North East April Roadtrip!

I've had a good read through other posts on here, but there's nothing on here that's specific to me so thought I'd post. Please please please send me any thoughts and advice on the below if you have any!

I'm in the twilight of my 20s, living in England and have just been made redundant so have a bit of cash sat in my bank that I'm wondering what to do with. I've applied for a few jobs, but the market is slow, so am considering doing something I've always wanted to do - road trip across America. I might not do it at all if I get lucky with a job of course, but I'm setting myself a cut off time of January, if I have nothing by then, I'm going to do this trip the end of January!

Right, so firstly I'm guessing this is the worst time of year to be planning something like this, but it's just the situation I'm in! I need lots of advice! For instance firstly I don't even know whether to start in the East and head West, or West and head East - I'm thinking I'd start in NY if I went East to West you see but; I've been to New York twice, once in January a couple of years ago and the River Hudson froze over! I've never been so cold! (Although I understand that was one of the coldest on record there!) So anyhow, I'm thinking maybe West to East is better?

As for things I want to see, well, I'm even considering going to Punxatawney for Groundhog day as it's in February and seems like a cool thing to do! (anyone ever gone to it!) but aside from that I want to do what I guess to be the usual sort of things - visit some of the major cities, see as many sites as I can (Grand Canyon etc etc), I studied some American history back at school so would like to look at any American Indian/Wild West type sites in the Mid West, as well as visiting people I know in Denver and LA. Is there anywhere that you are particularly proud of that the US has that is worth seeing? I'd really like to see some cool wildlife out there if I can, especially bears if it's possible to go somewhere with guides to see them? When are the National Parks open? I'm assuming that these don't open until March/April at the earliest?

Other ponderings are how long to go for?...I'm thinking in terms of money really here - how much would you say it costs per day to travel a bit, see a few sites, and live reasonably well...safety is more important to me than cleanliness etc! I don't really want to miss out on doing stuff either though, I'm a big music fan, so for instance if I passed through let's say Nashville, I'd want to go to a bar to hear music etc. I've only got NY to go on, which was massively expensive, are other cities easier to get a cheap motel room/hostel?

Fourthly, how best to travel across America...I know I'm in a forum here that will say by car! But is it really the best way, considering I'd have to buy/hire a car (how easy is this/where do you do this?) and have no experience of driving outside the UK.

Finally, same problem as I see a lot of people have on here(!), I'll be travelling alone as all my friends say they want to do it - but never commit! Is this safe/fun and how easy is it to meet other like-minded people on your travels doing the same? I've backpacked round Europe and met loads of people on campsites/in bars/wandering around with sunglasses and backpacks on etc, doing the same that made it more fun to travel around places with, but I get the impression the US is a whole different kettle of fish!

Thanks for reading this far, I'd appreciate any feedback on any of my points! Thanks again.

Hi!

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I've applied for a few jobs, but the market is slow, so am considering doing something I've always wanted to do - road trip across America. I might not do it at all if I get lucky with a job of course, but I'm setting myself a cut off time of January, if I have nothing by then, I'm going to do this trip the end of January!

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It's funny, I am exactly in the same situation, except I'm Canadian. I am on the road right now. Before I left, I applied for two jobs. I've got some calls and I will be having two jobs interviews when I get back...And the employers were definitely willing to wait for me to get back in Canada. So the road served me well finally!:o) So you never know, maybe you"ll have a job when you get back in England!

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Other ponderings are how long to go for?...I'm thinking in terms of money really here - how much would you say it costs per day to travel a bit, see a few sites, and live reasonably well...safety is more important to me than cleanliness etc! I don't really want to miss out on doing stuff either though

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Personally, I think 3 weeks is a minimum. A month is even better and if you can get more than that, you'll definitely have a blast. Going cross-country takes about 6 days if you drive 10 hours/day so 2 weeks is not enough obviously. Usually, when I'm on solo road trips, it cost me approximately 100$ USD per day including gas, food and lodging. I mostly eat out of a cooler and I bring my camp stove along to cook hot meals (like spaghetti, meat, veggies, etc). I stay in cheap motels, Mom & Pop or chains. The east coast, especially New England has more expensive lodging, but you can usually get a clean room for 40-50$ almost anywhere. I guess you won't get many opportunities to camp if you come in January, it is pretty cold everywhere except maybe for Florida and some parts of the south west.

