Explore Magazine

SPRING 2019

EXPLORE MAKE TIME TO TRAVEL

21 BEST HIKING TRAILS IN PENNSYLVANIA

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ROAD TRIP ACROSS THE U.S. ON $50 A DAY

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16 WAYS TO EAT ON A BUDGET

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COASTAL HIGHWAY: ROUTE 17

Death Valley State Park, Nevada USA Photograph by Alison Sommer

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In This Issue.

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA Photograph by Alison Sommer

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Best Hiking Trails in Pennsylvania Head outdoors for a great day.

Vacation Idea

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Road Trip Across the U.S. on $50 a Day Learn how to hit the road on a tight budget.

Nomadic Matt

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16 Ways to Eat on a Budget Enjoy great food without breaking the bank.

Jake Butler

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Coastal Highway: Route 17 Exploring the Southeast USA Visit the USA

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In Every Issue.

Hidden Adventures.

15. Pittsburgh has a Bunch of Hidden Gems | Cassandra Douglas 18. The Ultimate West Virginia Road Trip | Maryellen Kennedy Duckett 19. A Day in Yellow Springs – Ohio’s Hippie Enclave | Amanda Williams 24. A The Largest Caverns on the East Coast | Douglas Matus 25. Maryland’s Best Kept Secret: Deep Creek Lake | Sarah Loughry 28. West Virginia: Shepherdstown | WV Tourism

Road Trip Essentials.

50. How to Change a Flat Tire | Bridgestone 80. How to Choose a Good (and Safe!) AirBnb | Million Miles Secret 86. The Carry-On Challenge: How to Pack Light Every Time | Sarah Schlicter 89. The All-Time Best Road Trip Snacks to Pack | Candance Braun Davison

Sit and Sip. 100. The 10 Coolest Coffee Shops in West Virginia! | Penny Fox 112. The 10 Best Smoothie Places in Ohio | Katie Griffing 114. The Best Milkshake in Every State | Hannah Lowentheil 118. 9 Regional Soft Drinks Worth the Road Trip | Lisa Townsend Roge

Alison Sommer | Morgantown, WV, USA Skitterphoto | Antique van driving down a dirt path Helena Lopes | Latte crafted with milk and foam on top Illustrations on page by Alison Sommer

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Watching the Wallet.

123.

Plan an Awesome, Last Minute Vacation on the Cheap | Adam Dachis

125. Cheap Motel Chains in USA for a Road Trip 2019 | Viktor Vincej 128. Road trip advice: New ways to find the cheapest gas | USA Today 131. How We Afford to Travel & You Can Too! | Two Wandering Souls 134. Don’t Let Tight Budget Stop You from Hitting the Road | Leila Dorari

Good Vibes.

137. How to Create the Ultimate Playlist for Your Next Road Trip | Huffpost 138. Lord Huron’s Lonesome Dream | Paul Thompson 141. Top 10 Beatles Road Songs | Frank Mastropolo 144. Get the best road trip music in “Indie/Folk” Playlist | Better-Go-Now 145. These are the Best Podcasts for your Next Road Trip | Sara Button

The Eatery.

150. The Best Places to Eat in Pittsburgh Right Now | Emily Catalano 154. Here’s Where to Find the Best Smoothies in Town | Frank Guanco 156. The 7 best Apps for Finding Brilliant Food on the Go | Gary Marshall 157. Bite Into the Buckeye State: What to Eat in Ohio | Douglas Trattner

Matthew Smith | Rustic sign in the air reading “Motel” Namroud Gorguis | Cassette tape Daria Shevtsova | Egg, avocado, and basil on toast

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Randyland is a creative space for anyone to come and experience.

Photograph/ illustrations by Alison Sommer

Hidden

Adventures

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Pittsburgh Has A Bunch Of Hidden Gems Here Are The Ones That Don’t Cost A Thing Cassandra Douglas

Consider yourself lucky to live in Pittsburgh—it’s been named one of America’s best cities to live in year after year. Save a little cash by visiting these overlooked places around the ‘Burgh.’

