Are you taking a road trip this summer?

Hi Katie,

We are taking a road trip this year; we feel we can face the gas prices because we are not going to Europe and facing the Euro! My Saab gets 32 to 35 mpg on the highway, so it is not too bad.

Our trip will take us from Seattle to Yosemite, via Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and Mono Lake on the east side of the Sierras. We are camping and hiking in Yosemite---one reason for the raod trip instead of flying down, as we need to carry our camping gear.

On the return we may head over to San Francisco and then drive up the California coast on Highway 1; then back over to connect to I-5 and home the fast way.

We're traveling from CLT to Amelia Island (about 6 hours) since our Maine trip went out the window w/the demise of Skybus. We have two small children, I never drive any further than that...lol

We're driving places, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "road trips" in the traditional sense. We're driving to LA this weekend (from SF), but we're not sightseeing, just driving because under the circumstances it seemed easier than flying (daughter has a broken ankle and can't yet walk on it). We'll drive up to Tahoe a few times. But our big trips this year will be Egypt and/or Australia and/or Ecuador.

Might I add, for me anyway, that Spring & Fall = road trips also. I love them!

We are going to the Ashland Shakespeare festival this summer and adding 3 days on each side of our week in Ashland for more backroad adventure. We are leaving from Reno, going through Sacramento, over to Humboldt in Northern CA and then approaching Ashland from the coast. On return trip, we are heading over to Bend, OR which will include a tour of some of Oregon's covered bridges. We're returning to Reno via Highway 395 before going home to Sacto.

In August we have a family wedding in Southern CA. Every other family member from Northern CA is flying except me and DH. We are, of course, driving and adding extra time to hangout, going over to Havasu before returning home.

Then in September we are driving from Sacramento to Yellowstone and the Tetons. Again going into Yellowstone one way via Idaho and coming home another route through Jackson Hole, driving down to Salt Lake City and then probably I-80 west back to Sacto.

No Europe or dealing with horrible exchange rates until maybe 2009.

We just drove 2300 miles from MO to GA via TN, and spent $260 on gas. We figured we got close to 35 mpg in our older Camry. We also spent $465 on hotels for the nights we weren't guests in relatives' homes. the main point of the trip was to visit friends and family, not just the journey itself, but driving was the only way to get to all the places we needed to go.

We've done a roadtrip every summer for the past 14 years just for the journey each time. We were hoping to drive US 41 from Copper Harbor to Miami Beach this summer, but unfortunately can't quite afford it so it will have to wait until next year. We'll drive US 44 instead in a few weeks from Plymouth to Kerhonkson (since it's a wee bit shorter) just to see what's along the way, but mostly we're just saving up for the 2-week drive next year.

We have two children too (4 & 7), but since they've been doing week-plus long trips since they were infants, they think nothing of driving 6-hours a day for a week or more, and they've gotten to see and do all kinds of neat stuff. Going where the road takes you can show you all kinds of interesting things you normally wouldn't dream of visiting.

We are driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway with stops and then back up the coast to Virginia over to Lancaster, PA and home to Vermont. We ride a Honda Goldwing and pull a trailer... 45 mpg.

We've done a road trip every year for the last 35 years and we don't consider it a road trip unless we leave the state of California

DH retired so we will be doing more road trips in our motorhome. We've already done one in February to Zion for 2 weeks and another two weeks in April to S. California for a wedding, wildflowers and Death Valley. Might do one to N. California in August, but the big one will be in the Fall when we head out for 6 weeks. Haven't decided where yet, but we will probably include Utah.

Utahtea

We are going to be spending two months (September and October) doing a long awaited Dream Road Trip of the U.S. West, starting from Vancouver Island, Canada and including Route 66 AND the Pacific Coast Highway, 10 states and every gorgeous national park in between. We will be travelling in a camper van and though we are gulping daily with the news of gas hikes - heck - at least the Canadian loonie is looking good versus the U.S. dollar!And you are right, Katie - we are doing it for the sake of the journey!