You should buy a National Parks annual pass, it cost 50$ and you have access to every major NP in the US. The entrance fee to popular parks like the Grand Canyon is around 20$ so it's worth the expense.

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Is this safe/fun and how easy is it to meet other like-minded people on your travels doing the same? I've backpacked round Europe and met loads of people on campsites/in bars/wandering around with sunglasses and backpacks on etc, doing the same that made it more fun to travel around places with, but I get the impression the US is a whole different kettle of fish!

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The US is a huge country, so I guess you won't find as many people travelling around with only their backpacks on than in Europe. You really need a car here to get from one point to another unless you stick to big cities. Solo road tripping is the best way to meet new people in my opinion. I used to have very few friends in the US and I met so many good people in the last two years, now when I travel I visit some of the folks I actually met on the road. Visiting their homes and families is such a cool way to experience the "American way of life". Like many people I used to have a bad opinion of Americans but now that I'm getting to know them a little better, it's a whole different thing. You have to be open minded but yet to have to be careful as well. I'm a girl and I've been travelling all over the US so I can tell you it is a very safe country. If you use common sense, you should be ok almost everywhere. I'm sure you're going to have a wonderful trip! Keep us posted!

Gen

I'm a believer that all trips are good trips. Certainly the car is the best way to travel around the US, but I know that can be expensive. Another choice could be using Amtrak. Certainly, the US train system leaves a lot to be desired, particularly compared to Europe's, but if you're looking to save money, I do know they offer some unlimited ride passes aimed at foreign tourists.

January/February can be a great time to travel, if you can get beyond the cold. National Parks are actually open year round and often in winter are far less crowded with an entirely different kind of beauty.

In terms of travel direction, East to West seems to be a popuar choice, if for no other reason that you can kind of get a feel for how the country changed as it expanded into the west. Certainly, if you're into history there are limitless possiblities for places to go, but I will say if you didn't like New York's winter weather, I'd suggest staying away from areas like the northern plains (where January and February's weather is most comparable to that of Siberia) and check out areas to the south, like Texas and Arizona.

I'm sure others will have more ideas and tips for you, but hopefully that will help get you started.

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Originally Posted by imported_Midwesterner

...I'd suggest staying away from areas like the northern plains (where January and February's weather is most comparable to that of Siberia)

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Now, you have done it... I frequently use the winter weather in Siberia as a comparison with the relatively mild (by comparison) weather found in the northern plains states. But if I were being totally truthful, it can get a bit blustery in a January blizzard in the Dakotas. And there was the time it took me all day to travel from Cheyenne to Ft. Collins, while I cruised at the jammin' speed of 23 mph in the middle of a ground blizzard... so maybe you do have a point. Arrrrrgh!

Aye. My mother lived near Grand Forks ND (the airbase there) while married to her first husband who was in the Air Force... and some of the stories about snow rotor operators and what the find during some of the worst blizzards and snows back in the day, well, just makes your skin crawl. But, alas, since global warming/cooling has begun, everythings topsy-turvy! You never know anymore what you're going to get (although I am still waiting for a good 2 foot snowfall here in Phoenix... wishful thinking). You could have a light snow across the plains and smooth sailing, or, you could venture south and run into a multi-state snow machine with high winds and plenty of the flakes.

That 23 mph blizzard run would have scared the dickens out of me, and I've delt with snow, ice, and wind.

I don't remember the exact details, but it seems to me that there actually is something about the winter weather pattern in the northern great plains, particularly the red river valley around Fargo and Winnepeg that is actually very similar to that of the weather patter in Siberia.

Of course that could just be an old wives tale.

I guess my point is, if someone thought New York was cold, they probably wouldn't enjoy the average mid-winter day in the heart of the heartland.

Because I apparently have way too much time on my hands....

I did a little climate comparison between Grand Forks, ND and Irkutsk, Siberia.

Grand Forks early January Average High/Low: 15/-3F

Ikrutsk early January Ave. High/Low: 7/-11F

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Originally Posted by imported_Midwesterner

Because I apparently have way too much time on my hands....I did a little climate comparison between Grand Forks, ND and Irkutsk, Siberia.
Grand Forks early January Average High/Low: 15/-3F
Ikrutsk early January Ave. High/Low: 7/-11F

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OK, then, but what were the precip and wind conditions during this period?

