How to Plan a Cheap Road Trip Across America

Hopping in your car and hitting the open road allows you to get away from it all and lose yourself in the vast, diverse landscape of the United States. The great American road trip, popularized by famous authors such as Jack Kerouac, is an excuse to see the many sites the United States has to offer -- from natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park to the small-town charm of the South and the bustling streets of New York City. Taking a great road trip doesn’t have to break the bank, if you are willing to rough it a little and try some alternative accommodation.

Tips For You

1. Invest in a quality map or atlas that covers all 50 states in depth. Even if you intend to use your GPS or mobile phone to navigate routes, a detailed atlas is still invaluable on the road. Look for an atlas that features a close-up for each state with major highways and small roads. The more detailed your atlas, the easier it will be to find the most direct route and plan your trip efficiently. Having a detailed atlas can also come in handy if you get lost, want to cut around traffic, come across a detour or want to go off on a small-town adventure.
2. Sit down with your atlas and plan your itinerary. You will want to do this before you leave and every night along your road trip. Planning your itinerary helps you save on gas by taking the most direct route and not getting lost. You can also research areas with cheap accommodation and plan your itinerary around them to save more money.
3. Plan to shop at grocery stores instead of eating out. Depending on the area you are visiting, restaurants can add up to a hefty chunk of your road trip budget. Grocery stores and local markets tend to have lots of cheap options for food, even when you don’t have access to a kitchen. Look for fresh sandwiches and salads or grab some local meat to throw on a small public grill.
4. Plan to look into camping options from time to time. You will not always be in a situation in which camping is possible or safe, but you can pay a small fee to set up a tent or rent a cabin at many of the national parks across the U.S. Camping fees are significantly cheaper than hotel or motel rates.
5. Bring your own sheets and towels. If you want to travel really cheap, you will have to stay in some ultra-affordable motels, and having your own linens can be a lifesaver. Pack your own sheets, pillows and a light comforter in your car and lay them on the motel bed the minute you walk in the door. You may even want to bring an extra pair of flip-flops for showers.

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How to Backpack Across America

With its gorgeous coasts, lively cities and breathtaking natural wonders, America is a country with much to offer for any traveler. Backpacking across America is a challenging but rewarding undertaking. With the right amount of planning and a reasonable budget, your trip can be both efficient and epic.

Tips For You

1. Determine how you want to travel. America has rail and bus systems offering daily routes. Economy airlines often offer low price flights between cities. Some travelers opt to rent cars or RVs for their trips. If you enjoy the outdoors, consider hiking the American Discovery Trail, a trail system connecting the East and West coasts of the country.
2. Determine your budget. The average cost of traveling in America is $100 a day. Determining the amount of money and time you have available will help you plot out your trip.
3. Plan your itinerary. America is a vast country with endless sights and activities. Pinpoint what interests you and build a plan, taking into consideration your budget and means of transportation.
4. Collect the essential gear. Essential items for this type of undertaking include a good-sized, sturdy backpack, quality shoes suitable for both urban and wilderness trekking, clothing suitable for various climates, a first aid kit, money and a map. You may opt to bring electronics such as a laptop computer or smart phone. If you are not an American citizen, you will also require a visa.
5. Prepare physically. Carrying a backpack can be a strain on the body and when traveling you may find yourself walking more than you are accustomed to. Practice carrying your pack with a full load, and incorporate regular cardiovascular exercise into your routine.
6. Consult others about their experiences. Other travelers are a great source of information. They often know firsthand which places are dangerous, which motels were a ripoff, and what food will make you ill.
7. Keep a record of your trip. Maintain a blog or photo-stream of your trip to keep friends and family up to date on your itinerary. Backpacking across America is a trip that you will want to remember.

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Top Fly-Fishing Rivers in America

Anglers often have their own favorite fishing holes, and many of them are reluctant to share their locations. However, the fly-fishing in some U.S. rivers is just too good to be kept secret. Fishable rivers flow through every corner of the country and, in some of them, it is almost hard to not catch a fish. When traveling to a river you have not yet explored, be sure to check local regulations before getting a line wet.

