Welcome to the TravelPod forums

[mynetdude]

I already live in Oregon, been to some states in the US haven't been to them all and so why not see all the states first?

I'm going to keep this extremely short unlike my uber legnthly introductory post (for any of those who saw it, probably only read the first paragraph and then quit! ).

I have travelled when I was younger, and would like to travel again but this time travel and see everything (although I'm not really into the arts, culture, festivals, cookouts, crowds, parades, etc all that much).

I have about $2,000-$2,500/month to spend and I'm having difficulty trying to figure out how people are actually able to spend $1,000 per month to travel along with that difficulty I'm having trouble figuring out how to get tour/hotel packages so I can get cheaper hotels. Ever since the idea stuck with me I've been getting less sleep but this is what I've figured out so far:

On the cheap side I figured a hotel will cost me anywhere from $40-$75/night plus tax (actually if you start going $65 upwards I'd say we're talking about not so cheap anymore) granted if I could find a decent hotel for $40/night I'm looking to spend roughly $1,100/month in lodging plus some change for tax so I based it on some averages about $50-$55/night plus tax I'll look closer to spending $1,300-$1,500/month in lodging on average for hotels and thats rediculously high! Hostels only let you stay 28 days max, but I'm not necessarily staying in one place every 3-5 days and extended stay hotels are just as costly as regular hotels.

Hostels will only let you stay 28 days, but I haven't found a hostel in the south/southeast , I could also stay at an extended stay hotel although after some brisk research some brands are just as expensive as a regular hotel (though I did find extended stay rates in Panama City FL for $28.43/night plus tax which is considerably better than $38-$55).

To be honest I want to do things at my own pace, pick up tours when I want them as I need them rather than not get a full package even if I have to buy myself a self guided tour package to get cheaper hotel rates that is fine with me.

I thought about starting off in Florida, but I can start off anywhere really as I plan to do this all year long and Florida for the winter sounds warm enough for me . I don't want to start off in Nevada because there are certain attractions I want to see but they only operate during the spring/summer and so I didn't want to backtrack (and that seems to be likely to happen no matter where I go).

If anybody has ideas/options that I haven't considered please throw them on the table, it will help me put it together . Thanks in advance!

[mmbcross]

Snow in Florida? Hurricanes in BC? I don't think so! I drove right across the USA in the dead of winter some years ago. It's not as bad as it sounds if you keep to the major roads and interstates, which are usually kept pretty clear. Even better if you take the southern route through Arizona and New Mexico. We purchased a car in Miami and sold it when we got to California. Look on E-Bay http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Other-Ve...amp;_fpos=32501 or Craigs List http://pensacola.craigslist.org/rvs/ for available vehicles at the place you plan to start your trip, which looks like Pensacola.

A campervan is the way to go. An RV is much too ponderous and expensive to run.

weather.com gives you long range forcasts and averages for just about every place in North America. Here are the averages for Pensacola.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/busi...tomnav_business

[mynetdude]

Snow in Florida? Hurricanes in BC? I don't think so! I drove right across the USA in the dead of winter some years ago. It's not as bad as it sounds if you keep to the major roads and interstates, which are usually kept pretty clear. Even better if you take the southern route through Arizona and New Mexico. We purchased a car in Miami and sold it when we got to California. Look on E-Bay http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Other-Ve...amp;_fpos=32501 or Craigs List http://pensacola.craigslist.org/rvs/ for available vehicles at the place you plan to start your trip, which looks like Pensacola.

A campervan is the way to go. An RV is much too ponderous and expensive to run.

weather.com gives you long range forcasts and averages for just about every place in North America. Here are the averages for Pensacola.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/busi...tomnav_business

Ah I'm not talking about a full size RV, I'll have to get a link of what I'm thinking of. My uncle has an RV/Campervan that looks like a full size van with an extended top on the roof so you can stand up. I want something just a tad bit newer.

My car is going to be sold here in Oregon, just to make things easier and less hassle with the paperwork and to be honest... it makes sense getting a campervan/RV here than down there because if I have my car I can't really sleep in it easily if I take my dog with me if I choose to go that route.

Alas, I was thinking the same thing taking I-5 to LA then going easterly towards texas where the weather is generally drier (and I DO expect to see rain, etc).

I'll think about it, I'm going to visit my mom today to discuss this option I'm just not sure I really want to take the campervan option.