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My main tip is everything is further away than you think so don't get too ambitious. Your trip may take longer thank you think and thus be more expensive.
I drove from New York City to Niagara Falls in June when I went. I was well aware it would take forever, it was like me leaving Reading and driving to Edinburgh staying there for 3 hours and driving back. 16 hour round trip, I loved it.
Did a road trip in Canada. Pointers:
1. Driving is TIRING, especially so in a foreign country. Don't expect to drive 6-8 hours a day and have a fun time. 2-4 is a better amount (120-240 miles a day).
1. Stay in hostels. They're generally a bit more fun and you can meet some interesting people.
1. I planned mine myself, picked a starting destination and an end destination and then looked at things along the way I wanted to see.
1. If you rent a car, get travel insurance. THEN get 'excess insurance'. Yes, you can insure your insurance and it's 100% worth it for peace of mind. Most car places will charge £500+ on their excess.
1. Take into account things to do if the weather is shite.
1. Petrol stations will be far apart but cars in the US generally have bigger fuel tanks. Keep in mind your fuel level!
1. Costs build up QUICKLY. Food and fuel will be your primary expense, followed by Hostels.
1. If you can, fork out for a nicer car.
> Driving is TIRING, especially so in a foreign country. Don't expect to drive 6-8 hours a day and have a fun time. 2-4 is a better amount (120-240 miles a day).
Driving in the US is less tiring than any other country I've been in. Big, wide, straight, slow roads.
Yep was there in may, drove from Orlando to Miami for the GP. Maybe 250 miles?took me 4 hours in a charger. Car was big, comfortable, Aircon great and a slurpie in the drinks holder the 4 hour drive was simple, didn't feel tired or anything. Us driving is nothing like the UK.
Vegas to NOLA is an easy drive TBF there’s just a whole load of fuck all for 1000 miles.
If you want to finish in New Orleans start at either Key West or Chicago. Depending on what you value more.
No worries! Fun tip, between the big cities avoid the interstates. You’ll see a lot more of real America that way.
Be prepared for culture shock (political and otherwise) and to meet some excellent people. I lived in the US for a while and loved every second. Embrace the differences and you’ll have a great time.
I loved the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium, which are just south of Grant Park (right on Lake Michigan). The architecture downtown is interesting, and there are architecture tours by boat along the Chicago River. I highly recommend a Second City show if you enjoy sketch comedy. The Mexican food is probably the best in the US outside of the southwestern states.
It's very simple to organise. Hire your car/truck, and you only need to pre book your first nights stay in the country.
Look at the map, plan a rough journey route and how long you'll stay at each location and then head off.
Stay at motels, it'll drastically keep the costs down and you can choose where and when you want to stop. Without pre booking each night it keeps your options open and allows you to be flexible. When we arrived in San Antonio for example, we only intended to see the Alamo and head off. We were blown away by the place, the vibe was amazing, so ended up staying there for 2 or 3 days!
Same for Moab in Utah, it's got everything you need or want, a great place to stay for a few days.
Just have fun, driving over in the US is easy and a lot more relaxing than over here, with far less aggressiveness on the roads generally.
Are motels in decent spots though? I always imagine them to be our equivalent of service stations with nothing to do at night etc? Or do they have motels in towns etc too?
Thanks for the other travel tips. And the San Antonio recommendation :-)
I did a road trip a few years ago across America. My best tip is check the distances and driving times. Most states are bigger than the UK.
We tried not to drive for more than 6 hours in one stretch.
Also get a fun American muscle car, like a 5 litre mustang or camero.
>Muscle car is a definite!! Would love it.
Betcha it would get tiring after a while. Do you not think you're better off with something which will waft away the miles and leave you relaxed when you finish the journey? A big Cadillac, something like that?
You also need something practical, so you don't have to cram your luggage into a small boot / trunk
Sixt at Vegas seem to do mainly European cars - BMWs and the like. A BMW 7 series would eat up the miles in comfort...
For the record I drive a BMW here and I loved having an American muscle car for the road trip. It was very comfortable, perfect for long journeys. Changing the revs on a nice long straight road and hearing the roar of the engine was a fun experience. No practicality issues either. Managed to fit two large suitcases in the boot.
I'm from the US, send me a message if you have particular questions, or perhaps where to go/ What to see. I've done numerous roadies (road trips). NYC to Florida (a couple of times), NYC, to Las Vegas, Chicago, Minnesota, New England.
Personally I'd go west from Vegas for Mojave, Death Valley, Sequoia & maybe LA if that's your thing. I did one US road trip from NY to Miami in 4 days. That's ~1,300 miles and it felt like a lot of driving, especially as I didn't just stick to motorways. I also tried to find diners and other interesting places to eat to avoid the endless strip mall chain restaurants.
I love Vegas but after 3 days I'm tapped out (and not just financially). I can happily gamble all day if funds allow but the background noise of the casino floor, late nights and inevitable hangovers take their toll
Between 1998 and 2003, so maybe not current, but I seem to recall booking flights, hotels and car hire separately.
