It is the dream of many people to drive coast to coast through America in a vintage convertible. But before you set off, check out our readers' expert advice on road tripping

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Coast to coast
After law school I took seven weeks off and drove across the States with a few mates. We swiftly discovered in the planning stage that the problem with driving coast-to-coast is that there is a big block of nothingness in the middle. So what we did is two weeks from Memphis (Graceland, Sun Records etc) down through the deep south (lots of interesting plantation homes, witness the voluntary segregation, civil war monuments) to New Orleans (one of our high points, we spent a couple of days in and around Canal St) before returning to Memphis via the other side of the Mississippi.

Then we flew to Denver and spent 4 1/2 weeks doing a big tour of the west; the trip went via Aspen, Bute, general cowboy land (and cowboy towns) and lots of national parks (including some camping) to Portland. From there we took the long and immensely scenic coastal highway down to Los Angeles via San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Carmen, Hirst Castle etc. From Los Angeles we headed directly west to Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and eventually back to Denver. The trip ended with a flight to New York and a few days of cultural acclimatisation before hopping back to Blighty. A fantastic seven weeks.
J White
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New York to Las Vegas via Miami, Chicago and Seattle
I'm currently in my final two weeks of a US road trip. I started in April in New York and took the train to Niagara Falls and back. I then took the train down to Miami - this is where I hired my car and then drove to, among others, Key Largo, New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

My experience is that hiring a car is easy, so why bother buying and registering and all that for little or no saving? If you really want to save money, go camping - campgrounds apparently have a very social atmosphere.

Otherwise, chain hotels and motels are really quite cheap. It depends how comfortable you want to be. I wanted internet access, so I've generally stuck to chain hotels; the prices vary from $40-$100 a night. Also, remember that tax will be added and it varies from state to state. Obviously big cities are more expensive and it pays to use the web to find decent deals.

Fuel is expensive - it's getting all the headlines here! It's similar to UK prices, so not unmanageable. Depending on what car you hire, you may have to fill up a lot. I've covered 9,000 miles so far and I really don't want to work out how much I have spent on fuel!

Apparently, I chanced upon a good time of year to go. It's almost summer, but not the holiday season, so I've been lucky with getting around and getting into places with no queues to speak of.

It's a fantastic way to see the country. I've seen as many interesting sights along the way, as I have when reaching the Grand Canyon, Big Sur, etc.
I've also learnt a lot about the country and myself, but you need to see my blog for that.
Dave Phillips
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Roadtripusa.com
There is a very good site called Road Trip USA, which covers all major routes. I did such a trip about three years ago. The site covers the routes in great detail and tells you about all the towns and villages on the way including a choice of accommodation, restaurants, museums, and places to visit in each town that you pass through. I started my trip in Los Angeles and followed US Highway 80 across all the southern states to finish in Savannah in Georgia, staying in motels all the way. I rented a car as I as did the trip in about three weeks. It was great and I will definitely do another one soon.
Tony
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San Francisco to New York
We hired a car from Carhire 3000 in the UK, who were agents for dollar car rentals in the US. They have a low-cost one-way policy that meant we rented a car in San Francisco, spent a month driving down the coast, through the south and then left the van at the airport in New York, for a very reasonable one-way fee.
Hirsty
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Touring the south west
Many years ago I travelled across the USA on Greyhound buses, taking in New Orleans, the Grand Canyon and Los Angeles in around seven weeks. Don’t go on Greyhound buses unless you want to write a comic travel book, and don’t discount hostels (both YHA and independent ones). I went in September and enjoyed good weather all the way.

In my opinion, the south-west is the best part of the USA, so I wouldn’t dwell too long in Texas, although San Antonio was great and I’m told Austin suits us Guardianistas. But get into Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona: Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion and, of course, the Grand Canyon are all wonderful. Accommodation is not abundant so book in advance. Check out Gouldings Lodge at Monument Valley. You’ll need to book well in advance if you want to stay at the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff and Sedona make good bases. I liked Tucson too, but Phoenix has little to recommend it. Avoid Vegas at all costs.

