Advice needed about the best way to travel through the States.
Hi,
A friend and I plan on traveling to the States from Australia during December/January. We are planning on going for 4 weeks.
We initially thought about doing a road trip, hiring a car and starting at LA and driving across the state to NY. The plan was to make several stopovers and eventually get to NY a couple of days before New Years eve, spending about a week there, then driving back to LA.
Now we are not so sure if this is the best idea, and if we should just fly from LA to Florida for a few days before flying to NY, then driving back to LA and making several stops on the way.
We also thought we might just book accommodation from place to place, is this advisable or should we book accommodation before hand?
Any advice on which way we should approach this trip? we are aware that it will be winter during this time so will driving conditions be difficult?
We have a set date from the 19th of December till the 16th of January.
Reply to this My guess is that it wouldn't be the best thing to do in winter. I've traveled from LA to Vancouver Canada in the month of December and once you hit snow and ice patches, it slows the whole trip down. But with the right car and equipment i am sure its doable and could be quite an adventure. It's the mountain passes that are the worst part. You should research the mountain passes on the roads you consider taking.
Reply to this Hello and welcome to Travelblog!
You WILL more than likely experience numerous road closures trying to drive into or out-of New York. The state of Pennsylvania in particular closes down the highways and interstates at the first sign of snowstorms and rest assured there will be snowstorms in December and January. Flying in/out of NYC can also be require some flexibility if a blizzard hits (as has happened last year) so just go into it prepared with patience and flexibility. NYC is
beautiful in the snow around the holidays though, so I wouldn't let the likelihood of travel delays discourage you from going, because it's worth it.
Instead if you want to drive across the country in the wintertime, I would recommend driving between L.A and Florida by heading across the southern states along I-10/20/40. These areas can also experience snow, but typically it is no where near the same magnitude as in the NE. This also almost eliminates mountain passes (except on I-40 around Flagstaff, AZ) from the route so there is less of a chance of closure. You could fly into L.A, drive from there to Florida (I would plan on at least a week, minimum, if you want to make any stop-overs. Driving straight through you can do it in 3-4 days), fly up to NYC a few days before New Years, and then fly back down to L.A and explore that area.
For the road-trip portion I would just book accommodation as you get there, but the time between Christmas and around New Years is the second busiest tourist time of year in New York, with good reason, so I would book those places in advance.
Reply to this hi there - I think it could be good fun to drive cross country in the winter - you will probably run into some challenging weather along the way but so long as you kept an eye on the storms and were flexible you can always plan around them. staying south might be a good idea, going from LA through the desert and into Arizona...we live in SW Colorado and the winters can be quite mild and beautiful with snow that comes and goes pretty quickly, lots of sunshine...if you're not afraid of encountering snow and like to hike the areas in SE Utah can be beautiful and deserted - Valley of the Gods, Arches National Park, Canyonlands. if you like to ski there will be plenty of opportunities to do that - Telluride, Vail, Aspen, Snowbowl in Flagstaff if they get any snow this time of year. I came cross-country in the winter once and, though it was colder than heck, had the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore and every other stop all to myself...had bison crossing the roads in blowing snow - it was all rather mystical. it all depends on what you're up for, the unknowns of weather, waiting out storms in little hotels in the middle of nowhere, hiking when it's 40 degrees - or are you more of a city type person who prefers to not worry about weather and likes to shop? either way, you can stay south and avoid a lot of the cold weather or if you are prepared you can travel cross country further north through the colder part of the country. if you need any detailed advice about your visit drop me a message.
Reply to this Hi,
I remember driving from Melbourne out to Adelaide back in 2003 -- driving across the US will be nothing like that! Of course, if the USA was just like Australia why would you bother to come?
Regarding snowstorms and winter weather -- northern parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (along Interstates 30 & 40) are subject to infrequent snow and ice storms. These storms typically last one day and then move along. Road closures around the Grand Canyon (for example) occur only a couple of times per season and only last a day before the roads are cleared. Don't let fear of snow keep you from the idea of driving across the southern US during winter. Just keep your itinerary flexible and keep an eye on the weather forecasts and you'll be fine. Don't worry about snow along Interstate 10 or through the southeastern states east of Texas (Louisiana through Florida).
If you decide to drive from LA to Florida or vice versa you'll be able to stop at the Grand Canyon and at New Orleans among other places that might interest you. The skiing opportunities are mainly in New Mexico and Arizona while the beach opportunities are best in south Texas and Florida. If you decide to drive from Florida to New York, well then snow is common from the state of Virginia northward. You'll enjoy it if you are the adventurous type but you might get stuck somewhere if you are the unlucky type. Just realize that "normal" or "average" winter weather in the NorthEast US means snow but actual blizzards are unusual. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if you got lucky with the weather and had no trouble driving from Virginia all the way up to Boston if you so desired.
You can make accommodations as you go, except for any time you plan to stay in New York. The city is a magical place to be just before Christmas. Enjoy the shows, the lights, and the storefront displays. It's great. I was lucky enough to find a little hotel room on Manhattan's upper west side for about $120 per night last December. You have to look hard for those deals though, and the earlier you look the better. There's no reason to have the car while in New York because public transit will get you places and daily parking for the vehicle will cost you at least $25 per day with no compensation for the absolute hassle of finding such parking. Were you planning on being in New York (Times Square) on New Year's Eve? If so, just be advised that native New Yorkers say the experience is only for tourists since it involves standing out in the freezing cold getting pushed and shoved by a lot of strangers. Of course, "your mileage may vary" as we like to say in the US.
Since the New York part of the trip requires the most planning it's probably best that you nail down the dates you want to be in New York and build everything around that. Try to make any plane reservations as early as possible. Then make out a long list of things you would like to see during the other 3 weeks -- having the car during those weeks gives you the flexibility you need to make the very best of your time.
Finally I'd suggest you add some more specifics to your itinerary and post again with more specific questions about what interests you. Good luck with things.
Reply to this Hello fellow Aussie traveller!
We travelled the USA 2 years ago (Dec-Feb) and are going back again this year Dec/January also. We start in the NE and travel down the east coast and then across the south to California. So, here are my tips.
1. Take the train (especially into/out of NE)
We booked some internal flights and then had 30 day rail passes to travel from one side of the country to the other (unfortunately Amtrak don't do them the same any more). All our flights were delayed by at least a few hours and we were stuck in Montreal for an extra 3 days =( The train is really quite nice and much more relaxing than flying. You travel through some amazing countryside and they need alot worse weather to ground them than the planes do! I cannot emphasise enough how much easier and more stress-free train travel is! This time, we have booked trains down the east coast and are then driving from New Orleans to LA, staying south to avoid as much of the snow as possible...
2. NYE in Times Square is soooo overrated
Probably the one thing I really regret doing while in the US. Whilst everyone goes WOW, how cool, its actually freezing! It was something like -7C at midnight, your feet were too painful from the cold drifting up through the floor if you stood still and there is nothing...and I mean nothing...to do between whatever time you decide to join the frenzy and midnight...and you know the reason people cheer so much is because it means they can get out of the cold! (And I actually mean that!)
3. Book accommodation in NYC and wherever you'll be for NYE
Everywhere else is pretty easy. We booked alot of ours online a day or two before arriving into that city and got some great deals for good places.
They are the main ones. The USA is a fantastic place to visit, even in the winter...we can't wait to get back again in a few months!!! Good luck with your planning!
Reply to this Hey how about traveling with Intrepid Suntrek? Great small group adventure company. Lots of different tours for every taste and budget and best of all you are traveling with a small group of international travelers. Intrepid is an Australian company. You probably have heard of them.
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