This is when it's great to live in New England where there is so much to see and do within a day's drive. Our roadtrips are usually less than 7 hours long to our destination. Our son and DIL replaced their aging 3/4 ton Suburban with a minivan. The Burb was drinking $200/week in gas just commuting and doing errands. We've done some wonderful long road trips in the past but a I doubt if we'll do a cross country trip again although my husband would like to ramble around PEI and Nova Scotia again.

We are "Road Trippin" in August to Central Coast Calif..someplace we have over the years drove thru but never really explored. Our thoughts were earlier this year taht driving would be les than airline ticket..not so sure now..but by teh time you add up airline tickets, rental car and hotels..we think we may still come out ahead..
Foderites have been so helpful in planning.
Staying 1st night in Oxnard DH sister has just moved aboard her 37 ft sailboat to save money...
2-5 at Shell Bch and last 3 nights Morro BAy.
We paln to go to Farmers markets visit San Luis Obisbo and hike or just watch teh PAcific Ocean..

Yeah, still planning to fly to idaho falls and doing a road trip from there to south dakota through yellowstone.

i know gas prices have gone up but to park lovers like us, there's not much of a choice. we'll opt for an economy car though, vs a convertible or an SUV, definitely, but the trip is still on!

Oh, I also wanted to add that we just did a "road trip" to New Orleans from Houston. With 4 in the car, I think it was money well spent on gas vs flying.

We also just took a road trip from Ohio to New Orleans taking the Blues Highway 61 from the top of Mississippi to the bottom. Going home we took the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN. Drove a total of 2240 miles and averaged 40-43 mpg in our Civic.

This summer we'll be driving to Ontario (600 miles round trip) and hopefully to Cumberland Lake, KY.

We're taking a short road trip to Lake Ouachita and Hot Springs, Arkansas. It will only be a four hour drive thank goodness.

Yes we are, but not like the past eleven summers, and we're not going west this time

We did 11 out west road trips, of 3-4 weeks each, the last 11 summers. We'd drive between 5 - 7,000 miles each trip. I posted 3-4 trip reports about them here on fodors, since so many fabulous fodorites helped me plan what were ALL trips of a lifetime!

Many summers, even as recently as the last few years, we'd be shocked but understood when gas was around $3.25 - $3.50 in death valley, and near sequoia, yosemite and the PNW nat'l parks. It was a bit more than that last summer near the parks, too.
And as much as i still want to believe in the motto, 'You can make more money, but you can't make more time' - its really getting tough these days

This is not for the sake of the journey and for me a 10-hour (500 mile) trip is a significant distance since our only car racks up no more than 4000 miles a year.

To Orr, Minnesota to see the Vince Shute Black Bear Sanctuary

Maybe the roads will be less crowded and people will slow down a little to conserve gas. Wishful thinking.

My DH and I are doing a road trip this summer. His HS class is having a mini-reunion in Monterey, Ca. and we are driving from Houston. After Monterey we are going to SF, wine country and Reno. I know it is going to be expensive but I would rather drive than fly. You can see more. We are still debating about the car to take. Tahoe would be more expensive, but safer and more comfortable. Toyota Corrolla would be a lot less expensive, but not comfortable and less safe. Hard decision. Also have noticed that hotels in Ca. are a lot more expensive in August. We will leave around 24th of July and be back around 16th of Aug. as I have to be back at school on 18th.

Mr. Pickle can't take off during the summer, so we did a road trip from New Mexico to Denver over Memorial Day weekend.

We'll drive out to California in the fall to visit my dad and brother. The last couple of times we incorporated other stops on the way there or back - Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, San Francisco, Monterey - but I'm not sure what we will include this year.

Lee Ann

Utahtea waves to ellen_griswold

We were in Death Valley in April and gas was up to $4.50 when it was only $3.60 at home...I can't imagine what the price is in Death Valley now that gas is reaching almost $4.50 in my area.