Into California: Los Angeles is OK, but San Francisco and San Diego are much nicer cities. If you want to stay in LA, there was a fantastic YHA hostel in Santa Monica, two blocks from the beach. Highway 101 is as good a drive as they say it is. It will be beginning to get cooler up in San Francisco come October/November, but Yosemite ranks alongside the Grand Canyon in my opinion (again, accommodation is very scarce so book asap) if you want to check it out. Not sure I’d bother with Sequoia national park again – if you’ve seen 130,000 big trees, you’ve seen them all.

The mistake I made was staying in New York for too long (so easy to get to anytime) and Los Angeles for too long. The south-west really is the best area and I would advise spending at least two weeks down there. Remember distances are very, very long out there; so get a decent car with air conditioning and cruise control. And bring lots of music and play the number plates game (spot one from every state). Alcohol can be hard to get in the south-west (restricted by Mormons and hard to get in territories owned by native Americans) so stock a few bottles in your boot if you want to enjoy a glass of wine while watching the sun set on Monument Valley.
Rob Barklamb
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Car delivery
Try car delivery from major city to major city. You're given a set number of days to deliver - we did New York to San Francisco in eight days (but were given 10, picking up Route 66 at St Louis and heading north after we'd taken a brief diversion to Vegas.
www.autodriveaway.com
Guy
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Coast to coast via New Orleans and the Carolinas
I would rent a car from a company that offers cheap long-term rental rates. That would probably be better than buying one. I would travel in the spring (eg early April). If it’s two months, begin in New England and drive south enjoying the eastern US. You would love camping all through the Skyline Drive and Blueridge Parkway areas of Virginia and North Carolina. Go all the way down the east coast visiting Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia - all beautiful places. End your east coast trip in St. Augustine, Florida and camp near the beach - another beautiful little town.

Go west on I-10 and you’ll be in New Orleans within a day. If you time it right, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is held during the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. That is worth it, even if you just want to enjoy the city with fun people. Then travel north visiting plantations, Natchez, Mississippi (a beautiful town of the old south) and Memphis for great food and music. Head west on I-40 (the Arkansas Ozark mountains are very beautiful for camping and river rafting) and visit the old western towns of Oklahoma and/or Kansas (there are many beautiful state parks and natural areas). From there, drive to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to enjoy some real south-western culture, and then to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. If possible, leave yourself enough time to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Utah. They are worth the time. Zion is a desert version of Yosemite. You could stop in Las Vegas if you want, or just go all the way to Los Angeles.
Michael
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San Francisco to Washington DC
I’ve just returned from a three-month road trip in the US from San Francisco to Washington DC. We went via California, Oregon, Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and then DC.

We had a fabulous time managing to steer clear of boring interstates and taking far more interesting and beautiful byways and highways. All quirky, crazy and beautiful distractions were provided from talking to locals and these three invaluable books; 'Road Trip USA' by Jamie Jenson, and 'Eccentric America' (Brandt publications) as well as 'The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips', worth every penny for the stunning routes it took us on, steering us away from the grey drudgery of suburban malls and interstates.

We did it all. Rodeo, drag race, roller derby, drive-in movies, national parks, gospel sermon (given by Bishop Al Green no less), Graceland etc. and even visiting the Creation Evidence Museum in Texas and the L. Ron Hubbard life exhibition in Los Angeles, bourbon distilleries and Shaker villages.

Be sure to go to the national parks in southern Utah (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands and Moab) - they were far and away the highlight of the trip. If you do visit a lot of parks buy the national parks pass.

We bought a car, it worked out cheaper for us but my boyfriend is a US citizen. I am not sure how difficult it is for foreigners to register and buy a car. Better to buy on the east coast and then head west, as car prices are higher on the west coast and you'll lose less money reselling it than if you did it in reverse. For quick reselling of the car at the end of the trip you can always go to Carmax.

