Summer trip advice
 

Hello All

I am thinking about taking a summer trip in the USA, perhaps around 2 months, just backpacking sort of thing. Always wanted to live stateside but still working on the whole challenge of getting a visa which may take a while longer.

So for now I'v saved up enough money so I dont have to upset uncle sam by looking for work and I can just be a tourist and enjoy the country that way for a couple of months. I have about £4-£5,000 disposable income that I can budget for the trip.

Just wanting a bit of a brainstorm of how I can go through immigration as easily as possible as I have been on several holidays to the states for a lot less than 2 months and realise how strict they can be.

So far Im thinking......

Have a recent bank statement showing a good amount of money (£10,000?)
Have a return flight booked and evidence of that.
some record that Im still employed by my job over here.

If anyone can think of any to add, or just any general recommendations about cool things to do, sensible advice, or personal experience doing something similar please just add it, its all appreciated.

Take care :starsmile:

Re: Summer trip advice
 

That about covers it! You may not even be asked for those things. Just handy to have, just in case.

Hard to say what cool things to do, when we don't really know what YOU like to do, other than backpacking. I'm a luxury resort kinda gal, so my cool things to do probably won't match yours. LOL

Rene

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Ah, I thought of one good piece of advice! If you're looking to backpack, and be outdoors more than indoors, don't come to central, western, or southern Arizona during the summer! Northern Arizona (Grand Canyon) might be doable.

Rene

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I imagine thats something to do with the weather being pretty extreme?

Noted..

Thanks

I probably wouldnt mind seeing quiet a lot of middle America though (if Arizona is classed as that?) seen quiet a lot of the East coast, so was thinking of making like the old times and heading west :)

I really quiet like the south when I was there last, so dont know what life for a backpaker is like in the southern states (guess thats a broad thing to consider) the Carolinas were amongst my favorites.

In europe Hostels tend to be the cheapest way for a backpacker to live (I like luxury places too, but Im in my early 20's so im not really fussed :D) Are motels pretty cheap? or would Hostels still be the best idea to stick to budget. Dont recall seeing too many before.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I've lived in Arizona for 42 years and have never seen a hostel-type place. But then again, I've never looked for one.

Yes, it's because of the 100+ degree weather.

Rene

Re: Summer trip advice
 

There are independent hostels in cities on the west coast at least, Green Tortoise in Seattle and San Francisco for example. Motels can be very cheap, but are sometimes used by the homeless (e.g. some residence will whore themselves out until they make the motel price plus something for drugs) It can be hard to tell which are dodgy and which are not, but the cheapest tend to be on the dodgy side. But if you are are backpacking just view it as local charm.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

GBP 5,000 over 60 days equate roughly to $130 per day. Whether that works or not depends on the types of places you'll be hanging out. Cities can be more expensive than rural areas. The cheapest place to stay in town will always have the kind of people there that you'd imagine would stay in the cheapest place in town.

Mrs tonrob and I, back in 2002, drove from Vancouver - Toronto - Florida - Texas - Vancouver in the space of 14 weeks. Prices were cheaper then but the exchange rate was far worse than it is today, so it goes a long way to evening things out overall. We survived on about that figure a day between the two of us by being frugal with accommodation, eating and not hitting too many bars.

Just realized that your flights will probably come out of that figure first, leaving you less. You may find this a bit of a squeeze overall - probably still do-able though if you plan carefully.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Don't know about west coast, but there doesn't seem so much in the way of hostels down here.

A chain motel can be $30-50 a night up in Maine. In the burbs of Mass, about $50-80 and downtown Boston, the same motel is $120.

Might want to check out airBnB or couch surfing sites and see what you can find on those.

How are you planning to get around? Hitch hiking probably won't be very effective and car/train not so cheap.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Depends what you want to do, for backpacking in general then Colorado is worth looking into-- research the Colorado Trail, it goes from Denver to Durango and there are plenty of spots to hang out in a long the way to make it worth a full two-months.

