Is this the best site for Planning?

[Glacier]

I am from Ireland and am interested in doing a roadtrip from NYC to LA. I thought there would be a lot of sites about this but there is not that many groups or websites to help that I can find. Does anyone know of any groups or websites that can help me or is this the best place to start?
Thank You

[Mark Sedenquist]

I am from Ireland and am interested in doing a roadtrip from NYC to LA. I thought there would be a lot of sites about this but there is not that many groups or websites to help that I can find. Does anyone know of any groups or websites that can help me or is this the best place to start?

We like to think that RoadTripAmerica.com is the best road trip planning site. There are hundreds of posts about routes you can take for cross country trips. (look at the bottom of this page). If you want some interactive tools, we recommend several and provide the pros and cons of each here.

Mark

[PNW Judy]

Check out all the links under "site directory" above. Lots of good stuff there. You'll get a lot of good stuff under the "international visitors" link.

There are a few other websites out there with great planning information and a lot of them have links from the various pages on this site. However, I haven't found any other forum where as many people post as regularly as this one. As far as I know, this is the best site for interacting with others and getting advice from people who have been there/done that.

[Glacier]

I would like to rent a car & take this route through America. Start off in NYC drive through Philadelphia to Washington D.C. From there I would head up to Chicago. Then drive through the Rockys in Colorado to the Grand Canyon. Next visit Las Vegas and from there drive down through California to Los Angeles.

Would this be realistic? How long would it take? Any help appreciated.
Thank You.

[Syv]

Of COURSE it's realistic. It is any of our dreams! to be able to have the time and money to do a "one-way" across America trip like this.

On your way from Washington DC to Chicago - you'll want to go up to NIAGARA FALLS as well.

On your way from Chicago to Rocky Mountains Colorado, you mention that as though they connect. Hope you realize you could make it a two-three day drive across the plains to get to the Rockies.

Perhaps you'll want to take in YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming ?? (you'll be so close anyhow!)

If not, rather heading straight to ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado, I suggest doing the Ouray / Telluride / to Durango - #550 route & area as well.

Okay - now how long? Hmmmm... A month would be do-able. Two months would be even better to actually stop & enjoy things along the way.

[AZBuck]

The route you've laid out will take about 53 hours of driving time. Note that when I compute driving times, I include gas and toilet breaks, but do NOT include stops for eating or sightseeing. I will not do more than 10 hours of driving a day myself on extended trips, it ends up being self defeating in that you're so tired the next day that you don't get that much done, and don't enjoy what you do do. I also hold 10 hours per day inviolate for sleeping. This includes an hour to unwind and prepare for bed, 8 hours solid sleep, and an hour to get up and going in the morning. That said, 53 hours of driving can be done in a week, while leaving 2-3 hours a day for sight seeing.

So, if all you're going to do is drive to the spots you've mentioned, take a peek and move on, then you can do it in a week. But it sounds like you want to do more, and so I'd recommend at least two weeks at a minimum. This would let you spend roughly a day in each stop along the way, which is really not all that much for the places you name - you could easily spend a week at each one. As Syv has said, a month or two would be more like it, but the final call is up to you.

To rent a car one way from JFK to LAX will cost you about $550/wk at a minimum for an intermediate sized car which is fine for one, tolerable for two and a squeeze for three adults. Gasoline will be another $300 or so, depending on what you end up renting, how heavy your right foot is and any 'side trips' you take. For lodging, you should count on about $60 per night (less if you camp or keep to the low end of the motel offerings, more if you want to go a bit upscale) for another $400/wk. So, if you do this trip in two weeks, you're looking at around $2200 and we haven't even talked about eating.

So, what's doable ultimately is up to you and will be determined by how much you've got to spend, how much time you have, what you really want to do along the way, and how badly you want to make the trip.

AZBuck

[Glacier]

I want to plan a trip from NYC to Los Angeles, right across America. What would be the best map to start planning this trip? Could you please give me the name & edition as oppose to a web link?
Thank You

[Robert Schaller]

For many years, I found the standard Rand McNally Road Atlas to be the most useful tool for trip planning -- it will have an overview map of the USA as well as mileage charts and driving times, individual state maps and basic maps of the main thoroughfares in the major cities in each state. There are various editions available for 2005 from basic (less than $10) to the fancy "trucker's version.

These days, I use a mapping/routing software instead, but mostly because I usually know where I'm going well enough to plan my route in my head before looking at a map. If I were a beginner again, I'd probably use a paper atlas simply because I find they are more instantly understandable and useful for "seeing" the best route. That said, the software products available make trip planning a much less labor-intensive process. My opinion.

I don't know if they'll carry this product in stores in Ireland -- here they are found everywhere in all varieties of establishments. You can also order one through RTA's connection to Amazon.com by using this link (or just to see what the thing looks like).

[Mass Tim]

I've used several different methods, but what works best for me is to use the Rand McNally for a general route, to get major highways. Then, if I see an area along that route that interests me, I turn to software products and/or state-specific atlases (atli?) to get a better view of what is in the area and how to get there. Software has the added advantage of showing amenities and attractions within a certain radius of some point.

And if you want to really overdo it, try maps.google.com , and select the hybrid map option.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I want to plan a trip from NYC to Los Angeles, right across America. What would be the best map to start planning this trip? Could you please give me the name & edition as oppose to a web link?

We have provided our personal recommendations for a variety of maps and gazateers, but you really need to do some of your own work here. Our personal choices can be read here.

Mark