We stayed with friends, in cheapy motels (usually from $50-80 a night) and did a lot of camping as well ($20-25 a night). It is good to have a tent for the beautiful national parks, when all motels are full and to save money too. Campgrounds are abundant with great facilities for laundry, internet and even pools, and there is, of course, more backcountry camping too. Total cost for us including buying car, food, gas and lodgings was $6,000 each for three months.
Pippa
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HWY 101 and I90 (incl. Canada and Mexico) i.e. west is best
Here are my suggestions for a US road trip (as an American):
America is a huge country and even driving around for several months you will miss a lot. From what I know buying a decent used car and selling it after you are done will probably be cheaper than renting one. For good deals check out Craigslist. I would suggest heading north from Los Angeles on the Highway 101 or Highway One. Highway One hugs the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington with clifftop, dramatic views of the pacific ocean. Besides being on the coast the One and 101 also go through the giant redwood forests (some of the trees are more than 2000 years old and as the name suggests just staggeringly huge). Once you finish with the coast you could stop off in Seattle, Washington, before turning east for the next big leg of your trip. Seattle makes a natural resting spot and if you want to get a counterpoint to the US experience Vancouver in Canada is just a few short hours away.

From Seattle you could take the 90 Freeway due east to Rapid City. Along this route you will pass through expansive countryside and go right by some amazing sights like Mount Rushmore, Custer National Forest, Devils Tower, and Badlands National Park. From Rapid City you can take the 83 highway down to Austin Texas. This route is sometimes called the 'route to nowhere' as it passes though no major cities. It is gorgeous country and is a part of the country that most Americans don't get to see, let alone tourists. Austin is a nice spot for a little layover, as it is considered by most Americans to be a bastion of culture in the middle of Texas (every spring Austin hosts the SXSW festival which is the best music festival in the US). From Austin it is an easy drive to New Orleans. From New Orleans (remember to pronounce it with a thick southern accent: "Narlins"), you can start heading west again, along the 10 which goes through southern Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Again, if you are fed up with the US at this point you can always hop over the border to Mexico which is just a day trip off the 10.

When you get to Phoenix, Arizona, head north immediately, and stay in Flagstaff (I have never found much interesting in Phoenix) or go directly to the Grand Canyon. There is plenty of camping around the Grand Canyon, but remember that even though Arizona conjures up ideas of the desert, the winter is bitterly cold and it may be unpleasant camping. From the Grand Canyon you have a choice. You could backtrack to Phoenix and take the 10 back to Los Angeles or you could cross one of the hottest places on earth, the Mojave Desert, with a day trip out to Las Vegas. Finally you will arrive back in Los Angeles having seen some wonderful countryside and almost all the major spots west of the Mississippi.
Timm
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Route 66
My suggestion when driving through the US is to take as much of Route 66 as possible, which used to run from Chicago to Los Angeles. No longer an official US highway, many stretches are still in use as secondary roads or even frontage roads paralleling the US Interstates. Due to the interest from nostalgia buffs, many states are re-marking the old highway as Historic Route 66. Route 66 coarsely follows the path drawn today by Interstate 55 from Chicago to St. Louis, then on Interstate 44 to Oklahoma City, and then on Interstate 40 to southern California. Assuming you are heading west from New Orleans, consider picking up Route 66 no further west than Oklahoma City, as there are many drivable miles in Oklahoma and more than a few old attractions, including motels and diners: El Reno is a good example. Purchase a book on Route 66 in advance (there are several), which will help you plan your route, guide your way and identify roadside attractions. Within just a few score miles of traveling the old route, you will become experts at identifying the original pink-hued concrete, narrow lanes, and quarter-round integrally-cast curbs. This skill will help you choose the right road out of these small towns, within which old US 66 often took bends and changed alignments that are now unidentifiable in the middle of town due to several decades of infrastructure improvements.