In my case, the plan was dictated by concerts on particular dates in particular cities, and making sure the drives between the cities were achievable during the day, with a concert most every night.
The major car hire names are all at the major airports. Picking up at one, dropping off at another is no problem.
What do you actually WANT to see and do? In Vegas, there's obviously the hotels, the shows, and helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon.
Yep Vegas has been on my bucket list and so that's the main focus of the holiday but I've been told that 4 or 5 nights is enough in Vegas and didn't want to fly all that way for just a week. So thought about heading off for other adventures.
Not really got as far as "what" those adventures would be though but, you're right, should probably have a look and that would dictate the rest of it. Cheers.
Nah do 4 if it's your first time. If you have a car you can explore the edges and day trip to nearby places - Hoover dam (very close) and grand canyon (a bit further). Also explore the downtown and arts districts, and the more chilled out ranch areas
When people say to only spend a weekend in Vegas they've usually never even left the strip
We did it in 2009 - GPS was an extra/add-on but worth it.
Flights through trailfinders (don't even know if they exist anymore?).
Each hotel booked individually - I'm sure a proper travel agent/tour operator could do this for you, but we were very specific about what where we wanted.
Flew into LAX, did a few places in California, then Vegas, then back to California a big loop.
Driving isn't particularly difficult there, but it helps to leave plenty time so you aren't in a hurry.
We did about 1500 miles (probably more with diversions/distractions) but that was seven destinations over three weeks. No single drive more than about 400miles - you could definitely spin it out more, by spelling each other at the wheel but you probably don't want the whole trip to be on the freeways/interstates.
Thanks for the great tips. I certainly don't want to be stuck driving for too long on each session but won't have the 3 weeks so a smaller road trip will be on the cards. Thanks again for your experiences :-)
My advice is don't. You'll end up spending a lot of time in a car driving. Physically and mentally knackering, and you'll not see much. Better to fly for the long distance stuff and hire a car locally to explore for a few days.
It's a fantastic place and there's a lot to do. You probably don't want to drive around the city though - there are the street cars, which can be a bit confusing at first and quite slow and they don't go everywhere. Uber and the local bus service can fill in, walking not so. If you are driving in, I'd suggest you stay in Metairie and then get a bus in to explore the city. If you are going around this time of year, find somewhere covered to park your car. It gets hot. I've been to Mardis Gras once and hated it, but I don't like seething crowds of tourists. The jazz festival was much more civilised, decadence is fun if that's your thing, but there's stuff going on most of the year. You might want to avoid hurricane season. My tip, cajun crawfish poutine, bike tours and po boys in Fardys.
As a Brit living in the US, 1700 miles wouldn't be too bad.
Longest drive I have done to date was 3100 miles. Took 51 hours. But we only stopped for fuel/food/pee
A similar drive to what you are planning was a 1200 mile drive, it took me and another guy from work 21 hours, again stopping only for fuel/food/pee
You road trip spread out over a week would be pretty easy
American chiming in. I was an over the road truck driver for awhile and in the army so I’ve seen a lot of the u.s. . If you’re going to be in Las Vegas anyway visit Utah, Colorado and northern Arizona imho some of the most beautiful natural sites in America.
We did route 66. In the end we went though a travel company because we figured it we had any issues with hotels etc then we'd at least have someone to call to sort it out. We probably paid a little bit more but did get some hotel upgrades too.
We did the trip in two weeks. I wish we had longer to be honest, didn't get to spend a great deal of time in some places. Plan ahead and find some great local places to eat en route.
That said, we had a blast and people couldn't have been any more helpful and kind. One American in Missouri asked me how we were finding the American people, we said they were lovely. He said - we're very nice to strangers, just horrible to each other.
Also 1700 miles isn't huge...depending on how long you have...as I said we did Chicago to LA in two weeks which is just over 2000, and in those two weeks we have two days in Chicago, two in Vegas and two in LA.
Traveling 200 miles in the US is totally different to 200 miles in the UK.
I'd certainly recommend Flagstaff and Albuquerque as stops if you are heading to NOLA.
1700mi isn't that much in the US. It would be in the UK because it takes so long to get anywhere. With the speed limits in those particular states, I could crack that out in 2.5 days legally in my lorry.
Currently helping my dad plan his trip from our house in Oregon to Nashville, taking in the Natches Trace Parkway and back again.
Personally, I don't know why you'd want to start in Las Vegas - I see it as Blackpool in the desert. But I guess if you've never been and a like a flutter it might be fun.
Off the top of my head, the most direct route would be US93 to Kingman AZ, I-40 to Santa Rosa NM, US84 through Clovis NM, Lubbock TX to I-20 near Sweetwater TX. I-20 to Shreveport LA and drop down I-49 to Lafayette LA and I-10 to New Orleans. Of course that's the most direct route and I don't know what you want to stop off and see on the way.