Utahtea

Summer = road trips

We will be a little late starting the road trip this year due to health issues. Its much to hot to stay in Florida all summer long.
We plan visiting family and friends in NC, TN, VA, and OH prior to heading west to IA. From that starting point have not decided but will most likely visit the Black Hills Area (again) and if time permits on to our favorite, Yellowstone. No camping this year the due to the health issues but it will still be the same Yellowstone, there is always next year to pitch the tent.
We don't consider the extra $1.00 or so a gal increase in gas that much of a hindrance. It will only add $4-500 or so to the entire trip. Not much considering the overall costs from years past. We will be staying off the Interstate as much as possible. To us getting there is half the fun.. Lodging costs less in the smaller towns of Mid America and the West.

We live in Venice, Florida and our summer house is in Long BEach, WA. This will be our third cross country trip. Unfortunately business here in Florida is delaying our start this year so we will be in a hurry to go cross country (minimum distance 3260 miles as I recall)and we won't be doing as much sight seeing as we would like. Our goal is to see all the National Parks, so we always try to include those in our route if we can. Every one of them is amazing. Interestingly it seems that Europeans are keener on visiting them than we Americans are. We have traveled extensively all over the world and I started meeting Europeans who had seen more of the US than I had. With the US dollar as weak as it is right now, I can not for the life of me understand why anyone would go to Europe this summer. Gas may be high, but so is jet fuel and so is everything in Europe. Stay in the US! Help our economy! Lord knows it needs it! Use the internet to order travel books from your home state and surrounding states. Read thru them and look at the pictures and enjoy all that this great country has to offer.

Hi Katie - thanks for asking. Yes, we are planning a 3 week long road trip in late September from Pittsburgh to New Mexico - probably taking a more southern route out west and a more northern route back.

I'm excited by the Route 66 article featured on Fodors this week.

We are just going to have to grit our teeth and pay the gas price. We are conserving in other ways, in the meantime, forgoing some short weekend trips we would have otherwise taken and thinking twice before running to the store for just one or two items.

Yes, flying to Chicago for 4 days then driving to Milwaukee and then Minneaolis. 4 baseball games.

Still trying to figure out how to limit the driving.

We've just returned from 3000 miles(!!) through Arizona and New Mexico. After driving Route 66 in 2002 we wanted to explore these two state more, and given the dollar-euro rates we decided now was as good a time as any. Ok petrol was more than last time but still a lot cheaper than in The Netherlands. We avoided the Interstates as much as possible and stuck to scenic byways and other two lane roads.
Anyone inspired to drive Route 66 - do it! Make sure you have good maps and a clear description of the route too. Take your time over it and really get to see places along the way. We drove it in 2 and half weeks, with chill out time in Ca at the end, but if we did it again (and we'd love to) we would take longer over it.
PCH is next on the list though - maybe next year?

Fewer than last year and shorter distances. In May I did my annual trek up to the Bay Area, barely avoiding $4/gallon. About $50 to fill up the tank, and now it's probably $60. And I have a small, fairly fuel efficient car.

It's more likely that I will combine shorter trips, and fly to a city like Chicago or Montreal where I wouldn't need to rent a car.

Katie_H

Just did ours: 800+ miles from BWI airport to Old Rag Mountain, Charlottesville, and Lexington, Virginia; then to Fayetteville, West Virginia for whitewater rafting, and on to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia and Antietam battlefield in Maryland before returing to BWI. Started our trip report here:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1&tid=35136330

my husband and i just got back from driving route 66 -- we started in joplin MO and drove the route to Flagstaff AZ. It was wonderful!

Just got back from a road trip from Tennessee to the Outer Banks, then I'm driving to Wisconsin in July and to Arkansas some other time this summer. You just budget for it and go on. But we are driving less locally, running fewer errands or combining trips.

My husband, myself and our 3 sons are leaving in 3 days driving from Sacramento to the Grand Canyon, on to Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Las Vegas, and home again in 12 days. It's 2100 miles total. Wanted to do a cross-country road trip, but DH can only take off 2 weeks, so we came up with this idea. Then the price of gas went up. We're going to appreciate it even more, knowing "road trips" could become a thing of the past.

We've just returned from 8000 miles trip across the country and getting ready for a road trip to Alaska. Actually we are driving one way then taking the Alaska ferry.