Montana's Mighty Mo

• Western Montana is full of excellent trout streams, but anglers interested in catching trout the size of a football will have the best luck on the Missouri River. The best stretch for fly-fishing is near the state capitol, Helena, just below Holter Dam, where releases of cool water create prime trout habitat. Several dams along the Missouri create reservoirs and lakes that will allow adventurous anglers to try for several species of fish. Fort Peck Lake in northeastern Montana is home to large trout, walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass.

Michigan's Au Sable

• Michigan may be most famous for the lakes that surround it, but the thousands of miles of rivers that run through it offer some excellent fly-fishing. The Au Sable River flows through Grayling, Michigan, the town in which Trout Unlimited was founded. Enormous fish swarm the area during early summer for the river's famous hatch of Hexagenia limbata, the world's largest mayfly. Anglers with some time should also fish the Manistee River and pay a visit to the Upper Peninsula to fish the salmon runs.

Arkansas' Norfork and White Rivers

• Anglers will find a variety of trout in Arkansas' Norfork and White Rivers; rainbows, browns, cutthroats and brookies teem in these waters. Dams on both rivers release cool water that allows trout to thrive in this warm climate. Nearby Mountain Home, Arkansas, has several businesses that cater to anglers who visit in an attempt to catch some of the biggest brown trout in the world. Thanks to warm weather, these rivers are fishable year-round.

Alaska's Copper River

• Compiling a list of best fly-fishing rivers is a subjective exercise, but most would agree that Alaska's rivers should be included. If you're not afraid of a little competition from grizzly bears, Alaska's salmon runs are unparalleled. Sockeye salmon run up the famous Copper River in July, and trout are biting whenever the weather is warm enough for anglers to brave it. Fishing pressure is relatively light because the Copper River is restricted to fly-fishing only. The solitude and forested scenery round out an idyllic fly-fishing experience.

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Where are the Most Visited Places in America for Scuba Diving?

Recreational scuba divers have been taking in the underwater landscape and mapping out choice destinations across the country and continent since the first successful rebreathing device was introduced in the 1940s. Divers have explored the depths along the coastal United States and now frequently dive around Florida, Texas, California and Hawaii, at sites that typically feature warmer water, easy access and stunning biodiversity.

The Florida Keys

• The barrier reef stretching out from the islands of the Florida Keys, an archipelago that trails west from Florida's southern tip, is the only living reef of its kind in the lower 48 states. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has its fair share of corals and fish, including the parrot fish and cocoa damselfish. There are also several shipwrecks that ocean life has reclaimed, such as the Spiegel Grove, the largest ship to succeed as a man-made reef. You can also feast your eyes on the two-ton statue "Christ of the Abyss," which rests on the ocean floor off Key Largo.

Southern California's Channel Islands

• The water off the California coast, which dips to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, doesn't slow visitors to the eight Channel Islands, especially Anacapa, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. Each island has numerous dive sites, including the wrecks of three World War II craft: torpedo bomber the Avenger rests at Anacapa, and Santa Cruz has Navy plane the Guardian and minesweeper the Spirit of America. Swimming among the rolling kelp forests that surround the islands are large mammals like dolphins and sea lions, as well as enormous sea bass -- some of which weigh hundreds of pounds -- and giant eels.

Oahu, Hawaii

• Divers seek out sites across the Hawaiian islands, which are so far removed from the nearest continents that the local wildlife is utterly unique. Oahu has so many dive sites that each is uncrowded and you can enjoy relative peace and quiet as you explore shipwrecks and natural reefs. Minesweeper wreck the Mahi is home to schools of lemon butterflyfish and ta'ape as well as eels. Octopuses, parrotfish, crabs and spiny lobsters lurk inside Kahuna Canyon, which has walls as steep and striking as its name suggests.

Texas' Gulf Coast

• The Texas Gulf Coast is home to a surprising number of popular dive sites. Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary protects three unique coral reefs about 100 miles off the coast. Whale sharks and manta rays are just two of the hundreds of marine species on display here. A little closer to the mainland, South Padre Island is close to the artificial reef of the Texas Clipper shipwreck, which began its new life in 2007 and is already sheltering hundreds of native fish.

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