You also don't need to be committed to doing the entire trail. Personally, I would avoid "middle America" if you love the out-doors-- nothing but flat-lands :lol:

Plenty of cheap Hostels (Leadville Hostel for example), fishing, camping, hiking as well as the nicer mountain towns such as Breckenridge, Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Basalt or even good old Buena Vista and Salida.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Don't forget to factor travel/health insurance into your budget. If you get ill or hospitalised for any reason, it can end up very expensive.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

http://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm

Reminds me of the Appalachian Trail, which is pretty good going. The whole thing takes you through - CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV.

Can do parts and then train or bus around the boring bits you don't fancy and there is plenty of info on where best to send supplies from one part of the trail to another so that you don't have to carry all the stuff with you.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

If you're into hiking and planning on seeing the west (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Montana etc), buy a National Parks annual pass. It's about $80 and is the best bargain in America.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

If you want a smoother trip though immigration, don't look like a backpacker.

Student, backpacker, unemployed hipster. These are sort of trigger 'visuals' that they are looking at when you come through the border. They are looking for those who might go off the reservation and end up working as a bartender or a coffee shop denizen while prancing around the US. You don't have to wear a suit, but something smart / casual with a recent hair cut won't hurt that much.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

If going to some of the larger cities (mainly in the NE inc. Toronto, Canada) check out these websites:

http://us.megabus.com/ (journeys from $1 plus 50c booking fee)

http://www.boltbus.com/

Re: Summer trip advice
 

You called?

www.tourdivide.org

On yer bike?

Re: Summer trip advice
 

$80? Blimey...it was $55 at Arcadia National Park, though that might have been if you got it before 1st May.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

"Mrs tonrob and I, back in 2002, drove from Vancouver - Toronto - Florida - Texas - Vancouver in the space of 14 weeks. Prices were cheaper then but the exchange rate was far worse than it is today, so it goes a long way to evening things out overall. We survived on about that figure a day between the two of us by being frugal with accommodation, eating and not hitting too many bars.
Just realized that your flights will probably come out of that figure first, leaving you less. You may find this a bit of a squeeze overall - probably still do-able though if you plan carefully."

Was that value each or for the both of you per day? I obviously want to budget for unforseen things but any time I have travelled in the past I think I tend to have lived relatively cheap. Im a pretty simple person to please, Im not fussed about doing anything too fancy, just see as much of the country as I can, and the most important thing for me is always meeting people so I think hitting bars is something I want to budget for. Im usually pretty happy just relaxing with a cold beer and someone to talk to.

And also what kind of places did you stay? I think my biggest costing is going to be accomodation.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

1st time using the quote thing. apologies

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I plan on getting around by bus probably as it will most likely be the cheapest way. Im not really fussed too much about my Itenierary So I was just going to get a flight to New York (cheapest and closest place to fly to) then spending maybe 4-5 days there, then getting a bus to wherever I can in PA, another 4-5 days seeing sights, hitting a couple bars. Then Bus to wherever in IL, another 4-5 days etc. 3 days MN. Then Maybe WA, CA, AZ, TX etc.... In a sort of anti-clockwise fashion ending up in Georgia where there is a direct flight back home.

Its a reasonably vague plan and I probably would mind detouring for a day or 2 in some reasonable small town places and also unmissable sights, grand canyon etc along the way. but Im in the process of working out the details.

Anybody see any glaring flaws Im oblivious to? Again I think my main problem is just going to be accomodation.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I do love the outdoors, and will also want to do some sight seeing. however like I said its people that Im usually more interested in. So would be nice just to visit a few "middle America" towns n cities.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Also, when does the Visa waiver programme "reset" for you so-to-speak. For example if I use the 90 days maximum, I assume thats not it for life?;) when you leave? or the next year or something?

Thanks for all your comments so far

Re: Summer trip advice
 

You have to remember that 2 weeks holiday is common in the US, multiple long trips will raise suspicion.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

There are a few reasons why I wouldn't plan to do this by bus myself.

Firstly we found that some of the most enjoyable places we went to were off the beaten path, or places that we just pulled in at because we liked the look of. The bus is very inflexible, as you pretty much have to decide where you're going before you get on the thing and you are also bound by routes and timetables and where the stops are located. Have you looked into the bus networks properly?

