New York to Miami via New Mexico

[Augusta08]

Having been holed up in the UK since Xmas, and looking like it will be June/July before I get back to France (gawd knows what the garden will be like) I've decide on a post C*19 treat and have booked a RV for 90 days next year. I'm driving from NY to Miami via a rather convoluted route: Any other funster done anything similar?

New York (Newark)

Connecticut

Springfield

Boston

Bangor

Burlington, VT

Lake Ontairio

Niagra Falls

AA Royal Motel & Campground

Pennsylvania

Washington

Front Royal

Big Medows Lodge campgrounds

Rockfish Gap

Great Smokie Mountains NP

Knoxville

Nashville

Memphis

Little Rock

Fort Smith

Tulsa

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Fort Reno

Amerello

Santa Rosa

Albuquerque

Painted Desert

Homolovi Ruins State Park

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Tucson

El Paso

San Antonio

Houston

Baton Rouge

New Orleans

Mobile

Talahasse

Jacksonville

Daytona

Cape Canaveral

Miami

Key Largo

 

[Otter Spotter]

Call in at Davis Monthan Air Force base known as ‘The Bone yard’ just outside Tuscan, 7000 plus aircraft parked up and a a great museum. Take many pictures.

 

[bobnick]

Having been holed up in the UK since Xmas, and looking like it will be June/July before I get back to France (gawd knows what the garden will be like) I've decide on a post C*19 treat and have booked a RV for 90 days next year. I'm driving from NY to Miami via a rather convoluted route: Any other funster done anything similar?

New York (Newark)

Connecticut

Springfield

Boston

Bangor

Burlington, VT

Lake Ontairio

Niagra Falls

AA Royal Motel & Campground

Pennsylvania

Washington

Front Royal

Big Medows Lodge campgrounds

Rockfish Gap

Great Smokie Mountains NP

Knoxville

Nashville

Memphis

Little Rock

Fort Smith

Tulsa

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Fort Reno

Amerello

Santa Rosa

Albuquerque

Painted Desert

Homolovi Ruins State Park

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Tucson

El Paso

San Antonio

Houston

Baton Rouge

New Orleans

Mobile

Talahasse

Jacksonville

Daytona

Cape Canaveral

Miami

Key Largo

Sounds amasing, something i would do. Take plenty of money for tips.

 

[Chris]

Take plenty of money for tips.

Especially in Miami

 

[Vanderek]

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor
A beautiful day, we had lunch on the way and all for under a pound you know
But on the way back I cuddled with Jack and we opened a bottle of cider
Singing a few of our favourite songs as the wheels went around…

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[bilM]

Did Miami to Houston in a RV have a good trip when it comes around.

 

[Augusta08]

Especially in Miami

I don't remember it being that bad, I've been to Miami a few times. A few years ago I did the San Fran to Seattle back via Yellowstone, the Dakotas, Utah, Bryce, Monument, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite run. The thing is we generally cook for ourselves, the odd BBQ etc. But I want to remain 72Kg with 32" waist and eating out in the US doesn't gel with that.

 

[Mr porky]

May I ask what the RV hire charge was for three months ?

 

[The Wino]

May I ask what the RV hire charge was for three months ?

I was just going to ask the same.

 

[Augusta08]

May I ask what the RV hire charge was for three months ?

$17,000 with full insurance unlimited mileage, one way rental. C-28 ,

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[Chris]

I don't remember it being that bad, I've been to Miami a few times. A few years ago I did the San Fran to Seattle back via Yellowstone, the Dakotas, Utah, Bryce, Monument, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite run. The thing is we generally cook for ourselves, the odd BBQ etc. But I want to remain 72Kg with 32" waist and eating out in the US doesn't gel with that.

Pretty much 20% added to every bill.

We were staying at this hotel in Miami Beach and I recall being charged $14 for a beer brought to me by a waitress.

I thought for my second one I would save a bit of cash and go to the bar myself. Still charged $14.

Not the place to go out drinking!

 

[bobnick]

It's not a tip in Yankee land it's a demand, compulsory. Land of beggars. Even if you have a shit meal and service they still demand a big tip, and whoa betide you if you refuse to give one.

 

[autorouter]

Everyone has their own interests, but for me, around Albuquerque and Flagstaff, I wouldn't miss the Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater and if not too far off your route, the Grand Canyon.

