Road Trip on a Budget

I feel like most people have thought about going on a road trip……but don’t know where to start. Road trips are a great way to explore different cities or national parks or try out new activities. In this post, I’ll give you tips and tricks on how to go on a road trip in the U.S. for cheap! In my opinion, going on a good ol’ fashioned road trip (in most cases) is the cheapest way to travel the states and one of the best ways to make memories of a lifetime.

You don’t need a lot of money to plan a road trip (but you do need a reliable car). These tips and tricks are those that I’ve used while traveling on a budget and I hope you can make use of them too.

Camp. Camping is so cheap. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $50 per night. If you’re traveling the western states, you can find a lot of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. This land is federally owned, and in most cases, it is free to camp on and no reservations are needed.

When camping on BLM land, there are no amenities that a campground typically has. So, you have to be comfortable doing your business outside and going a few days without a shower. And of course, it is your responsibility to take ALL of your trash with you. There are apps available that show you where you can camp, give directions, include pictures and tell you a little about the area including tips, safety, etc. You can also just google “free dispersed camping near _____”. Some of these areas require 4WD or high clearance vehicles, so try to look for any information on this if it’s a concern.

Use AirBnB. I know not everyone likes to camp or has the gear to do so. Camping can be a little expensive up front if you have to buy all your own gear. One option is to ask your friends and family if you could borrow anything you need. If camping is just not something you want to do, I recommend using Airbnb.

If you’re traveling solo or with another person, chances are you can find a room to rent in someone’s house. A private room may cost somewhere between $20 to $80 per night depending on where you’re traveling.

Renting a room in someone’s house may sound a little weird, but it is extremely cost effective. I’ve had many great experiences staying in someone’s home while they were also there. A lot of the time, you can find a place with a private bathroom, or even a basement with a separate entrance so you can have a little more privacy. If you feel uncomfortable, just remember that these people chose to rent out a space in their home. They are probably really friendly, but will also respect your privacy if you want it.

For safety reasons, especially if traveling alone, always read the reviews. If there aren’t any reviews or there are many negative ones, find another option.

***Extra tip: Maybe camping for a week straight with no showers or bathrooms just doesn’t get you psyched. You could definitely camp some of the time and spend one or more nights at an AirBnB to shower and sleep in a real bed.

Cook your own food. Eating out every day of your trip for every meal will get really expensive, no matter where you’re traveling. It isn’t hard to cook your own food if you’re camping or staying at an AirBnB. If you’re camping, you can use the campfire or a small camp stove to cook simple meals. In most cases, if you rent a private room hosts will let you use their kitchen to cook meals. It can also be as simple as buying ingredients for sandwiches and eating those for lunch instead of eating out.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat out at all. Sometimes it can be worth the convenience and trying different local foods can also be a really fun part of the adventure, but limit yourself to save money.

Choose activities wisely. The best free activity to do while road tripping is hiking, hands down. Research some hikes (short or long!) in the area you’re planning on visiting. Hiking is a great way to experience the area you're visiting. Some hikes might be in a national park or state park that requires a fee, but these fees typically aren’t more than $30. If you are planning on going to multiple national parks on your road trip, I would recommend buying the annual parks pass, which is $80.

Sightseeing is also a fairly cheap activity. Some of these may be in national parks, others in cities. Some things might require paying a fee, so research ahead of time how much it costs and determine if it is worth it for you.

Another good way to explore a place is on a bike! Bring your own bike if you can, otherwise, renting bikes is typically not that expensive. It is usually $5 to $10 per hour and some shops will have half day or full day specials.

Spend some time at a nearby river, lake or ocean and maybe go for a swim. Relaxing by water is going to be cheap and a perfect thing to do after a busy day or just on a lazy day. You might even be able to rent a kayak, canoe or paddle board for an hour for around $15.

Walk around the downtown area of a city or attend a festival. These are free (and although there may be lots to buy, maybe limit yourself to an ice cream!!) and plentiful especially in the summer months.

If I’m planning a trip, my rule is to only splurge on 1-2 activities that I really want to do but may cost a lot. Examples are boat rides, rafting trips, horseback riding, ATV rides, guided rock climbing, zip lining, etc. These may vary widely in price (roughly $50 to $200) per person, so research beforehand and do some price comparing.

Thanks for reading. I hope even one of these tips will help you save money on your future trip. Travel on!