FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Tag: road trips

  • Discover America’s Best Road Trips

    If you can’t afford an overseas getaway, don’t think you’ve got to spend another year staring at the same four walls. A local road trip is an inexpensive vacation the whole family can enjoy. Read on to discover some of America’s best road trip routes.

    Explore the Wild West’s National Parks

    It’ll take you around ten days to travel across Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. This journey will introduce you to the rugged beauty of the Wild West and the history of the native Navajo culture. Remember to stop to take in the natural wonders of the Grant Canyon, Monument Valley, and Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, as well as the engineering marvel of the Hoover Dam.

    See the Deserts on Californian Highways

    If you live in California, you’ve probably seen little more than beaches and high-rise buildings. You can see your state from a different point of view once you hit the road and head for Nevada. Along the way you’ll discover the unforgiving, yet eerily beautiful landscapes of Death Valley and Sequoia National Park. If all that dryness is getting you down, keep driving to see the waterfalls of Yosemite National Park and the tranquil landscapes of Lake Tahoe.

    Get Your Kicks on Route 66

    No stretch of road is more iconic than Route 66, a highway which stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica. This 2,448 mile highway, which is one of America’s original roads, crosses eight states so discovering it all is quite an undertaking. However, you’ll be glad if you make the effort. It’ll take around three weeks to make the journey which passes Arizona’s Petrified Forest, Cadillac Ranch, and the Grand Canyon.

    Ocean Views on the Florida Keys

    Water views don’t get much closer than the ones on Florida’s Overseas Highway. The 127-mile stretch of road from Miami to Key West includes 42 bridges which take you from one island to the next. Most drivers will do the trip in roughly seven days, but it’s worth allowing a few extra days for communing with the wildlife. Tourist attractions invite you to swim with the dolphins and see the birds and turtles protected by local sanctuaries.

    See the Quaint Towns of New England

    Ah! The freedom of the open road. Road trips are a great way to explore the U.S. on a budget.
    Ah! The freedom of the open road. Road trips are a great way to explore the U.S. on a budget.

    If all the open spaces of America’s highways sounds like a recipe for boredom, than a road trip around New England might be more your speed. The dense forests look especially pretty in the fall, while the wooden church spires and traditional architecture can be enjoyed all year round. Spending a night at a country inn and shopping for antiques and crafts can help break up your trip.

    Before you set off on your American road trip, make sure read our Tips for Taking Road Trips Across the U.S and load our Top 10 Free Road Trip Apps on to your smartphone or tablet.

  • Top 10 Free Road Trip Apps – Best Smart Phone Travel Programs

    In this modern world it seems there’s an app for just about everything. In the past we’ve looked at 10 great apps for general travel, but there are so many nifty programs that we had to revisit the topic. This time around we’re turning our focus to the best free apps for road trips.

    Despite rising fuel costs, the road trip remains the friend of most frugal travellers. The journey typically costs less than air travel, and it’s easy to get around once you reach your destination. While you’ll want to take your partner and perhaps the kids along, a Smart Phone armed with these apps is another essential traveling companion.

    GoogleMaps
    This app is such a travel essential that I’m surprised it didn’t make our first top 10 list. However perhaps it was better saved, as it’s perfect for road trips. It’ll pinpoint your location, even if you don’t know quite where you are, and then tell you how to reach your destination. You’ll probably make most use of the driving directions, but don’t overlook the public transport and walking instructions. These functions are perfect for sightseeing once you reach your destination.

    BestParking
    BestParking is a must for frugal travelers who enjoy urban vacations, as it displays the most affordable and most convenient parking lots and garages. Anyone who’s been slugged for inner-city parking will be thankful for this handy guide. It’s just a shame that its database is so small. With only 40 American cities and three Canadian ones represented, it becomes useless if you want to travel off the beaten track.

    GasBuddy
    GasBuddy’s another nifty app to help you save. As its name suggests, the program displays the gas prices in the area you’re visiting, so you can decide where to fill up or whether it’s worth waiting for the next town. If you report the prices in your area you can also earn points towards GasBuddy’s regular prize giveaways.

    Pandora Radio
    It’s not a road trip without a killer playlist, and there’s an app to take care of that too. Many desktop users have enjoyed Pandora Radio’s service for years, and now with the advent of its mobile app you can take the site on the road. Amongst its features are the ability to create a QuickMix of your top tunes and stream the sounds of your favorite artists.

    Scout
    Scout takes care of your entertainment needs with a list of free activities and events in your chosen destination. By entering in your personal interests you can make sure Scout finds entertainment that meets your needs. However unfortunately Scout only offers information in American destinations, which is disappointing for anyone traveling abroad.

    Jiwire Wi-Fi Finder
    Hotels and hostels can charge a pretty penny for internet access, but you don’t need to swallow these fees with Jiwire Wi-Fi Finder. This clever app seeks out public Wi-Fi hotspots, including many free internet hubs. If you don’t mind loitering in cafes or libraries to check your e-mail, this is the app for you!

