FrancescoT

Hello everyone,

my wife (Japanese) and I (Italian) are planning our honeymoon in the US this August.
We have about 3 weeks to make it by car from Boston to San Francisco.

Can you please give us some tips?

We have no experience of driving in the US, or staying at motel. Is that easy to find a place to stay? We know August is hot and more expensive, but it's the only time we have!
Also, is there something that you strongly recommend to avoid?

This is our general idea:

- day 1: arrival in Boston, pick-up the car rented at National; have a walk and stay in Boston

- day 2: maybe a short trip to Cape Cod (but we heard it can be very crowded, isn'it?); stay somewhere in the middle between Boston and Washington (we're not going to NYC because we have already been there)

- day 3: arrival in Washington, walk around National Mall

- day 4: Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah N.P., the Appalachians, heading South-West

- day 5: as above, until we arrive to Great Smoky N.P. and enter Tennesse (we start to follow the I-40, more or less)

- day 6: to Nashville

- day 7: to Memphis

- day 8: somewhere in the middle of Arkansas

- day 9: from Arkasas to Oklahoma City (start to follow Route 66, on and off from I-40)

- day 10: to Amarillo

- day 11: to Albuquerque (is it worth it? I liked Breaking Bad, but...) and Santa Fe

- day 12: from Santa Fe we go the native places (Mesa Verde?), four corners, and find a place for the night (will we find it or we'll be in the middle of nothing?)

- day 13: to Monument Valley (just passing through, going to Kayenta) and to Grand Canyon (we preferred to visit the south rim, even though more touristic), stay there somewhere for the night

- day 14: to Las Vegas (ok, we know it but once we are there...maybe we'll get married again, after having became rich at Casino ;-)

- day 15: cross the desert (dangerous?) to Los Angeles (I have no real idea if we'll respect this plan; will we find a place to stay in Santa Monica/Venice Beach? I am a great fan of the Doors) - where is the famous sight at night from the hills where you can see LA and all its lights?

- day 16: start going North-bound following the beautiful highway on the coast

- day 17: as above (best part around Big Sur, right?)

- day 18: arrival in San Francisco

We still have about 5 days to employ. Suggestions? Slow down all along the road and/or make deviations to visit Yosemite, Napa Valley, Sequoia (nice?)... other things?

We think it's better to stop 1 or 2 days somewhere during the trip, to recharge. Advices?

Thank you all very much in advance for your tips.

We'll also have to think about eating, sleeping, gps navigator, mobile phones... every kind of tips is very well accepted. Thank you very much.

Francesco

MmePerdu

Just in general, consider the distance and time you'd need if you drove the most direct route, which your plan above does not.

Google maps says from Logan Airport, Boston, to San Francisco is 3100 miles, 45 hours driving. So if you drove an average of 5 hours a day, that's approaching half your days just driving. Plus stops for food and gas and not considering stops to see anything along the way. I cannot imagine that, as planned now, you'll have time for the sightseeing you propose or that it'll be particularly satisfying.

I suggest you look at the same map and the route it shows and see how you can make your route more efficient or add more days. OR, my choice, see the East Coast locations then fly to California to see you first choice of locations there. August is not a good time to be crossing the deserts of the Southwest and I'd save those for a trip in the spring or fall.

MichelleY

I agree. Too much driving and too many one night stops. It will be a stressful honeymoon. You could easily spend the whole three weeks in California and still not see everything. The driving distances, particularly in the Western US are vast.

