Delaware to Cali, May 06

[katy284]

Me and two friends of mine are planning a roadtrip all the way across the country and back for May in 2006. We plan on taking the whole month, which Im hoping will be enough time. We're taking my car, which is a Honda CRV, which seems like it would be an excellent roadtrip car. It has a built in cooler, a picnic table that folds out, power outlets in the back, and lots of storage space. We plan on camping most of the time, in three pop-up tents. We decided that since we're spending all day together, it would be nice if our sleep time was apart in seperate tents, although our tents will be right next to each other.

So, here are some of my questions hopefully you guys can help me with :)

-Is a month enough time? We have talked about just driving straight for the first day to get off the east coast because we've been living here for 15 years and have already seen anything. We plan on going south for the way over and north on the way back to see as much as possible.

-What are the average camp-site prices for regular campsites and national park campsites? Is it worth it to camp at a national park?

-Did you plan anything (like reservations) ahead of time?

-What kind of food is recommended for a roadtrip?

-Did you ever have really bad arguments with the people you were roadtripping with?

-What would you recommend NOT bringing on a roadtrip?

I'm sure I'll have more questions later. Thanks! :)

[PNW Judy]

We're taking my car, which is a Honda CRV, which seems like it would be an excellent roadtrip car. It has a built in cooler, a picnic table that folds out, power outlets in the back, and lots of storage space.

I didn't know CRV's had all these features. It does sound like a great roadtrip vehicle!

We plan on camping most of the time, in three pop-up tents. We decided that since we're spending all day together, it would be nice if our sleep time was apart in seperate tents, although our tents will be right next to each other.

Campgrounds often have a limit to how many tents can be in a site. Many times, they will only allow you to pitch two tents. I don't have any experience with this and don't know how strictly it's enforced. I hope at least one of your tents can easily sleep 2 or 3 of you in case you get into a place that doesn't allow more tents without paying for extra spots.

Is a month enough time? We have talked about just driving straight for the first day to get off the east coast because we've been living here for 15 years and have already seen anything. We plan on going south for the way over and north on the way back to see as much as possible.

You can easily criss-cross the country in a month. Of course, you will have to determine what route you want to take and how long you want to linger in each spot. You can't see the whole country. But a month is long enough for a very nice trip like this.

-What are the average camp-site prices for regular campsites and national park campsites? Is it worth it to camp at a national park?

Campsite prices are across the board, just like hotels. I've paid as little as $10 and as much as $35. It depends on the location, the amenities, etc. Quite often, the basic campsite fee is for 2 campers so you pay a small surcharge for the extra person. It seems to usually run about $2-3. And if you want to pitch those extra tents, they may charge a surcharge for extra tents. It seems that I normally pay about $16-21 for 1 tent and 1-2 people.

Yes, it's always worth it to camp at a national park. They are often located in the most beautiful and pristine settings. If you can get a spot in them, you're often closer to the sites you want to visit in that area than you can get in a commercial campground. They don't have as many amenities as most commercial campgrounds though. If that's an issue. Some don't even have showers. It's usually been about $20 for a campsite in a national park in my experience. I don't know if this is standard or if it varies. You can check out information about campsites in the various national parks by following this link. I'm pretty sure they only allow up to 2 tents per site.

-Did you plan anything (like reservations) ahead of time?

This has been a topic of a lot of discussion here. There are proponents for getting them...and others who prefer not to. For me, it all depends. If I know ahead of time where I'm going to be and my itinerary is fairly set in stone, I'll make reservations Especially if I'm going to a popular area like Yellowstone. If I'm traveling on a holiday weekend, I'll also usually make reservations. But I think the best trips are often those without reservations so you're not tied to a schedule. When I've traveled without making reservations, I've rarely had problems finding a place to stay.

-What kind of food is recommended for a roadtrip?

Gen wrote a great post here about this. Check it out. I usually start a roadtrip with things like home-cooked hard-boiled eggs and fried chicken. I also bring cheese, lunch meat, cut-up veggies, crackers, protein bars, nuts, fruit etc. I also have the individual restaurant packets of mayo, ketchup, mustard. Maybe some bread, foil packets of tuna. My campstove is a small backpacking one and I will sometimes bring it with things like Top Ramen, Mac 'n Cheese to cook. I will stop at fullsize grocery stores (I try to avoid mini-marts because of the lesser selection/higher costs) and re-stock. Most have deli sections now which makes it real easy to find good things to restock with. I might buy hamburger to cook a burger but I try to only get what I will eat within about 24 hours so I don't have to worry about spoilage. My guilty pleasure is Toastettes. I never buy them when at home but they're a filling treat for on the road, easy to eat without mess, and since I prefer them untoasted anyway, this works for me. Since most of the food I take doesn't require refrigeration, I will usually just take my 12-volt cooler. I carry a soft-sided cooler that folds up in my car if I find myself in a situation where I need more room to cool food than my 12-volt cooler has room for. Ice is cheap.

-Did you ever have really bad arguments with the people you were roadtripping with?

Well, I have kids. 'nuf said? Seriously, basic manners, good communication skills, good listening skills, and "go-with-the-flow" attitudes on all your parts should keep things fun. And respect people's need for privacy and personal space. You don't all have to do everything together every day. When you're in a place exploring, maybe go your separate ways and arrange to meet up later. Stuff like that.

-What would you recommend NOT bringing on a roadtrip?

Boy, I'm the wrong one to ask here. I am usually quite well-prepared. See my post here where I list all I take with me. While I like to be prepared, if you forget something important, don't sweat it. There are stores everywhere. So, what NOT to bring? Well, I would simply say not to bring so much that you can't find things in your car or see out of your rear-view mirrow. And leave any grumpy attitudes at home. Is there something you're planning on bringing that you're unsure of?

Hope this information helps!