Bus stations tend to be downtown in most cities. Accommodation downtown tends to be the most expensive, with the best value places located outside of town adjacent to freeway exits. All of this was designed with the motorist in mind. What you gain in transport savings you could lose many times over in accommodation.

There is no YHA-style hostel network in the US to speak of - certainly not like in other countries. I have been backpacking around Australia dn New Zealand, and hostels there were generally of a high standard, had cooking and washing facilities and were a good way to meet people while saving a lot of money. Hostels in the States - at least in cities - are often instead used as temporary housing for the down-at-heel rather than a rest-and-recharge sort of place for travelers.

I really recommend trying to find the best deal you possibly can for a long-term rental car coupled with the best value flight to that car's pick-up location and then build your itinerary from there. I wouldn't book too much accommodation in advance, maybe just in big cities (e.g. NYC) or where there is likely to be high demand (e.g. if there is a special event in a town you want to visit). Take a laptop or iPad so that you can research accommodation as you go (there's a lot of free wifi about) to get the best bang for your buck while retaining maximum flexibility. A US-capable mobile would also be valuable.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I agree with tonrob - you'll have much more fun and see a lot more places if you hire an economy vehicle rather than take the bus. Cheap (2 star) chain hotels are good value for money, you'll get a clean bed, a hot shower, free parking, wifi , and breakfast for $50 - $70 a night, sometimes less. (Hotwire.com can get you some pretty great hotel rates if you're not too fussy about where you stay.) I recently stayed at a Drury Inn and got free food in the evening too. A National Parks Pass is a cheap way to see some of the best of the country and if you bring a tent and a sleeping bag, you can camp - anything else you need can be get bought very cheaply at Walmart. As for where to go - someone suggested Colorado, I second that. If it were me (I wish!) I would head to Washington DC first, then Virginia (Shenandoah, Blue Ridge Parkway, beautiful mountains and rivers), Tennessee (Great Smokey Mountains, Memphis), Arkansas (possibly more interesting than Mississippi), Texas, New Mexico (Carlsbad has some great caves, Roswell is a let down, Santa Fe is gorgeous), Colorado (Rocky Mountain State - possibly my favourite). Then you will have the choice of heading back East or crossing over the mountains to Utah, and carrying on to California...I know what I would do! Good luck and do let us know how you get on!

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I agree with the above, your biggest flaw is going to be your mode of transportation-- a bus is going to be terribly inefficient to drive through all the states that you mentioned and of course, once you get into some of those downtown areas, they are going to rather spread out (sprawling) and you will likely find that public transport in some of the downtown areas to be pretty bad-- I have visited Tempe & Phoenix, Arizona as well as L.A. and St. Paul, MN and was very glad to have my own vehicle to get around.

I would seriously consider looking into a cheap rental vehicle, it will be well worth the additional cost considering what you plan to do.

A very good friend of mine from high school in the UK (now a PR in the U.S.) did a similar "middle-America" road-trip from Virginia to Utah and back in 17 days. You can see the map of the route that he and his wife took:
http://blog.tonyeckersley.com/road-trip-usa-2009/
Unfortunately there isn't too much information on his his blog about it since it his mainly for his photography and you can see some of the pictures of his journey in the subsequent archives from June 2009 through December 2009.

I am sure he also wouldn't mind giving you some pointers for your trips if you contact him through his blog.

Accommodation may be a problem if you only take the buses since those buses are likely to drop you off in the downtown areas were cheap hotels and hostels don't really exists and you would be looking at well over a $100 per night for any hotel in those downtown areas and without your own vehicle, getting out of town may be a hassle or not even a possibility if you only arrive in the early hours.

Cheaper hotels can be found out the outskirts of most cities for $50-$90 per night and it would be prudent to research these options ahead of your trip and possibly even go as far as making some advanced reservations. Hostels are pretty rare, but they can be found on Google-- the one in Leadville, Colorado is $20 a night, breakfast is an additional $5 and dinner is $10. So there are more affordable accommodations out there, but you just have to search.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

The clock resets when you meet two conditions: 1) you leave the US; and 2) you go further away than Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent islands. If you return to the UK, for example, you could return to the US the next day because you met both conditions. At the PoE, the CBP officer could give you a new 90 day entry. However, if you want to be successful with an entry to the US (because what I just described would be risky), you'll stay outside the US at least as long as you stayed in the US. IOW: 90 days in, at least 90 days out. You might be successful with two back-to-back visits... or you might not!