Mark

First, the country is a LOT bigger than you might be expecting.

Some local business visitors think they'll dash up to Yellowstone for the afternoon from here (50 mi north of Denver). They get back 3 days later!
It's a full day's drive from here. But it fits on one or two pages in the road atlas. (as does the entire continent :-)

I did a cross-country by motorcycle trip one year and it took me a good two weeks to get from Virginia to California and then another 5 days to Seattle where I laid up with my parents for a couple of weeks. I camped my way and rode several hundred miles per day but predominantly off the interstate so as to see much more.

Like to have froze to death. It was April and May. In the Sierra Nevada of California I had to stand on the bike's footpegs to see over the snowbanks by the side of the road.

By the way in case you didn't know, bears hibernate in the winter because it's too cold for a road trip :-)

The wildlife kind of forts up to survive the winter. While a person CAN see a lot of it, winter is much less easily dealt with by everyone.

If I were forced to choose your trip for you.... I'd say to start in Florida, head for Texas then go to Arizona, Nevada and California. That way you'll stay in the south where it won't be so cold.

noFanofCB

Well, if you're looking to meet people on your travels around the U.S., perhaps you could see about arranging some meet-ups of RTA Members in areas you plan on visiting. Sort of like Globe Trekker or Pilot Guides in the UK, meet up with them, see some of the local haunts, get a taste of the local flavors, and see why they live in that part of the U.S.? What draws them to remain there? That might be an interesting way to see the areas you visit!

-Brad

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Originally Posted by Editor

OK, then, but what were the precip and wind conditions during this period?

Mark

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Average January Wind Speed:

Irkutsk, Siberia: 4 mph
Grand Forks, ND: 10 mph

Average January Precip. (water content of snow)

Irkutsk: 0.4 inches
Grand Forkds: 0.7 inches (7.9 inches of snow)

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Originally Posted by imported_Midwesterner

Average January Wind Speed:
Irkutsk, Siberia: 4 mph
Grand Forks, ND: 10 mph

Average January Precip. (water content of snow)
Irkutsk: 0.4 inches
Grand Forkds: 0.7 inches (7.9 inches of snow)

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You are really ruining my message points that it IS nicer in the Dakotas in the Winter than in Siberia. Makes Siberia almost sound doable -- maybe.

Hi,

I posted a while back and had some great responses so am hoping for the same again!

A friend and I are flying from England to New York in the first week of April - we've got 2 weeks off work each, so are planning to travel around a little before returning to New York for a couple of nights then flying back to London.

We've had a chat, and decided on this possible route based on these few factors; historical things we'd like to see, places that have some cool scenery, realistic proximity back to NY (for flight home and without retracing our steps), and good places for a few good nights out!

So far, our plans are like this: NYC, Washington DC, Buffalo, Niagra Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Cape Cod, NYC.

We're guessing we'll stay in NYC 1 night, travel to DC - maybe staying nearby the night then looking round DC in the day. Heading on up in the direction of Buffalo, staying overnight somewhere on route (considering going via West Virginia if only so we can sing 'Country Roads'!), staying overnight in Buffalo. Going onto Toronto via Niagra Falls - stay at Toronto 2 nights, Head towards Montreal possibly staying overnight on route in Ottawa/Kingston/Somewhere. Stay in Montreal 2 nights. Head down to Boston, again maybe stopping overnight somewhere on route. Stay in Boston 2 nights, then driving back to NYC, stopping off overnight somewhere on the way.

Question is, firstly, are these places worth going to or are there some more interesting places in the area you'd recommend? Secondly where I've said, "staying somewhere overnight" can you think of anywhere viable to stay in the area that would be worth a visit to look round/for night out - and should we book anywhere in advance? Thirdly, and probably most importantly, how exactly should we do the travelling...we are thinking that car would be most fun - but bear in mind we have no experience of driving in the US, and don't know what the weather will be like to drive around to these places and how easy it will be to have a car and be staying a few nights in cities etc. Lastly is just a question of realism - is it conceivable we'll have enough time to drive (if you think it's the best option) to all these places, see the sites and what the have to offer, have a good roadtrip and get back to NYC in time for our flights?!

