Driving across the U.S. all summer with two teens (in our little Honda Civic)

[gart2011]

We've got no overland vehicle, but we plan on doing the best we can with our 2004 Honda. We've been planning this trip for two years, but have achieved so much in the past few weeks. We got a Thule rooftop system with the largest cargo box we could comfortably accommodate, we have tents (and extras), sleeping pads and bags, our travel kitchen, etc.

Though we plan on camping about 60% of the time, much will depend on the weather. I guess we fear heat the most while we're in the south. We'd love to stay with anyone we can find when not camping and are up for just about anything. We have absolutely no set itinerary. Though we plan on making Philadelphia our first stop and Gettysburg out second, that's all we've got planned. We'll throw in anything that sounds exciting or is a "must", but keep in mind, our vehicle can't do what a lot of yours might be able to.

We're open to any and all suggestions! Great American Road Trip 2011 (http://gart2011.wordpress.com/)

[Christian P.]

Honda Civic is a great choice!

[morrisster]

My family did a similar trip when I was 11 and my brother was 15. It was a 7 week "around the country" tour - with my parents limited camping knowledge we stayed in a big coleman cabin style tent that took all 4 of us to set up and take down (my poor dad at only 5'5" had to stand on a cooler to connect the poles at the top). Some of the best memories of my childhood were from this trip. - we did a counter clockwise loop from tennessee out west, down the coast and back across the SW/texas. 9500 miles or so in a dodge van...

Places that stick out in my mind
Badlands - out-running a tornado. getting to the top of a ridge and seeing the swirling black column about 10 miles away, then picking up 2 inch hail afterward
Yellowstone - waking up to find a bison 5 feet from the door of our tent, snowing later that day (JUNE!), watching old faithful and other's erupt.
Glacier NP - "Sledding" in a black heavy duty trashbag down the glacier after hiking up all afternoon - HIGHLY recommend. lol.
Ranier - same tricks that I pulled at Glacier - hey, I was 11 at the time.
Grand canyon (north rim) - wildlife galore, and snow again in JULY crazy. just a dusting, but still a cool experience for a kid from the south where july means temps over 90 for 3-4 months straight

Have SO much fun.
My wife and I are about to embark on our own around the country adventure this fall - hoping we can go about 12 months before we run out of money
:D

[shortbus4x4]

Honda Civic is a great choice!

Especially with gas prices the way they are.

Make sure your brakes and tires are good. If the timing belt/water pump haven't been done at their recommended interval then get them done before you leave. Same goes for the tuneup. Have your mechanic do a good inspection of your car before your trip, like trans fluid, CV boots etc. It is much cheaper to replace before you leave than when you are on the road.

If you make it out to the Redwoods in northern CA give me a call for some good camping/sight seeing ideas.

[gart2011]

My own kids are actually really excited, so hearing your own 11-year old perspective is fabulous. I have no idea what we'll do, where we'll end up, where we'll go, but it'll be an adventure.

Badlands is definitely on our list. I drove through there with my own father in 1992 and thought it was amazing. I think I may leave out the tornado piece, though, because my own kids are worried about such things as it is. When you live in the northeast (Boston area), there's not too much extreme weather to worry about, but your trip seemed to have it all.

Good luck with your own adventure!

[gart2011]

We leave on June 23, so I took the car in this weekend. My mechanic knows exactly what we're doing this summer and has been on top of things, auto-wise. According to him, we're all set. We've got a hybrid so I'll get even better mileage, and this past weekend they checked it all out including rotating my new tires, making sure my air conditioning was in great working order, replaced wiper blades, replaced all light bulbs, etc. We really looked at the nitty-gritty, but they swear the car is ripe for driving.

If we make it up your way, I'll be sure to hit you up for some great camping sites. Thanks.

[weezerbot]

Don't you know the Honda Civic is the ultimate offroad machine?? I can't begin to tell you how many of those things have passed me on random trails and forest roads. With that said, don't become a statistic!