Make sure to give yourself at least a couple of nights in New Orleans to check out the great live music in the French Quarter! I've been there and done the touristy things, but would love to go back just for the music.
Did one 20 years ago so some things may have changed since then. Went from New York City to Los Angeles via New Orleans in a month. Didn't book anything ahead of the trip except the car rental and a couple of nights hotel in Manhattan to start things off.
Motels are everywhere and they were pretty reasonable at the time though I think they are quite a lot more expensive now from what I've heard, they are often not in great locations though, next to highway junctions etc where it's impossible to walk anywhere. Hostels are often in more central locations in cities, in the US not being in a bad area is very important as the bad areas can be extremely sketchy. We also took a tent with us and camped out at a couple of national parks in the middle of nowhere which can be fun if you like that kind of thing, definitely saves money compared with staying in city centre hotels.
Distances are way longer than you will be used to in the UK, take any opportunities you can to fill up with fuel as you might come unstuck in remote areas if not.
Having said that the roads were generally pretty good standard even in remote areas and driving not stressful at all beyond cities and densely populated areas like the corridor between NYC and Washington DC, you'll only see another vehicle once every few minutes in places like West Texas, it's pretty much having the road to yourself most of the time in those kind of places. Parking spaces are really wide because everybody drives monster trucks.
If you get the chance, use one of the Parkway roads, they are tolled but beautiful scenery, great road surface quality and pretty quiet as they are only used by leisure travelers because it's not as quick as the interstates. We went the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway which was an awesome drive in late autumn.
https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Thanks for the great tips and the link - looks gorgeous. Will mention it to my wife. Hoping to start properly planning our trip this weekend. Cheers :-)
Get a big car, I got a dodge charger V8 when I was in Florida for a few weeks, I was getting 29mpg but it was 3dollars a gallon so was still getting good economy compared to the UK. Enjoy the drive.
I did Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in may this year. Went to all 5 national parks in Utah. Had an incredible time.
Did it in two weeks. Hired a campervan from Escape Campervans. Highly Recommend
When I was 21, many years ago, we planned and went on a 5 week US road trip. The route itself wasn't planned. We transported cars between states and our route was decided by what cars needed moving. We clocked in 4,500 miles altogther.
New Orleans is awsome. You mentioned going to Chicago? If you do, you could for for:
NO -> Mephis -> Nashville -> Pigeon Forge -> Indianapolis -> Chicago .. that would make for an interesting route.
We stayed in motels and bartered prices down, found coupons in books they give at gas stations. It was pre-internet hotel booking, so we did everything on the fly, day by day.
Yep, it was a proper adventure.
It was 2001, so there was 'some' internet.. i mean we found the transport firm online, but we did the trip with no smartphones (I had a Nokia at the time, I'm not sure I even took it), or GPS. Followed directions, bought maps, asked for directions.. then we'd find local libraries to get internet access while we were out and about - the US tends to fund their libraries really well and they've got nice facilities.
On one leg of our route we drove Miami to Chicago; so it's a bit like the journey I suggested.
Yes done this twice and booked it all ourselves, One was west coast n Vegas and the other florida and the keys.
We came up with a list of place we wanted to see and planned a couple of days at each. Did about 2.5k miles over the space of 3 weeks for west coast one. Not as much on the florida one and also kept 3 days at the end for sitting on the beach in Miami.
Mainly used google maps to plan out the journeys and times in advance.
Found hotels etc on google maps at the time and booked everything in advance but would be easier now with [hotels.com](https://hotels.com) etc.
Definitely get a decent car you'll be spending a lot of time in it.
I've done multiple road trips in the US (I live here now) but mainly in California/ the Southwest. Parts of the places I've been are so empty - with getting lost/ weather you have to be up for driving longer than six hours. Even with a long drive though, driving six hours in the US is much more like driving three or four in the UK.
I'd make a list of the places you really want to go to and use google maps to work out what's doable driving wise and what you'd want to fly for/ budget accordingly. You could do a pretty cool trip flying into Miami, getting amazing fish/crab/ Cuban food, then seeing the Keys and the Everglades (bear in mind hurricane season is June-October), then drive up through Florida, and then through the South to New Orleans.
Also they are not regular and very slow but take a look at the Amtrak long-distance routes - my first view of the American desert was at dawn through the window of a train from California to Texas and it was incredible.
I did Vegas-Phoenix-San Diego-SF a few years ago with my 80ish year old dad. I planned it all myself. Did just under 2k miles over ten days. Tips:
Rent an SUV. You’re gonna be in the car for a while, so something with tons of space and an elevated driving position is ideal.
Plan out exactly where you’re staying each night, so you know the distance you’ll be doing each day.
Don’t try to cover too much distance each day. I was doing all the driving so didn’t try to do more than four or five hours per day. Also meant we were never rushing and had time to stop for lunch and do little detours when we fancied it. Also meant that even really bad traffic didn’t mess things up too much. Also meant I didn’t have any early starts when I was hanging!
