Road Trip CA, OR, WA, MT, ID, on a very tight budget $1800

Hi all,

This is my first post, and I am very excited to share the road trip idea that me and my girlfriend are planning this summer.

We are essentially planning to go from Southern CA, and visit the following destinations 1. Eugene OR, 2. Portland OR, 3. Seattle WA, 4. Spokane WA, 5. Missoula MT, 6. Boise ID, (Heading back through Las Vegas) 7. (At least 3-4 national parks along the way).

Our budget for this insane trip is roughly $1800 (Give or take $300 for emergency expenses).

The possibility of us running out of money is very real, as we are both grad students who have NEVER in our lives left the San Diego - Los Angeles area. We are in our late 20s and this is the first time we are going to be stepping foot outside of CA.

We have been saving our money for four years to make this trip happen, and as I will be leaving for Ph.D school very shortly, this summer is basically the only opportunity we will have to make this dream happen.

There are several concerns that we have, most revolving around keeping this trip as cheap as possible.

1. We will have to sleep in our car at least 8-9/12 nights that we will be on this trip.
2. Our budget absolutely cannot exceed $1800+$300 for emergency expenses.
3. The total gas for this trip (Including about $120 for side diversions (i.e., national park driving, sight seeing, etc.) is $450. Which makes our realistic budget for the rest of this 11-12 day trip $1350.

We are here to ask all of you for some advice to save money on our trip. Specifically relating to sleeping in truck stops, rest stops, and or maybe in parking lots. I know that we can sleep in our car in many of the national parks as long as we pay a camping fee, so that shouldn't be a major problem.

Anyway to the major questions!!!


1. Where would you suggest we stop to sleep in our car? Truck stops? Rest stops?

2. Out of the cities we are visiting, which ones would you say we almost NEED to spend the night at a hotel? We can spend 2-3 nights at one, so our choices are limited.

3. What national parks that you know of would be along the way on this trip?

4. What affordable sights or places do you recommend we visit on our trip?

If I come up with more questions I will be sure to ask. Thank you all! I hope to get some awesome replies soon!

Welcome to RTA!

I hate to do this, but I'm going to burst your balloon. You cannot get any kind of good rest in a car unless you have a van with the back empty and an air mattress. You are setting yourselves up for a miserable trip if you try.

What you should do instead is get some camping gear and sleep in a tent. A tent, sleeping bags, and air mattress aren't that expensive, you don't need top of the line gear for a 2 week trip.

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Honestly, I think you are seriously overly worried about your budget. You've got a little over $100 a day, and that's after you've accounted for fuel costs. While you can't go wild with that amount, that's not a rice and beans budget either. If you stayed at Budget hotels every night (roughly $50 a night), you'd still have more than $50 each day to eat and cover all of your extras.

As far as where I'd suggest you sleep in your car - I'd suggest you not even try. Proper rest is essential to having a good roadtrip, and that's just not possible with two people inside a car. If you insist, don't even consider rest areas - an extremely dangerous spot to spend the night. Truck stops are safe, but well lit and often loud - which leaves campgrounds as your best choice. However, investing a relatively small amount of money in camping gear would be much wiser than trying to sleep inside your car.

As far as places you "need" to get a motel, that's completely up to you, but if you're looking to explore the nightlife in any city, that's a very good place to start.

There's almost too many National Parks to list along your route, and a quick look at a map will point them out to you. A very quick list - Sequoia, Yosemite, Redwoods, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier, Glacier, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. Really though, browsing some maps is going to give you a much better picture too work with.

As Michael points out, your budget is not that bad. However, there are many ways to save money on a road trip, and sleeping in your car is not the best of them. It may pay you to spend some time reading through this forum.

Along the way you will come across rest areas and truck stops where the hotel/motel discount coupon booklets are available. Check these out, there are some good deals to be had. Mostly they are for walk-ins only.

Whatever you do, do not purchase your food and drinks in convenience stores or at fuel stops. Shop in regular supermarkets. Many of these have excellent variety of salads and/or meats available for a good meal.