MichelleY

For example, Milan to Moscow is 28 hours of driving. 2,800 miles. This is even more time and distance.

lauramsgarden

In general I'll agree with the above comments - you can definitely cross the us in 5 days or so driving (both my husband and my son did so), but you will be tired and not get to see much. To answer some of your specific questions:

1. I'd skip Cape Cod - traffic will be awful and it will be crowded. There is so much to do in Boston, spend the extra time there.
2. Great place to stay between Boston and DC - Philadelphia (my former home) great restaurants and museums, much to see, beautiful countryside.
3. My son just did much of the route you describe so I will ask him to comment, but he said Memphis was a horribly dirty city and felt unsafe to him. He loved Nashville, and stopped in Kentucky to see the Mammoth Caves. In general you can't go wrong visiting the national parks on the way - they are beautiful and well administered and you will see so much of our country that way.
4. We currently live in New Mexico so let me comment on that. Old town albuquerque is fun, and one of the oldest settlements in the US (caucasion that is). however, if you have the choice Santa Fe is probably nicer. We live in Farmington in the 4 corners area which is a 1 1/2 hrs from Mesa Verde and has a good smattering of hotels. You could also stay in Durango CO for that part of your trip. From Farmington to Monument Valley is about 2 1/2 hours.
5. Re finding hotels on the way - if you don't care much where you stay you can almost always find something, but given it is your honeymoon and you might want a little atmosphere you may want to research a bit first and make reservations - especially near attractions like the national parks. And yes, the cities will be hot, but the mountains and countryside are often lovely that time of year.

So glad you are visiting our country - I hope you have a lovely trip. Let me know if I can answer other questions about either Philadelphia/Pennsylvania or New Mexico/Arizona.

tomfuller

I agree with Laura-skip Cape Cod. Is your car rental all set up so you can't change it?
I would take 1 of many Amtrak trains per day from Boston South station to Philadelphia. The PHL station is within walking distance of many historic sites. Spend a night in Philadelphia and then take a train to Washington DC. You don't really want or need a car in Philadelphia or DC.
Rent the car in Washington to do the Blue Ridge Parkway and the rest of your trip as planned.
Get an early morning start out of Las Vegas for your trip across the Mojave desert. Gasoline is cheaper in Nevada than in California as a rule.

Shanti

I'm going to be blunt. That trip looks like torture. Much too much time driving. And days 6 though 10 look like you're stopping at places because they are somewhat along the way but you don't seem to have any interest in these places. So why not fly and concentrate on the places you do want to see?

Have you already bought your tickets and, if so, are you flying into Boston and out of San Francisco? I can't help you with the Boston part but I (and a couple of the above posters) could help you with the California part.

lauramsgarden

totally agree with Tom, Amtrak is fantastic and so easy to use to get up and down the East Coast - and Boston traffic can be a nightmare

cw

I'll comment on the Boston part. No need to pick up the car when you land if you're staying the night. Parking is expensive in Boston, so pick up your car when you leave. Taking the train is a good idea as well.

Going to the Cape on your way to Washington is really out of the way and doesn't give you enough time to properly explore. Newport, RI, is a good place to spend the night but it's only an hour+ from Boston so it isn't a good midway stop.

I love that you're exploring the US. There are lots of motel chains near the highways. You may want to pick one and sign up for their preferred customer program.

gail

Do not rent the GPS the car company will offer you - they are usually $10-15/day and you can buy one for about $100.

Check with your cell phone carrier and find out how much service will be in US. You may find it cheaper to buy a Trac phone (sold at stores like Walmart) and load it with minutes. Do not travel without a cell phone of some kind - there are no phone booths anywhere these days.

Buy a cooler as well. Stock it with water, perhaps some lunches, snacks. It's nice to be able to have something to drink or something healthy to drink and not have to stop.

If you pick a chain like Hilton or Marriott, they have hotels in a wide range of prices. I would make reservations for the first few nights and then a day or 2 ahead while on the road - if you stay at one of these mega-chains, the front desk will be happy to make you a reservation for the next night at one of their hotels along your route.

When making a final itinerary, build in a day each week as flexible in case you discover you want to stay a night longer at someplace or discover a detour you want to make. Keeping to a rigid schedule for 3 weeks could make you feel trapped.

Do you know the final price of this car rental, with insurance? One-way car rentals are very expensive and non-US citizens are almost always required to buy insurance that can double the price you see on a webpage.

Have a good trip. I have always wanted to drive cross country.

Ackislander

You do not want a car in any East Coast city, and the drive from one to another is tedious and frustrating.

