely expensive. Full Coverage Insurance alone (which you'd want so you don't get stranded somewhere) could easily cost well over $200 per month alone. I'd say if you were looking to attempt this, for a car alone, you'll probably need in the ballpark of $6000-$7000 US Minimum to get you off the ground. That doesn't include gas or any of the other expenses for a roadtrip.

Using the train is an options. Amtrak does offer an unlimited ride pass good for all train routes throughout the US and Canada that is geared for foreign visitors. However, Amtrak's service does limit you to only a few cross country routes, and many of the country's biggest natural landmarks can not realistically be reached by train.

Unfortuantly the biggest sticking point for you is the infrastructure differences between the US and Europe. If you were an 18 year old American looking to spend several months in Europe, you can get a rail pass and see pretty much anything you'd want to see. With the US being such a car based society, it is much more difficult for a student from Europe to make the same kind of trip through the US.

Hiya! Im a 20 year old girl living in the UK and its been my dream for ages to travel through all the states of america(but thats a different thread altogether!!) I aim to travel next summer once I have graduated from Uni-I went straight into a degree course without taking a year out!! I think the way things are looking it could be a gap year as opposed to just a few months!

I wanted to take a gap year when I was between Alevels and Uni but it seemed to be a bit impossible-not least as it was looking to be expensive and I wasn't going to have much driving experience under my bonnet! Even now, when planning for my trip next summer I'm still having trouble raising enough money and sorting out cars and stuff.

From what I have foudn out-there is opportunity for students to go and work at summer camps in the USA and they will sort out the visa and such and you can also earn money whilst you are there! Once you've worked in the camp you then have spare time to go and travel the country with your new mates? Maybe this could be an option for you? At the end of the day though its completely your call!

With the way things are looking up it doesn't seem at all like I'll be able to do this as a gap year so I guess I'll be doing it some time in my twenties since I'll need a lot more money and I'll have years of planning as well.
Lacey it seems like a goo idea, it's not my first choice but I'll check it out if I need to, thank you!

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations of books out there that can help me with the road trip? I've checked in the best bookstore there is called Waterstones but nothing specific. Also, not too expensive.

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Originally Posted by DreamerRT

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations of books out there that can help me with the road trip?

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Up on the top of each page you will see a yellow tab called "RoadTrip Books." Listed there are book reviews of road trip guides and travel literature that the Editors of RTA personally recommend. Only about half of the books that are submitted to us reach the level of personal recommendations. But if they are included on this site, they are the best we know of. Three that I would suggest as a way to start thinking about your great American roadtrip adventure would be RoadTripping USA, Ramble: A Field Guide, and an excellent book written by a UK native -- Drive USA


Mark

Thank you for the recommendations.

I still do not have an estimate of how much money I'll need to save up, does anyone have any idea of how much I will need? I know it's a long shot to estimate but I'd like some kind of target. Thank you!