To safe even more though, I would second the suggestion to get yourselves a tent, sleeping bag and mats as well as a cooler to keep drinks cold and sandwiches for lunch. Even if you camp every second night, the money saved should be more than the cost of your equipment. State Parks and Forests as well as BLM lands have campgrounds which are generally around $20 - sometimes cheaper (even free). These are marked on good maps as little triangles or tents.

One worthwhile expense is to make sure you have a roadside assistance package, such as provided by AAA (even the best maintained vehicles can break down) where you can also get good maps to help you in planning. Be sure to carry maps when on the road. An alternative is a good road atlas. Don't be tempted to rely solely on your electronics.

The link above has many more suggestions. Enjoy your trip.

Lifey

I have to echo what others have said, do not sleep in the car if you want a safe and enjoyable trip. Cheap camping equipment and Motels, or even a Hostel while in the City would be a good combination. I would also reverse your trip direction and then if you travel down the coast the Ocean and Oceanside scenic pull outs will be on your side of the road.

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

I have to echo what others have said, do not sleep in the car if you want a safe and enjoyable trip. Cheap camping equipment and Motels, or even a Hostel while in the City would be a good combination. I would also reverse your trip direction and then if you travel down the coast the Ocean and Oceanside scenic pull outs will be on your side of the road.

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Hi Dave,

would taking the coast of CA cost us a lot more in terms of gas?

I agree. You are going to have a wonderful trip! Don't worry about your budget. You need to be safe on this trip, and that means NOT sleeping in your car under any circumstances. Get your mindset away from rest areas, truck stops, and parking lots as none of these places are safe. Instead, as all are saying, invest in campground equipment, or even better, use those rest areas to get hotel coupon books for great deals and get a great nite sleep in a comfortable bed. This is very important when it comes a truly enjoyable road trip.

Following the coast won't change your fuel costs, at least not significantly. It will, potentially, change the amount of time you've got available - as the coast is a much slower going option.

It's worth it, but you'll have to decide if it is a priority for you.

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would taking the coast of CA cost us a lot more in terms of gas?

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As Michael said, it would no nake a significant difference, especially of a trip of this distance and you could see Redwoods NP, drive the Ave of the Giants and much more. Have you actually thought about creating a smaller loop that will reduce fuel costs and give you extra time from the car to enjoy the City's and National parks etc. Do you realise that you will spend half of your days in the car for long hours, or around 5 hours every day ? It's certainly doable but if you want to spend quality time in 3 or 4 NP's and see the city sites there is not much to 'play with'.

Possibly think about couchsurfing as a way to cut on hotels. Just make sure to contact the references to make sure that it is a safe place to stay.

California is going to be your most expensive state for gas prices. http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/todays-gas-prices/

Couchsurfing is a wonderful community, and I would highly recommend them. However, there are some facts you need to be aware of.

First thing you do is join Couchsurfing, and build up a reference base. Few hosts will accept someone who does not have any references. Also get verified as quickly as possible. It is a great assurance to the other party. Two good ways to gather references is by attending Couchsurfing activities in your area, and by offering to host travellers. If you are unable to accommodate any, be available to show them around your area or take them to sights they would like to see. There's nothing like seeing a place through the eyes of a local. Anytime you spend time with another couchsurfer, you are entitled to ask them to write you a reference, just as you would write one for them. The reference system works extremely well, so long as you are honest. If you found something annoying/uncomfortable/offensive about another member, and it was integral to this person, say so. No need to be rude, just be honest and factual. Read through other people''s references, and get the ideas of what works.

It is not just a free night's accommodation. It is a community, and many hosts and hostesses appreciate something in return. I like to take my host out for a meal, at a moderately priced place of their choice. On the other hand, some people who have surfed at my place have brought me gifts, taken me out to lunch, etc. When I take a guest for a drive into the country to a requested site or place, I always appreciate it when they buy me lunch. There are also hosts who prefer that you spend some time with them, and not just use them as a place to sleep. These folk like to meet people from all over the country, all over the world and hear the travel stories.

