Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

How Much Does A Trip Cost?

I get this question a lot. The answer: it all depends. Our big cross-country road trips cost about $2000. Of course, there were only two of us and we stayed in motels every night, ate out on the road a few times, paid for admissions to museums and theme parks, gambled in Las Vegas, and more. Bottom Line: if you camp out, you'll save more money. If you eat out of a cooler, you'll save even more. If you forgo certain things (Disneyland, museums, gambling), you'll save lots. But what's the fun of going on the road when you can't do anything? To be safe, you should plan on $1000 a person. If you are going on the extreme budget plan, $500 will probably do it.

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How Did You Plan Your Trip?

Easy! I picked up a road atlas and looked for places that I wanted to go! I knew that I wanted to drive down old Route 66, so I got some books about it and planned my own route.

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Can You Recommend Any Travel Books?

Yes. Travel Books were great in helping plan my trip. I have an online road trip bookstore, sponsored by Amazon.com, where I list some of the best and most helpful road trip books. Check it out at http://www.oocities.org/Hollywood/Studio/8290/bookstore.html

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Who Are You?

I'm a twentysomething female who loves the open road. I started doing road trips for fun, and I quickly became addicted. I have taken three cross-country road trips and have taken many more small trips. Most of my trips were taken during a "job hiatus." Now that I'm working full-time, it's harder to get out and enjoy the road.

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Are You A Professional Travel Writer?

Let me put this clearly: NO NO NO! I am NOT a professional writer. In fact, I am a Webmaster for a small nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. I write and maintain my web site in my spare time. My road trip pages are simply a hobby of mine; a reflection of my many road trips.

If you like my writing and would LIKE to hire me as a travel writer, please e-mail me. I'm not a good candidate for "official" tour books, however, because as you can see from my page, I do not hesitate to "tell it like it is."

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Any Food Suggestions?

If you are going to be eating out of a cooler during your road trip, it doesn't have to be boring! We always start out with good "travel" food: Oreo cookies, canned soda, Goldfish crackers, meat, cheese and bread. Leave home with the bare essentials, and refill your cooler on the road. Not only will you get fresher food (and perishables that you must eat right away, like milk or a small carton of ice cream), but you will be able to sample some of the "local" delicacies at small town grocery stores across the nation.

Just remember to fill up your cooler with ice every day, especially if you are traveling through the desert.

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Which Motel Chains Are The Best?

Generally, the nicest and cleanest rooms we encountered were Motel 6's (believe it or not) Comfort Inns, and Hampton Inns. The worst hotels were most often Holiday Inn's and Days Inns. The absolute worst hotel chain is Best Western. They are always disgusting and I would never stay at one again.

Of course, make sure you actually look at the motel before you make a reservation. The place may say "Hilton" but it could be in a slummy part of town. I strongly discourage booking all of your hotel rooms in advance before you hit the road (because you never know when your plans or route may change.

Cheap, decent rooms offer a nice alternative to camping (which we did not do at all). Our hotel rooms averaged about $30 a night. Don't shy away from local roadside motels either--they can be a lot of fun and give you a true "feel" for the road.

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How Can I Join A Half-Price Hotel Club?

There are quite a few clubs out there, but I think that these are the best. My favorite club, and the one I've been a member of for quite a while, is the Entertainment Club. Please note that I am NOT in any way involved with these clubs!! Below are three of the more popular clubs and their phone numbers. Give 'em a call and sign up. You have to have a credit card to join these clubs!!

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What Should I Pack?

Here's a general guide to things I think every well-equipped road tripper should never be without (trust me, they'll all come in handy):

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If you have other questions, please e-mail me.
But don't write and ask me to plan your route--that's your job :-)

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