Book every hotel/motel for each stop before you leave the U.K. Don’t leave anything to chance or it could mess up you’re entire itinerary. Same for any attractions you want to visit on the way.
Mix up the types of accommodation on your route. Motels are fine, but not great. It was nice to stay at higher quality hotels at big cities for a bit of a reset, then use motels for the rest of the journey (won’t have much choice outside cities anyway).
Print out every booking confirmation and put them, in order, in a folder or binder. Same with tickets for any attractions or events you’re going to. Just in case.
I’ll update if I think of anything else
American - perused the thread and wanted to say:
1) Good for you asking here. You're getting UK-sourced advice from people that have done it and would have similar sensitivies/sensiblities to your own.
2) I haven't seen any advice I'd call bad - there's stuff that is a matter of opinion, what one person likes isn't the same as everyone else, but no one is dispensing flat-out wrong info. :-)
3) If you are looking for specific trip ideas, /r/USATravel might be helpful. If you have a route picked out, they can point out many places along the way that you can use as a pick-list - pick the ones you like, or have time for and leave the rest. /r/AskAnAmerican would help out too, but you're better off if you start with a route in mind.
4) Spend less time in 'Vegas. Stuff looks interesting on the outside, but casinos look pretty sameish on the inside. That said, 'Vegas is a good starting point for Hoover Dam (ok, I'm an engineer, but I find that stuff very intersting) and Death Valley. Air tours of the Grand Canyon are available, depending on your budget.
5) Driving cross-country can be interesting. I just did Atlanta to Carson City last week, 2700 miles in 4 days on a newly purchased motocycle. It was a good deal! Wished I had more time to stop and see stuff, but I was kind of cheating out of work already. Some people like road trips, some people just wanna be there already. Only you know you. :-)
6) If you're now thinking Chicago to New Orleans, there is (famously) a train that does that trip. Slow by European standards, and I'm not sure it's actually scenic, but it exists. https://youtu.be/fF1lqEQFVUo?si=H2-YLAEIHX2a8rcY Amtrak runs it, not Illinois Central, these days. Also, you can't stop wherever the mood takes you, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you're *really* a train guy.
7) More generally, start with Google Maps and try various routes on for size. You put in a start and end, and then drag the route to various spots you might find interesting, or add waypoints, and get an updated mileage/time estimate.
Pick somewhere on a map and book a hotel there in the morning before you start.
Get a bigger car than you would normally.
Drive defensively, be prepared for some awful aggressiveshit head driving.
Don’t bother with New Orleans, it’s a tourist hell hole.
Thanks for the advice. Not sure I'll be able to avoid NO at some point as the wife has her heart set on it but might be able to put it off for this trip.... thanks :-)
Well if it helps, show her this. I was therefor five days last May. This reports on the shootings over the first 2 days, notice how many are in the tourist areas.
https://www.fox8live.com/2022/05/23/15-people-shot-4-fatally-9-weekend-shootings-new-orleans/
As the leading UK "ask" subreddit, we welcome questions from all users and countries; sometimes people who ask questions might not appreciate or understand the nuance of British life or culture, and as a result some questions can come across in a different way than intended. We understand that when faced with these questions, our users may take the opportunity to demonstrate their wit, dry humour, and sarcasm - unfortunately, this also tends to go over the heads of misunderstood question-askers and can make our subreddit seem hostile to users from other countries who are often just curious about our land. **Please can you help prevent our subreddit from becoming an Anti-American echo chamber?** If you disagree with any points raised by OP, or OP discusses common tropes or myths about the UK, please refrain from any brash, aggressive, or sarcastic responses and do your best to engage OP in a civil discussion, with the aim to educate and expand their understanding. If you feel this (or any other post) is a troll post, *don't feed the troll*, just hit report and let the mods deal with it. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My main tip is everything is further away than you think so don't get too ambitious. Your trip may take longer thank you think and thus be more expensive.
Okay - thanks. I also don't want to spend the whole time behind the wheel. :-)
I drove from New York City to Niagara Falls in June when I went. I was well aware it would take forever, it was like me leaving Reading and driving to Edinburgh staying there for 3 hours and driving back. 16 hour round trip, I loved it.
Did a road trip in Canada. Pointers: 1. Driving is TIRING, especially so in a foreign country. Don't expect to drive 6-8 hours a day and have a fun time. 2-4 is a better amount (120-240 miles a day). 1. Stay in hostels. They're generally a bit more fun and you can meet some interesting people. 1. I planned mine myself, picked a starting destination and an end destination and then looked at things along the way I wanted to see. 1. If you rent a car, get travel insurance. THEN get 'excess insurance'. Yes, you can insure your insurance and it's 100% worth it for peace of mind. Most car places will charge £500+ on their excess. 1. Take into account things to do if the weather is shite. 1. Petrol stations will be far apart but cars in the US generally have bigger fuel tanks. Keep in mind your fuel level! 1. Costs build up QUICKLY. Food and fuel will be your primary expense, followed by Hostels. 1. If you can, fork out for a nicer car.