This sounds like a great adventure. If you make it out west be sure to hit up Sedona,and pretty much all of southern Utah! It could be a little on the toasty side but Canyon de Chelly as well.

[haven]

You'll have no trouble going where you want to go. I drove all over the West, including lots of Forest Service byways and back roads, in my 1986 Honda Wagon. If you visit a 4x4 mecca like Moab or Death Valley, you can rent a jeep to tackle the more difficult trails.

Please let us know the mpg your Civic Hybrid delivers with a rooftop tent plus a full load of passengers and gear. The mpg of my old Civic dropped off dramatically when I drove with a loaded rooftop bicycle carrier.

[haven]

" It is much cheaper to replace before you leave than when you are on the road."

I think it depends where you live. Getting my Honda serviced at home in the SF Bay area was almost always more expensive than service on the road. Of course, the time lost while making repairs can seriously change your vacation plans.

[shortbus4x4]

" It is much cheaper to replace before you leave than when you are on the road."

I think it depends where you live. Getting my Honda serviced at home in the SF Bay area was almost always more expensive than service on the road. Of course, the time lost while making repairs can seriously change your vacation plans.

That is true if you live in SF. I work up here in Humboldt County and one place I worked actually had a customer in SF who would come up here to get work done. He said it was cheaper to come here (fuel, hotel, food, repair) than have the work done in SF. Hijack over.

[morrisster]

One tip I picked up in a book I recently read. Make sure your supension and tires are rated for the load of 4 passengers and all your gear. You can get heavier duty tires and springs/struts to compensate for the sag of a stock suspension/weakenss of light weight sidewalls. The car will handle better and you won't "cadillac" when you go over bumpy terrain.
keep your windshield washer fluid full - (I take a scrubbie/squeege with me - clean often and have better pictures thru the windows as sometimes its all you can get)

[Series1Rangie]

I grew up taking these trips every summer. (mom is a teacher, lots of time, not a lot of money :) ). Many miles logged in Mitsu and Honda hatchbacks. Things that stand out, the view from the high plains of the Rocky Mtns with the sun hitting them on a clear day, Yosemite, just hike, Lassen Natl Park, climbing a cinder cone volcano, and hiking the painted desert, Glacier NP, hicking a trail from the continental divide that started off with 3 inches of ice (Aug) on the trees on the east side and ended in shorts and sunny on the west, White Sands absolutely one of the coolest places I have been. finding out how cold the Pacific ocean is, (rented boogie boards in Santa Cruz, the Atlantic warms up pretty good in the summer (below long island.)As said above, Redwoods were super cool, Southern UT the arches and red rocks are cool, and even in a Honda, you will be able to get way way way off the beaten path.

Make sure you leave enough time at each stop (sounds like you have.) I have a tendency to try to fit too much in. Any place you really want to explore is a 2 night stop minimum (for the most part).

Two things about the kids perspective.

1) I appreciated these trips only later, I complained pretty close to the whole time on every one. You know, why can't we go to Disney like all my friends. Don't let it get you down, they will be happy about it later.

2) we found that finding a motel every 3rd or 4th night, really helped the attitude, even if the campground had showers.


Really psyched for you and your kids, thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Mike and Myles.

ps, one of the coolest trips she ever planned for us, was a bike tour of Natucket, Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod by bike, staying at hostels. we took the ferry from Boston out to the island, biked around, next island, biked around, then Cape Cod and biked back to Boston. Might be something to think about for next year. :D

[gart2011]

Thanks, Mike for the advice. I like thinking about stopping every 3rd or 4th night for a motel even if the grounds have showers. If not for me, the kids will really appreciate it, I'm sure. My husband and I both teach, so like your mom, money is not overflowing.

We've got somewhat of a budget and aside from motels, we're hoping to make something of any connection we can. I'm hitting up anyone I know who knows someone SOMEWHERE. It's really funny who people come up with after a while. Even my own mother who lives in New Hampshire claimed she knew no one, but after a few minutes she remembered a good friend in San Antonio and her rabbi, who was about to move to Las Cruces, New Mexico. I'm not afraid to ask anyone for floor space or a bathroom.