    Instagram
    Instagram is becoming one of the hottest apps online, and it’s perfect for travelers. Leave your bulky camera behind and use this app to capture your vacation memories. Snap away, choose a fun filter to transform the look of your images, then post them to the Instagram website to create a vacation photo diary. You can also share your pictures with friends on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr to update them on your adventures.

    Where Do Kids Eat Free Today?
    As its name suggests, this clever app helps families cut the cost of vacation meals. Its convenient search engine shows restaurants and eateries in your location serving cheap or even free meals to minors. Again you’re limited to American destinations, but as most families holiday close to home it should meet the needs of most frugal clans.

    The Weather Channel
    This premiere weather app lets you know whether to pack umbrellas or heavy coats for your road trips, and what to wear each day. It pinpoints your location and provides long-term forecasts so you always know what’s ahead.

    Road TripAAA Mobile Apps
    These apps aren’t technically free, as you’ll need AAA membership to download them. However the roadside assistance provided, plus the apps’ features, are enough to encourage most road trip regulars to pay the annual $52 fee. Once you do you can enjoy a range of apps including AAA Insurance, AAA Roadside, AAA Triptik Mobile, and our favorite, AAA Discounts. This money-saving program offers discounts at more than 110, 000 restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotels across North America. Making this range of apps one entry was also a sneaky way to get all of AAA’s clever services in our top 10!

    There really is a glut of useful travel apps so there are likely to be many we couldn’t squeeze into our top 10. What’s your favorite app when you’re on the road?

  • Tips for Taking Road Trips Across the U.S.

    Road trips are a fun and economical way to discover the U.S. However, up until about 5 years ago, I’d always dismissed them in favor of cheaper travel in other countries.

    It wasn't until a French friend shared his dream of one day driving from New York to Los Angeles that I thought: “Hey, I want to do that, too!” I discovered that there are many things I don’t about the U.S. and many places I’d like to visit. So, now I set out on at least one road trip per year to learn more about the diverse country in which I live. What I’ve found during my multiple cross-country road trips is: (1) They are always more fun than I anticipated they’d be; (2) It’s easy to be frugal if you stick to a budget; (3) The trips rarely go as planned. Spring is almost here, so now is the time to start planning your late spring/summer adventures. Here are some tips for making the most out of your road trip:
    • Have a general idea of your itinerary before setting out on your journey. When planning your itinerary, be realistic in terms of time. If you only have 1 week of vacation time, perhaps you just want to explore a small part of the U.S. (after all, you have the rest of your life to make it to the other states!).
    • Always budget more time than you think you’ll need. When I go on a road trip, I typically alternate long driving days with sightseeing days. It’s important to remember that your driving days may take longer than you think due to unforeseen circumstances.
    • Take along a GPS or maps. It’s important to have access to maps for every region you’ll be traveling to. Even if you MapQuest it all before leaving, you may want to take a detour, etc. that will require knowledge of an alternate route. Stopping to ask for directions takes time, so it’s best to be self-sufficient in this regard.
    • Check the weather often while on the road. I once spent several days dodging tornados in the region where I was traveling. In order to stay safe, I checked the weather multiple times per day.
    • If possible, bring your own source of Internet access. Smart phones and tablets now make it easier than ever to stay connected without lugging around a computer. Having Internet access is important for checking weather, finding information about various locations (tourist information, lodging, etc.), and staying in touch with those back home.
    • Have a general plan for lodging. Camping is the most frugal option, but there are plenty of cheap motels throughout the U.S., too. I always try to spend at least one night with a friend while I’m on the road. Keep in mind that, due to unforeseen circumstances, your accommodation plans could change.
    • Set a trip budget. Before you leave, it’s important to have an idea of about how much you’ll be spending. AAA offers some good discounts, so if you are a member be sure to take advantage of them. If you don’t have a plan for roadside assistance, be sure to budget in an extra cushion for flat tires and whatnot. Save money on food by bringing a cooler and making sandwiches for lunch instead of shelling out for fast food.
    • Pack an emergency kit. Be on the safe side an pack an emergency kit with first aid supplies, blankets, extra water and dry food, a flashlight, etc. It’s best to be prepared because you never know what can happen on the road.
    • Traveling with kids? Stay flexible. If you’re going on a road trip with kids, there are a variety of things to consider. Remember that, depending on the ages and personalities of your kids, you may not be able to get quite as far as you had planned each day. The important thing is that everyone stays safe and happy - you want your kids to remember this as a good experience, right?
    • Enjoy the unexpected. One of the best things about road trips are the pleasant unexpected opportunities/events that arise. Relish in an impromptu hike, stop for a live rodeo you hadn’t planned on attending, enjoy a relaxing picnic with your travel partners. It’s all part of the experience.