Some things you might like to offer to do for your host is to cook them a meal, offer to do the dishes, clean the bathroom, or really anything you see you could do. It's all up to you. A bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates on arrival is often appreciated.

Point is, if you have read their profile, and the references, you quickly get some idea of what this person likes. If you correspond with the person beforehand, you can always ask what they would like.

Couchsurfing is a great community, just don't use them a a night's free accommodation. It's a give and take community.

Lifey

Part of the problem is most places I am going to do not seem to have hotels for anything less than $65-75 a night. Missoula Montana (where I plan to spend a few days) is surprisingly expensive.

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Originally Posted by alazar14

Part of the problem is most places I am going to do not seem to have hotels for anything less than $65-75 a night. Missoula Montana (where I plan to spend a few days) is surprisingly expensive.

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I spent four days in Missoula in 2012 and found the Budget Inn just off I-90 (can't recall the exit but I think I recorded it in my trip report) excellent. From what I recall, with the coupon, it was less than $50 per night, all inclusive. I did not book, I just turned up.

Lifey

Edit: There are 97 couchsurfing members in Missoula.

You can do two things to find the coupon specials:

1) Look online: FreeHotelcoupons.com, travelcoupons.com, and hotelcoupons.com.

2) As you pull into each state, stop at either the state information center/state tourist center/visitor information center (often one of the first rest areas you come to as you cross a state's border), or a big truck stop/travel center such as Pilot, Flying J, or Love's. Look for little self-serve stands, as these coupons come in little booklets usually 6"x9" or thereabouts. If you don't see them in the state information centers, ask.

Montana did seem kind of pricey to us, too, but coupons were a big help. They also have a very short tourist season, which may account for the higher price for lodging. Fortunately, their restaurants were just about the same as everywhere else.


Donna

Did you use the hotel search right here on this site?

I know others have said to not sleep in your car, but its not all that bad if you do it right. There are certain scenarios where it could be beneficial. A lot has to do with timing. For instance, I will be leaving Portland and heading for Goblin Valley, UT for my first stop. I should arrive there approx 1 AM. I want to catch the early light for photo reasons. The following night we will be staying in Moab. So rather than booking 2 nights in Moab, and having to sleep for maybe 2 hours and head back up to Goblin Valley for the sunrise, I can just take a brief but refreshing enough 4 hour nap, take my photos and move on to Moab.

Hi jwilx and welcome to RTA !

We appreciate your input, but there is no way we would recommend anyone drive for almost 1000 miles and 17 hours without an overnight stop, never mind then sleeping in the car for a few hours before driving again. People do 'get away with it', but only in the way that a drunk driver sometimes gets away with it, but many a time accidents, some fatal, are the result of drunk driving or fatigue. The only way you should even consider this is if there are 3 of you and can rotate in the Speed run procedure. Two people need to be awake and alert to make it work, but I would still recommend you work it and stop on route to Goblin.

Have a safe trip.

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Originally Posted by jwilx

I know others have said to not sleep in your car, but its not all that bad if you do it right.

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If you do it right is the key phrase. If you are a solo traveler, with the right kind of vehicle, where it can be set up to fully lay out and get a good night of sleep, then it can be done. However, that's virtually impossible if you've got more than one person, and if you're in a rental car.

Second, doing it right does not mean napping in your car because you haven't given yourself enough time to get a reasonable amount of sleep. As Dave mentioned, the plan you've laid out of trying to drive non-stop 1000 miles (and really more like 20 hours than 17), and then "napping" for a couple of hours before driving yet another 100 miles is incredibly dangerous and will make you a danger to yourself and others. That is very much "all that bad" and is not "doing it right," and we really hope you will reconsider your plan.

A little bit of overreacting I think...
10 hours driving each while the other naps is not that serious. The average person is awake for more than 10 hours a day right? So it really isnt "all that bad". Moab is only a couple hours from Goblin Valley anyway. So after a good 4 hour nap, not "a couple", driving an extra 2 hours is harmless. But thats me assuming people are smart enough to not drive so tired they feel drunk... So yes, if you do it right. And another thing, what one person deems uncomfortable, isnt exactly what another person feels. I am perfectly fine sleeping in my car. I do it every Spring over 15000 miles.

