Summer Roadtrip 09

[Lucinda]

Hmm I think that is probably worth having. I'll be signing up.
Thanks for info again

[Lucinda]

Another quick question :)

Last year we were able to rent a car and add the 'alamo gold young driver' which made it so that we didn't have to pay $25 a day. I've tried googling about it, but nothing is coming up. Does anyone know if they have gotten rid of this?

[Midwest Michael]

I've never heard of that program before, but that doesn't mean much. Different companies do different promotions all the time.

If its something you are interested in, you really should just contact Avis and see what they tell you. That's going to be a whole lot faster, easier, and more accurate than any response you'd get on a message board.

[Lucinda]

I contacted them today. Alamo do still have the young drivers package but you now have to phone and ask for it instead of adding it on when booking online. It takes off the $25 a day, but the insurance is higher, I assume. I think it's worth having so for all the young drivers wanting to go on a roadtrip, ask about the alamo gold young driver package.
:)

[Lucinda]

Hi again,
I think I'm in the final stages of planning this trip. I have our route figured out, lists of things to see and do in each place we plan to stop.


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I've included the Delaware water gap on our way from Salem to Gettysburg, but that's about it for scenic routes.

I've come up with pages and pages of different places to see and things to do in each place we stop.


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It probably seems a bit over the top, but I wanted to have a definite list of things so that we don't waste time wondering where to start once we're there hahaha like we'll be at a loss for things to do all of a sudden.. lol

If anyone has any ideas about a nice route to take between our stops without adding hours and hours to the journey, then I'd appreciate the suggestions. Maybe some odd little towns that you've stumbled across that seem to be on the same way we're headed. Or there could be a place on our journey that's one of them famous places to stop and eat? I don't know, any suggestions from anyone would be great to be able to put on the list.

Thank you, bye!

[AZBuck]

Like you, I thoroughly research places that I plan to visit on a RoadTrip and make a folder of information on each site. I use PowerPoint® to gather information from many different web sites with the address, hours of operation, highlights, reviews and pictures of each venue. I prep many more places than I can possibly visit and then make my final decisions on what to actually do as I make my way down the road. The folder then also serves as a souvenir/reminder of the trip.

I do have one suggestion for your route. I note that you plan to use the same roads both ways between Nashville and New Orleans. But there is a great alternate route that you should definitely consider. Between Jackson MS and Nashville TN the Natchez Trace Parkway offers something completely different, a relaxed, two-lane, controlled access parkway with historical stops and little traffic. I really think you'd enjoy it. And it brings you within visiting distance of Elvis' birthplace and Shiloh

AZBuck

[PNW Judy]

I do the same thing. Although mine doesn't look as nice as Lucinda's. I just do a lot of copy/paste and end up with a crazy mix of fonts and print sizes.

I agree with Buck. It's always more fun when you're traveling on new roads.

Good planning! Enjoy.

[mikphire]

holy shittake! Just saw your preparation material in your last post and I feel very very under prepared now! :)
I think you'll be fine. except for the driving age of course. That's a lot of milage for just one person to cover. Does the Alamo thing cover multiple drivers? you should check the cost of that, or keep your friend Jo happy and not hungry on the trip!

[Lucinda]

Aww thanks everyone! I've spent so many hours getting info on every place and putting together folders to be able to flip through when we get there. I also sent off for the free visitors guide from every state, which are brilliant to read through. Some have coupons inside with 10% at certain restaurants or hotels etc etc.

At the moment, I'm going back over the hotels we've decided on and seeing if I can get them cheaper on different websites. I'm looking at New Orleans at the moment, and I'm a bit wary of it after reading so many reviews of the hotels there. The half decent priced ones all seem to be in scary areas with quite bad reviews, and the others are extremely high prices. Has anyone stayed in a good budget motel, close to the action without being in a scary area? We're two girls on our own, so I have to think about that issue however silly it may sound. The Andrew Jackson hotel in the french quarter is seeming to be the best option at the moment, $300 for 3 nights. Has anyone ever stayed there?

If not, any ok location cheaper hotels would be good to look into.


Oh, I've added in the natchez trace parkway. I looked up a few pictures of the route, and it looks really beautiful so thanks for that suggestion


Alamo does cover multiple drivers, but we'll have to see about adding me as a driver as my 21st birthday will be practically in the middle of the trip. So it might be a bit of a hassle sorting that out.
Jo must always be kept fed, she turns into a monster if she feels hunger pangs. I have to keep her permanently topped up with food, or I might end up being thrown out the car window and left to hitch hike haha!

[MrsPete]

We fly into boston on June 10th, drive up to Salem for 2 nights to get the trip started, then head down to Washington.

Since the car rental is a bit of a bug-a-boo, have you considered using Amtrak for your main travel needs, and renting cars for the day at various locations? The train does run from Boston to Washingon, etc. It eliminates your problem with underage-drivers, and it allows you to both relax during the drive. You can get a multiple-stop ticket so that you can board and reboard in various places.

I haven't investigated this myself, but I think you'd come out with a cost about the same as renting one car the whole time.

Also, what's everyone's opinion on Motel 6's?

Very dismal. I have to agree with what everyone else has said. Motel 6 is an example of false economy.

Online reviews are a great tool for choosing hotels. I wouldn't worry about 1-2 bad reviews -- there's always a nut case out there who can't be happy with anything -- but if you see a pattern, then you'd be wise to avoid the places.