We are still unsure if it's best to go clockwise too! Basically if you can think of anything we should bear in mind, or can offer any advice into any of the above it would be greatly appreciated. We're both really excited about the trip, but don't want to ruin any of it with unrealistic ideas or by planning something through our ignorance/lack of knowledge.

Any comments would be great!
Thanks.

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I posted a while back and had some great responses so am hoping for the same again!

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Welcome back Dignan!

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firstly, are these places worth going to or are there some more interesting places in the area you'd recommend?

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Every place is worth seeing. Read our road trip rules.

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Secondly where I've said, "staying somewhere overnight" can you think of anywhere viable to stay in the area that would be worth a visit to look round/for night out

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It depends on what you qualify as "viable" but you can virtually find decent lodging everywhere in Canada and in the US.

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and should we book anywhere in advance?

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That is mostly a personal choice. Here's an article that might help you figure it out. If you do want to make reservations, we have a tool for you.

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Lastly is just a question of realism - is it conceivable we'll have enough time to drive (if you think it's the best option) to all these places, see the sites and what the have to offer, have a good roadtrip and get back to NYC in time for our flights?!

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I think it is doable, although you may not have the opportunity to spend as much time as you want in each place.

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historical things we'd like to see, places that have some cool scenery, realistic proximity back to NY (for flight home and without retracing our steps), and good places for a few good nights out! [...]So far, our plans are like this: NYC, Washington DC, Buffalo, Niagra Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Cape Cod, NYC.

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2 Days in NYC, hum it's a challenge! First, I'd climb up the Empire State Building, catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Then maybe walk in Central Park and browse the boutiques of Madison Avenue, have lunch in a Bryant Park's bistrot, visit art galleries in Soho, take the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset and walk on Fulton St., and don't forget about Greenwich Village! You can also try one of the many organized tours offered among the City like the Gangland Tour or the Big Apple Jazz Tour. Other suggestions here. For reasonnably priced lodging in or near NYC, check out that post.

Now a few nightlife suggestions. The Village Vanguard is probaby one of the most reknown jazz club that has seen every star from the 50's and even welcomed Jack Kerouac's jazz-poetry readings. For great afterhour jazz, check out Small's marathons and jam sessions. Tonic, owned by sax player John Zorn, presents actual music concerts, underground films and poetry readings. The Tunnel nightclub on 12th Ave offers three well packed dance floors and features hot DJs. For a more relaxed atmosphere, Cabana on South Street serves tasty tapas with a view on the Statue of Liberty.

On your way to Niagara, if you enjoy quirky attractions stop by the Jell-O Museum, in Leroy, NY and the Strong Museum and its Toy National Hall of Fame in Rochester. If you are wine lovers, follow the Lake Erie Wine Trail and visit a few Niagara wineries. The Niagara Falls are better seen from the Canadian side.

Montreal is definitely a fun city. To avoid driving around for hours to look for a parking space or spend a fortune on indoor parking, I suggest you park in a street somewhere in the eastern part of town (east of Papineau for instance) and use the subway system (a.k.a Metro). The main commercial artery in Montreal is Ste. Catherine St. which more or less runs from far east to I-15.

For history in Montreal, head to the Old Montreal/Old Port (mo : Champ-de-Mars or Place D'Armes) and browse Place Jacques-Cartier, St. Paul and De la Commune Streets, Marché Bonsecours, visit the breath taking Basilique Notre-Dame. There are also an Imax theater and a couple of interesting museums like Pointe-à-Callière in that part of town.

One of my favourite restaurant in that area is far from being fancy. It is a vietnamese restaurant called Pho Bang New York. It is located in in Chinatown, on St. Laurent blvd near Viger St. They serve tasty soups (tonkinoises), exquisite lemon grass chicken (try #16) and refreshing lemonades for ridiculously cheap prices. Don't expect wine and flowers though, if you stick there too long, they may throw you out -- Can you believe they're actually featured in DeBeur?!:o) If you enjoy a more romantic atmosphere, go to Jardins Nelson and eat crepes (available for dinner and dessert) in their beautiful indoor garden. For a quick treat, order a "queue de castor" (transl. : beaver's tail) in a stand along De la Commune St. Don't worry, they're just pastries, no meat or beaver parts whatsoever. You can also try your luck at the Casino on Notre-Dame Island (better accessible by car, parking is free).