Whether you can do that is not the issue. The longstanding policy on this forum is driving over 600 miles a day and/or sleeping in a car is not recommended. You have been told the same thing by 2 moderators, I would think that nothing else should be said.

I mean no disrespect to the mods, so try not to make it seem as if I did, thanks.

And if someone could please point me to these rules I would appreciate it. I had a hard time finding where it says that.
So is that 600 miles a day for one, or two people? Kind of changes things when its a duo no? And sleeping in a car is subjective, depending on age, body size/height...etc. I mean the op stated him and his girlfriend are traveling together. If my math is right, the max would be 1200 miles...

Truckers usually drive in tandem. They are still NOT allowed to be more than 10 hours, or 600 miles, behind the wheel. When they are not driving, they are mandated, by law, to be in the back of the cab in the sleeper berth. If they sit in the passenger seat, it is counted AS DRIVING. That is the law, their logs are often checked completely, and they can lose both their job and their commercial license if they are found to be fudging on the logs. The policy on RTA is to use the truckers' mandates as what is sensible for us.

Have we all broken this rule of thumb? Absolutely. Therefore, when we recommend 600 miles as a maximum, it is because each of the regulars has made errors in judgement and have learned from their mistakes. My husband and I have tried a lot of things over the years, mostly before his short career as a semi-truck driver, which included driving 750 miles in one day and then set up campsite, driving at night and trying to sleep during the day (only works if your body clocks are used to that because you're a night worker), sleeping in the car (oh, my creakin' neck!), and more. I've been part of a 4-student car driving 1500 miles straight through, and from that experience, that's where I know that sleeping while somebody else is driving, does not afford you proper rest. When it was my turn to drive, I was still very tired, especially when I had to drive at night.


Donna

600 miles is the max professional drivers are permitted by law, for safety reasons.

You do not sleep sitting up in a car as a passenger. It is almost as tiring as driving. You may nap or doze off, but that is not the proper rest one needs to be refreshed and alert for hours on end to hurtle tons of metal down the road at highway speed. It is inanely irresponsible and demonstrates a disregard for road safety.

It is also the reason why thousands are killed on the road each year. Fatigue being one of the prime causes.

Lifey

I don't think you've been disrespectful, but I do think you've fallen into a couple of very very dangerous myths.

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Originally Posted by jwilx

10 hours driving each while the other naps is not that serious. The average person is awake for more than 10 hours a day right? So it really isnt "all that bad".

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I mean the op stated him and his girlfriend are traveling together. If my math is right, the max would be 1200 miles..

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Long distance driving is absolutely not a 1+1=2 situation. Just because 1 person can safely drive 600 miles does not at all mean that 2 drivers can then safely drive 1200 - not even close. As others have mentioned, simply sitting in a car is fatiguing. Also, having a second person napping in the passenger seat, means there is no second set of eyes on the driver, and it makes it much more likely that the driver starts nodding off as well.

And you are right that it isn't exactly the same for every person, and an extra driver might help you get a few more miles down the road, but 600 miles is certainly the benchmark. It's the law for professional drivers in the US (and in other countries, even that is considered too far), and a good rule of thumb. If you're trying to drive 1000 miles, you're way beyond that rule of thumb, and if you're trying to get back in the car again to do more driving, after just 4 hours of napping in the car, you're simply doing more than any human can safely do.

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But thats me assuming people are smart enough to not drive so tired they feel drunk...

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When we talk about being so fatigued that you are as dangerous as a drunk driver, it has nothing to do with "feeling drunk." It has everything to do with reaction times. When you've been behind of the wheel for more than about 10 hours, your reaction times dull - and become very similar to those of someone who is intoxicated. The statistics for crashes - including fatal crashes - caused by fatigued driving are also very similar to those of drunk drivers.

It's really just science, and as much as you can tell yourself that you are still fine, you can very much be a danger. The problem is that when you're too tired to be a safe driver - you have to rely on that same fatigued brain to tell you that you've gone too far. By the time you "feel tired" and start actually drifting off, you've already gone way too far.