St. Anthony’s Chapel Troy Hill

If you enjoy the architecture and history of the cathedral, you will probably equally appreciate St. Anthony’s Chapel. It supposedly contains some extremely rare artifacts like pieces of Jesus’ cross and bones of the Apostles.

Bicycle Heaven 1800 Preble Ave

Pittsburgh is home to a lot of things—but not many people know it’s home to the world’s largest bicycle shop and museum. That’s right, Bicycle Heaven, located right here in Pittsburgh, triumphs all other bicycle shops and museums in the world—and it’s totally free to visit.

Gravity Hill North Park

This Pittsburgh oddity will sure get you and your friends talking. From balls to cars to even water, Gravity Hill is known for making things appear to go against gravity and roll upwards.

You’ll definitely want to bring a ball with you and test this natural phenomenon out for yourself.

Johnny Angel’s Ginchy Stuff Next to Bicycle Heaven

After your visit to Bicycle Heaven, stop by the museum and shop dedicated to one of Pittsburgh’s most notable musicians, Johnny Angel—located right next door. From his personal collections to musical memorabilia, this location will definitely keep any music lover’s attention.

The Cathedral of Learning Oakland

Randyland 1501 Arch St

Quite surprisingly, the colorful Randyland is free to visit. This place is home to local artist Randy Gilson, who has turned it into an absolutely fascinating art museum featuring his work—free for the public to enjoy. Rumor has it Randy is a pretty cool fellow, so if you see him around be sure to say hello!

Gravity Hill North Park

This Pittsburgh oddity will sure get you and your friends talking. From balls to cars to even water, Gravity Hill is known for making things appear to go against gravity and roll upwards.

You’ll definitely want to bring a ball with you and test this natural phenomenon out for yourself. Not a believer, check out this video.

Canton Avenue

Canton Ave, Beechview

Visit America’s steepest street, located right here in Pittsburgh. While it’s less than 700 feet long, Canton Avenue is measured at an exhilarating 37% grade — making it the USA’s steepest street and the world’s second steepest. Driving downward is strictly prohibited, but driving up it is totally cool. Probably best to avoid driving on this street at all times in the winter.

Local Parks

Several locations

Frick Park Seldom Seen Greenway Point State Park Schenley Park Riverview Park Emerald View Park Mellon Park

The Cathedral of Learning in Oakland is a gorgeous and historic old building, and offers some of the best views of the city. It is open to the public and you can take the elevators up to some of its top floors for a view of the city.

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The Ultimate West Virginia Road Trip Maryellen Kennedy Ducket

Ramble through rugged mountains and historic small towns on a roughly 500-mile scenic loop through some of West Virginia’s wildest terrain. Sample some of the best views, outdoor adventures, homegrown tastes, and live music the Mountain State has to offer.

Morgantown

Davis & Thomas

Morgantown is a combo college town and nature activity hub. Tour the Art Museum of WVU and see Woodburn Hall, the university’s redbrick symbol built in 1876. In nearby Coopers Rock State Forest, see Cheat River Canyon taken from the Raven Rock Trail overlook. End the day listening to live acts at 123 Pleasant Street, a music venue housed in a restored 1890s row house.

From Morgantown, it’s a scenic 70-mile drive southeast to Davis. The tiny river town and its smaller neighbor, Thomas, are mountain biking meccas. In Thomas, shop for Appalachian fine art at Buxton & Landstreet Gallery and Studios. Stick around for the evening show at the Purple Fiddle, where there’s West Virginia beer on tap and, most nights, live music on stage.

Charleston

Fayetteville

The West Virginia State Capitol building sits in its riverfront home. Take the scenic route northwest to Charleston, a riverfront capital city with a friendly, small-town vibe.