There is no way we would cancel our trip which we planned for so long. We're adjusting our traveling habits though. Staying in hotels where breakfasts are included in a room rate. Booked a number of our accommodations in cabins/inns/hotels with kitchen facilities. We always enjoy going to local markets, especially farmer's market to get fresh ingredients and then make our own meals. We eat plenty of salads so making own dinner while on the road is not too complicated. Staying for a few nights in each place whenever and wherever possible. We always take our picnic lunches with us so nothing changes here. This new year's resolution was to eat out less once we are at home. We don't buy coffee at Starbucks. We saved so far around $1400.00 hence it should be enough to cover any additional cost of higher gas and food prices.

RedRock, please take care of yourself. I'm new to this board but I read many of your recent posts and newbies like me need you here.

Thank you for being concerned.

It sounds like you travel and eat as we do while on the road.. We don't buy coffee either. We have two pots we drag along. One electric for motel use and one we use with a one burner gas stove that comes in handy while camping or picnicking..Happy Motoring..

I thought of taking a driving trip from Santa Fe to Denver, but with the cost of gas now, I will defer it. I just can't justify using that gas on a whim. I just can't do it. I use enough gas necessarily.

It's been a LONG time since I've seen an RV on the road? Anyone else?

Yeah, the 15 in a row I passed on my way to Baltimore 2 weeks ago. It was at that point I realized that NASCAR was in Dover that weekend.

We'll go to the OBX twice this year (about 300 miles from home) as well as to Williamsburg (separate trip) and possibly to northern New England this Fall..all by car.

We'll probably cut down on the short weekend trips we take in the RV, but the price of gas won't stop of from going on long trips when we can spend a month or so on the road. We have a tow vehicle that we put almost as many miles on as the RV so that's a big savings. When you are spending 6 weeks on the road, it's cheaper to pay for gas than hotels and eating out!

Utahtea

Hi Katie,

I'm in the middle of one as we speak. I spent about a week going through Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton NP's.

Now, I'm in eastern Kansas getting ready to follow the Santa Fe Trail from Council Grove to Santa Fe along the Bent's Fort route.

Gas has cost as little as $3.85 (here in Salina, KS) and as much as $4.60 in the West Yellowstone area.

Utahtea waves to dwooddon,

Have a good trip!

Utahtea

Yes we will be leaving Northern Cal Sunday for North Platte Ne. Then back to Denver for a week of girls softball. Back home then off to Seattle
for more ball. Hope to finish softball in Okla City. Then for Labor Day flying to New Jersey for collage football. Just trying to keep up with grand kids while I am still able to enjoy it.

DC to visit son, NC to visit colleges and family, VA get-together w/ college friends-all short trips. South Dakota to visit Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Jewel/Wind caves, Devils Tower, Cody, and Red Lodge so should rack up some mileage there. Niagara Falls, Toronto, and Letchworth State Park should round up summer travels.

We had to cancel our April trip to The Netherlands due to DW unexpected surgery.

When she is comfortable enough to travel we will head for Virginia Beach and then the Virginia part of the DelMarVa Peninsula visiting the small towns there.

Other then that, there are many day trips we can make here in the Shenandoah Valley.

Dwooddon waves back to Utahtea and all my buds.

Love hearing about everyone's road trips! Just took a little jaunt where we spotted gas at $4.49 in Westport, NY - OUCH.

Hi to you too, Utahtea & dwooddon! When are we doing a G2G in southern utah?!

I'm ready for that GTG Ellen. Let me know when.

I'm back from my trip - 3,899 miles and I had a great time. I'll try and get some photos up on WorldisRound in the next few days to serves as a trip report.

To answer Katies inferred questions about fuel costs, on this trip, the least expensive tank I purchased was $3.73/gal in Dodge City, KS. the most expensive was $4.31/gal in west Yellowstone, MT. I saw gas there more expensive but avoided it. The overall average for all the gas I purchased on this trip was $4.00/gal.

As a retired cop, I've had to say many times,"it's time to get out of Dodge!". For the first time, I was able to say it and mean it literally.

My husband and I will be driving from Asheville, NC through the Great Smoky Mountains to Nashville. From there, we plan to spend some time at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky (and possibly Louisville or Lexington), and return home stopping in the Cumberland Gap area on the way. We feel that gas prices are going to do nothing but go up, and we refuse to just give in and stay home. We'll save money in other ways- taking some food with us, and camping part of the time.

