Aussie people with no idea!

[hotdog]

Hello!

I am new to all of this.

I was wondering if anybody could shed some light on road tripping around America for foreigners?

What is the best and most economical way to do this? We are not strict on our budget.

We will land in Los Angeles and the following places are a must for us:
Las Vegas
The Grand Canyon
Texas
Memphis
Nasville
Somewhere else along the Mississippi
Yellowstone National Park
Route 66.
New York
Anything nature like that includes lots of wildlife.

We are campers but not restricted by a bogus budget.

Are we better to hire a car in LA and drive some of the west coast and then fly down south and hire another car etc?

We are also going to go to Alaska- we really only want to see Anchorage and the Denali National Park.

We have 90 days and it will be your summer (end of June to sometime in September).

Do you need anymore information?

Any reply would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[glc]

If you have 90 days, why not rent a car in LA and do a "loop trip" around the whole lower 48? That way, you don't have to hassle with bringing camping gear, you can buy what you need when you get here and donate it to charity when you get back to LA. Then you can fly to Anchorage and rent a car there for a few days and stay in hotels up there. September is a good month to visit Alaska, it isn't too cold yet and the summer flies and mosquitos are pretty much gone.

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the R.T.A forums !

As your trip encompasses so much of the country it's hard to come up with any specifics, but as suggested by glc you could do a loop around the country and try and get a good deal on a long term rental or work on a one way trip from LA to NY. Having just the one rental will keep the costs of one way rental charges [one for a cross country option] and flights down and enable you to see more of the country and keep you "airport terminal free" untill it's time to head for Alaska. But it is a case of what suits your needs best.

Have a good look around the forums and road trip planning pages by way of the search button and get the map out. You can the start putting dots on the map and when you have an outline we can help you join those dots together.

Enjoy the forums !

[glc]

I was thinking of the LA-NY one way - but with THAT much time, you can see more of the country doing a loop without zigzagging all the way across. That will save on a one way dropoff fee for the car, which can be a few hundred bucks. Make sure you rent with unlimited mileage!

I'd recommend that you buy an annual national parks pass at the first park you visit. It's $80 and will pay for itself if you visit more than 4 or 5 parks. It's good for the whole car, not just an individual.

[hotdog]

Thanks guys.

I'll get onto the map and keep you updated with our 'desired' route.

Much appreciated.

[UKCraig]

Would also recommend faaar more time in Alaska than just Anchorage (where there is very little to see) and Denali (where there is a lot to see!) - I would suggest an absolute minimum of 10 days in Alaska. Seriously you will regret going all that way and short-changing the most spectacular state.

[Lifemagician]

As Craig said, there is very little in Anchorage. Seward, down the peninsula is a must. A neat little town with lots of companies to take you out whale and wildlife viewing, as well as many glaciers. Highly recommended, you will never regret it.

And then there is Exit and Portage Glaciers on the way down to Seward. To visit a glacier close up is a real eye opener. Just don't ignore the warning signs.

You wouldn't go all the way to Alaska and not see that!

Lifey in Melbourne