 

[bobnick]

Agree about the Grand Canyon, we did a helicopter trip over and landed at the bottom for a champagne breakfast. Next day we drove in our rental to a couple of the viewing spots, proper amasing.

 

[The Wino]

It's not a tip in Yankee land it's a demand, compulsory. Land of beggars. Even if you have a shit meal and service they still demand a big tip, and whoa betide you if you refuse to give one.

That really annoyed us. I would sooner just have it on the bill its a bit like when they used to quote ex vat prices here when they knew most customers would be unable to reclaim vat. My friend had pre booked and prepaid shared taxi transfer in New York. They tuned up over half an hour late and when they dropped him off at the hotel asked for a tip. He said I'll give you a tip next time turn up on time!

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[bobnick]

That really annoyed us. I would sooner just have it on the bill its a bit like when they used to quote ex vat prices here when they knew most customers would be unable to reclaim vat. My friend had pre booked and prepaid shared taxi transfer in New York. They tuned up over half an hour late and when they dropped him off at the hotel asked for a tip. He said I'll give you a tip next time turn up on time!

We all tip.......i think. But i believe it's based on the quality of service and stuff bought, be it food or whatever.
Yet the yanks can proved total rubbish at everything but still demand a tip. Wrong imo.
The likes of Australia, Singapore etc have it right, don't tip they get a wage, if it's not enough ask the boss for more.
I once unknowingly tried to tip a taxi driver in Hong Kong, he was most offended.
The Aussies hate the Brits when they tip.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

We had 3 weeks in Miami and then went on a cruise from the port, turns up at the cruise terminal wheels the cases over to where they collect the luggage just going to lift them onto the cage they use and a chap turns up picks them up and puts them on the cage..
He literally just swung them about 2 ft then stands there looking at me!, just said to him, not today mate

Did wait until I see the cases go up the ramp in case he threw them off though

 

[The Wino]

We all tip.......i think. But i believe it's based on the quality of service and stuff bought, be it food or whatever.
Yet the yanks can proved total rubbish at everything but still demand a tip. Wrong imo.
The likes of Australia, Singapore etc have it right, don't tip they get a wage, if it's not enough ask the boss for more.
I once unknowingly tried to tip a taxi driver in Hong Kong, he was most offended.
The Aussies hate the Brits when they tip.

I'm the opposite I quite often don't tip. I expect a taxi to take me to where I want to go . I don't see it as anything special if I get there!. I think tipping is a bit of a throwback to having servants sounds like I must have a bit of aussie or honk Kong in me!

 

[bilM]

Everyone has their own interests, Meteor Crater

Drove up to Meteor Crater to have a look however asking to much $$$ to look at a hole in the ground.

 

[Augusta08]

Everyone has their own interests, but for me, around Albuquerque and Flagstaff, I wouldn't miss the Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater and if not too far off your route, the Grand Canyon.

Agreed, did that a few years ago, complete with the helicopter ride:

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[Gaston aires]

Make sure you load a camping app. They show you BLM land where you can legally wild camp often in the most beautiful places. We used them many times in some great places in South West American states.

 

[peterc10]

Are you sure about that? You will be spending more time in the motorhome driving than looking at the places you want to visit. America is always bigger than you think. Most of the States are larger than the UK. Yes the roads are good, but all you will be looking at will be Interstate Highways which, for the most part, are boring. And many of them are tolled so that will add up. Most also have speed limits of 55 or 65mph with plenty of cops with their speed guns so you can't really put your foot down. Not our idea of fun. IMHO it would take 90 days to do justice to the East Coast section of your journey alone.

Newark is just over the Hudson River from New York, which is well worth a visit of course. BUT do not even think of driving the RV anywhere near it. Park it in one of the Park and Ride places in New Jersey and catch the bus or train in. The one we use is the Allwood Road Park and Ride which is about half a mile from where our daughter lives. Use the South side parking lot as the North is for season ticket holders only. Buses to New York are frequent and if you get an express bus (X in front of the number) it takes less than half an hour. It drops you off at the PATH (Port Authority Transport Hub) on 42nd Street and 8th Avenue and Times Square and Broadway are a short walk away. And you can use the Subway to get to the rest of the tourist attractions.

I see you are going to Burlington in Vermont. Very nice lively town with lovely lakeside views. There are plenty of other places to visit in Vermont as well as Upstate New York. Try a day or two in Lake George. Or visit the Finger Lakes area of upstate NY.

