Later this month i'll be going on my second road trip this year, mostly camping through the pacific northwest. Hope the fires don't destroy that plan too much Anyways what about you? • Where've you been? • What tips do you have for saving money (on food, shelter, maybe even gas) --- I've personally driven from Colorado all the way east to NYC and west to Vancouver, BC, Canada. Though my interest started as a kid while on a family road trip through the national parks on free national park week, we toured sites like Moab, Utah, and the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Mesa Verde, NM. So much to see in the world, and somehow it can feel smaller and smaller! My Advice: Especially in the western united states where towns can be spread 100s of miles apart from one another, I always recommend filling up on gas when you pass through towns, even if you're above a half tank. And if you have an idea of your route, you can rest assured mountain towns will have higher prices for gas, so if you know you'll be descending wait the extra bit. Maybe it's bad luck, but I've broken down on two of my roadtrips, so learning to be prepared with hell is what you need to do. Remain calm at all times and enjoy whatever you do, you'll survive. Rest stops are conveniently located between towns, and as such, no matter where you are, some type of dispatch will always be able to reach you, though one time I had to resort to sleeping in my broken car for a night Though this taught me you are actually allowed to sleep in your car at rest stops. So looking to save that extra night from a hotel? I reccomend it especially if there's areas you're trying to "pass through" so to speak Always have some food and water with you for such an occasion. Wrap a blanket over all your baggage that is visible from windows. With the addition of the tint, it's hard to see any valubles
I've road tripped through Central Europe a few times in small motorhomes where 4 or 5 of us cram in for the trip. Of course I break all this up with nice hotels along the way cause well, I just can't stay living in caravan parks every day if the holiday so a nice hotel comes in handy after a few days. I advise when you do go to hotels, get the buffet breakfast and really take advantage in it because I find myself too active to really be bothered eating throughout the day some stack up on fruit and juice for energy every day if possible and skip most other meals, unless we find somewhere nice to eat. I also like to go unconventional ways to the norm of how people travel, that is, sticking to back roads and the long way and avoiding highways and popular cities and tourist spots. This lets you experience a lot more of the country/state or whichever and I like to stop off and go mountain walking, or walk through the forests of etc. experience the culture and lifestyles of others living in secluded areas. I find nothing more irritating than travelling into cities and seeing the same shops my local town does, so I try and avoid and go elsewhere, small towns, villages and settlements. All the arts and crafts are way superior in the sticks. You just have to be safe, so I like travelling in numbers, it's safe for a girl and having at least two males with us, trustworthy good friend folk
Cannot sleep at a rest stop? What about a truck stop then next to a filling station? Truckies always sleep like that and we've parked along side too but unless you bring earplugs you hear the diesels wind up all night and engines running, but they sleep in their cabins and we've never been told not to? We even use their restrooms and shower rooms but you pay for that in Germany so it's nice and clean.
I've been up and down the east coast a couple times because I live in New Jersey (shouldn't need further explanation.) The biggest thing I learned is that its so exciting at first but it can get depressing after one too many nights in a walmart parking lot. Best experience was living at a hostel for nearly a month. HIGHLY reccomend looking into hostels, many of which allow you to work there for free accomodation and even an introvert will meet many cool people. You may think you like being alone but after a few weeks I find social interaction essential