Tour the free West Virginia State Museum at the Culture Center on the grounds of the State Capitol Complex. Buy tickets for a Charleston taping of Mountain Stage, a music radio show produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

If you stacked the Washington Monument on top of the Statue of Liberty, they would not reach the top of the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. The historic two-lane road snakes 180 miles west to east across south-central West Virginia from the Ohio/ Kentucky border to the Virginia state line.

Stop at the Hawks Nest State Park overlook for panoramic views of the New River Gorge National River below.

Alison Sommer | Morgantown, WV, USA Ashley Knedler | New River Gorge Bridge Illustrations on page by Alison Sommer

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A Day in Yellow Springs, Ohio Lindsay Cohn

Yellow Springs is a town located in south-west Ohio.

Illustration by Alison Sommer

The counterculture movement is alive and well in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

This hippie-minded village in Southwest Ohio has always sort of fascinated me, ever since I first visited during my college years. It’s colorful — often to the point of garishness — exterior drew me in, and its liberal undertones kept me interested..

Yellow Springs was founded in 1825 by about 100 families who were followers of Welsh social reformer Robert Owen. Their goal was to turn Yellow Springs into the sort of utopian community already in place in New Harmony, Indiana.

(However, internal conflicts between the families tore any dreams of utopia apart.)

In 1846, the Little Miami Railway was completed, bringing more business, inhabitants and tourism to Yellow Springs. And so the town began to emerge in a different fashion than intended.

Despite the whole utopian thing not working out, Yellow Springs has always been a bit artsy, and more than a bit open-minded. The town was one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad, and has a long history of racial tolerance. And, in 1979, Yellow Springs was the smallest municipality in the U.S. to pass legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Yellow Springs’ free-spirited history is reflected in its many store fronts, eateries and inhabitants.

Bright colors adorn most buildings. Many cafés serve only locally-grown food. And don’t be surprised to see a barefooted busker or two out on the sidewalks.

What are some of my favorite things about Yellow Springs? There’s almost too many to list!

For starters, I love the sweaters that telephone poles and trees wear year-round.

All the colorful doors make for a great sight throughout the lovely, hippie town.

The comic shop/used book store where books are organized haphazardly on shelves and the floor with hand-written signs: Salt water taffy—lots of it: Specialty stores like the tie-dye shop, or the import stores that sell items from far-off places like Tibet and Peru: Visit one of two nearby nature preserves (Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and Glen Helen Nature Preserve) and one state park (John Bryan State Park).

Rent a bike and hit the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

Check out Young’s Jersey Dairy, which is a working dairy farm but also has lots of familyfriendly activities.

Yes, Yellow Springs is a special place. (So special, in fact, that Dave Chappelle even calls it home.)

And it’s definitely worth visiting if ever you find yourself in Southwest Ohio.

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Cavern with a drawing outlining the unique curves of the rocks.

Photograph by Flickr Illustration by Alison Sommer

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The Largest Caverns on the East Coast Douglas Matus

Caverns are subterranean wonders formed over immense spans of time. The United States contains more than 55,000 cave systems, many of which remain largely unexplored. The largest caverns on the East Coast offer exciting exploration opportunities for spelunkers and explorers alike.

Luray Caverns, Virginia The Luray Caverns are the largest on the East Coast and formed over the course of 400 million years. In northern Virginia, this cavern continues to grow by an inch every century or so. Discovered in 1878, Luray Caverns remain open all year and have an average interior temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Of particular note is the cavern’s Stalacpipe Organ, the world’s largest natural instrument. This creation of organist and engineer Leland Sprinkle consists of 37 stalactites with attached rubber mallets.

Laurel Caverns Pennsylvania The largest caves in Pennsylvania, Laurel Caverns offers a variety of cave exploration activities. Deep beneath a 435-acre geology park, these caves represent more than 3 million years of geological history. Laurel Caverns has three different tours for interested visitors. For the most adventurous of Laurel Caverns visitors, the lowerspelunking tour descends more than 45 stories beneath the earth.

