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Also, you may find a much better local rate by looking around, or through a regional "travelers discount guide", such as you may find in a lot of restaurants or fuel stops closer to your intended destination for the day. As a traveling sales rep, I find those deals to generally be better priced than I can get as a rep or gov't contractor rate or any other combination of discounts (AAA, AOPA, etc).
A good place to find those discount guides is at a good place to stop and stretch your legs, at each state's welcome center at the state line. You can stop there for a little potty break, stretch your legs, and check on road conditions. But you have to watch some of those discounts. We have called some of them as we're going down the road and they didn't know what we were talking about. If you're finding a hotel from one of those, call them on your cell before you get there to check and see if those rates are correct.
Sunsprit has a good point on a safety kit. For Christmas I found one for my son for $20 at Big Lots. It contained jumper cables, a tow rope, flashlight, the warning triangle to put by your car if it breaks down, and a few other things I can't remember right not. There were 11 things in the carrying case.
The way you are doing it, I envy you! I've done it both ways, in a hurry and not.
It was pure pleasure driving from the east coast to the west coast one summer. I had the sunroof open and the radio/tape deck playing and cool wind in my hair
I was able to visit some well-known historical sites (Little Big Horn, etc.) along the way, and take my time doing it. All, without the demands of others hindering the goodness of the experience. The one time in my life I enjoyed being completely alone.
I stayed in hotels a long the way. I had a few, "slap your face" tired, sleepy moments, but an ice cold coke and some rock tunes took care of those right away
we did so cal to chicago the beginning of dec w/ 4 dogs divided between the rental truck and my suv...we found a motel 6 each of the 3 nights we were on the road. If I couldn't find it in the Motel 6 book I was on the phone with one of my kids and they let me know where to go... the GPS is only so good. Besides it let them feel like they were part of the adventure... but I digress....
We drove from daybreak to sundown... there are NO lights on the Interstate...
The motel 6's weren't over 50 bucks a night... while they aren't fancy.. they're good for your sleep.
Get a room, wherever you stay, where your car is right outside your door....
Make sure you stop and see stuff.
We drove the route 66 and stopped in some great places...
Enjoy and be safe!!!!
However, if in NM do NOT stop at... Lotta Burger or What a Burger(I think) YUCK... and it's just scary
FYI I am loving it here in Chicago. I am back to work and am adjusting to driving in CRAP weather!!!
Just sleep in a wallmart supercenter parking lot if necessary, but I stayed in a hotel from Grand Rapids to Miami. I one time made a trip from Miami to Denver on a 2 hour nap in a parking lot :P
Well, I did'nt get started until about 7:30 PM on a tuesday evening, on my journey from Wichita, Ks. to Largo, Fl. I rented a Penske Truck with a tow devise carrying my vehicle. I stopped in Oklahoma City overnight. I missed my turn some where and ended up in Memphis, Tn. spending the night. Then went completely out of the way by driving to Nashville. That is where I got back on track. Drove to Atlanta, Ga. and spent the night there. It was friday so, I decided to drive to Jacksonville to Orange Park and spent the night. Saturday morning, I was on the road again. Finally arrived in Largo about 11:30AM. It was a lot of fun.
Good to hear you got there safe! I've driven cross-country twice, once from NJ to IL alone and once from NJ to TX with my younger brother.
Driving with my brother was certainly interesting, especially since he enjoys his death/black heavy metal music. lol, we had to make compromises on music choices.
When I drove alone, I stayed at a hotel and then drove the rest of the time straight through. Going to TX, we stopped at a rest stop twice for a few hours and were fine. We made sure we locked the doors and parked under lamps.
I just put in my transfer paperwork at work yesterday so hopefuy in three months I will be making the drive to TX again, but it will be alone this time. I'll most likely be taking my time, staying in a motel is a possiblility but I'm not that worried of staying at a reststop.
Good travel tips have been mentioned all over this thread, but one thing I want to point out: Make sure you get enough rest, Drowsy Driving is just as deadly as Drunk Driving!
1 Dallas to Atlanta.
2 Atlanta to Miami.
3 Miami to Tampa.
4 Tampa to Atlanta.
5 Atlanta to Dallas.
Trips 1-4 were relatively smooth and easy, but number 5 I ended up sleeping twice and stopping nearly every hour and a half. It took several HOURS longer than trip #1. Going home is always the hardest part!
Also be careful as driving on the highway for hours on end puts you into a trance. You feel calm but once you exit off someplace with lots of traffic you can become dis-oriented, especially at night. Things come at you fast (like cars) and you arent used to streetlights anymore. So try not to get gas/food/rest in busy cities, and if you do...do so before you get to the busy city.
Hello all. It looks like my plans to move to Portland Oregon from New Jersey this summer are being delayed so I will, instead, be moving at the end of October. Thing is, I will be driving there...ALONE. Anyone have any experience with driving those long distances alone? Do you normally sleep in a hotel or just go to a rest stop and dooze in the car? ( I'm pretty short, so I can actually sleep well in the back of my car) How do you stay focused for that long on the rode?
I don't think I'll be driving at night at all...I'll get up at first light and get off the road at sundown. I will be in ABSOLUTELY NO HURRY, because there is still allot of this country I have not seen and this will give me a good oppurtunity to see it all.
Also...I will be driving from Jersey through PA, Indiana, northern Illinois (finally get to see Chicago!) Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, northern Utah (Salt Lake City) and up through Idaho around Boise...is there any chance, in, let's say the first few weeks of November, that I'll run into snow? I hate driving in snow! I mean, I HATE IT! I want to pull my car over and wait it out if I so much as see dandruff fall off my head. I'll go to California first and then turn north just to avoid it!
Any advice?
I've done the cross country and north to south many times. If you're doing a one way my suggestion is to bring a friend and then fly them back.You can alternate driving and talk while you're up.Interstate 70 which goes through Missouri was usually the easiest that I have used.
My family is moving from Portland Oregon to Atlanta Georgia and we want to know how long about will it take us to get there if we push it and stop just a few times for bathroom breaks for the kids, and maybe a couple hours at a hotel? No one has been able to answer this question! We are driving in early November. A family member suggested we go through the southern states like NV to AZ to NV to NM to TX and so on. please get back to us
My family is moving from Portland Oregon to Atlanta Georgia and we want to know how long about will it take us to get there if we push it and stop just a few times for bathroom breaks for the kids, and maybe a couple hours at a hotel? No one has been able to answer this question! We are driving in early November. A family member suggested we go through the southern states like NV to AZ to NV to NM to TX and so on. please get back to us
Check on the AAA website. You can get directions for the entire trip, including stops (hotel, food, gas, etc) along the way. Depending on the number of drivers, you should stay over at least one night. You'll need a good night's rest.
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Driving across country!!
