Wild & crazy travel plan, for us at least

[Just_Steve]

A buddy of mine and I took off in his ‘68 Shelby convertible towing his folks pop up trailer back in 1977 heading west. Spent June through October traveling a little less than 5000 miles throughout the western half of the US. We had spent weeks making 8 track tapes to play while we drove.

The only ‘snap’ decision we had to make was when a ranger came to our campsite and said we’d either need to get over a pass in Colorado before they closed it or plan on being snowed in for a few days. Good times.

Had to look that up, I never knew that was possible. Learned something new.

 

[Bamaman]

When I freestyle travel, I stop at Interstate rest areas and pickup hotel discount coupon books. They are often like green or red in color. The coupon books actually make travel affordable again.

 

[ohyes]

In a few weeks, we’re heading off for 8 days, with nothing booked and no itinerary - that’ll be a first for us and a huge departure from our past. We’ve had vacations as long as two weeks where activities and every meal was planned for every day, and of course hotel(s) were booked.

This sounds awesome. I want to do exactly what you are about to embark upon. DH and I (heading to Boston's North Shore) did something similar years ago --just struck out driving, knowing we would end up at our destination... eventually. It was our best trip ever to MA.

An ex-colleague and her husband did more along the lines of what you are about to do and drove north and western USA. They had a wonderful time, never knowing where they would spend the next night, no Interstates ...and they do not usually get along. They stayed at mom & pop roadside motels that they happened upon along the way. The trip took about three weeks. My friend sent the best photos or Roadside America.

 

[IMATERP]

Very encouraging replies so far! Only took us 60+ years to be “spontaneous”...we’re really looking forward to our adventure. We’re headed to VA and may end up in NC too this trip.

I vote for Asheville, NC. Once you arrive in Virginia take the Blue Ridge Parkway down to NC. Very Scenic.

 

[DrRoy]

No, never did anything like it. Most of our trips are for photography and I want to research ahead to make the most of our time. However, on one trip we realized mid-day that we should have booked our hotel for the night in a different town. We were able to re-book it from the smartphone without even stopping the car.

 

[Dawg52]

Certain parks never really have off season...that just means you might not be in close proximity to the park. Was in Moab one September and every motel had a note on their front door that said no rooms available.

I like the idea of booking as you go but certain areas you have to book way ahead. Most places in between should work tho.

 

[bingybear]

we use to do similar when we were young and dumb. Usually with little funds which made it more difficult. Just find a place to pitch the tent.

Really not a big deal if you have a way to pay for the unexpected.. like the next meal. Just enjoy the directions it takes you.

 

[audreyh1]

I like the idea of booking as you go but certain areas you have to book way ahead. Most places in between should work tho.

We haven’t done a US road trip in a long time. But I usually only make advanced reservations if I have to - ie. we are going to a popular area in a busier season and want our pick. If lodging is plentiful we won’t bother.

In Europe I’ve found that wherever we want to visit is popular and the better places to stay fill up months in advance, even in supposed “shoulder” season. We are often running a bit behind and first choice locations are already full when we make our reservations 3 months in advance! But I’m rarely willing to plan farther ahead than that.

 

[Midpack]

I vote for Asheville, NC. Once you arrive in Virginia take the Blue Ridge Parkway down to NC. Very Scenic.

I agree Asheville is a wonderful place, but we’ve been there twice (incl the BRP), so we may not make it there this trip.

 

[Moemg]

We did it once years ago .It was great except on the way back we had a hard time finding a hotel . We finally found a day's Inn late at night and checked in and went to sleep .When we awoke and saw that room in the light of day I almost vomited . It was filthy with some weird stains on the bed.

 

[bingybear]

I agree Asheville is a wonderful place, but we’ve been there twice (incl the BRP), so we may not make it there this trip.

I did Asheville less than a decade ago. Well, a big loop starting in OH. Just packed the V-Strom up with tent et al and no plans of where to stay. Just camped along the way. Was a great trip an met nice people. Still in touch with some today.

Thanks for bringing that back up in my memory

 

[tinlizzy]

Sounds fun!

Don't bring any critters home with you though. I'm thinking of bed bugs, even nice hotels get them. Check for signs under the mattress. Keep your belongings off the floors and off the beds.

We ran into them on vacation several years ago at a LaQuinta Inn. Our old neighbor is an exterminator and I called him freaked out. He told me to take all of our clothes to a laundry mat (dryers are very hot) before going home and dry on high heat for 40 minutes. The heat won't shrink your clothes if they're not wet. You can also take the clothing to the dry cleaner and have them streamed on high heat.

 

[bingybear]

Sounds fun!

Don't bring any critters home with you though. I'm thinking of bed bugs, even nice hotels get them. Check for signs under the mattress. Keep your belongings off the floors and off the beds.

We ran into them on vacation several years ago at a LaQuinta Inn. Our old neighbor is an exterminator and I called him freaked out. He told me to take all of our clothes to a laundry mat (dryers are very hot) before going home and dry on high heat for 40 minutes. The heat won't shrink your clothes if they're not wet. You can also take the clothing to the dry cleaner and have them streamed on high heat.

That is great if you catch them before you get home. I got them from a Crown Plaza in a major east cost city on a business trip. Found them after I got home. DW is hyper sensitive to almost any insect bite. Getting ride of them after they are in your house is a royal pain. We did not go to anyone's house or hotel until we were bug free. I'm pretty sure the hotel knew then had them as I recall a heavy chemical smell. we all know about hindsight

 

[Teacher Terry]

Depending on which national parks you are going to in the West you may run into cold temps and a lot of snow in April and May.

 

[sengsational]

When I freestyle travel, I stop at Interstate rest areas and pickup hotel discount coupon books. They are often like green or red in color. The coupon books actually make travel affordable again.

That's my typical MO also.

I agree Asheville is a wonderful place, but we’ve been there twice (incl the BRP), so we may not make it there this trip.

The hotels tend to be pricey there anyway.

All the talk about hotels being booked long in advance made me realize that none of my favorite road trips involved places where gobs of tourists gather.

 

[Alan]

We have done this style of vacation quite a few times now since retiring, and we are not RV'ers.

Usually it has been part of a much longer vacation lasting several months where we have reservations for 2 weeks or more with big gaps between and we explore on-spec as we move from place to place. We have only had smart phones for the last 3 years or so but always done this with a cell phone, GPS, maps and travel brochures. We will often turn up at a town after we feel we have driven enough hours and then start looking for motels or hotels.

Sometimes we will stop for a night and like the place so much that we will stay longer, other times we expect to stay longer but because of weather move on to another town. In Australia in 2014 we spent 5 months doing this and after checking out of our apartment in St Kilda (Melbourne) we had a week before flying to Hobart, Tasmania so we thought we'd spend it driving the Great Ocean Road going as far maybe as South Australia but we found so much to see and do en route we never left the State of Victoria.

 

[Luck_Club]

Sounds like fun.

DW & I occasionally did this when we were younger. We were on a budget so we would spend a few hours looking for lodging at a destination. I've done it quite a few times while on the road, so I had flexibility to stop. Have never really had a problem getting a room.

Probably the most risky adventure was during a trip to China with only 1 or two nights booked.

 

[kitesurfer2]

I've done this so many times, i'll start my own thread. we set a target location and leave. My wife's work requires coordination but that is it. the last few years since I retired, my wife flys in and fly out making her stay 11 days while my time is usually 30 days or more. We always camp.