RV/House swap Australia

[Downunder]

G'Day,

My husband and I and our two children are looking to drive from LA-New York (or reverse) in October 2011 for 3-4 weeks. We would also like to spend approximately one week at each end of the trip to see the sights of LA & New York.

Our options are to hire an RV for this period OR buy a used RV and then sell it when we are finished OR, a friend has suggested that perhaps someone may be interested in swapping their 4+ Berth RV in exchange for a vacation to Australia. Whilst it is still some time away, I thought I would start planning now and ask a few people on what the best option would be, both financially and given the time we are dedicating to the trip.

Having not visited the US before, is it possible to do this trip, with a bit of sightseeing in between in the time frame of 3-4 weeks? Are there plenty of parks to stay in along the way?


Any suggestions would be most welcome, thank you.

Nerilee

 

[keithb]

RE: RV/House swap Australia

Hi Nerilee
While I don't have a RV yet (still looking for one) my initial thought was that I would certainly consider a trade to travel to Australia. How old are your kids? Being an avid motorcyclist with 140K miles on my hiney you will find campgrounds/hotels all across the country. I don't know if I would stay in L.A. and N.Y. for a week on each end however. There are too many other great sights to see in our beautiful country. Is there anyway you come back for a trip the following year? What I mean is I would do a WEST COAST trip and the following year and I would do an EAST COAST trip or vice versa. You will more sights this way and it would be a more positive experience.

WEST COAST SIGHTS: San Diego, Los Angeles, California coast from San Luis Obispo, Ca. to Monterey,Ca., San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, The Grand Canyon (Arizona), Las Vegas, Colorado Rockies, Yellowstone Nat. Park and Jackson Wyoming, Glacier National Park, Portland and Seattle.

EAST COAST SIGHTS: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Williamsburg, Va., Va. Beach, Blue Ridge Parkway in Va./N.C. mountains, Outer Banks of N.C. (Nags Head, Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke), Atlanta, Florida: Jacksonville, Daytona, Orlando, Miami, and Key West.

This list should keep you busy for awhile.
Keith :laugh:

 

[RushImports]

Re: RV/House swap Australia

Nerilee,
I am in Aus as well.

Trying to do what you want in that time frame will not work.

Last May I took my Wife & Daughter and done this trip.
Los Angeles
San Diego
29 Palms ( Joshua Park )
Williams ( Grand Canyon )
Hoover Dam
Las Vegas
Death Valley ( Awesome drive ) Like crossing the Nullabour
Lake Isabella
Sequoia Park
Pomona / LA
1,800 mile
2 weeks casually.
Was FANTASTIC.
Hired a C31 Slide from Motorhomebookers.com, cost was $1,800 AUD including 2,000 Miles.

This Aug will be

Dallas / Fort Worth 3-4 days
San Antonio 3-4 days
Houston 3-4 days
New Orleans 3-4 days
Jackson 3-4 days
Head back to Dallas
Seeing any little places on the route.

Cost so far is
Cruise America 30" C Class @ $3,500 USD with 2,000 Mile / Insurances included.

Trying to drive from LA to NY and seeing things would be like driving from Sydney to Perth ( Although the USA is way nicer roads )

 

[RushImports]

Re: RV/House swap Australia

Also,

Try to travel in shoulder seasons, way cheaper.

Springtime in May ( Till the 21st )

Autumn starts August 16th

Airfares / RV Hire / Etc are all discounted in these times.

 

[aussie Keith]

Re: RV/House swap Australia

Hi Nerilee,

The last two replies offered very good advice. We did a 1 year tour of the USA in 06/07. Bought the motorhome at the commencement and were lucky enough to sell it before we returned to Aus. Lost a bit of money, but well worth it. For the short time that you are talking about the cheapest method would be to rent one. We met a few aussies on the way around that had done this and it was relatively trouble-free.
To travel from LA to New York would just be way too much in 3-4 weeks. We spent 5-6 weeks just in "Red Rock Country" of Arizona, Utah and Idaho. Travelling onto Yellowstone and Montana. Absolutely fantastic! And, we could have stayed longer. You need time to experience what you are visiting and you could not do that by just eating up the miles on the freeway.
Plan it well and you will have a great time.