Because we have teens, I think much of what we want to do will have to involve lots of their input (read: buy-in); otherwise, things could turn bad and one or both of them could be taking the next bus out of town and back to Boston.

[daninghram]

http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm my kids loved this!

[98roamer]

I have many great memories of our annual summer family trips. Since you have a hybrid and a roof top carrier, I would recommend some scenic back roads to keep the speed down. The hybrids strength is in city as you know, and the roof top carrier will negate the hybrid's mpg increase at highway speed.

[4671 Hybrid]

If you find yourself in Arizona, I HIGHLY recommend Slide Rock State Park near Sedona. That place is a ton of fun and there'll be some teens there for your kids to hang out with. There's a couple water slides, multiple rock jumping points (safe ones) and the water is always at the right temp. Sedona is a nice stop too and a good place to expose them to local artists...you'll probably even meet a few and get their perspective on their pieces.

As for motels, I'd consider looking for the Hampton Inn brand and registering with HHonors. It won't take you long to earn points and get a free nights stay, their breakfasts are usually top-tier and hard to beat, they have relaxed check-in/out hours, and usually have decent pools/hot tubs.

For the car, I'd recommend spending $10 at Harbor Freight and upgrading to a hydraulic bottle jack (probably less than $10 if you catch it on sale or pull a 20% off coupon out the back of a magazine). It's about the same size as your stock jack, much faster, and the first time you use it vs. the wind-it-up style, you'll be thanking me for the advice. Don't forget a cheap $5 tire plug kit from Autozone and a $10 air compressor from WalMart, it's much easier to plug a tire in the middle of nowhere than to unload/change/reload a tire in the middle of nowhere. But if you do have to unload/change/reload, at least you'll have a good jack:) 5 Minute Epoxy is also good to throw in the glovebox, it's only $4-$5 and can fix a wide variety of stuff. If you're taking tools along, don't forget the 10,12,13,14,and 17mm's. With those 5 sizes, you'll be able to tackle most anything on the Civic and you'll find the 12mm to be your bread and butter. And don't forget having a hidden key made, you can make it a game for the teens and have it so that one of them is always wearing it as a necklace.

In the larger towns, the Chamber of Commerce is a good stop, you'll usually find some great discounts and even get some insider knowledge.

It appears El Paso is on your map, I'd avoid the urge to cross into Mexico and explore Ciudad Juarez like the plague. It looks like N'Awlins is on the map too, the acquarium is pretty good as are the trolley rides and ferry rides to the other side of the bay/lake. I can't remember the name of it exactly but it leaves from right downtown and it's a cool ride. As for parking, make sure you take advantage of the Harrah's free parking. It used to be that you had to gamble for 30 minutes (I think now it's 45 mins) which is quite easy to do since they have nickel poker. I played for about 70 minutes, won a bit over three dollars, and got $60 worth of free parking for the next 2 days. Can't beat it.

If you hit Las Vegas, there's plenty of great buffets off the strip. A few years ago, I had a great dinner buffet for $6.18 (I remember the quirky price) and it was complete with crab legs, awesome cakes/pies, steaks...everything. This is a great city for the Chamber of Commerce, there's some real gems in Vegas aside from the gambling and bright lights. They also have a great Craigslist market, maybe a good place for you resupply on anything that you break/lose/find doesn't work well.

I'm sure you already know about the National Parks Pass, but what about the Flying J loyalty card? It's free, has decent benefits, and saves you money on gas. And if you like coffee/cappucino, don't forget to bring a mug so that you can save money on refills. There's quite a few truckstops where it's $.25 refills on your 1LT thermos or $1.29 for their 20 oz. disposable styrofoam cup.

That's about it for now, kudos to you on the trip and I know you'll have a blast!

[weezerbot]

Here is another suggestion if you haven't already been: http://www.dday.org/

[Series1Rangie]

So I was talking to some friends and they recommended this site. http://www.couchsurfing.org/ I went and looked around, looks like a cool site.

