An American road trip is on the bucket list of most travelers, no matter where they come from. There’s a lot of famous sights across the USA, and even the routes themselves have quite a reputation, and there’s very few people alive who have never heard of Route 66. Imagine the wind in your hair and the varying climates you’ll pass through, as you go from Vegas to Chicago, meeting all kinds of people and snapping some amazing shots along the way.
But an American road trip is pricey, and it’s what stops a lot of us from chasing our dreams and packing up for one! So, if you’re someone who’s looking to get behind the wheel and make your way across the continent of North America, what kind of price tag are you going to be looking at? We’ve listed a couple of the main deciding factors below.
How Many People Are Coming?
The more people on your Great American road trip, the more expensive it’s going to be. You’ll have to pay for their room and board whenever you stop for the night, and you’ll need to buy more food and drink to take on the drive, and even the amount of fuel can be greater. Any amount of increased weight in your vehicle really can make the engine work harder.
So, for 2 people, the average cost of an American road trip, whether you’re going North to South or East to West, is at least $5000. It’s something you’ll probably have to save up for, and each extra person in the back of the car is going to add about $2000 more. Of course, you can work out a budget, and try to ensure each person doesn’t cost more than $150 per night.
What Does Your Transport Look Like?
If you’re renting a vehicle, you’re going to have to factor in that cost, on top of the insurance you’ll probably have to pay, as well as the fuel you’ll need to top up. You’ll be going quite a distance in this car, and there’s going to be a lot of mileage on the clock; you’ll need to be sure the car you’re in will be cover the distance with no need for repairs, as well as have a good fuel capacity and consumption rate.
It’s why a lot of people like to rely on RVs to get across distances in America, and other big countries. An RV is made to carry people back and forth, across quite a few miles, and has plenty of facilities to keep you in comfort as you go. Maybe even a model from Halterman’s New RVs will keep you from needing to fork out for hotel/hostel fees every night? Seeing as an RV will cost about $100+ a night, unless you can find a package vacation deal that negates this cost before you head off.
An American road trip is a traveler’s dream for a reason! Make sure you’re budgeting properly.