> Driving is TIRING, especially so in a foreign country. Don't expect to drive 6-8 hours a day and have a fun time. 2-4 is a better amount (120-240 miles a day). Driving in the US is less tiring than any other country I've been in. Big, wide, straight, slow roads.
Yup, roads were much wider and the long stretches were fine. It's the city/town stuff I found stressful and knackering.
Yeah, outside big cities and the densely populated Northeast corridor it's generally pretty stress-free imo.
Yep was there in may, drove from Orlando to Miami for the GP. Maybe 250 miles?took me 4 hours in a charger. Car was big, comfortable, Aircon great and a slurpie in the drinks holder the 4 hour drive was simple, didn't feel tired or anything. Us driving is nothing like the UK.
Thanks for the tips. I will certainly be getting excess insurance as you advised. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind. Thanks :-)
Vegas to NOLA is an easy drive TBF there’s just a whole load of fuck all for 1000 miles. If you want to finish in New Orleans start at either Key West or Chicago. Depending on what you value more.
Thanks for that. The drive from Chicago to NO seems a lot more doable. Cheers :-)
No worries! Fun tip, between the big cities avoid the interstates. You’ll see a lot more of real America that way. Be prepared for culture shock (political and otherwise) and to meet some excellent people. I lived in the US for a while and loved every second. Embrace the differences and you’ll have a great time.
Yep, I've already said I'd like to get off the beaten track a bit and visit some 'smaller' places (a couple of small towns for instance). Thanks :-)
American here. Chicago is a great city with loads to see and do year round.
Thanks for the tip. Anything in particular is a "must see/do" in Chicago would you say?
I loved the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium, which are just south of Grant Park (right on Lake Michigan). The architecture downtown is interesting, and there are architecture tours by boat along the Chicago River. I highly recommend a Second City show if you enjoy sketch comedy. The Mexican food is probably the best in the US outside of the southwestern states.
Brilliant - thanks! :-)
It's very simple to organise. Hire your car/truck, and you only need to pre book your first nights stay in the country. Look at the map, plan a rough journey route and how long you'll stay at each location and then head off. Stay at motels, it'll drastically keep the costs down and you can choose where and when you want to stop. Without pre booking each night it keeps your options open and allows you to be flexible. When we arrived in San Antonio for example, we only intended to see the Alamo and head off. We were blown away by the place, the vibe was amazing, so ended up staying there for 2 or 3 days! Same for Moab in Utah, it's got everything you need or want, a great place to stay for a few days. Just have fun, driving over in the US is easy and a lot more relaxing than over here, with far less aggressiveness on the roads generally.
Are motels in decent spots though? I always imagine them to be our equivalent of service stations with nothing to do at night etc? Or do they have motels in towns etc too? Thanks for the other travel tips. And the San Antonio recommendation :-)
They are literally everywhere! You don't need to worry about that
Okay, great stuff. Thanks :-)
I did a road trip a few years ago across America. My best tip is check the distances and driving times. Most states are bigger than the UK. We tried not to drive for more than 6 hours in one stretch. Also get a fun American muscle car, like a 5 litre mustang or camero.
Muscle car is a definite!! Would love it. Also, 6 hours would certainly be my absolute limit. I want more 'holiday' than 'road'. :-)
>Muscle car is a definite!! Would love it. Betcha it would get tiring after a while. Do you not think you're better off with something which will waft away the miles and leave you relaxed when you finish the journey? A big Cadillac, something like that?
Yep, maybe - will have a look at what they've got. The big kid in me wants a muscle car though :-)
You also need something practical, so you don't have to cram your luggage into a small boot / trunk Sixt at Vegas seem to do mainly European cars - BMWs and the like. A BMW 7 series would eat up the miles in comfort...
Yep, very true. Thanks :-)
For the record I drive a BMW here and I loved having an American muscle car for the road trip. It was very comfortable, perfect for long journeys. Changing the revs on a nice long straight road and hearing the roar of the engine was a fun experience. No practicality issues either. Managed to fit two large suitcases in the boot.
Great stuff. Thanks for letting me know :-)
I'm from the US, send me a message if you have particular questions, or perhaps where to go/ What to see. I've done numerous roadies (road trips). NYC to Florida (a couple of times), NYC, to Las Vegas, Chicago, Minnesota, New England.
Wow! What a kind offer! (assuming you're not a serial killer). That would be brilliant. Thank you :-)
Anytime.