For great views of the city, go to Parc du Mont-Royal (better accessible by car), the very intimate Westmount Belvedere on Summit Ave (by car) or climb the tower of the Olympic Stadium (mo : Pie IX) and why not visit the Biodôme and the Botanical Garden while you're there. To get away from the crowd of the "Stade", take a relaxing walk in Parc Maisonneuve. On the north side of the Mont-Royal lies the magnificient Oratoire St. Joseph (mo : Côte-des-Neiges) and the multiethnic part of town known as Côte-des-Neiges. For a great vietnamese bring-your-own-wine restaurant in CDN, try Chez Tung on Appleton.

St. Laurent blvd is the "Main Street" of Montreal and is mostly reknown for its milling nightlife, outrageous cover charges and upscale restaurants (between Sherbrooke St. and Mont-Royal). If you want to go out in glamourous clubs on St. Laurent you better be well-dressed and behave. Crescent St. (mo : Guy) is also a very popular street for clubbing and the dress code is usually more casual. For a great intimate jazz evening, head to Upstairs on MacKay St. By the way, there's a youth hostel right down the street in a relatively quiet spot within downtown. If you feel like it, you can explore the underground city.

The Plateau Mont-Royal (mo : Mont-Royal) is the new hip part of town where all the young professionals compete with each other to buy some tiny super-expensive colourful condos. The main artery, Mont-Royal Avenue, is bordered by trendy restaurants, small cafés, grunge boutiques and marginal independent record and book stores. The bistrot Bagel St-Viateur serves tasty bagels and homemade pesto fromage à la crème and stop by Fairmount Bagel Bakery to grab a few poppy seed bagels to bring back at your hotel.

To get a feel of French culture, go to the Latin Quarter (mo : Berri-UQAM)and the Village (mo : Beaudry). The Latin Quarter's main street is St. Denis which bursts with boutiques, cafes, pubs and restaurants of all kinds. For a fun evening head to the Jell-O Bar on Ontario St. They have the kitschiest decor in town and serve weird but delicious martinis (chocolate, lychee & cranberry). For a different kind of nightlife, go to Cabaret Mado on Ste. Catherine. This bar features one of a kind quirky drag queen shows from 11 to 3 for everyone, straight or gay (cover ~5$CAD). Lots of interesting restaurants in that area : for Italian, try La Strega (bruschetta, pastas - 6-15CAD$), for French cuisine, try Au Petit Extra (rabbit, crème brûlée - 10-25CAD$), for Japanese food in a minimalist decor, try EstAsie (Teriyaki beef, sushis - 10-25CAD$) and finally for monstruous dessert and good coffee, Kilo is the place to be.

The best cappuccino can be found at Caffè Epoca in little Italy. If you're looking for decent coffee and you can't seem to find a brûlerie, among all the chains, pick Second Cup. For inexpensive lodging in Montreal, check out that website. I also heard they have a couple of cheap rooms at the Oratoire St. Joseph and at the Université de Montréal.

Since you said you liked history, I strongly suggest you make a detour by Quebec City. It is definitely the historical mecca of the province of Quebec, it has been designated a World Heritage City by the UNESCO. Here's a recent thread on this tremendous city.

Here are a few suggestions for in or near Boston :
-Witch Museum, Salem
-Freedom Trail;
-Charlestown;
-Harvard University Campus, Cambridge;
-Legal Sea Foods;
-Dinner on Newberry St. (ex. : Stephanie's, Tapeo, etc);
-Fire & Ice Restaurant;
-P.s. Cheap lodging is not easy to find, even in the suburbs. You can either go to a youth hostel like this one or to the YMCA where you'll find private rooms for 60-100$. If you don't mind sleeping out of the city, you can easily find lodging for less 75$ in chains if you look at the right places.

Finally, in Cape Cod, check out the followings :
-Commercial St. in PTown;
-Cape Cod National Sea Shore, Race Pt and Herring Cove Beaches;
-For cheap lodging look for the Budget Host Inn in Hyannis or one of the youth hostels. The Elephant Walk Inn in PTown is a great place to stay but is more expensive.

Happy planning!
Geneviève