We love road trips, too. Once my youngest was 4 and became patient enough to sit in the car I was off with the kids. We love going form Northern Calif. up hwy 395 to Washington State. Lots of great geology. We've also flown up to Seattle and done a British Columbia road trip from there. BC is amazing!

This year its the Calif Central Coast for us. TIme to experience som of our own state.

Suz24,

We trained our kids at a young age for road trips...first born was 7 months when he went on his first road trip..and the second born was 6 months. Even after the older one was out of the house, he came with us on a road trip.

Utahtea

We just returned from a great trip (only 4 hours) to the Laguna Beach area. We spent time surfing in San Clemente and enjoyed our time in Dana Point, Newport (loved Fashion Island!) and Huntington Beach.

Soon we will be packing our bags for time on the Oregon Coast in Seaside at our beach cottage where we will spend the majority of the summer! ***kim***

We have our holiday in US just so we can have a 'road trip' because here in England gas is equivalent to nearly $10 a gallon!!!

Wow ~ I love reading about everyone's trips.

We are taking a road trip too. We will drive from Texas to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL this weekend.
As I take a closer look at the route, I have to battle the urge to stop too many places along the way (not enough time). That said, we will make time to stop in New Orleans for a brief stay. We are just passing too close to it and can't resist - we've never been.

Happy traveling everyone!

I've been waiting to take a long road trip since the day I got my license 17 years ago. This is the year I can finally do it! I am refusing to be hindered by the gas prices.

We're driving from the seacoast of NH down to Memphis, TN the first two weeks in August. We're going to cruise Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Highway through VA, then head into the Smokies to camp for a few days, then, finally make our way to Memphis.
On the way home, we'll stop in Nashville for the night, too- to round out our Tennessee experience.

I just can't see letting the gas prices be my excuse for not enjoying my summer vacation. Should be a lengthy, but gorgeous and fun trip.
I can't wait!

Yes, taking two. The first is a two week road trip with my cousin that will take us to S.Dakota, Wyoming, Montana,N.Dakota. The main thrust of this trip is to go on the Lolo Highway in Montana and Idaho. Apparently it is a one lane dirt tract about 80 miles long that follows the Lewis and Clark expediton.
The second trip is another two weeker with my wife. We will fly into Boise, Idaho and then tour Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

We are still planning our road trip from Texas to Monterey, Ca. Will be leaving 7/28. Just returned to a short trip to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in our Toyota and we will definitely be taking the Tahoe to Ca. There is no way I would go to Ca. in the Toyota not enough room!!

Just returned Saturday from a 2500-mile trip with my dad. The two of us traveled from East Tennessee through Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana (had a REALLY BAD interstate motel there, ack), Illinois, with a stop in Wisconsin. Then it was to Iowa for two more nights for a race at Iowa Speedway. Then a jaunt down to his sister's on Grand Lake in Oklahoma, stopping for lunch at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City. Three nights in Oklahoma, then headed home through Missouri and down across US 60 through Cairo, Ill., and bunking down in Metropolis, Ill., for the night. Played a few hours in the casino there and visited Superman before heading home through Bolling Green, Ky., the Cumberland Gap, and finally back to Dad's in Virginia.

Our favorite find was the Fenelon Place Eleavator (incline) in Dubuque, Iowa. And also the Jefferson Davis Monument in Kentucky. It looks JUST LIKE the Washington Monument, except it's in the middle of nowhere, Kentucky, and rises above the landscape. You can see it for at least five miles, probably more.

Cheapest gas we saw was $3.52 in Missouri and $4.25 in the Middle of Nowhere, Illinois (along I-39).

I am not going on a "summer road trip". However, in October I do plan to drive from Chicago to Crossville TN to visit my Dad.

DH & I plan on spending 2 days in Bowling Green, KY to see the Corvette plant & museum & visit Mammoth Cave. The we'll continue on to TN & spend 2 - 3 days with my Dad. Then we'll drive back home.