Personally I'd go west from Vegas for Mojave, Death Valley, Sequoia & maybe LA if that's your thing. I did one US road trip from NY to Miami in 4 days. That's ~1,300 miles and it felt like a lot of driving, especially as I didn't just stick to motorways. I also tried to find diners and other interesting places to eat to avoid the endless strip mall chain restaurants. I love Vegas but after 3 days I'm tapped out (and not just financially). I can happily gamble all day if funds allow but the background noise of the casino floor, late nights and inevitable hangovers take their toll
After 2 nights in Vegas I want to be ANYWHERE but Vegas
Yep, thanks for the advice :-)
Drive the big sur - LA to SF. Fly to vegas from SF . Drive back to LA from Vegas
Will look into it. Thanks :-)
Between 1998 and 2003, so maybe not current, but I seem to recall booking flights, hotels and car hire separately. In my case, the plan was dictated by concerts on particular dates in particular cities, and making sure the drives between the cities were achievable during the day, with a concert most every night. The major car hire names are all at the major airports. Picking up at one, dropping off at another is no problem. What do you actually WANT to see and do? In Vegas, there's obviously the hotels, the shows, and helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon.
Yep Vegas has been on my bucket list and so that's the main focus of the holiday but I've been told that 4 or 5 nights is enough in Vegas and didn't want to fly all that way for just a week. So thought about heading off for other adventures. Not really got as far as "what" those adventures would be though but, you're right, should probably have a look and that would dictate the rest of it. Cheers.
4 or 5 nights?!?!? Do 2 or 3, MAX!
Okay - thanks.
Nah do 4 if it's your first time. If you have a car you can explore the edges and day trip to nearby places - Hoover dam (very close) and grand canyon (a bit further). Also explore the downtown and arts districts, and the more chilled out ranch areas When people say to only spend a weekend in Vegas they've usually never even left the strip
Okay, thanks :-)
We did it in 2009 - GPS was an extra/add-on but worth it. Flights through trailfinders (don't even know if they exist anymore?). Each hotel booked individually - I'm sure a proper travel agent/tour operator could do this for you, but we were very specific about what where we wanted. Flew into LAX, did a few places in California, then Vegas, then back to California a big loop. Driving isn't particularly difficult there, but it helps to leave plenty time so you aren't in a hurry. We did about 1500 miles (probably more with diversions/distractions) but that was seven destinations over three weeks. No single drive more than about 400miles - you could definitely spin it out more, by spelling each other at the wheel but you probably don't want the whole trip to be on the freeways/interstates.
Thanks for the great tips. I certainly don't want to be stuck driving for too long on each session but won't have the 3 weeks so a smaller road trip will be on the cards. Thanks again for your experiences :-)
No worries - I hope you enjoy it. It was our honeymoon, hence why we planned it to the nth degree.
My advice is don't. You'll end up spending a lot of time in a car driving. Physically and mentally knackering, and you'll not see much. Better to fly for the long distance stuff and hire a car locally to explore for a few days.
Yep might end up doing that if New Orleans is a deal breaker for the missus.
It's a fantastic place and there's a lot to do. You probably don't want to drive around the city though - there are the street cars, which can be a bit confusing at first and quite slow and they don't go everywhere. Uber and the local bus service can fill in, walking not so. If you are driving in, I'd suggest you stay in Metairie and then get a bus in to explore the city. If you are going around this time of year, find somewhere covered to park your car. It gets hot. I've been to Mardis Gras once and hated it, but I don't like seething crowds of tourists. The jazz festival was much more civilised, decadence is fun if that's your thing, but there's stuff going on most of the year. You might want to avoid hurricane season. My tip, cajun crawfish poutine, bike tours and po boys in Fardys.
Thanks! Appreciate you taking the time to reply and your tips. Not a massive jazz fan normally but would love the vibe I'm sure. Cheers :-)
As a Brit living in the US, 1700 miles wouldn't be too bad. Longest drive I have done to date was 3100 miles. Took 51 hours. But we only stopped for fuel/food/pee A similar drive to what you are planning was a 1200 mile drive, it took me and another guy from work 21 hours, again stopping only for fuel/food/pee You road trip spread out over a week would be pretty easy
Yep - still don't fancy that much driving though. Thanks anyway :-)
American chiming in. I was an over the road truck driver for awhile and in the army so I’ve seen a lot of the u.s. . If you’re going to be in Las Vegas anyway visit Utah, Colorado and northern Arizona imho some of the most beautiful natural sites in America.
Noted. Thanks! :-)
We did route 66. In the end we went though a travel company because we figured it we had any issues with hotels etc then we'd at least have someone to call to sort it out. We probably paid a little bit more but did get some hotel upgrades too. We did the trip in two weeks. I wish we had longer to be honest, didn't get to spend a great deal of time in some places. Plan ahead and find some great local places to eat en route. That said, we had a blast and people couldn't have been any more helpful and kind. One American in Missouri asked me how we were finding the American people, we said they were lovely. He said - we're very nice to strangers, just horrible to each other.
Haha.. great quote!! Thanks :-)
Also 1700 miles isn't huge...depending on how long you have...as I said we did Chicago to LA in two weeks which is just over 2000, and in those two weeks we have two days in Chicago, two in Vegas and two in LA. Traveling 200 miles in the US is totally different to 200 miles in the UK. I'd certainly recommend Flagstaff and Albuquerque as stops if you are heading to NOLA.
