USA Travel Tips

Have you started to plan your travel after camp yet? America is a big place, that's for sure, so make sure you've looked at the best options to suit your budget. Here are some of our tips:

Typical Costs

• Accommodation: The US doesn’t have many hostels. Outside major cities, you’ll just find cheap hotels and motels. Hostels cost between $15-30 per night for a dorm room. Cheap motels and hotels cost begin at $35 per night. Hotels in cities start at $60 per night. The US is very vast and prices fluctuate a lot depending on what region you’re in.

• Food: Food in America is very cheap. Between fast food and cheap delis, you can eat really cheap. Fast food will cost you $6 per meal (unless you go after the dollar menu), restaurants like Applebee’s will cost around $10-15 per meal. Sandwich shops are around $5 dollars and nice sit down restaurants begin around $15 dollars.

• Transportation: The US is a big country and its size can make it difficult to travel around. The easiest way to travel is by car. The great expanse of America is best seen via car and the open road. The American road trip is a long-held tradition and gives you the flexibility to see all the off the beaten path places out there. On the coasts, there is an extensive train and bus network that is very cheap, with bus fares as low as $1. Flying is your quickest option but can be very expensive. For cheap flights, consider JetBlue and Southwest. Amtrak runs trains throughout the country, and while amazing, isn’t very cheap compared to the bus.

Money Saving Tips

• Travel by land – The best way to get across the country is often times by driving or bus. In the northeast, bus fares cost as little as $1. Typically, flying and trains are the most expensive way to get around. If you can, rent a car and share the gas costs with friends. Camp Leaders works alongside Trek America to offer you an exclusive 10% off all overland trips. Just quote '333222' at the time of booking.
• Get a National Park Pass - One of the highlights of any trip to America is visiting all the national parks. Getting a national parks pass will let you into all the parks for free so you don’t have to keep paying an entrance fee.
• Cook - The United States has some of the cheapest food in the world. Go grocery shopping: eat for less than $40 USD per week, and save a lot of money.
• Couchsurfing - The Couchsurfing movement started in the United States and the free accommodation offered can make up for the lack of hostels. You’ll find plenty of hosts throughout the country who will show you around their town and let you stay for free.