Nashvill to LA

[Elisabet]

Hi,
How much money do you spend each day on food, gas and accomondation (2 persons) on the road? We are driving from Nashvill to LA in 4 weeks.
We will buy food at supermarkets and stay at cheap motels. We are from Sweden and never been in USA before so we don't know how much anything costs.
We would like to have som suggestions on what to see on the way.
Thanks
Elisabet

[Quebec Gen]

Hi Elisabet,

I guess the cost of a trip depends on a lot of factors. Food, for instance can be as cheap as $5 per day, if you don't mind eating Ramen soup everyday, and it can go up to $10-25USD if you want to eat a little healthier. The cheapest way to eat is to bring an ice chest and make occasional visits to grocery stores. Eating cold stuff still is the simplest way but if you're not in a hurry, you can bring a camp stove along and cook some hot meals.

Depending on WHERE you plan to sleep and WHEN you want to hit the road, the costs of cheap motel rooms can vary from $20-$60USD. Try Mom & Pop Motels and Motel 6 first and avoid big cities. Read our article <a href="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/travelplanning/Cheap-Road-Trips.htm">"The Art of the Cheap Roadtrip"<a/> and the other posts in the Cheap road trip section of the forum, they might help you. For gas costs, try the Roadtripamerica <a href="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/roadtripamerica_cfmfiles/calculator.cfm">fuel calculator<a/>.

Places to see along the way? Well at least plan to spend several days in the southwest to visit natural wonders such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon (north rim), Petrified Forest, Big Bend, White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Canyonlands and some interesting cities: Phoenix, Santa Fe, El Paso, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Tombstone. Try to use highways instead of interstates, especially in TX, UT, AZ and NM if you want to see some typical western ghost towns, desert roads, red rock, cactuses and lots of other stuff.


Drive safe!

Gen