ACCOMMODATIONS:

• FREE DISPERSED CAMPING: OUR NUMBER ONE ROAD TRIP MONEY SAVING TIP IS TO CAMP INSTEAD OF STAYING AT A HOTEL OR AIRBNB. CAMPING ISN'T ALWAYS FREE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF FREE CAMPING OUT THERE, SO IF YOUR GOAL IS TO SAVE MONEY, FREE SITES ARE A GREAT OPTION. FREE CAMPING WILL ALMOST ALWAYS BE IN PLACES THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY AMENITIES, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN PLANNING. WHEN LOOKING FOR A FREE CAMPSITE, WE TYPICALLY LOOK IN TWO PLACES:

  • PUBLIC LANDS: IT IS FREE TO CAMP IN A LOT OF AREAS OUTSIDE OF DEVELOPED CAMPGROUNDS ON PUBLIC LANDS OPERATED BY THE NATIONAL FOREST AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, SO THAT IS A GOOD PLACE TO START IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FREE OPTIONS. 

  • IOVERLANDER: GREAT FOR FINDING FREE DISPERSED CAMPING AND BOONDOCKING SPOTS. WE RECOMMEND DOWNLOADING THE APP SO THAT YOU CAN SEARCH FOR SPOTS WHILE YOU ARE ON THE ROAD IN CASE YOUR PLANS CHANGE.

• PAID CAMPGROUND CAMPING: CAMPING CAN RANGE IN PRICE FROM BEING FREE TO COSTING AS MUCH AS A MODEST PRICED HOTEL ROOM, USUALLY BASED ON THE AMENITIES OFFERED AND THE LOCATION OF THE SITE. PRIVATELY RUN CAMPGROUNDS TEND TO COST MORE THAN ONES ON STATE OR FEDERAL LANDS, AND CAMPS ON THE BEACH ARE USUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DESERT OR FOREST CAMPGROUNDS. HERE ARE SOME WEBSITES WE USE A LOT WHEN SEARCHING FOR A CAMPSITE:

  • RESERVE AMERICA: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL PARK CAMPGROUNDS, AS WELL AS SOME PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS, THEN THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU SHOULD LOOK.  

  • RESERVE CALIFORNIA: THIS IS THE PLACE TO FIND INFORMATION AND BOOKING FOR CALIFORNIA STATE PARK CAMPGROUNDS.

  • RECREATION.GOV: THIS WEBSITE HAS INFORMATION ON CAMPING SITES ON FEDERAL LAND- LIKE NATIONAL FORESTS AND NATIONAL PARKS.

  • HIPCAMP: LIKE AIRBNB, BUT INSTEAD OF A HOUSE OR APARTMENT, HIPCAMP ALLOWS PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO RENT OUT SPACES FOR CAMPING AND GLAMPING. HIPCAMP HAS A VARIETY OF UNIQUE OPTIONS FROM TENT PLATFORMS TO VINTAGE AIRSTREAMS, BELL TENTS TO TREEHOUSES, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

• COMPARE PRICES OF HOTELS: CAMPING ISN'T ALWAYS AN OPTION, DEPENDING ON YOUR LOCATION. AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO SLEEP IN A REAL BED. PLUS, AFTER A FEW DAYS OF PRIMITIVE CAMPING WITHOUT A SHOWER, A HOTEL STARTS TO SOUND REALLY NICE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BOOK A HOTEL, WE RECOMMEND SEARCHING DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND COMPARING PRICES. HOTELS OFTEN OFFER THE BEST PRICES AND HAVE SPECIAL PROMOTIONS ON THEIR OWN WEBSITES. WEBSITES LIKE HOTELS.COM ALLOW YOU TO COLLECT FREE NIGHTS, SO YOU'LL GET A FREE NIGHT AFTER YOU'VE PAID FOR 10 NIGHTS.  

FOOD: 

• PACK IT: BRINGING FOOD TO COOK YOUR OWN MEALS RATHER THAN EATING OUT AT RESTAURANTS IS A REALLY EASY WAY TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON THE ROAD. DON'T FORGET TO PACK SNACKS TOO, SO YOU CAN AVOID HAVING TO STOP AT GAS STATIONS AND FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS WHEN YOU NEED A QUICK BITE TO EAT. 

• PLAN IT: EVEN IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO COOK ALL YOUR MEALS, PLANNING YOUR MEALS IN ADVANCE CAN HELP YOU AVOID ENDING UP IN AN OVER-PRICED SPOT THAT WASN'T WORTH IT. WE USUALLY HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT RESTAURANT OPTIONS FOR LOCATIONS WE ARE PLANNING TO GO SO THAT WE DON'T END UP SOMEWHERE WE OVERPAY OR DON'T LIKE BUT STILL HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY DEPENDING ON WHAT WE FEEL LIKE EATING.  

 

FUEL:THE BIGGEST EXPENSE YOU ARE LIKELY TO HAVE ON A ROAD TRIP IS FOR GAS.

• FILL UP WHERE IT IS CHEAPER: PLAN YOUR PIT STOPS IN ADVANCE TO AVOID STATIONS WITH NOTORIOUSLY HIGH GAS PRICES. RURAL AREAS TEND TO HAVE LOWER GAS PRICES THAN IN MAJOR CITIES, BUT BEWARE OF THE FIRST OR LAST GAS STATION ON A LONGER STRETCHES OF ROAD AS THEY OFTEN HAVE REALLY HIGH PRICES KNOWING THAT TRAVELERS THAT DIDN'T PLAN AHEAD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FUEL UP THERE. THERE ARE EVEN APPS THAT WILL SHOW YOU THE PRICE OF GAS AT DIFFERENT STATIONS, LIKE GASBUDDY AND GASGURU.

• FILL UP WHEN IT IS CHEAPER: GAS STATIONS OFTEN INCREASE PRICES ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN ANTICIPATION FOR THE WEEKEND, SO FILL UP ON A WEEKDAY BEFORE YOUR TRIP.

• KNOW YOUR ROUTE TO AVOID WASTING GAS: PLANNING YOUR ROUTE IN ADVANCE AND KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE GOING CAN HELP YOU SAVE GAS BY AVOIDING GETTING LOST AND DRIVING UNNECESSARILY. YOU CAN ALSO PICK THE ROUTE BASED ON THE SHORTEST MILEAGE. 

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ACTIVITIES: OPT FOR NO COST OR LOW COST ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE PLENTY OF NO COST AND LOW COST ACTIVITY OPTIONS, LIKE HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS, KAYAKING OR PADDLE BOARDING ON A LAKE, SUNBATHING AT THE BEACH, WALKING AROUND AND SITE SEEING IN A CITY. WE ARE ALL FOR THOSE WOW EXPERIENCES LIKE HELICOPTER FLIGHTS, HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES, AND CHARTERED SAILBOATS, BUT SAVE THEM FOR REALLY SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

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REMEMBER TO PACK ESSENTIALS: YOUR ROAD TRIP BUDGET IS BOUND TO TAKE A BIG HIT IF YOU FORGET A NECESSITY AND NEED TO BUY A REPLACEMENT DURING THE TRIP. AT THAT POINT, THERE'S NO OPTION TO GET THAT GREAT DEAL ON AMAZON, YOU ARE AT THE MERCY OF WHATEVER STORE YOU CAN FIND THAT SELLS WHAT YOU NEED. WE CREATE PACKING LISTS FOR ALL OUR TRIPS TO HELP ENSURE WE PACK EVERYTHING WE NEED.

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NOW IT'S TIME TO HIT THE ROAD!

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