Driving and flying around the states in 3 months!
#1
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Driving and flying around the states in 3 months!
Hi everyone,
Me and my partner are wanting to do a 3 month trip of the states. Our main area of interest ATM is the south. Especially Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida! As well as the rest. Our aim is to travel All of America. We're not so much interested in the west coast but we are interested in North West, Central and North East! We are essentially wanting to drive most of it but fly also when needed.
What we are wondering and hoping for is to get some info or even if anyone else has done the whole lot in one hit if we can get some advice and ideas! Lots of ideas and places to eat places to see etc
We are from Australia and both in the navy, and craving something different, a long holiday. We love the outdoors, music, food, my partner loves anything to do with sports I love history and culture, I badly want to go to small towns in the south and do lots of hiking and see beautiful scenery.
I am a passionate horse rider and would love to know some great places for trail riding! Beach rides or mountain rides anything at all.
We were looking at camping as well as staying in b&b's and hotel/motel.
So basically What we are wondering and hoping for is to get some info or even if anyone else has done the whole lot in one hit if we can get some advice and ideas! Lots of ideas and places to eat places to see etc
We have travelled a lot but never like this!
Me and my partner are wanting to do a 3 month trip of the states. Our main area of interest ATM is the south. Especially Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida! As well as the rest. Our aim is to travel All of America. We're not so much interested in the west coast but we are interested in North West, Central and North East! We are essentially wanting to drive most of it but fly also when needed.
What we are wondering and hoping for is to get some info or even if anyone else has done the whole lot in one hit if we can get some advice and ideas! Lots of ideas and places to eat places to see etc
We are from Australia and both in the navy, and craving something different, a long holiday. We love the outdoors, music, food, my partner loves anything to do with sports I love history and culture, I badly want to go to small towns in the south and do lots of hiking and see beautiful scenery.
I am a passionate horse rider and would love to know some great places for trail riding! Beach rides or mountain rides anything at all.
We were looking at camping as well as staying in b&b's and hotel/motel.
So basically What we are wondering and hoping for is to get some info or even if anyone else has done the whole lot in one hit if we can get some advice and ideas! Lots of ideas and places to eat places to see etc
We have travelled a lot but never like this!
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Well in 3 months there is no way you can see the entire country.
You can see quite a bit of one area - but should consider time of year carefully - since the weather in the south is VERY hot and humid in the summer. Spring or fall is much better for that part of the country.
As for riding - don't know if you want English or western - you will find mostly the latter in a lot of parts of the country. And you need to pick carefully or you can get places that are mostly "dude ranch" which is primarily novices and very boring short distance walks on horses that are like sofas. For serious riders that want to do more challenging rides you will need to search carefully.
You can see quite a bit of one area - but should consider time of year carefully - since the weather in the south is VERY hot and humid in the summer. Spring or fall is much better for that part of the country.
As for riding - don't know if you want English or western - you will find mostly the latter in a lot of parts of the country. And you need to pick carefully or you can get places that are mostly "dude ranch" which is primarily novices and very boring short distance walks on horses that are like sofas. For serious riders that want to do more challenging rides you will need to search carefully.
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You don't say which 3 months of the year you want to travel, but the south will be VERY HOT AND HUMID in the months of June - September. However, the upper east will have milder temperatures, but may be a little humid.
The northeastern states are smaller and more concentrated - easier/quicker to get around -- the south is more spread out thereby more driving.
The northeastern states are smaller and more concentrated - easier/quicker to get around -- the south is more spread out thereby more driving.
#5
My plan: Use any, all or none of it as you see fit.
Fly into LAX. Spend 1 or 2 days there recovering from jet lag.
Leave at 10 PM from Los Angeles Union Station on the Sunset Limited train (3 days/week). Ride to Tucson AZ arriving in the morning. Rent a car and drive north to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. Ride a mule down into the canyon. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/mule_trips.htm
There is also an opportunity to ride a horse on National Forest (scroll down).
See Sedona on the way back to Tucson to turn in the car.
Take the Sunset Limited east to San Antonio Texas. Rent another car. See what you want to see in Texas before heading for New Orleans. Keep the rental car for the trip across the south and into Florida. Leaving Florida, head north through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina (Outer Banks?) and into Virginia.
Do you have an interest in seeing Washington DC or Philadelphia before going into New York?
I would keep the car rented in San Antonio for about 28 days but return it where you rented it. Fly from San Antonio to another part of the US that you want to see. Rent another car from wherever that may be.
My thought is that the best time to start the 3 months would be the second week of September returning to Australia the first or second week of December.
Fly into LAX. Spend 1 or 2 days there recovering from jet lag.
Leave at 10 PM from Los Angeles Union Station on the Sunset Limited train (3 days/week). Ride to Tucson AZ arriving in the morning. Rent a car and drive north to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. Ride a mule down into the canyon. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/mule_trips.htm
There is also an opportunity to ride a horse on National Forest (scroll down).
See Sedona on the way back to Tucson to turn in the car.
Take the Sunset Limited east to San Antonio Texas. Rent another car. See what you want to see in Texas before heading for New Orleans. Keep the rental car for the trip across the south and into Florida. Leaving Florida, head north through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina (Outer Banks?) and into Virginia.
Do you have an interest in seeing Washington DC or Philadelphia before going into New York?
I would keep the car rented in San Antonio for about 28 days but return it where you rented it. Fly from San Antonio to another part of the US that you want to see. Rent another car from wherever that may be.
My thought is that the best time to start the 3 months would be the second week of September returning to Australia the first or second week of December.
#7
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Wow, what a great adventure. You have some seriously fun research to do!
Tom has some great suggestions, and I agree September is a great time of year to start. You could also start in the northwest, maybe Portland or Seattle, where you will find great hiking opportunities. You might enjoy camping in the National Parks, including Yellowstone (my favorite) and Grand Canyon. Be sure to reserve campsites ahead of time.
Looking forward to hearing your plans!
Tom has some great suggestions, and I agree September is a great time of year to start. You could also start in the northwest, maybe Portland or Seattle, where you will find great hiking opportunities. You might enjoy camping in the National Parks, including Yellowstone (my favorite) and Grand Canyon. Be sure to reserve campsites ahead of time.
Looking forward to hearing your plans!