Howe Caverns, New York The largest cavern in the Northeast is second only to Niagara Falls as New York’s most popular natural attraction. The main cave rests 156 feet below ground and formed 6 million years ago when the Atlantic Ocean reached farther inland. The caverns still contain an underground lake known as the Lake of Venus.

Deep Creek Lake Maryland’s Best Kept Secret Lindsay Cohn

Maryland has so much to offer, from the amazing harbor in Baltimore to shopping in Hagerstown to the adorable town of Silver Spring. The best place, in my humble opinion, is Deep Creek Lake. Nestled in the mountains on the west side of the state, Deep Creek is the ultimate weekend getaway location no matter the time of year.

Whether you want to grab a protein wrap for breakfast or are looking for butternut squash soup to warm you up- Traders is a great place to enjoy a cold afternoon. Complete with bistro tables and a fireplace you could curl up for hours. I probably shouldn’t forget to mention the endless supply of coffee.

I’m lucky to live close enough to Deep Creek that I’m able to make several trips throughout the year—in case you only have a weekend to soak up everything this adorable town has to offer make sure to check out Visit Deep Creek.

You’ll be able to find tons of activities like kayaking, skiing, golf cart rides, horse drawn carriage rides, zip lining and a ton more.

The awesome thing about Deep Creek Lake is that it’s so versatile. It offers something for everyone. Girls trip, birthday celebration, weekend getaway, family vacation—Deep Creek is a little slice of heaven right in our backyards.

Ellison’s Cave, Georgia Ellison’s Cave, in northwest Georgia, is the 12th deepest cavern in the United States.

This cavern descends to an incredible 1,063 feet and stretches for a length of 12 miles.

Ellison’s Cave also features two of the deepest cave drops in the country. Ellison’s location on an active fault caused the fracturing that created these deep pits.

Thach Tran | Lake enveloped in the mountains

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Welcome to...

West Virginia Shepherdstown is located along the banks of the Potomac River, only about an hour and a half from both Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Nightlife in Shepherdstown features award-winning local restaurants, a thriving local music and arts scene, plus plenty of theatrical performances. West Virginia’s oldest town treats you to sophisticated restaurants, colonial ambience and world elegance. Rich in Civil War and American history, Shepherdstown has museums, battle sites and re-enactments all year. You can also stay in historic inns or modern hotels and shop or explore the surrounding countryside for outdoor adventure.

History

Quick Facts

West Virginia’s oldest town treats you to sophisticated

Population: 2,000

restaurants, colonial ambience and old world elegance.

Rich in Civil War and American history, Shepherdstown has museums, battle sites all year round. You can also stay in historic inns or modern hotels and shop or explore

Year incorporated: 1762

Claim to fame: Oldest town in West Virginia Spring Average Temperature: 64.11º Airport: Dulles International Airport

the surrounding countryside for outdoor adventure.

Nearby Martinsburg Harpers Ferry Charles Town Berkeley Springs Washington D.C. Baltimore, MD

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Size: 237 sq. acres

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Attractions Shepherdstown’s “Little House” was built during the summers of 1928 and 1929 when a class project at the local college evolved into the creation of a oneacre miniature farm modeled after the farms in the Shenandoah Valley.

The Bavarian Inn is a hotel with unusual amenities, including an infinity pool that melts into the Potomac River.

O’Hurley’s General Store on the edge of Shepherdstown is like going back in time. Hear truly traditional old-time sounds at the heritage music jam session every Thursday.

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Alison Sommer | Hand placing a quarter into a van Herson Rodriguez | Yellow minivan

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HOW TO ROAD TRIP ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON

A DAY

A novice traveler’s guide to exploring the U.S. Nomadic Matt

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Alison Sommer | A winding road leading through a mountainous region of the United States.

The great American road trip is a rite of passage in the States. We Americans have a unique fascination with the open road. It’s built into our cultural DNA. In Jazz Age America, the car was a symbol of freedom – a chance to escape your small town and the watchful eyes of parents. As the highway system was developed in the 1950s, a wave of kids set out on the road to explore the country, giving new life to America’s car and road trip culture. Today, many still dream of getting in a car and driving into wide open spaces for months on end.