We certainly can't force you to change your behavior, but that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. A drunk typically gets behind the wheel 100 or more times before they are caught or get into a crash - it doesn't mean the first 99 times were safe. Whether your driving is impared by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue, eventually, it will catch up with you - and sometimes other people will be in your way when it does.

Refer to post #17, there's a link in there for a "speed run". This requires 3 drivers, not just 2.

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If you've ever covered 650 miles or more in a single day, you were on what we consider to be a "speed run."

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Originally Posted by jwilx

I mean no disrespect to the mods, so try not to make it seem as if I did, thanks.

And if someone could please point me to these rules I would appreciate it. I had a hard time finding where it says that.
So is that 600 miles a day for one, or two people? Kind of changes things when its a duo no? And sleeping in a car is subjective, depending on age, body size/height...etc. I mean the op stated him and his girlfriend are traveling together. If my math is right, the max would be 1200 miles...

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There are no 'hard and fast rules', as certain factors make a difference, but humans can only stay fully alert for a certain amount of time before fatigue sets in and our main aim here is to help members have a safe and enjoyable journey and offer sound advice. [Its why we dont work for 20 hours a day for 2 days and have the rest of the week off.] The original poster has mentioned in the first post that they have never been on a road trip before and they are asking for help with their planning, so they only have what they are told to go by. So no, it is not an over reaction to your reply, it is informing them that by no means is travelling a 1000 miles in a single day safe or enjoyable. What they decide to do with all the info offered, is entirely up to them, but in this case no matter how experienced, it's something we still would not recommend.

I think we should leave it at that and let the planning thread get back on track.

There really is nothing to debate. Regardless of the statistics, its still all subjective. It varies from person to person. There are factors like age, body type, weight... etc. Since were mixing the ops scenario up with my one example, I will explain further, then leave it alone. I sleep 6-7 hours a night max as it is. Some people have no problem sleeping in a car every couple of nights. I am one of those people. Ive done it every year for the past 10 years putting 15000+ every Spring alone. I fold the back seats down (not sitting up..) and sleep on a foam pad very comfortably. If I get a great nights sleep, drive for 500 miles, then nap while the other is driving, then stop and sleep for 3-4 hours. That is totally fine for some people, if not most. I understand that its the popular opinion to parrot whenever someone mentions driving for extended periods or sleeping in the car, but like I stated in the first place, if its done right it isnt that bad. Just dont sit up, and dont drive if your actions mimic those of a drunk person (aka feeling drunk...)
That is all from me on this. No disrespect at all. Go ahead and delete all of my comments in this thread and clean it up. I didnt mean to derail. Sorry op :/

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Originally Posted by jwilx

Just dont sit up, and dont drive if your actions mimic those of a drunk person (aka feeling drunk...)

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Drunk drivers always seem to deny that they are impaired (a.k.a. feeling drunk) Same with fatigued drivers, they have no idea they are beyond adequate reflexes (a.k.a. safe driving).

Lifey

You are right, there is nothing to debate - the problem is that you're trying to create a debate by ignoring the science and saying it is all subjective.

Lifey is 100% correct. You can come up with excuses for why you have special talents, and you can do what research has shown that no one can possibly do safely, but the fact is, just like someone who can find a way to excuse their drunk driving, you are putting your life, and the lives of everyone else in the road in danger in the process.

As we've said, We can't stop you, but we certainly aren't going to let you tell others that it is ok. Any further discussion on the issue will be deleted.

So to get back on topic, I asked my girlfriend about Couchsurfing and she said "absolutely not! I rather take my chances with the wildlife in the woods" - and believe me, she has never been camping a day in her life. So that basically leaves couchsurfing out.

In terms of cheap motels, I assume the best strategy is not always to just google motels in an area and call right? I've been having some terrible luck with this method finding most places charge between $55-$70 per night. Ultimately, it seems like we may need to find a way to camp out 4-5 nights during the trip.

