any americans that can help me please?

[mentalmickey]

hi, i'm michael, i'm 24 from the U.K. i need some info and help from people in the states. i'm afraid i'm not getting the info i need.

basically i want to do a tour of the states but all the holiday shops here want to do is sell me package holidays and expensives doo daas which is not what i want!

i plan to spend between 80-90 days touring (visa-free) during the summer visiting and staying in various cities in different states. i plan to meet people, make friends, get to know the city and economy, check out jobs, as i'm thinking of living there. its really checking out the places to see which would be the best place for me.

i plan to take an economy flight to new york, with an open ended ticket, so if i finish my tour early or start running out of money, i can head on back to new york and home. i'll need a good reliable hire car or pickup capable of doing a tour of the states.

in each city i plan to stay at a motel, up to 3 -6 days depending on what's going on, ie: concerts, car shows if any, events. so i'm looking for average prices of motels.

the cities i'm going to see, in order are:

bangor
chicago
minneapolis
seatle
san francisco
los angeles
pheonix
roswell
new orleans
miami
alanta
washington dc
new york

then head on home.

can someone give me an idea of mileage i'll be doing from city to city. probably have to add a bit for other places i'll visit along the way

financing. i got money but what is the average costs of living for a young adult a week. that includes food and toiletries, plus entertainment costs like movies, ten pin bowling sort of stuff. its so i can work out a better plan to make sure i get the most out of this trip.

i'll get a company to arrange my flights and car, but everything else, i'll be on my own. yes, i'll be on my own. sadly theres no-one special in my life at the moment but i guess this is a one man thing, something i'd like to do myself.

everyone who helps, i'll make sure we meet up and i'll buy you a beer or two!:flash:

[kris]

Well, if you were to be stopping in Salt Lake City, I could give you some ideas, and help you with a hotel room, via some connections. But it doesnt look like we are on your list. Hopefully someone from those areas will pipe up.

[bugser]

Sounds like a fun trip! I took a motorcycle trip from NC to CA and back in 1987. Stopped in Augusta, GA for the Masters. Then New Orleans for a week, a week in El Paso, TX and on to LA, San Diego, and headed back East. It took 8 weeks from start to finish and I didn't budget very well! I started out partying like hell, eating in nice restaurants and staying in nice hotels and ended up eating soup out of a can and sleeping on picnic tables at rest areas.

I realize that doesn't really answer your question, I just felt like sharing!:sun:

Some of the cities on your list are pretty expensive! If Iwere planning a trip like that, I probably budget $100.00 per day for a room, meals, gas and entertainment. You could probably get by on less. And you could CERTAINLY spend more!! Just all in what you want!

[Moppie]

My bro did a tour of the states useing one way rental car deliverys. Basicly companies wanting a car delivered to another city let him take it for free. All he had to do was pay for the gas.

Just an idea you might want to check out.

[VideoNasty]

okay i'll try to help you out a bit!

i rented a van last september 300 bux unlimited mileage, for about a week
gas is about...1.35 a gallon of hi-test(93) that's all i put in my cars....
if you can live on mcdonalds and taco bell you can eat for about 5 bux a meal
i stayed in a motel off of I-95 around savannah last september for about 35-40 bux a night
movies 6-7 bux, 4.50 for a matinee here
bowling? last time i went it was 3 bux for shoes, 3 bux per game
hope that helps...I know this isnt all correct for every place here....lakeland is kinda hole in the wall for being between 2 of the largest cities in Florida(Tampa/Orlando)
let me know if you get a chance to pass thru here! Shawn(shadowboy) and myself wouldn't mind meeting a fellow AFer!

down here in miami its pretty cheap to get by. it shouldnt cost you more then $65.00 a day

[-cy-]

San Fransisco isn't going to be cheap for hotels, unless you go outside of the city about 30 minutes, which is actually a really nice area. L.A. can vary soooo much depending on where you are. If you are in a crappy area of town (there are plenty) then you can get a cheap motel, but venture into a more upclass area and you are going to be paying a LOT of money, places like that vary a lot. Basically all big cities have their nice, expensive areas and their crummier, cheap areas. I suggest you find a travel agent or get in contact with a towns visitor's center (well, something that can give you info) and find out good areas to visit, good CHEAP places to stay, and activities to attend. If you just shoot from the hip and hope to find everything by chance, you may end up in places you don't want to be.

[hermunn123]

you're skipping texas??!?!?!!?!?

[SkyNex721]

That's what I'm saying. Texs is a country all in it's own.

[SickLude]

dude, i was gonna say the same thing?!?!?! wzup with that Mr. British man?? if you've done any kind of extensive research on where you want to live in the states, you better stop by Dallas, Houston, Austin or San Antonio bro....your missin out

[mentalmickey]

i will be visiting other places, the places that i mentioned were my main stops. along the way i shall see other places so don't worry if i haven't mentioned your town/city!

i've got a maxinum of 90 days so i'll try and see as much as i can. the cities i've mentioned are ones i know more about so thats probably why i'm keen to make a stop there.

keep sending me your info as they really do help. are there any rentals that do older cars? i quite fancy a '89 camero rs iroc!

what about the one way rentals? is there a time limit on these vehicles or what? any info greatly apprehiated!


i thought roswell was in texas!

[hermunn123]

roswell is in New Mexico which is next to Texas.

[mentalmickey]

i must have a dodgy map then cos my map shows roswell inside the texas border. i'll be driving thru texas anyway so where should i visit in texas?

i'm looking forward to minnesota,california, maine cos i've seen good stuff on the net. also keen to see the art deco houses on the beaches in miami.

[hermunn123]

roswell is definitely not in Texas. you should definitely go to San Antonio. it is Texas' biggest tourist city, and i live there check out the Alamo, the Riverwalk, and tons more. Dallas, Austin, and Houston are cool too. you could take a 90 day trip to Texas alone!!

[mentalmickey]

ok, i've sorted out the money side, converting and stuff. so here goes.

i want to spend between 80 -90 days touring.

my budget is $3000, (thats $1000 for 30 days,) is that going to take care of accomodation, food and travelling?

my flight will cost $480 but i may be able to get it less nearer the time. i can't fix any dates as in march i shall be in france and spain for 3 months, possibly longer, then head home to england for a week or two before setting off to the states.

anyone know any web sites for one way rentals and coach prices. i am looking on the web myself but i'm more likely to get a better response from people who's actually used these services.

my offer of a beer is still on!

i'd like to stay for more than 90 days but its visa free, any longer i gotta aply for a vistor or working visa. (btw i'm a panel beater!!)