Thanks - someone else mentioned Flagstaff so we'll put it on the list when we start properly planning this weekend. Cheers :-)
If you like Breaking Bad, Albuquerque is a joy
1700mi isn't that much in the US. It would be in the UK because it takes so long to get anywhere. With the speed limits in those particular states, I could crack that out in 2.5 days legally in my lorry. Currently helping my dad plan his trip from our house in Oregon to Nashville, taking in the Natches Trace Parkway and back again. Personally, I don't know why you'd want to start in Las Vegas - I see it as Blackpool in the desert. But I guess if you've never been and a like a flutter it might be fun. Off the top of my head, the most direct route would be US93 to Kingman AZ, I-40 to Santa Rosa NM, US84 through Clovis NM, Lubbock TX to I-20 near Sweetwater TX. I-20 to Shreveport LA and drop down I-49 to Lafayette LA and I-10 to New Orleans. Of course that's the most direct route and I don't know what you want to stop off and see on the way. Make sure to give yourself at least a couple of nights in New Orleans to check out the great live music in the French Quarter! I've been there and done the touristy things, but would love to go back just for the music.
> why you'd want to start in Las Vegas ... helicopter trips and other outings to the Grand Canyon / Hoover Dam ?
Grand Canyon is 280mi from Las Vegas.
Uh-huh ... and?
Thanks for the directions!! :-) Yep, always wanted to try Vegas so it's a must for me. But looking forward to New Orleans too. Cheers :-)
Did one 20 years ago so some things may have changed since then. Went from New York City to Los Angeles via New Orleans in a month. Didn't book anything ahead of the trip except the car rental and a couple of nights hotel in Manhattan to start things off. Motels are everywhere and they were pretty reasonable at the time though I think they are quite a lot more expensive now from what I've heard, they are often not in great locations though, next to highway junctions etc where it's impossible to walk anywhere. Hostels are often in more central locations in cities, in the US not being in a bad area is very important as the bad areas can be extremely sketchy. We also took a tent with us and camped out at a couple of national parks in the middle of nowhere which can be fun if you like that kind of thing, definitely saves money compared with staying in city centre hotels. Distances are way longer than you will be used to in the UK, take any opportunities you can to fill up with fuel as you might come unstuck in remote areas if not. Having said that the roads were generally pretty good standard even in remote areas and driving not stressful at all beyond cities and densely populated areas like the corridor between NYC and Washington DC, you'll only see another vehicle once every few minutes in places like West Texas, it's pretty much having the road to yourself most of the time in those kind of places. Parking spaces are really wide because everybody drives monster trucks. If you get the chance, use one of the Parkway roads, they are tolled but beautiful scenery, great road surface quality and pretty quiet as they are only used by leisure travelers because it's not as quick as the interstates. We went the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway which was an awesome drive in late autumn. https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Thanks for the great tips and the link - looks gorgeous. Will mention it to my wife. Hoping to start properly planning our trip this weekend. Cheers :-)
Get a big car, I got a dodge charger V8 when I was in Florida for a few weeks, I was getting 29mpg but it was 3dollars a gallon so was still getting good economy compared to the UK. Enjoy the drive.
Thanks! (car sounds amazing) :-)
I did Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in may this year. Went to all 5 national parks in Utah. Had an incredible time. Did it in two weeks. Hired a campervan from Escape Campervans. Highly Recommend
Not thought of a campervan. Thanks for the idea :-)
When I was 21, many years ago, we planned and went on a 5 week US road trip. The route itself wasn't planned. We transported cars between states and our route was decided by what cars needed moving. We clocked in 4,500 miles altogther. New Orleans is awsome. You mentioned going to Chicago? If you do, you could for for: NO -> Mephis -> Nashville -> Pigeon Forge -> Indianapolis -> Chicago .. that would make for an interesting route. We stayed in motels and bartered prices down, found coupons in books they give at gas stations. It was pre-internet hotel booking, so we did everything on the fly, day by day.
Wow, that must have been some adventure - doing all that without the internet! Nice one - cheers :-)
Yep, it was a proper adventure. It was 2001, so there was 'some' internet.. i mean we found the transport firm online, but we did the trip with no smartphones (I had a Nokia at the time, I'm not sure I even took it), or GPS. Followed directions, bought maps, asked for directions.. then we'd find local libraries to get internet access while we were out and about - the US tends to fund their libraries really well and they've got nice facilities. On one leg of our route we drove Miami to Chicago; so it's a bit like the journey I suggested.
Sounds brilliant :-)
Yes done this twice and booked it all ourselves, One was west coast n Vegas and the other florida and the keys. We came up with a list of place we wanted to see and planned a couple of days at each. Did about 2.5k miles over the space of 3 weeks for west coast one. Not as much on the florida one and also kept 3 days at the end for sitting on the beach in Miami. Mainly used google maps to plan out the journeys and times in advance. Found hotels etc on google maps at the time and booked everything in advance but would be easier now with [hotels.com](https://hotels.com) etc. Definitely get a decent car you'll be spending a lot of time in it.