Cape Cod will not be terribly crowded after August 16, when many families with children have to return home to begin school. But instead of driving, take the ferry from Log Wharf to Provincetown and return for a day trip.

I have mixed feelings about using Amtrak trains between Boston and Philadelphia. If you were stopping in New York City, yes, absolutely. But it is a longish day to Philadelphia, and NONE of the historic sites is within convenient walking distance of 30th Street Station. You can fly cheaply in a quarter of the time it will take by train, then take the SEPTA rail shuttle to Center City. You SHOULD take the train to Washington, DC.

Beyond that, I would join everyone else in the suggestion that you sample America, exploring locally and regionally by car and flying between centers.

dwdvagamundo

If you decide to subject your new spouse to the above, it should not be difficult to find motel rooms in route nor should they be any more expensive because it's August--in fact, on most of your route, they should be cheaper. Download a free app called "Hotel Tonight" which starts putting up hotel rooms for sale around 2 or so in the afternoon, so you can get a room when you know you'll be there in four or so hours. Obviously most of these will not be "honeymoon suites"--but your trip does not look like a "honeymoon trip" except for someone like me and my spouse who like to drive.

I'm not going to try to discourage you from your vision, but like the idea of taking the train as far as DC. A car along this area is more of a hindrance than a help. Philadelphia is a good suggestion of a stop for you. Lots of history there.

Blue Ridge Parkway is very slow going. Could be even more that time of year. And when you get to the Smokies, it will be even slower--unless you plan to drive up US441 in the dead of nite, which might not be a good idea unless you're used to driving in the mountains. So plan on an extra day to reach I40. Not saying don't do it--this should be one of the loveliest parts of the trip. If you can find a nice place to stay, this may be stopping place for you.

I like Memphis and would visit there. It's dirty but many cities are. It is also a very interesting city if you are into music or civil rights. or BBQ.

I'll leave the west suggestions to those more familiar with the area.

Happy honeymoon.

rjasnumberonefan

I think your plan is great. You are (I'm assuming) young, in love and adventurous. Mapping out your trip is roughly 60hrs of driving. Even 70hrs spread out over 3wks is still under 4 hours a day. Sleep in and still get to places by noon with hours of daylight to enjoy. Driving the Blue Ridge and Smokies are lovely and a fine way to spend the day. Cuddle up and relax in the evenings and rest. Your plan allows for a day here and there if you get behind. I wouldn't add more. The only place I would feel you should book ahead lodging is in the Four Corners area. Cortez has some as well as Blanding, but it's more isolated than the other cities. Everywhere else will have plenty of hotels along the highway.
Oh, I almost forgot. I agree with waiting until Washington to get a car. The train is fine. Boston to Washington has a lot of big city traffic and tolls. Roads after that will give someone unfamiliar with our country no problem. Even those living here try to find a way around that stretch of highway while heading down the East Coast.

ElendilPickle

After driving from Amarillo, you won't have time to see much of anything in Albuquerque and Santa Fe that day.

If you want to see Breaking Bad filming locations, you could look into an ABQ Trolley tour http://www.abqtrolley.com/bad or just Google "Breaking Bad filming locations" and put together your own self-guided tour. Albuquerque is an easy city to drive in.

Santa Fe is lovely, and well worth at least a few hours of your time.

Lee Ann

FrancescoT

Hello Everybody,

after a long time I just wanted to say Thank you for all your comments, tips and suggestions.
It can be done! We did it!

We did this trip, more or less as I wrote it here months ago.
It was the most amazing spectacular and fantastic trip we've ever made.
Your country is a great country.

Finally we drove for 8.000 KM from Boston to San Francisco in 3 weeks and 3 days. We had time to rest, visit places and things, eat and sleep well, from low budget Motel to very nice Hotel.

We had a wide range of experience, met good people, collected wonderful memories...

... and came back home with a baby that will be born this May!

Thanks,
F. + N.

emalloy

Congratulations on completing the trip and on the new baby!

Did you visit any places that you want to come back and revisit?

Did you post pictures anywhere?

Thanks for the follow up.