converse

I'm driving from Atlanta to Los Angeles in March and hoping to avoid traditional and more costly hotels. I've found some good leads on monasteries & other artist/buddhist/meditation retreats in Mississippi, New Mexico and Arizona that offer rooms and meals. All are either donation based or around $40-$50/night.

Wondering if anyone knows of an app or a website that works with your route like freetrip.com, but instead of locating Best Westerns finds the monasteries, convents, zen retreats, wigwams, etc. Or perhaps someone here has done the coast to coast drive looking for hotel alternatives? Would love to hear ideas.

New here, hope I posted this in the correct place...Thanks for reading!

Ackislander

Questions like this have been asked before, so you aren't in the wrong place.

I personally don't know of a list but perhaps someone else will.

I would start by googling for monasteries, retreat houses, etc in the states on your route, then coming back here to ask for individual responses.

My question to you is whether this is a road trip where you are looking for experience or whether you are focused on the destination. I ask because the places I know of that are like what you describe are all
w-a-y off the beaten path and would take an inordinate amount of time from a trip but would be fine for a life journey.

cd

Determine your routes and then Google Hostels. Our son loves staying in hostels. He loves meeting all the different people staying there and being able to stop by a grocery store and cooking dinner. He also loves the prices.

jpie

I agree that hostels may be a good thing to start with at least.
www.hostelworld.com if a good place to research those. Otherwise I would have the same question as Ackislander-how important is staying on the main roads and a timetable?

clarkgriswold

If you're already set in Mississippi, Arizona and New Mexico then your hotel/motel nights should be just a few...watch for those $39 roadside motels instead of spending a lot of time researching and pre-booking. You may end up wanting to drive a couple of extra hours one day...why lock yourself into accomodations for the entire trip?

clarkgriswold

Are there really a lot of hostels between those two cities? And hostels that won't put you a half hour drive out of your way,back and forth?

jpie

depends on their route-for sure there are some in LA, AZ and New Mexico

tomfuller

The best hostels IMO are Hosteling International (HI).
Pick your route as some states don't have HI Hostels. LA has a couple as does San Diego.
The only hostel I know of in Albuquerque is the Route 66 Hostel (not HI) on Central Avenue (old rt. 66).
If this is a rental car I would suggest taking Amtrak for a solo trip. Crescent from Atlanta to New Orleans and Sunset Limited from NOL via Tucson to Los Angeles.

spirobulldog

There is great camping in Arkansas at many spots. Really, March is a great camping time all along your route(unless some sort of unusual cold front comes through). Most camping spots are %$10-$25 per night at National and State Parks.

converse

Thanks so much for your replies. I'm making this trip for a new job, but decided to use the drive out to have some experiences on a shoestring budget. Off the main roads is great if I can get to LA in about 7-10 days.

I've mapped out a version of an itinerary that seems pretty close to a direct route, 2,452 miles total. The only thing I'm unsure of are a couple long days in the car.

So far I'm staying with a friend in Nashville, and I've found a Jesuit monastery in OK, artist's retreat in NM, Buddhist monastery in NM, and a wigwam in AZ. All have avail and total lodging cost would be $218 including meals. So it looks like this:

Atlanta - Nashville
Nashville - Sand Springs, OK
Sand Springs, OK - Abiquiu, NM
Abiquiu, NM - Jemez Springs, NM
Jemez Springs, NM - Holbrook, AZ
Holbrook, AZ - Los Angeles

Clarkgriswold, I was also wondering if it's wise to lock myself into an itinerary but I like the idea of having mini-destinations. Spirobulldog, would love to camp but don't have the equipment I haven't done a long trip in a while, so wondering if this initial plan seems feasible?

Thanks again for your thoughts!

converse

I'd love to hear about the places you know of!

converse

Sorry, that last comment was supposed to be directed at ackislander.

lynni

The drive through New Mexico to Arizona and then to Los Angeles is long, flat and boring. I find it difficult to drive more than 12 hours in one day with two drivers and if you are on your own and haven't driven distances like that alone, I would suggest to see how it goes and If you need to grab a $39 room every so often it will be well worth it. Be kind to yourself.