Budget planning - is this enough?

[imported_Mark]

Hey Guys

I am keen to do a four week roadtrip and a friend told me that the best roadtrips would be the ones on the coasts. So I thought I could do both and do two weeks Denver-vancouver, down thru Seattle to San Fran and across to Denver via los Vegas. Then start again from New Orleans and up the coast to Boston.

is four weeks enough time for all this giving time to see the decent stuff along the way?

MORE important is money - if I were to rent a car with 2 others and share expenses, would $1500 each be enough for a four week roadtrip of this kind?

Any advice on money issues would be helpful as well as previous expenses and roadtrip experiences along these routes - or better ideas.

Thanks very much for your time.
Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Mark,
The scope of your planned triip is rather extensive. The actual distances you have mentioned could be covered in a four week period, but there is no way you could really "...see the decent stuff along the way..."

I would suggest choosing a single coast for your trip and really checking out some cool spots.

Costs: Your budgeted figures are OK as long as you do NOT try to do the marathon trip you envisioned. I don't know how many mpg your vehicle gets, but $1500 would be cutting it very close to the bone, by the time you include lodging, eating, drinking(?), fuel and misc expenses.

Have fun!

Mark

[imported_Mark]

Hey MArk

Thanks very much for your input. It changes a lot of plans i think. I think that I might do the east coast only.

I appreciate your help. Thanks again.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Mark,
In the case, consider penciling in Key West and some of the other Keys on the way. Key West is a trip, plenty of women and very fine weather.

If I were you, I would focus a four week road trip on the stretch between New Orleans and Key West. Plenty to see and do (unless you are doing this in July or August -- the heat there is extreme). If this odyssey will occur in the heat months -- consider the northeast. In particular, Maine, NH, VT and the Adirondacks of upper New York state.

You could spend four weeks in Maine and only see 25% of there is to see. It really depends on what you are looking for in your road trip.

Mark

[Jason Capriotti]

This doesn't have anything to do with your budget, but I have some thoughts. All good advice so far... I also suggest cutting your trip in half. Then you can save some of the sites for next year.

Regarding Mark's comments about Key West, my buddies and I drove down there last summer, and it was nice. If you do head down that way, I recommend camping at the Bahia Honda State Park [http://www.bahiahondapark.com/]. It is roughly 30 miles from Key West. I'd go there again if I'm in the area, and I feel like camping in the sweltering August heat :)

I also recommend Caladesi Island State Park [http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district4/caladesiisland/index.asp], which is barely north of Tampa Bay. The only way to get there is by ferry, the end result of which is a more-or-less quiet beach. When we were there in August, the water temperature was 90 degrees... insane! It is a very nice place to stop along the way.

[Jason Capriotti]

This doesn't have anything to do with your budget, but I have some thoughts. All good advice so far... I also suggest cutting your trip in half. Then you can save some of the sites for next year.

Regarding Mark's comments about Key West, my buddies and I drove down there last summer, and it was nice. If you do head down that way, I recommend camping at the Bahia Honda State Park [<a href="http://www.bahiahondapark.com/">http://www.bahiahondapark.com/</a>]. It is roughly 30 miles from Key West. I'd go there again if I'm in the area, and I feel like camping in the sweltering August heat :)

I also recommend Caladesi Island State Park [<a href="http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district4/caladesiisland/index.asp">http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district4/caladesiisland/index.asp</a>], which is barely north of Tampa Bay. The only way to get there is by ferry, the end result of which is a more-or-less quiet beach. When we were there in August, the water temperature was 90 degrees... insane! It is a very nice place to stop along the way.

[Jason Capriotti]

This doesn't have anything to do with your budget, but I have some thoughts. All good advice so far... I also suggest cutting your trip in half. Then you can save some of the sites for next year.

Regarding Mark's comments about Key West, my buddies and I drove down there last summer, and it was nice. If you do head down that way, I recommend camping at the Bahia Honda State Park [<a href="http://www.bahiahondapark.com/">http://www.bahiahondapark.com/</a>]. It is roughly 30 miles from Key West. I'd go there again if I'm in the area, and I feel like camping in the sweltering August heat :)

I also recommend Caladesi Island State Park [<a href="http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district4/caladesiisland/index.asp">http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district4/caladesiisland/index.asp</a>], which is barely north of Tampa Bay. The only way to get there is by ferry, the end result of which is a more-or-less quiet beach. When we were there in August, the water temperature was 90 degrees... insane! It is a very nice place to stop along the way.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Jason,

Thanks for continuing to share your hard-earned information with us.

There is a bar in the commercial fishing area of Key West that will always be memorable to us. While we were there, I fell off the rig and badly twisted my knee. Long story short -- they were serving triple scotches that afternoon for the fishing crews and after about three rounds I was feelin' fine. About seven feet from where I was receiving the medicinal libations, the remaining deck hands were chumming the sharks with fresh fish heads and I will never forget the image of that many dorsal fins swiming around our bar-side perch.

90 degree water -- you do know what kinds of critters live in those waters? The keys are a surprising place!

Mark
RTA Editor

[Joe L-E]

I think you've got the cash and the heart to go for the whole dman thing. I have one planned out for when I get of high school, and it covers all 3 coastlies. I also put aside the same amount of $$ per person. Sounds flawless if you can plan it out right. I suggest picking up Streets and Trips fom Microsoft, because they do a good job estimating road distances, speed, cost of gas, etc.