Road Tripping in the USA!

Just seems like an interesting way of combining New York and Canada. You've got go past Toronto to get to Montreal so its worth a stopover?
 
DiamondMark said:
Niagra falls didnt last long, once you get in that cave behind them its all over. Stay in New York, we liked it there.
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I'm not staying in New York for 2 weeks for two reasons:

a) I don't want to sustain £100 a night for accomodation
b) I like to road trip not buy a 2 week subway pass :p
 
Aero said:
I'm really tempted to do something like this in the mx-5 but through europe. is there generic advice that you would offer Fox as to things you may have done differently or as to how you went about planning it?
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Take a laptop.

I booked up as far as Vegas and from then on I booked the next nights accomodation the night before.
 
Ok some cost breakdowns for you rg...

Average accomodation cost per night: £49.62
Most expensive accomodation per night: Marriot Foster City (San Francisco) £69
Cheapest accomodation per night: Planet Hollywood Las Vegas £37

15 days Ford Mustang £420 (But with 10% Quidco back later)
Seaworld/Zoo admission £120
Grand Canyon Tour and flights £300
2 Economy returns LHR-LAX £942
Fuel for rental car £173
Parking fine £20 :(
 
September.

The only time we stayed in places that where a bit meh was when the town was literally so small that better places didnt really exist. ie, whilst I didnt go bonkers and stay in 5 star places in the middle of SF, I didnt stay in crap places either :)

Infact accomodation wise..

LA: Holiday Inn LAX
San Diego: Holiday Inn x 3 nights
Las Vegas: Planet Hollywood x 3 nights
Bishop, CA: Ramada Motel
Modesto, CA: Best Western
San Francisco: Marriot x 2 nights
Monteray: Super8 Motel
Morro Bay: Roadway Inn (This was the crappest)
Ventura, CA: La Quinta Suites
Los Angeles: Candlewood Suites by Holiday Inn.
 
RockLobster said:
Fox how do you manage it? I paid 100 odd quid for a crap hole in San Fran. Was you there in the week?
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I did my homework beforehand to find out where to stay when to get the best rates. San Francisco was cheapest at weekends - so I stayed there on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Because I don't drink, I was able to stay at the Marriott in Foster City (Opposite Sony North Americas HQ!) which is 20 miles down the freeway. But this meant the centre of San Francisco was just a 20 minute drive from the hotel - and I'd found out beforehand that on Sundays, on-street parking in San Francisco was free in most distracts.

So on the Sunday I drove in, parked a block along from Lombard Street, and walked around SF for the day :)

Las Vegas was similar but reversed - in the week everything is obscenely cheap, at weekends its very expensive. So I planned the trip around being in Las Vegas midweek and San Francisco at the weekend.
 
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Hmmm, 21/22 means you are stuck with either loads more cost or crap cars.

Driving crap cars for 2500 miles is not my idea of fun.
 
To rent a car with us must be over 25 years of age, have a credit card in your own name and hold a full, clean driving licence.
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From Hertz website?

Not sure the Mustang is included in the car range where you can pay $25 a day. Even so, over my 15 day trip it would have added almost $400 to the bill!
 
I would consider $1k+ to rent a car purely because of age a bit rubbish, really.

It's just paying money out for nothing and would annoy me greatly.

Mind you I paid a stupid $250 AU one way charge on a crappy camper van in Australia so I guess it's the same sort of thing/

Fun collection is a waste of money, just book the normal convertible class which is named 'Mustang or Sebring Convertible or Similar' and just ask for a Mustang. Thats what I did. Half the price.
 
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It's a long way to fly and there is SO much to see - don't rush it. Make sure you've got at least a full 14 days on the ground in the USA excluding flight time.

You don't want to rush.

Hertz have a sale at the moment, I just got a quote of £330 for a Mustang for 2 weeks in March :eek:

Vehicle Subtotal 339.26 GBP

Mind you you realise if you go in April there is snow in Yosemite Park and Tioga Pass etc is closed?
 
Rich_L said:
I assume there was a good reason for staying in Ventura over Santa Barbara? :p

It's the only place that stands out as a bit of 'eh?' in that list, I may be biased of course but I think SB is a pretty nice place to spend the evening :p
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Yea it was cheaper and was only an overnight stop :)
 
Metalface Mark said:
Can I ask whether you think 4 or 5 days would be sufficient to go from LA out to Vegas, and up the pacific highway with adequate time to see things?

Im going to LA with my daughter and friend in July for the Anime Expo, I have to stay 3 days with her in LA for the expo, then she is going to stay with her friend for 5 days while we do a mini road trip. We could extend it to a week, your itinery looks pretty good, giving San Diego a miss (Ive previously been there). We would love to fit SF into it too, but will leave this out if we dont have enough time.
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LA to Vegas is one day pretty much. A day in Vegas. Another day to Santa Barbara. Then a day to get up to Monterary and do the PCH. Then another day to get back to LA but via the freeway or something.

It'll be tight and involve probably two full days where you do nothing but drive but you might just make it provided you only have nights and one day in Vegas.

Personally given how lame Anime is I'd junk the convention and go road tripping :D
 
Raider said:
If I could pay a little extra and guarantee a Mustang I would! However doesn't seem to be an option on Hertz in September when I want to go :(
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Book a 'Mustang or Sebring or Similar' - this is the standard convertible. Then when you get there ask them for a Mustang.
 
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