And I got to do just that — for four and a half months and 13,000 miles, I traveled to all corners of this country. In diversity and scale, the United States is magnificent.

There are always ways to cut your expenses and focus your spending on what matters most.

But this isn’t a post about fawning over the U.S. (this post is). This article is about how you can travel around the U.S. on a budget because, as it turns out, this country is incredibly easy to travel on the cheap. In this post, I’ll explain how much I spent, how much a road trip costs, and show you how you can save money on your road trip.

How much did my cross country road trip cost?

Total Costs Accommodation: $1,036.36 Food: $3,258.23 Drinks: $438.94 Gas: $696.98 Parking: $253.00 Starbucks: $75.26 Attractions: $269.40 Taxis: $41.00 Bus: $17.50

After 116 days traveling around the united states, I spent $6,262.67, or $53.98 per day.

While that is slightly higher than $50 a day, there were many parts of my budget I splurged on (see analysis below) which skewed the number up. I think you could visit the country even cheaper if you don’t have my addiction to Starbucks or Sushi. Here is how the numbers from my U.S. road trip break down...

Alison Sommer | Driving through a canyon

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A couple of things hurt my budget. My Starbucks addiction* was unnecessary and added to my costs. Moreover, as a lover of sushi, trying various restaurants throughout my road trip drastically raised my food costs. Sushi, after all, is not cheap.

In general, I ate as if I wasn’t on a budget and rarely cooked, which is why my food expenses were so high relative to everything else. I would have definitely gone below $50 if I bothered to cook more often.

But, while I splurged in some places, three other things really helped me to keep expenses down: First, gas prices were low, averaging around $2.35 a gallon over the duration of my trip (Update 2016: They are even lower now!). Second, once you leave the big cities, prices for everything drop by nearly half. Third, I Couchsurfed and used hotel points often to keep accommodation costs down.

Overall, while I could have done better, I didn’t do too bad and am happy with how much I spent.

So as you can see, it doesn’t need to be expensive to travel around America but how do you keep your costs down? What are the tips and tricks?

Helpful Comments In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Bicentennial

Campground is free with an equally incredible view as Kirby Cove Campground. Many campgrounds in BLM land are free or much cheaper than national parks. Dispersed camping is free in National Forests, but there aren’t toilets!

Michelle One way I have found to lower parking costs

is to use Parking Panda (it’s a website). I paid $54 for parking for a whole weekend in NYC, whereas other times I have paid $40 just for

one day. It can help you find the best deal for

How to Save Money on Your Road Trip There are numerous ways to travel around the US and keep your cross country road trip costs down.

Whether you want to do it cheaper than I did or splurge a bit more as you travel, there are always ways to cut your expenses and focus your spending on what matters most to you. That’s the secret to budget travel: knowing where to save your money and knowing when to spend your money. When you master that, you master travel!

Here’s how to cut your road trip costs without cutting into your experience:

parking near where you need to be.

Noelle One site that I really like is Roadtrippers

because you can kind of plan as you go along.

Also, a little bit more expensive than camping or couchsurfing, a mobile app for last minute

hotel rooms. Splunkett5 will get you $25 your

How to Save on Accommodation This will be your biggest fixed cost on your road trip, and lowering it will do the most to lower your overall expenses. Luckily, you have plenty of options: Couchsurf— Couchsurfing is a service that allows you to stay for free with locals. Using this website or similar ones is the best way to lower accommodation costs, as you can’t get cheaper than free. More than that, it’s a wonderful way to meet locals and find off-the-beaten-track stuff to do in the area you’re visiting. The site is a double win: you meet cool people and save money at the same time! I Couchsurfed in Richmond, Napa, Reno, Phoenix, and a few other cities. Overall, while I could have done better, I didn’t do too bad and am happy with how much I spent. There are so many hosts across the United States, you’ll rarely find problems finding someone to put you up. Second, once you leave the big cities, prices for everything drop by nearly half.

