September Roadtrip

[frylock]

Hey guys,

First time poster and I'm not a frequent here, so I hope to god that I'm not doing any faux-pas as far as forum rules go.

I'm from outside the US - and I am planning to take a road trip in the states in September, purely touristic. I am currently trying to weigh my options and plan the expenditure, and frankly I'm a bit lost, and I thought maybe you guys could help me out.

First off, timeframe is mid-September, for 2-2.5 weeks. The number of people is not finalized yet either, but it's anywhere between two and four. The options I'm currently considering are:
* Southeast - Florida (start in Key West and work all the way up), New Orleans, Texas
* Southwest - LA, SF, Las Vegas, national parks, maybe San Diego
* Northeast - NYC, Atlantic City, DC, Philly, Pittsburgh, Ohio (Cedar Point, Cincy)
The order pretty much mirrors how I like each option - southeast is the most preferable, followed by southwest, and northeast the least, mainly due to the weather aspects.

My questions:
* What sort of weather should I expect in FL/CA during the mid-late September timeframe? (I don't need to know the exact temps, just that it's not monsoon season or something...)
* I'm planning to travel with a car (as opposed to an RV). Do you think it's wise?
* Given the fact it's a passenger car and it's for 2-2.5 weeks, I'm thinking I should rent (rather than buy and sell). What's the average going rate for that? Should I consider buying and selling at all?
* Is it realistic to do FL --> TX in 2-2.5 weeks? Google maps says it's 24hrs drive, so I think I'll average a couple of hours of driving per day. Since I never took a road trip I don't know - is that reasonable?
* What's the average rate for "roadside motels" in FL/LA/TX?
* During the few nights that I will stay within cities (New Orleans, Orlando, Key West etc.), from browsing in the internet I see that a decent (3-star) hotel is around $80 for a couple. Am I looking in the wrong places or does this figure sound correct?
* I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and they're playing at Tampa Bay Sep. 26th. Cheapest tickets for that go for ~$50 at this time. Should I be in a hurry with this?
* Most importantly, do you think that the route I described is an appealing one?

Wherever I'm asking figures I obviously don't really expect a definitive answer (or anything near that), I'm looking more for a ballpark estimation in order to make a very rough estimation for the overall expenditure.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

September is a great time to travel. Temperatures are cooler and schools are back in session resulting in fewer vacationers on the road or at your destinations. The only weather caveat would be in the Southeast where it will be hurricane season, But those storms are relatively slow moving and you will get plenty of warning of their approach with the opportunity to get out of their path.

A full size car should give you plenty of room for four and give decent mileage to boot. If you end up with fewer, you can arrange a smaller car. A van or SUV will simply not be needed unless you are planning to camp for the most part and sill be traveling with full gear. Buying/Selling as a foreign national on this short a time span is simply not an option. There will be a fee of a few hundred dollars for dropping the car off at in a city other than where you pick it up, and other fees if you or any of the drivers are under 25.

Any of the three itineraries you've outlined can be done in 2-2½ weeks without a problem. $60-80 will suffice for most mid-level motels. You can occasionally find cheaper and of course you can spend more if you want. If you get rooms with two king or queen beds, you can sleep 4, but the shower/bathroom will be a busy place. If there are 4 of you, think about spending the extra money and getting two rooms each night. That will also let you trade off roommates if you get on each others nerves. (Bound to happen.)

If you can get tickets for an NFL game for $50, they're probably near the end zone, high in the upper decks, or both. I don't think you're going to find them cheaper. And it doesn't matter what I think of your three choices, only what you and your friends do.

AZBuck

[AZBuck]

The first paragraph of this post was meant for you.

AZBuck