The 600 mile driving limit most are talking about also puts a bit of a damper on our plans as it extends our nights from 11-12 to about 13-14. Again, with our limited budget, things seem rather difficult. I should also mention that we will be traveling on a 2002 V6 Camaro, a car with very little room to carry stuff, and definitely not a comfortable long term driver.

Any more tips would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all for all of the great input so far, I am taking it to heart and really learning from all of you.

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Originally Posted by alazar14

So to get back on topic, I asked my girlfriend about Couchsurfing and she said "absolutely not! I rather take my chances with the wildlife in the woods" - and believe me, she has never been camping a day in her life. So that basically leaves couchsurfing out.

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What a shame. She has no idea what she is missing out on.

If I had said "never again" after my first hostel experience in Venice Beach, I would be a lot poorer now, in both money and experiences. The top bunk was so close to the ceiling one could not sit up. The majority of residences were permanents and not travellers, the bathroom was used by some as a storage room and was disgustingly filthy to use. The so called 'breakfast' looked like it had been reheated a dozen times. But I learned from the experience. I learned what questions to ask, what to look for in reviews and what to look for on arrival.... before I committed. After that one experience I have stayed in dozens of wonderful hostels, and still a few which were not as wonderful.... but none like the first time.

Couchsurfing was a bit the same. The very first time I was with a lady and her two adult sons and two pit bulls. Me! who is terrified of dogs.. Cleanliness was not on the top of her priorities, though it was adequate. Turned out she has a heart of gold. Having couchsurfed in a village in Ghana, she learned that the village did not have clean water, nor a school. Through her fund raising that village now has a new school and several pumps on bores sunk to provide clean water. (I spent the evening with her making things for her fundraising.)

I would have been much the poorer for not having met this wonderful soul in Hartford CT.

Travelling is all about seeing places and meeting people. So why would one not accept hospitality from those folk?

Lifey

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Originally Posted by alazar14

In terms of cheap motels, I assume the best strategy is not always to just google motels in an area and call right? I've been having some terrible luck with this method finding most places charge between $55-$70 per night. Ultimately, it seems like we may need to find a way to camp out 4-5 nights during the trip.

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I guess that's not a bad strategy to try, but I certainly wouldn't call it the best one. They're likely to quote you their undiscounted "rack" rate. If you're really looking to stay at mom and pop places, it might be effective, as such places often won't be found on the major hotel search sites.

But those major hotel search sites are a much faster and easier way to get a complete look at what's available, and since hotels know that the internet makes it easy for people to compare, that's where they put their best prices. As was previously mentioned, there is a hotel search tool right on RTA you can use. You can also check out "blind bid" sites like priceline and hotwire, where you'll find discounted rooms, but you don't get to see the name of the property until you've committed to buy (and you can't cancel the purchase.)

As was also previously mentioned, there are coupon books and coupon websites that can also help you find discounted rooms.

But as I also said at the very beginning, I don't quite understand why you are so concerned about your budget. Based on what you told us, after gas, you should have more than $100 a day available to spend. Even if you have to spend $60-70 for a motel every once and a while, that still leaves you $30-40 a day for everything else you might need to buy in a day. Don't get me wrong, I love camping both as a way to save money, and for the experience, but if you don't think you'll enjoy it, I'm not sure why you think you'll be in such a budget crunch that you'll have to do it.

My recommendation to your girlfriend is to try camping close to home first, such as a weekend. This will tell her if she'll like it, and what equipment she absolutely has to have with her. That's what my husband and I did when we decided that we were going to camp out for road trips. At first I was hesitant, because I had never tent-camped before, only "camping" in a travel trailer. Then I found that I really enjoyed it, especially cooking outside, and listening to the birds early in the mornings.

What we found ourselves doing was camping for 3 nights in a row, then find a cheap motel for the 4th night so that we could clean up. Mom and Pop places always served us well, as did Motel 6's (when they were available).


Donna

Lifey,

You have the best advice. I'm going through posts and am really grateful for your input. I totally agree with you. A tent and sleeping bags and air mattress make a big difference.