Road Trip - Need help/advice

• detectivegibbles

  Hey guys,
  
  Myself and a few buddies are planning a spring break road trip. We will be basically be travelling from Columbus to Philly, and want to continue on up to Boston, NY, maybe stop in Atlantic City, and eventually go down the coast and end up either at Virginia Beach or Charleston, SC.
  
  We are in debate on what would be the most cost efficient way to do this. Would it be smart to park in Philly and take trains and other transportation methods to the other cities? Would it be smarter to just drive the whole way and stay at different hotels or what not....
  
  Feel free to direct message or just reply in the forum. Thanks Chatters. Go Bucks.
• Sonofanump

  Just park and sleep overnight at those rest stops on the side of the road.
• gorocks99

  

  Trains will get you where you want to go but they're not all that cheap, and not all that on time usually. Probably run you ~$150-$200 a person for a train from Philly to Boston. I'd just drive and not deal with the hassle of trains, it's only around 4 hours from Boston to NYC, then only a few more hours to Philly, Baltimore, DC, etc. Worst part about it will be the traffic, depending on where you're staying in each city
• Glory Days

  

  yeah i would just get a car and go in pretty much the order you listed. definitely map it out and time the driving and see how long you want to stay in each place.
• detectivegibbles

  What places would you recommend seeing in each city? (assuming that you've been there or know a lot about the city)
  
  I feel like my friends would have problems with sleeping in our car, but I think once they see how much it would cost, we may have to resort to that.
  
  Any and all input is much appreciated.
• I Wear Pants

  Do Charleston instead of Myrtle Beach. Charleston is the fucking bomb.
• Go4alOngbOmB

  

  If you hit Atlantic City, and do not STAY in a hotel there, leave Atlantic City before you sleep in your car. Because the Pier and Boardwalk are nice and safe, 2 blocks to the west...not so much...
  
  So pretty much, get a hotel there if you go. Just my suggestion.
• Thinthickbigred

  Why dont you start at your northern most destination and work your way south ? Boston to NYC to Philly to Atlantic city to South Carolina and drive the outer banks NC on your way down right off A-1-A. Heck keep going down the road all the way to Key West . Get in an early swim in the ocean .
• Glory Days

  

  Thinthickbigred;1091739 wrote:Why dont you start at your northern most destination and work your way south ? Boston to NYC to Philly to Atlantic city to South Carolina and drive the outer banks NC on your way down right off A-1-A. Heck keep going down the road all the way to Key West . Get in an early swim in the ocean .

  that would make sense. especially to hit boston, you would have to go past nyc twice.
• said_aouita

  

  The most cost efficient I'm guessing would be camping at nights. KOA camp grounds can be pretty nice.
• gorocks99

  

  Yeah, camping would be the best option from a cost and not-sleeping-in-car standpoint. Maybe book a hotel here and there to get cleaned up. You can stay at most state parks or KOAs for ~$25 a night. If you do that, and are going when it's warmer out, try to stay a night in the Finger Lakes region of NY on your way to Boston. Probably a good roughly midway point on your drive from Ohio (it's about six hours from the Finger Lakes to Boston). Good scenery, nice campgrounds available. Lots of wine. Good hiking (if you're into that).
• TedSheckler

  

  Go4alOngbOmB;1091738 wrote:If you hit Atlantic City, and do not STAY in a hotel there, leave Atlantic City before you sleep in your car. Because the Pier and Boardwalk are nice and safe, 2 blocks to the west...not so much...
  
  So pretty much, get a hotel there if you go. Just my suggestion.

  Nucky Thompson will find you and charge you anyway to sleep in your car there.
• said_aouita

  

  gorocks99;1091814 wrote:Yeah, camping would be the best option from a cost and not-sleeping-in-car standpoint. Maybe book a hotel here and there to get cleaned up. You can stay at most state parks or KOAs for ~$25 a night. If you do that, and are going when it's warmer out, try to stay a night in the Finger Lakes region of NY on your way to Boston. Probably a good roughly midway point on your drive from Ohio (it's about six hours from the Finger Lakes to Boston). Good scenery, nice campgrounds available. Lots of wine. Good hiking (if you're into that).

  I'd think if ya take the scenic route (US rte 1) finding reasonable priced camp grounds is not a problem. For example, in college spring break (Florida) we stayed at a KOA. Had two heated pools, three jacuzzi's and a 18-hole putt putt course. Many drinking games possible on a putt-putt course!
  Was a blast.
• detectivegibbles

  Thank you guys a ton.
  
  I think camping may be some what hard up north, since it will only mid March when we depart on this trip. I am going to look into the KOA prices and what not, and try to gauge a temperature for the northeast area around this time next month. THank you all again!!