Road trip summer 03'- the post college adventure

[imported_Christine]

Hey everyone! Just looking for any tips and advice for a 45 day road trip cross country. We are starting in Virginia Beach, Va and then heading to the jazz fest in new orleans and around the country counter clockwise....we bought the state park pass and we plan on camping most of the time...we are wondering what the average cost for this type of road trip will be...we are also wondering how many miles to travel a day...if anyone has any cool bars, holes in the wall, or fabulous out-of-the-way places, we'd love to know about them...we are recent collge grads trying to experience different ways of life, so any local hot spots would be great! Also, are there any tips or words of wisdom as how to get along with your travelmate for the entire trip....it is just two of us, and I have a feeling that after a little while we might get on each others nerves quite a bit....
THanks...any advice you could offer would be FABULOUS!!!! Happy travels!!!

[imported_karen]

hey- me and four of my friends are planning the same kind of trip after we graduate in may- i was wondering what your park pass was and how to get one- also have you gotten any other good tips?

[Syv]

You both will want to get a National Parks Pass as well as the state park pass.

www.nps.gov/parks.html

The national parks pass is $50 & expires after one year. It gets you entry into all of the national parks and national monuments. Well worth it since many are $10 - $20 entry fees. You can just buy one at the entry gate of the first park you come to - or you can order online and the expiry dates do not take effect until it is used for the first time.

I don't know about the state parks - but camping at the national parks is a great idea. Usually approximately $12 - $18 per night (depending which park or time of year).

Also - check out the campgrounds of the national forestry areas at www.reserveusa.com

KOA campgrounds are all across the country too. www.koa.com

Once you get an idea of your route, map it out on www.mapquest.com under the road trip planner. It will give you good ideas on mileages and approximate time to drive between each point.

Not sure of all the hot spots for parties, young people, etc., but you won't want to miss the scenic drives and national parks too to get a good look at the varying beautiful country of USA.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Mapquest maps are not always as accurate as they could be. The underlying NavTech database that is available to consumers for free at www.mapblast.com is superior in our view. The best way to use mapblast is to click on the "Directions" tab and then enter starting and destination places, (zip codes, etc.)

[imported_Brad]

Nice planning and dreaming on this one Christine. I spent about 8 months last year road tripping and doing the same dream. Wandered around Utah, southern Colorado, Kansas and the midwest, the Netherlands, northern and western Arizona, southern California, Nevada, southern Idaho and Puget Sound near Seattle during this time. 32,000 miles in 8 months...it was a most righteous time to be alive. You will have the time of your life, enjoy every moment, even when they are tiring, lonesome, and frustrating...it's all part of the adventure. You'll just have to get your space when you and your traveling companion get irritated with eachother...be sure it happens at least once a day. Get a National Park pass for $50...be friendly to folks, LISTEN to and enjoy their stories, the universe and God will be good to you and take care of you. Just kick back, put your seat belt on and enjoy the ride!

[Joe]

I would recommend getting Campbooks from AAA. They are broken down into regions and have alot of obscure campsites listed. They've worked well for me.

[Mark Sedenquist]

As far as camping places go -- don't overlook the campgrounds built by the Army Corps of Engineers. Without question, the layout of the sites are some of the most generous public campgrounds you are likely to find. Often we have stayed at them and been among only a handful of other campers.