American Road Trip For An Italian Boy

[Dean Moriarty]

Hi everybody! I'm new to the forum, so I'll introduce myself: my name's Alberto, I'm 19-yrs-old and I live in Florence, Italy.

Next summer, I'd like to spend some time road tripping in the USA.
I have already decided the places I'd like to see (I'll get in the States by plane, landing to New York airport).

1. Baltimora (where I can sleep by a friend)
2. The mountains and woods of Virginia and Carolinas (the places you see in Horror movies like "Wrong Turn")
3. The South (like Alabama)
4. Texas and New Mexico (the deserts and the open spaces)
5. Colorado (the mountains and the Grand Canyon)
6. Arizona (the deserts)
7. (Death Valley, San Diego, Los Angeles)
8. Nevada
9. Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Dakotas, Iowa (opens paces)
10. Detroit


I don't have the wish to visit any city, what I look for are the spaces, the realness of America. The cities I listed I don't want to visit them as a tourist, a fast car-tour would be more than enough. I just want to see the beaches in San Diego and L.A., Compton, the ghettos, not Hollywood, Beverly Hills or stuff like that.

I'll sleep in my car and every 3rd or 4th day, I'll rent a cheap motel room, so that I can have a decent sleep and a shower.
I'll buy food in the cheapest places. I'll probably travel with another person.
I'll never stop by in any particular place, I just want to live on the road, I'm not a tourist.

How long will it approssimately take and how much money should I take into account?

[Mark Sedenquist]

.. so I'll introduce myself: my name's Alberto, I'm 19-yrs-old and I live in Florence, Italy.

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

I don't have the wish to visit any city, what I look for are the spaces, the realness of America.

I think it would be impossible to discover the "realness" of America without spending time in the American cities. I think you will discover that America is much more complex and diverse than is portrayed in American movies and novels. Here are some tips about discount roadtips and I also suggest that you read all of the posts found in this topic -- there are hundreds of tips about saving money on the road.

Mark

[Dean Moriarty]

Thank you very much Editor!

I have a question I forgot to post in the Original Thread: how can I get a car in the US? I think that bringing my car there from Italy would be extremely pricey and it would take at least a month or so. But I also know that you can't rent a car in the States unless you're over 21, which I won't be (I'll be 20-yrs-old next summer). Any ideas?!

[azo]

Going from New york, to Southern California to Detroit, not directly and with stops and sleeping every night would take a good ammount of weeks, 3-6, depending on how mcuh you want to see.

I might suggest you buy a decent car, then sale it when you leave.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I have a question I forgot to post in the Original Thread: how can I get a car in the US? I think that bringing my car there from Italy would be extremely pricey and it would take at least a month or so. But I also know that you can't rent a car in the States unless you're over 21, which I won't be (I'll be 20-yrs-old next summer). Any ideas?!

This is a frequent source of discussion. Here are some ideas.... We have heard that this company will rent to younger drivers, but have not confirmation. Sorry, we can't help futher.

Mark