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Cheers Donna! Considering getting a map or two to help better plan a route, so maybe we'll see about a sat-nav closer to the time.
Ha yeah, pretty sure as long as they get their money, they'll be happy - I was thinking more for car rental companies! Though whilst we're on the subject, am I right in thinking that tips/service charges in restaurants are around 15% of the bill?
I agree with Donna, paper maps are essential. Take your UK auto mobile club membership with you, and you will be able to get free maps from the AAA. You can pick up maps when / where you land, for all the States and major urban centres you plan to visit. They will also provide tourist information if you want it.
Lifey
The primary renter is the one that needs a credit card.
Customary tips in full service restaurants are 15 to 20%. At buffets where the server only clears dishes and refills your drinks, tips are less, I usually leave $1 per person. No tipping required in (self service) fast food places, even if there's a tip jar on the counter. In bars (pubs), it's customary to tip the bartender $1 per drink. Taxi drivers expect 15%. If you use valet parking, $2 is customary. If you use skycaps (baggage handlers) at the airport, $1 per bag.
If you bring a GPS with you, make sure you can get US maps for it.
If you have an unlocked Android smartphone, you can buy an AT&T "Go Phone" pay as you go sim for it, and it will have a serviceable GPS using Google Maps.
Thanks Lifey, will definitely keep that in mind.
Thanks for the breakdown of tips, glc. I know it's very different here, so that clears loads up. I'll make sure we get a credit card sorted too. We'll see if our sat-nav can be programmed for US maps, or how much to rent one along with the car.
As for phones, we weren't planning on bringing our current phones with us, but maybe get some cheap ones for the duration of the trip, for essentials/emergencies. Generally planning to keep in touch with everyone at home via Skype/Facebook/email when we can connect to wifi. I'm assuming wifi will be readily available at most hotels?
Wifi is generally available in all accommodation. I have rarely struck a place which did not have wifi. Many stores have wifi, and you can often just sit outside and pick it up. Home Depot, Starbucks, Safeway, etc. I often ate at Panera Bread, while using their wifi. Some States make wifi available along their interstates or toll roads and often at rest areas or travel plazas.
You may find it cheaper to purchase a sat nav, rather than getting the maps. I have a US satnav, and when I went to get local maps for it, they cost twice the price of a new satnav. So now I have one for home, and one for the US. Crazy! but that's the way it is.
Check with the car rental, but often it is cheaper to purchase a new one than to pay the daily rental, which could add up to many times the cost of a new one. They are now quite cheap to purchase.... with lifetime maps. That way you'll have it for your next trip. Believe me, there will be a next trip. Few stop at one, once they have experienced a RoadTrip in the US.
Lifey
You can purchase a GPS here with lifetime US maps for about $125. Prepaid basic phones (no data, just voice and SMS) start at $20 and you can get "top up" cards everywhere.
I'd recommend that you order a US road atlas now to help you with your planning.
Most McDonalds have free wifi, and you will find them everywhere. It's kinda funny, but the cheaper hotel/motel chains generally have free wifi, but the higher end ones often charge extra! Some hotels have Ethernet jacks instead of wifi, so pack a cable in your laptop bag.
Thanks for the wifi tips guys! Mom and Dad will definitely be pleased - best give them a few Skype lessons!
Will look into the GPS situation closer to the time then, if it's going to be better value to buy one once we're there than it is to rent one or sort out the maps for our current sat-nav. Won't tell the parents about more potential road trips just yet - think they're just about getting to grips with this one for now! Thanks for the road map link too, glc! Will purchase tomorrow morning when I've got my card to hand!
What sort of places would be best to get phones/GPS from? I don't know any electronics stores in the US apart from Radioshack.
Walmart is as good as any. They sell GPS and phones in the electronics department. Best Buy is another option, probably not quite as cheap. They are both "big box" stores, not specialty stores like Radio Shack.
Thank you so much for all your help and advice! It's all been a massive help and feel much more confident in knowing where to look and how to go about it! Much appreciated guys!
We always travel with both a GPS and paper map. If a highway closure or accident occurs, you can always pull out the paper map and figure out an alternative route quite easily. Sometimes a GPS wants to keep routing you back onto the highway you need to avoid. I would look into the cost of purchasing a GPS with North American maps on it and bring it with you verses renting one from the rental agency. The fees they charge for GPS rental can be steep unless you can arrange a flat fee for your entire rental period. It may be cheaper to buy one and bring it along. My other recommendation is to obtain a credit card. Every hotel you stay at will require one at check in. As well, so will the car rental company as a security deposit. If you use your debit card, the car rental company will place a hold on your bank funds to cover the security deposit (could be $1,000+) possibly for the length of your rental. The hotels will do the same and releasing the hold can take up to 72 hours.