PrairieHikerI

With higher gas prices, are you changing your travel plans? I'm thinking on waiting until fall to travel now by car.

janisj

Nope. Not yet anyway. I traveled to SLC last month, am going to London in July, and to Tacoma in October. So far gas prices and air fuel surcharges haven't put me off. If its a problem there are other ways t economize.

tom_mn

Still planning a 2500 mile drive in July. Have you added up the increased cost of gas on a driving vacation? An extra $1.50/gal doesn’t amount to much additional cost.

Most of the ranters are living check to check or have little idea where their money goes.

For example: 1000 miles to DC is 40 gal, an extra $1.50/gal is $60.

suze

No. But I rarely vacation on road trips. If I'm going to travel, it is more likely I'll be heading to the airport.

mlgb

I don't like competing with the summer vacation travelers so I'm good for a few months, thanks.

While I like driving through some stretches of the US (the Southwest in particular) there are other parts that I find mind-numbing.

I briefly considered driving from Southern California out to Texas and back this past April instead of flying. Even though it would cost about the same, I think I'm still traumatized from doing that drive a few times in my 20's. (Arizona and New Mexico are okay, though).

Fodorite018

No, heading out tomorrow for our 3rd road trip of the summer.

Christina

no, as Tom said, the effect isn't anything great. I never do a road trip where I am driving every single day for a week 400 miles or more each day. I don't think most people do as you wouldn't be stopping or doing anything. If it's a major item in someone's budget I would think they have a real gas-guzzling vehicle which they should get rid of for lots of reasons other than the cost of gas. I hope this makes people get rid of them, actually. The price in the US is a lot cheaper than it usually is in Europe, and they still take vacations.

I don't even have a hybrid or electric but my car gets about 40 MPH on the open road. I am planning a trip to Canada this summer, actually, but the only long drive is on each end as I'm going to be staying in a city and not driving in it. So maybe 700 miles each way or 40 gallons for the trip. Current prices are maybe $2 a gallon more than a year ago, so that is about a $80 overall vacation cost increase versus a year ago, which is nothing compared to other costs, even food. A lot of people spend that much on a single meal plus drinks for two people, or more probably.

A lot of people waste money on all kinds of things. Like fast food, Starbucks, lots of processed food, bottled water, etc. When I go to work in the morning, there is a line of people in cars at both the McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts for example (and I bet they aren't just buying coffee). Not to mention Starbucks which you can brew a cup of coffee at home for about 20 cents.

tomfuller

Have a great road trip mms! I've been home a week from my trip from Oregon to Pennsylvania and return. I used trains, planes, short range bus and 1 rental car in PA. In my 4 days in PA I drove 635 miles from Harrisburg to the northern tier and around central PA and back to the rental place in Harrisburg. The highest gas price I paid over the Memorial Day weekend was $4.759 in Tioga County.
Yesterday my DW and I drove to Bend and put $61 in the tank. I'm hoping that that will last for the next 2-3 weeks.
Next month I take my DW to the Redmond airport for her trip back to upstate New York for her high school reunion. At least she has high school friends that she can stay with and won't have to rent a car.
If you can tolerate sleeping in coach, Amtrak has a great low cost option to flying with the $499 USA Railpass. (30 days and 10 trips). Two of my segments on the recent trip were done on Amtrak Guest Rewards Points.

tom_mn

This is a youthful reaction, I'd try it again now. There's a reason the highways are filled with seniors on the move, they like all the landscapes and the long drives through them. A text this week I received from someone from the West Coast finishing a North Dakota crossing: "It's gorgeous. Lush and green. Blue skies."

Fodorite018

Christina—judgemental much? Sheesh!

Tom—thanks! We are headed to the gorge this time.

sludick

No, but car rental prices caused us to reconsider. We had originally planned to fly into Denver, rent a car, and spend a few weeks finally seeing the Dakotas in September. Then a grandson decided to get married in October at Sedona instead of where they live in Florida. Both were sky-high car rental prices. We have just purchased a new Telluride, and changed this to a long road trip. The price of additional hotels and some other expenses was offset by those high-priced car rental reservations we had. In all, we'll be traveling about a month and a half.

So, at long last, the road trip we have dreamed of for many years but couldn't while our cats were still alive, and the high gas prices didn't put us off.

When we return, then we may adopt a new pair of kitties too.

HotWheels

If needed, one can try to accommodate a budget to save in small ways by making compromises on lodging & meals, cutting out treats here & there, driving just a bit slower, save "unexpected" windfalls specifically for travel, however small - but "time waits for no man". Can't buy time - get out there, even if it's a short trip!!

marvelousmouse

The unusual amount of rain has had more of an impact. Usually I’d be camping and swimming at this point. But I did fill up today, and it crossed my mind that this summer may involve sticking closer to home than expected. I just can’t afford to fill up the car on a whim, not if I want to spend money on travel next winter.