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How to Do a United States Road Trip on a Budget
edits by:Shane17974 (see all)
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The United States is a huge country with countless different cultures to experience and sights to see. A road trip can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor. Yet, if well planned can be affordable and will definitely be a life changing experience.
EditSteps

1
choose you travel companions wisely

. relatives and life long friends are best. It would put you in a tough spot if you realized you didn’t like the person you are traveling with; or she/he turned out to be some sort of whacko.
2
pack effectively

. Depending on what sort of vehicle your taking will vary what you can bring. Things you will definitely need.1, A Reliable Car; on my trip we were lucky enough to have a brand new Toyota Tacoma.2, Smart Phone; the IPhone: saved us a lot of money on many occasions. Groupon deals at restaurant, reliable directions, entertainment in the car, contacting friends on the road. The list goes on forever. 3, A Tent. A tent will be very useful if you have nowhere to sleep and can’t afford a hotel; just pitch that bad boy anywhere to catch some sleep. 4, Clothes, you will need less than you think; go prepared for any weather. Bring something water proof, something warm something comfortable. Bring waterproof shoes, sneakers and something a little formal just in case. 5, Cooler, Camping stove; these items will save you a ton of money having canned, freeze dried and prepared goods will enable you to not eat out every meal.
3
Pre-trip Planning

.sit down with your traveling companions and make a general outline of where you want to go. Start with a direction; depending on what time of year it is this will come into play. You don’t want to be at Mount Rushmore in January or New Orleans in August. Then come to a conclusion on where you want to go (cities, National parks, monuments, etc). Map your course out in an atlas; this will also help you create a timeline.
4
Accommodations

. in order to make your road trip as cost effective as possible you should find people you know in the places you're visiting and see if you can stay with them. Lodgings can be the most expensive part of a road trip so staying with friends can save you a lot of money. Hostels are an inexpensive alternative to hotels if you don’t mind roughing it a little. There are websites like couchsurfing.org in which people allow traveler to spend the night at their house. Be sure to bring a tent; camping is fun and free most of the time: also when camping at national parks (I.E Yellow Stone, Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore etc.) having that tent will really pay off because hotels are very expensive around these areas.
5
Food

. when in a new city it’s important to get a taste of the local fair i.e. (deli in New York, deep dish in Chicago, BBQ in Kansas City, ETC) but eating out three times a day can get extremely expensive. So be prepared for an impromptu meal, have your cooler packed with peanut butter and jelly, canned tuna, ramen noodles etc. this will save you at least twenty-five dollars a day and make the meals you day eat at restaurants all the more enjoyable.
6
Get lost

. getting out there and finding new places and tuning out of your world at home can be the most important part of your road trip. The place where I really was able to lose my problems and worries of my home life was Jackson Hole Wyoming. The beauty of the Grand Tetons, Yellow Stone National park and the quaint town of Jackson gave me a feeling of being so far from home and a true individual. You can feel truly free from all that is bothering you, on your road trip I challenge to find your place to get lost
EditTips

Must See in the United States

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Cites;
New Orleans, LA. For culture, food, nightlife, history
Chicago, IL. For Architecture, Museums, History and friendly people
San Francisco, CA. For Scenic beauty, food and outdoor activities
San Diego, CA. For fun in the sun, surfing, sea kayaking, there are tons of outdoor activities and some of the nicest beaches in the country.
Memphis, TN. For music, culture, food and sightseeing; home of Graceland, the rock and soul museum, the Civil Rights museum etc.
Austin, TX. For Restaurants and night life; this city is a true cultural destination, lots of cool people and an all-around fun place to be.
New York City, NY. This true American city is home to the best Restaurants, museums, Architecture and History in the country. An absolute must visit.
Destinations
Yellowstone National Park, A wild life preserve with endless natural wonders and true breathtaking wildlife. During my trip there we encountered a grizzly bear, elk, moose, and bison: also geysers, the Yellowstone canyon and other beautiful landscapes.
The Grand Canyon, this natural wonder is a true gem and breathtakingly beautiful. Words can’t describe the feeling you get while looking into this amazing Canyon.
Mount Rushmore, An all American destination, this monument is a testament to American ingenuity and pride in our history.
The Redwood Forest, The size of these trees in mind blowing, they put age into perspective because some of these trees are thousands of years old.
Craters of the moon National Park, is an out of this world experience. It’s a vast ocean of lava flows that has dramatically changed the landscape located near Butte Idaho.
The Badlands, is a trip back in time, it holds the world’s richest fossil beds where wooly mammoth, saber tooth tigers and other prehistoric animals have been uncovered. The landscape is undesirable it looks as if you’re on another planet.