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first booking and there’s coupons!

Sam Traveling the across the states on a $50 or

less is definitely possible. If you take Megabus you can sometimes get $1 tickets from city

to city. If you take advantage of them you can travel the US on way less than $50 a day.

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Use Airbnb— A more comfortable alternative to the cheap hotels listed above, Airbnb is a service that lets you stay in people’s homes and apartments. It’s far cozier than any hotel! You can find a lot of single rooms as well as shared spaces for $30–40 per night. I used this option a lot on my road trip. The prices are affordable, you’re staying in a nice house, you have access to a kitchen, and you get to meet cool people.

Stay in cheap hotels— When you can’t find a Couchsurf or Airbnb to use at the last minute, there is a plethora of cheap roadside hotels such as Motel 6 and Super 8 to the rescue. Rooms start around $40 a night, but including tax, they work out to be $60 on average. Rooms are basic and always look well worn. You’ll get a bed, bathroom, TV, tiny closet, and maybe a desk. They are nothing to write home about, but for a quiet place to sleep for a night, they do the trick. Tip: Even if you’re traveling with someone, always say the room is for one person, as these hotels charge you more for two people.

Hotel points— Be sure to sign up for hotel credit cards before you go and use those points when you travel. You can get upwards of 70,000 points as a sign-up bonus, which can translate into a week’s worth of accommodations. The points came in handy in places where I couldn’t find an Airbnb, hostel, or Couchsurfing host. This saved my butt in big cities around the country. I was glad I had accrued so many hotel points before my trip. Be aware that most hotels in big cities charge parking fees if you have a car, and adjust your budget accordingly. (To learn how to get lots of how to get lots of hotel points, read this post.)

Hostels — There aren’t many hostels in the United States, and most of them are overpriced.

A dorm room typically costs around $30 a night, which means you can obtain a similar private room on Airbnb at the same price. If you are traveling with others, it’s often more economical to get a budget hotel than a bunch of dorm beds. However, if you are traveling solo and want to meet others, the social benefits may outweigh the lack of value.

There were just some times I didn’t want to be alone. Some hostels I loved: Sweat Peas (Asheville, NC), South Beach Hostel(Miami), India House (New Orleans), Jazz Hostels (NYC), International

“My recommendations for keeping prices down: Try to Couchsurf as often as possible, use Airbnb or hotel points in major cities, stay in hostels when you want a good social scene, and camp at the national parks.”

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House (San Diego), and The Green Tortoise (San Francisco and Seattle).

Camping— Around all the national parks are inexpensive campsites, so if you have a camper or gear, my recommendation is to camp when visiting the parks. Campsites are between $10-30 per night.

Additionally, you can find a TON of RV parks and campgrounds around the national country via the company KOA for $20–30 per night. Moreover, check out the sharing economy website, Camp in My Garden, where you can camp in people’s backyards for a small fee. My recommendations for keeping prices down: Try to Couchsurf as often as possible, use Airbnb or hotel points in major cities, stay in hostels when you want a good social scene, and camp at the national parks.

How to Save on Food Cook your own meals and avoid expensive meals and restaurants as much as possible. If you are looking to find cheap food, use Yelp! Ask people on websites like Couchsurfing, or inquire at the desks at hostels. Avoid Whole Foods. Avoid trying to eat sushi like me everywhere! Don’t feed your Starbucks addiction and cook often. Food in the United States is very affordable and there’s no travel hacking ninja techniques to help here. Simple cook, save, and be happy.

How to Save on Sightseeing There are three ways to lower your costs: A National Parks pass—For $80, you can purchase an annual National Parks pass that provides access to all 59 national parks (as well as any other recreation areas administered by the National Park Service). Cook your own meals and avoid expensive meals and restaurants as much as possible. If you are looking to find cheap food, use Yelp! You can’t travel across the country without stopping at many of the national parks, especially as you get out west. Though there are a lot of options, I highly recommend Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Redwood National Park, Zion, and the Grand Tetons.

