Start-KS...Visting NY and CA

I'm planning on taking a road trip this summer, and a long one at that. im from kansas and i want to go to new york and the new england area, but i'm also planning on going west to l.a. and san francisco. should i just pick one or the other to go to, or is this able to be accomplished without wiping out my college funds? is it possible to do all of this on a budget of $3,500?
I'm 18 and this will be the first road trip that ive ever been on by myself. any tips on how to go about driving on this trip, plus any money saving tips would be really appreciated.

thanks!
janelle

I'm planning on taking a road trip this summer, and a long one at that. im from kansas and i want to go to new york and the new england area, but i'm also planning on going west to l.a. and san francisco. should i just pick one or the other to go to, or is this able to be accomplished without wiping out my college funds? is it possible to do all of this on a budget of $3,500?
I'm 18 and this will be the first road trip that ive ever been on by myself. any tips on how to go about driving on this trip, plus any money saving tips would be really appreciated.

thanks!


janelle

I'm planning on taking a road trip this summer, and a long one at that. im from kansas and i want to go to new york and the new england area, but i'm also planning on going west to l.a. and san francisco. should i just pick one or the other to go to, or is this able to be accomplished without wiping out my college funds? is it possible to do all of this on a budget of $3,500?
I'm 18 and this will be the first road trip that ive ever been on by myself. any tips on how to go about driving on this trip, plus any money saving tips would be really appreciated.

thanks!


janelle

I bet you could do it with 3,500 or less. As long as you dont spend to much on souveniers, and what not.

But, I have never been on a road trip. But, I am planning mine right now. And with what i have come up with, it could be done...

That's a very large undertaking for a solo voyage, particularly for someone so young. Your budget should allow you to go from coast to coast, but you might find the time involved is a bit too much.

How about trying the western swing first, and if you're still gung-ho about the trip by the time you come back towards Kansas, decide then whether to continue.

The one thing that I'd mention regardless of where you're headed is to be very careful. If you're looking to get into 'adventures' and the like, I would reconsider the whole plan until you either find other people to travel with, or get a little older and wiser.


Good luck and safe driving.


AB

I concur that you should go West first, if for one reason - there's a culture shock coming East (where I'm from), people on this side of the country aren't very relaxed...it's just, different.

That being said, if you do come up to New England, I can recommend US-7, from CT through MA and VT as an idyllic ride. If you want a little more excitement, Boston is easily accessible via the MBTA ('T'). I'd suggest stopping at Framingham off of the turnpike and riding the rail into the city if you choose to go. It will be cheaper than trying to park in the city. www.mbta.com

Try to avoid the week the Brimfield Flea Market is on (May, July, Sept.) and I also recommend avoiding I-84 in CT. Try the Meritt Parkway instead.

I concur that you should go West first, if for one reason - there's a culture shock coming East (where I'm from), people on this side of the country aren't very relaxed...it's just, different (it's from the long winters and congested commutes).

That being said, if you do come up to New England, I can recommend US-7, from CT through MA and VT as an idyllic ride. If you want a little more excitement, Boston is easily accessible via the MBTA ('T'). I'd suggest stopping at Framingham off of the turnpike and riding the rail into the city if you choose to go. It will be cheaper than trying to park in the city. www.mbta.com

Try to avoid the week the Brimfield Flea Market is on (May, July, Sept.) and I also recommend avoiding I-84 in CT. Try the Meritt Parkway instead (no commercial vehicles).

As far as the money situation, you have to decide how much you want to see and do (i.e. museums, dining, entertainment, etc.) and how much you just want to relax. Pack a cooler, shop at a grocery store. Camp instead of hotel. Maybe take a couple of weeks and ~$750 and see what's left at the end of that period. Bring a (very good) friend. For the amount of mileage you want to do, it would be in your best interest to have someone share the mileage. You don't want to fall asleep going into the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 at 3am.

HTH

thanks for the advice, but now that i've thought about it, i think i'd like to go east. i really want to see Chicago, Maine, Providence RI, Boston, NYC, Washington DC, Niagra Falls, Marthas Vinyard, Cape Cod, and Atlantic City, plus some others.


does anyone know of any other good places to visit in the northeast?

Are you wanting to stay solely in the US, or would you consider Canada as well? When I go that direction, I think a visit to the Canadian Maritime Provinces is a must! That said, you can spend a week around Boston alone and still not see everything, so you'll have to pick and choose based on the time you have. Bob

Since at this point you seem to be open to anywhere up here, yes, I know several good places.

Acadia N.P. in Maine, Adirondack Park in New York, the Hudson River Valley in New York, the Green Mts. in VT, the White Mts. in NH (goodbye, Old Man of the Mountain), Gloucester, Salem, Plymouth, MA. Quabbin Reservoir in MA (see that huge body of water in the center of the state? that's all man-made). VT route 100.

For more people-intensive visits, Northampton, MA (college town), Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington, VT, Portland, Kennebunkport, ME, Hartford, CT, Narragansett, RI.

Washington, DC is easiest to get around on the Metro (public transportation). I couldn't believe how efficient that system is; it's easy to navigate, easy to purchase passes, and fairly clean. You can access lines into the city, such as Virginia's VRE, much easier than even attempting to drive into the city, unless it's 2am.

I've driven in NYC, DC, and Boston (as well as most other major Northeast cities)...I really don't recommend it as it can be quite stressful, especially during the week.

Whatever you do, bring a friend along! Most of the fun of a trip is having someone to share it with!

You've identified a wide spread of things you'd like to see and do. There's a lot of ground to cover between DC and ME, not to mention Canada. Consider what you like to do. You like natural features or city hopping for culture? Historical places (New England is where our nation got its start)? Lots of Revolutionary War history. Whale watches? Nothing beats Cape Cod or Gloucester. Take in loads of patriotic places like the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall (Philadelphia), Ground Zero... You've opened up quite a can of worms here. Try to define your trip. Also: what time of year?

i was thinking of leaving in either january or march, it just depends on how things work out (ie - money, weather)