It is worth a detour to take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel in Virginia which crosses the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Fantastic views from the bridges. And if you want to experience the Americans enjoying their seaside try the resorts along the Jersey Shore all the way from Asbury Park to Cape May. Or try Virginia Beach, which is a more "up market" seaside resort.

A must do is the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Part in Virginia. 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains with wall to wall vistas all the way. At its southern end it leads onto the Blue Ridge Parkway which goes for another 500 miles South. We started on that but gave up after about 50 miles because, unlike the Skyline Drive, the National Park people do not cut back the trees along the road, so there were very few places to get a good view. Most of it was just driving in the trees. Nice for a while, but gets repetitive.

If you are going to the Phoenix area then a visit to the Grand Canyon is a must. No photographs will do justice to the jaw dropping scale of it when you get there. And the Hoover Dam and Death Valley are well worth a visit.

Also buy a year's pass to the National Parks, as that will save you a lot of money.

Take some time to eat in the local Diners to get a feel for America. They are nothing like what the ones over here are like, which are really just burger shacks. The good ones have menus that run to 10 to 20 pages with all sorts of cuisines catered for. And you must try an American brunch, but expect to queue for that in the better Diners at the weekends. The longer the queues the better the place.

If you like good beer the USA used to be a barren desert as it was dominated by the big brewers selling tasteless crap. But that has all changed now, at least on the East Coast, as lots of independent craft brewers have sprung up, many in brew pubs which brew on the premises and most with good food served as well. Our favourites are Keegan Ales in Kingston NY (if you like stout try their Mothers Milk and order it with a pulled pork sandwich with a side of Jambalaya) and Triumph Brewing in Princeton NJ (try their best bitter or whatever else they have on the hand pump). Both will probably be close to your route.

If you need any more info on the North East section of your route you can PM me.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Watch out for rubber! Never seen so much old tyre debris on roads as in the States

And avoid Death Valley in August! Was hot

 

[Augusta08]

Are you sure about that? You will be spending more time in the motorhome driving than looking at the places you want to visit.

I don't think so, it averages less than 85 miles per day. (7,070m 86 days) Even at my leisurely pace it won't take all morning.

The biggest stretch I've got is El Paso to San Antonio 550 miles, but the app suggests it will take 16h22m. Long straight roads across the desert I suppose. (I'll probably split it and boondock the night in Fort Stockton.)

But most days I'm scheduling 100 miles or less with several 2,3 and 4 nights at a single location.

The Newark Depot is my pick-up point. I'll be outta there pdq but I'm only planning on a 50 mile drive that day, hopefully park-up in the Harriman State Park Beaver Pond area.

 

[Larrynwin]

We did three RV trips , the first on the west coast starting San Francisco to Napa , Tahoe , Death Valley ,Hoover, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas ,Yosemite , LA .and some lovely stops in between.
The second on the east coast starting New York and up the east coast diverting through Adirondack , Boston , Cape Cod then up to Toronto and Niagara again lots of incredible stops in between.
The third was a three week one way RV re location trip for Cruise America picking up new 30ft RV in Chicago and travelled much of Route 66 , St Louis, Memphis and Graceland , up to Tulsa , Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Albuquerque then up to North rim Grand Canyon up to Utah then back down to deliver in Las Vegas for a show .
The last trip being a re location is the annual movement of new Thor RVs from source either from Chicago or Toronto to depots across the US and Canada , one way trips at specially reduced hire rates.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure.

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[peterc10]

Another thought. Make sure you are allowed to take the motorhome into Canada. I say that because the iconic horseshoe part of Niagara Falls is in Canada, and so are the best views of those falls. The Americans try to keep that fact a secret judging by the lack of signposts to Canada on their side of the river. So follow the signs to the Rainbow International Bridge instead. A trip on the Maid of the Mist is essential and the Whirlpool Aero Car downstream from the falls is also well worth it. On the Canadian side you can get an all in ticket for several of the attractions which will save you money.

If you do go to Niagara I would recommend having a look at Toronto, which is only an hour or so's drive further on. Really nice friendly city with an interesting waterfront onto Lake Ontario. Eating in the revolving restaurant at the top of the CN Tower makes for a memorable meal.

 

[peterc10]

The last trip being a re location is the annual movement of new Thor RVs from source either from Chicago or Toronto to depots across the US and Canada , one way trips at specially reduced hire rates.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure.