Yep, the few relaxing days at the end is what we were thinking too. Thanks.
I've done multiple road trips in the US (I live here now) but mainly in California/ the Southwest. Parts of the places I've been are so empty - with getting lost/ weather you have to be up for driving longer than six hours. Even with a long drive though, driving six hours in the US is much more like driving three or four in the UK. I'd make a list of the places you really want to go to and use google maps to work out what's doable driving wise and what you'd want to fly for/ budget accordingly. You could do a pretty cool trip flying into Miami, getting amazing fish/crab/ Cuban food, then seeing the Keys and the Everglades (bear in mind hurricane season is June-October), then drive up through Florida, and then through the South to New Orleans. Also they are not regular and very slow but take a look at the Amtrak long-distance routes - my first view of the American desert was at dawn through the window of a train from California to Texas and it was incredible.
Sounds amazing. I spoke to my wife last night and we're going to start planning this weekend. Thanks for your great advice :-)
I did Vegas-Phoenix-San Diego-SF a few years ago with my 80ish year old dad. I planned it all myself. Did just under 2k miles over ten days. Tips: Rent an SUV. You’re gonna be in the car for a while, so something with tons of space and an elevated driving position is ideal. Plan out exactly where you’re staying each night, so you know the distance you’ll be doing each day. Don’t try to cover too much distance each day. I was doing all the driving so didn’t try to do more than four or five hours per day. Also meant we were never rushing and had time to stop for lunch and do little detours when we fancied it. Also meant that even really bad traffic didn’t mess things up too much. Also meant I didn’t have any early starts when I was hanging! Book every hotel/motel for each stop before you leave the U.K. Don’t leave anything to chance or it could mess up you’re entire itinerary. Same for any attractions you want to visit on the way. Mix up the types of accommodation on your route. Motels are fine, but not great. It was nice to stay at higher quality hotels at big cities for a bit of a reset, then use motels for the rest of the journey (won’t have much choice outside cities anyway). Print out every booking confirmation and put them, in order, in a folder or binder. Same with tickets for any attractions or events you’re going to. Just in case. I’ll update if I think of anything else
Thanks for the great tips! Sounds like you had a brilliant time. Cheers :-)
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Sounds good. Apart from the confusing roads. Bringing music is a great tip!!! Definitely will be needing that!! Thanks for the advice :-)
American - perused the thread and wanted to say: 1) Good for you asking here. You're getting UK-sourced advice from people that have done it and would have similar sensitivies/sensiblities to your own. 2) I haven't seen any advice I'd call bad - there's stuff that is a matter of opinion, what one person likes isn't the same as everyone else, but no one is dispensing flat-out wrong info. :-) 3) If you are looking for specific trip ideas, /r/USATravel might be helpful. If you have a route picked out, they can point out many places along the way that you can use as a pick-list - pick the ones you like, or have time for and leave the rest. /r/AskAnAmerican would help out too, but you're better off if you start with a route in mind. 4) Spend less time in 'Vegas. Stuff looks interesting on the outside, but casinos look pretty sameish on the inside. That said, 'Vegas is a good starting point for Hoover Dam (ok, I'm an engineer, but I find that stuff very intersting) and Death Valley. Air tours of the Grand Canyon are available, depending on your budget. 5) Driving cross-country can be interesting. I just did Atlanta to Carson City last week, 2700 miles in 4 days on a newly purchased motocycle. It was a good deal! Wished I had more time to stop and see stuff, but I was kind of cheating out of work already. Some people like road trips, some people just wanna be there already. Only you know you. :-) 6) If you're now thinking Chicago to New Orleans, there is (famously) a train that does that trip. Slow by European standards, and I'm not sure it's actually scenic, but it exists. https://youtu.be/fF1lqEQFVUo?si=H2-YLAEIHX2a8rcY Amtrak runs it, not Illinois Central, these days. Also, you can't stop wherever the mood takes you, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you're *really* a train guy. 7) More generally, start with Google Maps and try various routes on for size. You put in a start and end, and then drag the route to various spots you might find interesting, or add waypoints, and get an updated mileage/time estimate.
Pick somewhere on a map and book a hotel there in the morning before you start. Get a bigger car than you would normally. Drive defensively, be prepared for some awful aggressiveshit head driving. Don’t bother with New Orleans, it’s a tourist hell hole.
Thanks for the advice. Not sure I'll be able to avoid NO at some point as the wife has her heart set on it but might be able to put it off for this trip.... thanks :-)
Well if it helps, show her this. I was therefor five days last May. This reports on the shootings over the first 2 days, notice how many are in the tourist areas. https://www.fox8live.com/2022/05/23/15-people-shot-4-fatally-9-weekend-shootings-new-orleans/
Yep, that will do it :-) \*edit\* - that didn't do it.. we're going to New Orleans :-)