Good Luck, and keep us updated.

Mike and Myles

[Jnich77]

I knwo this adds to the price of everything, but what about a small harbor freight trailer to haul your camping gear? I use to tow a 4 x 8 Harbor freight trailer when I auto crossed back on the 90's and my little 1996 Civic DX had no problems with it.

[Ray Hyland]

Wow, that looks like a fantastic trip. We will be on the road with our three boys and a german shepherd for most of July, so I hear you on the need for that extra foot of space.

One point to bring up, if you are tent camping in some parks you must bring along a portable toilet and pack out your waste if you are in a part of the park without outhouses. The park websites will have the details. The PETT toilets are good for that, they pack down into a little briefcase and you put a bag inside for waste. The bags have chemicals inside to deal with smells and stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/The-PETT%C2%99-Portable-Environmental-Toilet/dp/B001CWAIJI


The other thing to mention, when I was a kid we did a family road trip like this for about 6 months on the road. The coolest thing we did was every night we sat at the table and spread the map out, and my dad would point out where we were, and how many hours he wanted to drive the next day by making an imaginary circle on the map, and we took turns deciding where we would go. So every night a different family member got to choose the next day's destination. If if was your turn to choose, you could pick anywhere inside the circle on the map. That was pretty cool, and prompted a lot of dinner time conversations about what was in all these little towns to do and see. Plus we went to some crazy kitschy little places that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. (what kid is going to pass up the world's biggest teepee. And what teenage boy will pass up the UFO museum in NM).

Have fun, and maybe we will see you on the road somewhere. If you see a big black Defender 110 with 5 people and a big dog hanging out the windows, be sure to wave.

[Series1Rangie]

Have fun, and maybe we will see you on the road somewhere. If you see a big black Defender 110 with 5 people and a big dog hanging out the windows, be sure to wave.


I am not sure the number of people in the defender would readily impact whether or not I waved. :sombrero: Of course I always wave at big dogs. LOL

Mike and Myles

[cdm]

Great for gas but the lack of space will really make this less enjoyable than it should. Even if you overnight in hotels, it will still be a chore. We manage to fill up a midsize car in 4 days. 2 people and 2 dogs. Most of it is stuff we buy on the road and once you begin unpacking, it never quite gets packed as tight as you wish

[Quill]

Car trips were the reason these where and are made.

http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel.html

Or if you can find an old one.

http://www.singlewheel.com/

I am sure there are people here that can build one.

[4671 Hybrid]

Great for gas but the lack of space will really make this less enjoyable than it should. Even if you overnight in hotels, it will still be a chore. We manage to fill up a midsize car in 4 days. 2 people and 2 dogs. Most of it is stuff we buy on the road and once you begin unpacking, it never quite gets packed as tight as you wish

FWIW, we drove cross-country and camped out of a Festiva with 2 dudes, a dog, and all of our gear inside the car, and had an absolute blast. Our fun was so contagious that a girl took a liking to my buddy and decided to join us, even with 3 folks and the dog we still had a good time. On the way back, I met a girl who decided to join us too but that's a story for another time....

[cdm]

goes without saying there is always room for a girl :chef:

when i say dog im talking 2 130lbs dogs each with its own suitcase (food, meds, supplies, toys). yeah, we dont travel light.

ps. no roof rack on the car though which makes all the difference. had a blast too but i was crying at that one roadsite store where i couldnt buy all the deli i wanted due to lack of a fridge (or space to put fridge in). aaaaah!!

if i left luggage management to my misses we could do it in a versa with stuff piled up to the sun visor of the front windshield. but you mileage can vary

[Warn Industries]

I've done Milwaukee, WI to Portland, OR and back in a Civic, a Suzuki SX4, and a Scion xB (one way in that vehicle). Small cars definitely pose a challenge when packing. I've also traveled with four rommates from St. Paul, MN to Corpus Christi, TX (and back) in a Nissan Sentra on spring break in college. That was a bit tight.

- Andy

[gart2011]

I'm glad you actually reminded me of it. I totally forgot about them.