I really fancy that. How much did the hire cost you please?

 

[Larrynwin]

I really fancy that. How much did the hire cost you please?

The last one we did was nine years ago but I have received emails from Cruise America each year since with lists of re location offers.
The U.K. contact point is www.cruiseamerica.co.uk which links to the www.themotorhomeexperts.co.uk who arrange directly with Cruise America / Canada .
I will see if I can find current rates , normally these specials include insurance etc at no extra cost.

 

[Larrynwin]

The last one we did was nine years ago but I have received emails from Cruise America each year since with lists of re location offers.
The U.K. contact point is www.cruiseamerica.co.uk which links to the www.themotorhomeexperts.co.uk who arrange directly with Cruise America / Canada .
I will see if I can find current rates , normally these specials include insurance etc at no extra cost.

Peter, I changed my email address last year and have not received the list of re locations this year but if you make contact with them via the above links they will put you on the mailing list the first of which will already have been circulated.

 

[Gaston aires]

Are you sure about that? You will be spending more time in the motorhome driving than looking at the places you want to visit. America is always bigger than you think. Most of the States are larger than the UK. Yes the roads are good, but all you will be looking at will be Interstate Highways which, for the most part, are boring. And many of them are tolled so that will add up. Most also have speed limits of 55 or 65mph with plenty of cops with their speed guns so you can't really put your foot down. Not our idea of fun. IMHO it would take 90 days to do justice to the East Coast section of your journey alone.

Newark is just over the Hudson River from New York, which is well worth a visit of course. BUT do not even think of driving the RV anywhere near it. Park it in one of the Park and Ride places in New Jersey and catch the bus or train in. The one we use is the Allwood Road Park and Ride which is about half a mile from where our daughter lives. Use the South side parking lot as the North is for season ticket holders only. Buses to New York are frequent and if you get an express bus (X in front of the number) it takes less than half an hour. It drops you off at the PATH (Port Authority Transport Hub) on 42nd Street and 8th Avenue and Times Square and Broadway are a short walk away. And you can use the Subway to get to the rest of the tourist attractions.

I see you are going to Burlington in Vermont. Very nice lively town with lovely lakeside views. There are plenty of other places to visit in Vermont as well as Upstate New York. Try a day or two in Lake George. Or visit the Finger Lakes area of upstate NY.

It is worth a detour to take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel in Virginia which crosses the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Fantastic views from the bridges. And if you want to experience the Americans enjoying their seaside try the resorts along the Jersey Shore all the way from Asbury Park to Cape May. Or try Virginia Beach, which is a more "up market" seaside resort.

A must do is the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Part in Virginia. 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains with wall to wall vistas all the way. At its southern end it leads onto the Blue Ridge Parkway which goes for another 500 miles South. We started on that but gave up after about 50 miles because, unlike the Skyline Drive, the National Park people do not cut back the trees along the road, so there were very few places to get a good view. Most of it was just driving in the trees. Nice for a while, but gets repetitive.

If you are going to the Phoenix area then a visit to the Grand Canyon is a must. No photographs will do justice to the jaw dropping scale of it when you get there. And the Hoover Dam and Death Valley are well worth a visit.

Also buy a year's pass to the National Parks, as that will save you a lot of money.

Take some time to eat in the local Diners to get a feel for America. They are nothing like what the ones over here are like, which are really just burger shacks. The good ones have menus that run to 10 to 20 pages with all sorts of cuisines catered for. And you must try an American brunch, but expect to queue for that in the better Diners at the weekends. The longer the queues the better the place.

If you like good beer the USA used to be a barren desert as it was dominated by the big brewers selling tasteless crap. But that has all changed now, at least on the East Coast, as lots of independent craft brewers have sprung up, many in brew pubs which brew on the premises and most with good food served as well. Our favourites are Keegan Ales in Kingston NY (if you like stout try their Mothers Milk and order it with a pulled pork sandwich with a side of Jambalaya) and Triumph Brewing in Princeton NJ (try their best bitter or whatever else they have on the hand pump). Both will probably be close to your route.

If you need any more info on the North East section of your route you can PM me.

I’m with you on this one. That’s a lot of driving in three months. When we did three months just up to lockdown we only did Arizona, some parts of Nevada, California, Utah, and New Mexico, and only the areas bordering Arizona. It’s massive. Yes you can drive East to West but you won’t see much except tarmac.
Phil

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