I would also suggest a detour in New Mexico. From Roswell (of UFO fame), follow US 285 to Carlsbad, then US 62 to the Texas border. The southern portion of this route follows the Guadalupe mountain range, which gradually escalates in height over the highway, abruptly ending at El Capitan just across the Texas border (not the famous one in Yosemite National Park in California, but equally impressive). There are many interesting stops along this route, including the Living Desert State Park (an informative display of life on the Chihuahuan Desert), Carlsbad Caverns National Park (one of the largest caves in the US), and the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. A manageable hike takes you to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, just behind and overlooking El Capitan. Looking out over the West Texas landscape, you would think you were on a different planet. There is nowhere to stay overnight and few places for provisions, so plan carefully.

The Grand Canyon deserves a few days' visit, even a week. For a little rustic luxury, stay at the El Tovar on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, complete with a huge lobby, bellhops, and fine dining. And I do mean literally on the southern rim - the dining room provides a view partially down into the canyon, it’s so close.

And finally, be sure to pick up a copy of the Roadfood guide by Jane and Michael Stern. Written for road trippers, there is no better single source for finding truly American food while avoiding the mediocre and forgettable. Their paperback book is a compilation of mouth-watering reviews of several hundred of the best local restaurants from most States across the US. In the south-west, with long distances between populated communities, you will find a meal at one of these places particularly restorative. The Sterns have scoured the nation for the best inexpensive meals at local establishments (such as diners) with a few formal restaurants mixed in. Sign up online as a Roadfood Insider member and you can get online restaurant reviews and driving directions to each restaurant. When you are in Los Angeles, be sure to have a hot dog at Pink’s in West Hollywood, one of the book’s recommendations. It’s worth the wait in line, and no, that line does not get any shorter by coming back some other time.
Happy travels,
M Oneby
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Iowa State fair and National Parks
My wife and I travelled across the country last year, and it was a fantastic experience. We spent only about three weeks to get from New York to California and back, and it felt like no time at all. A couple of months would make the trip that much more rewarding. We tried to cram in as much in those three weeks as we could, and a few things really shone (note: national parks do cost money to enter, but your ticket lasts you a few days, so if you camp or stay nearby, you can spend multiple days exploring.)

Iowa State Fair usually runs for a week and a half in mid August, and this weird piece of Americana was actually pretty fun. There is a ton of livestock, entertainment, more food than you could ever need, and a cow made out of butter (when we went last year, they also had a complete Harry Potter scene made out of butter). It's a nice summary of the mid-west.

In Badlands National Park, South Dakota, one of the most memorable parts of our trip was a trail ride we took at sunset. We camped at Badlands Ranch and Resort. We had heard how busy the Grand Canyon was during the time of year we went, so we opted for nearby Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, instead. It was well worth it. The rock formations were fantastic, and we camped in nearby Dixie National Forest. It got quite cold at night and the toilet was basically a hole in the ground, but I have never seen stars at night like I did in Dixie.

At Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, we camped right in the park itself, though don't let that fool you. The camp is so large, we did have quite a bit of driving to do to get from our site to hikes and trails, but the views were fantastic. Mesa Verde is a site with many preserved archaeological Native American cliff dwellings. You can take ranger-led hikes to some of the dwellings, and get up close with the history.

If you are afraid of heights, I wouldn't suggest taking Big Sur/Pacific Coast Highway/Route One. The road takes you along the coast of California, with little more than a mound of dirt between you and the cliff - but the views here are amazing. There are many pull-off points where you can take photos, and there are even campgrounds in the forest right off the coast. If you plan on camping here though, don't let the first come first serve sites fool you! Especially in mid August, these sites are hard to come by - people will claim a site early in the week and pay the extra money for days they won't be there just to make sure they have it for the weekend. We attempted to get a site on a Wednesday, but they were all already booked, and instead of paying $20 dollars a night for a few nights of camping, we had to pay more than $300 for one night in nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea.