Ian

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Was that just for Acadia? I think it's $40 for Rocky Mountain, which makes the $80 pass for all parks (think it might be called the America the Beautiful pass) really good value if you're planning to visit a few, especially as it's for a carload of people.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Problem with the bus, it can be very slow.

Just an example, but a cousin took the coach from Boston to Montreal, it's a 8 hour drive, but the bus took 32 hours because of stoppages and detours.

The other thing is, the bus tends to stop in shady parts of various towns, picking up the lovely folks who can't afford to travel by other means, ie: ex-cons on their way out :/

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Nationwide. The pass just for Arcadia was $32 and a week long pass was $10.

I'm not sure if those prices are for after Memorial day though as it could well have been a special deal. I didn't pay to much attention to the small print as the park was free before May.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Im really grateful for all your advice and tips. Its really helpful. I think I'v got a lot more planning to do :unsure:

I think my problem is that I'm basing my travel budget and experience on my travels in Europe where moving round and budget accomodation can be very cheap. I think I'm probably looking at having to spend 5 times more on this trip than an equivalent one might be in Europe.

I would defintely love to have a car to get round. The main problem that faces me as with most people is budget, which is maybe why bus is the only option I have. Im wanting to have at least 4-6weeks in the USA (realised 8 might be too much of a stretch). I really dont know if having a car is do-able between insurance, renting and petrol. I will have to research it but That sounds expensive. I will definately have to do more research into accomodation as well. There must be some slightly cheaper option. I'll look into it.

Cant thank everyone enough for the help so far. I think I was a bit naiive at 1st but I guess thats what brainstorming is for.


:thumbsup:

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Renting a vehicle with insurance and the gas for the entire 4-6 weeks isn't going to be cheap, although I have seen some rental places in town advertise for about $20 per day.

However if you don't mind dirt-bagging it a little, you can off-set some of the costs by using the vehicle as your hotel or if you have a tent, you can set that up. If you only spend 7 nights of your stay like this, then you would save a minimum of $350 on accommodation costs which you could use towards the cost of renting the vehicle.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

Is camping as feasible as it would be in the UK?
In my experience camp sites are not necessarily cheap, as many of them are set up for RVing. They also sell out quickly and require booking in advance. I have not seen camp sites that just pack em in like they do in Britain. I would also think that road side camping might be more problematic than in the UK, partly due to some land owners excessive zealotry in protecting against trespass. There are some walk-in camp sites in state/national/forestry parks, that can be reserved on the day or on a first come basis, but they are walk-in.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

I can really only speak for Colorado and camping like I mentioned is very do-able here. Campsites that are on BLM land are free of charge, it is also first-come first serve and there is a lot of BLM land to go around. There are also fee campsites with a few more amenities that can run anywhere from $9-$22 per night. I am not quite sure on the legalities of just pulling off the side of the road and sleeping in your vehicle on public land, but my climbing partners and I have done this many a time on the way to trail-heads and my buddy from Texas who makes the drive here a couple of times per year also sleeps in his vehicle, on the side of the road when he is making the journey.

In fact just last summer my wife, climbing partners and myself did just that for two weeks and never paid for a campsite or hotel room. All the trip cost us was food, gas and the occasional $10-$15 for the use of a shower. So it can be done, at least here in Colorado.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

What you can consider doing perhaps is targeting certain cities that don't need a car to get around so much to spend a little more time in perhaps.

Take the train or coach from NYC to Boston and get around those cities via public transport, then train to another hub and rent a car for a few days in those cities and especially perhaps some of the larger destination cities where public transport might not be so great, at a guess such as Las Vegas etc.

Re: Summer trip advice
 

16th Street Mall is very nice I hear.