City tourism cards—City tourism cards allow you to see a large number of attractions (and often include free public transportation) for one low price, usually $30–40. They provide free access to museums, reduced access to attractions, and restaurant discounts. They can be purchased at tourism information centers or online before.

Coupons—There aren’t many hostels in the United States, and most of them are overpriced.

A dorm room typically costs around $30 a night, which means you can obtain a similar private room on Airbnb at the same price. However, if you are alone, the benefits may outweigh the lack of value.

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How to Save on Transportation Getting from point A to B in the U.S. isn’t always easy, as our infrastructure isn’t that robust. (I wish we had a national rail system!) Sadly, to really see the country, a car is a must. We have few non-car options outside the major cities, and besides organized tours, it’s hard to get around the countryside and to the national parks.

If you aren’t on a road trip and still looking to travel America, here’s how to do: Hitchhike—This isn’t something I did on my trip, as I had a car, but it’s very doable (and relatively safe). Here’s a post by my friend Matt who hitchhiked across the United States explaining how to do so and come out alive.

Rideshare—Taking on riders can be a way to lower your costs. On my first trip across the U.S., I offered rides to people I met in hostels. On this trip, I had friends and readers join me along the way. You can post ads on Craigslist and Gumtree and at hostels to find riders. This not only makes the trip more enjoyable but lowers your gas costs.

Or if you are a rider, you can use the same services to find rides to get you places.

Get a car—You can buy cheap used cars from car dealers or owners on Craigslist. There are lots of listings, and you can resell the car at the end of your trip to recoup some of your initial purchase cost. While this is easy in other countries, it’s hard to do in the United States, so remember a couple of key points: You’ll need a U.S. address for registration documents to get sent to. I would use a hostel or hotel address and then set up a forwarding address with the Post Office.

You’ll have to buy car insurance, which can greatly add to the costs of your trip.

Miscellaneous Tips for Your Trip Across the States The highways are filled with junk food restaurants.

I’m not proud to say I ate at Subway a lot on my trip. Stock up on sandwiches at grocery stores to avoid having to choose between Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Subway.

When you can’t find a Couchsurf or Airbnb to use at the last minute, there is a plethora of cheap roadside hotels such as Motel 6 and Super 8 to the rescue. Rooms start around $40 a night, but including tax, they work out to be $60 on average.

Rooms are basic and always look well worn. You’ll get a bed, bathroom, TV, tiny closet, and maybe a desk. The points came in handy in places where I couldn’t find an Airbnb, hostel, or Couchsurfing host. This saved my butt in big cities around the country. I was glad I had accrued so many hotel points before my trip. Ask people on websites like

“Don’t let the U.S. fool you– it’s one of the cheapest Western destinations in the world!”

Couchsurfing, or inquire at the desks at hostels.

Avoid Whole Foods. Avoid trying to eat sushi like me everywhere! Parking costs add up. I didn’t really find a super awesome way to lower parking costs when I was in major cities overnight, but if you have suggestions, leave them in the comments.

Take a metal water bottle to refill along the way.

Don’t let the U.S. fool you– it’s one of the cheapest Western destinations in the world! A road trip across the United States is a fun way to see a lot of diverse landscapes, experience different cultures, and meet interesting people. Traveling America isn’t very expensive once you are outside the big cities and you can easily travel the country on a budget by using the advice in this article.

Note: I actually don’t drink coffee. I’m just hooked on their iced green tea lemonade!

Book Your Trip to the USA: Logistical Tips and Tricks Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guest houses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years.

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too! Around all the national parks are inexpensive campsites, so if you have a camper or gear, my recommendation is to camp when visiting the parks. Campsites are between $10-30 per night.

Additionally, you can find a TON of RV parks and campgrounds around the national country via the company KOA for $20–30 per night.

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