A few other ideas: the Chesapeake Bay area in Maryland offers many recreational activities (like crabbing) and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
The Adirondacks in New York offer terrific hiking, boating, and camping experiences. The local village of Lake George has fireworks on Thursdays during the summer - there is something beautiful about hearing the echo off the mountains and seeing the reflection on the lake. There are also some terrific nearby restaurants, like Davidson Bros. microbrewery in Glens Falls and (our favorite) O.P.Fredericks in Chestertown, New York.
Stefan S
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San Francisco to New Orleans
Back in April, a friend and I did a road trip across America. It was absolutely brilliant. Starting in San Francisco, we went slightly inland to Yosemite National Park (a must if you can) before touring down the Californian coast to Los Angeles (Highway One is another must - mountains on one side, Pacific Ocean on the other). Then Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, cutting down through some great cinematic scenery in Arizona to Tucson, then across to New Mexico to traipse around in the magnificent White Sands and very cool Carlsbad Caverns. Then we drove across the desert plains of south-west Texas (probably the blandest part of the journey) to the fun cities of San Antonio and Austin and finally through the swamplands of Louisiana to New Orleans (everything you think it’s going to be), in time for the Jazz and Heritage festival.

We blitzed six states and 4600 miles in about 3 1/2 weeks but would have loved to spend a couple of months getting to know some places better. You definitely have to take the smaller highways instead of the big interstate freeways where you can. Our rental car, a mid-size ‘Dodge Avenger’, cost about $1600-1700 US for the 3 1/2 weeks and petrol was about $600 US all up. As you’re going for a while, buying a second-hand car would probably be a cheaper option but then again, you wouldn’t have the shiny newness (and reliability) of a rental. On the road, motels are the only way to go in a lot of towns and we generally paid between $60 and $80 US for a twin bed room. Getting a cheap camper van might be something to think about to save on accommodation. Foodwise, diners are a fairly inexpensive option with good meals from around USD$10. Portions are large and quality is mostly a step above the many, many fast food franchises you’ll drive by.
Winyu
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The Midwest and the Rockies
Get a copy of “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat-Moon, a get-lost-on-the-back-roads odyssey by a professor at an Iowa college. Even if you don’t follow his routes, it will get you in the mood and gives you a wonderful feel for the back roads of the US. Also, buy yourself a US road atlas, say, Rand McNally’s for USD$5-$8.

Some suggestions: you could take Interstate 80 and take California 89 down the west side of Lake Tahoe. Lovely, views, winding roads, mountains. The bigger towns along Lake Tahoe are touristy, the more remote areas much less so (Meeks Bay is lovely). I’d wind my way over to US 395 in Nevada and head south toward Yosemite National Park, the John Muir Wilderness area, King’s Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park. These and the places to stay near them can be crowded in peak season (June to August).

From that general area, head for the Grand Canyon on Interstate 40. Most people would go north on Arizona 64 but there are other alternatives. After the Grand Canyon, I’d head for Canyon De Chelly (Indian ruins - extensive and interesting. Indian-led tours are available) in Arizona. By the way, Indian reservations are somewhat of a law unto themselves with power to arrest and fine for speeding, etc. Photography is sometimes a sensitive issue on reservations, so make sure you ask.

If you choose to go through the Rocky Mountains north of New Mexico in Colorado, my favorite route is via US 40 east of Craig, then east on Colorado 14 through the Poudre River Valley into Fort Collins, home of Colorado State
University, an interesting college town.

Some folks find Midwestern farm country boring. I disagree, there’s something soothing about, say, Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin farm country. Take a route like US 20 from Sioux City Iowa to Chicago, Illinois and enjoy the farm country and historic towns like Galena and Illinois.

There is plenty to see elsewhere; keep a wandering, adventurous spirit. Follow the little roads, the ‘blue highways’.
Munn
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L.A. to Florida and back
We recently completed a trip from Los Angeles to the Florida Keys and back in about three weeks. The route to Florida was though the southern states and the route back slightly higher, taking in a bit more of the country. I would recommend this route - we often camped; national parks are great for that, not to mention beautiful. Buy a car, it can often works out cheaper. Also just think of the photos - imagine a nice retro American classic sitting outside that diner rather than a plastic 2008 Dodge! Also don't forget, "if it's not a V8, it's not a road trip."
Ben