There are hundreds, maybe thousands of celebrations going on year-round in the US. In this video I go from Cape Henlopen, DE to Denton, . HikingAppalachian Trail. Its really hard to fault California for anything besides having too much. To find the best places to stay in US cities its worth doing some research beforehand: Camping is one of the great American pastimes and something that nearly every resident has done once in their life. Once sleepy, the thriving metro of Seattle, home to loggers and mariners, is now a modern metropolis. Objectively speaking, many of the most iconic places in the USA are found on a Southwest road trip itinerary. I had gotten g. If you get a service like a massage or a haircut, tipping is also typically expected. trekking gear), or find a cheap temporary fix instead of carrying something for one-time use. London is spendy and friendly. They may also let you buy or extend a policy once youve started your trip and are already abroad which is super handy. Everything from hotels to B&Bs to hostels to beach bungalows can be booked while visiting. 10 Money-Saving Tips for Colombia! Pack one week's worth of clothing. Next up, take some time to see the charming region of New England before spending a few days in Washington D.C. heading to the sweet Southern locales of Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Right-wingers cannot be reasoned with. Denver is becoming an increasingly popular city to both live in and visit. If youve been paying attention so far, then you already know theres a lot more to the USA than just these cities. They're both 2,000+ miles long, with the PCT stretching from Southern California to Canada and the A.T. stretching from Georgia to Maine. Photograph: Andre Jenny/Alamy. The Lone Star state is a bbq lovers go to, and if food doesnt appeal, perhaps the wide open landscapes will? If you're planning to do some . Hide money in a lipstick. Relatively cheap (roughly $50-$70 per night) motels can be found in many mid-size towns throughout the US. If you're not sure about your car's tire depth, there's an easy way to check it. The USA does have a couple of original dishes, which vary by region. Though backpacking in Hawaii is not necessarily affordable, with a little help, you can still visit on a reasonable budget. Its no wonder so many great American creatives have been inspired by this land. Its about the same size as the entire European continent a landmass that hosts over 87 distinct peoples. For example: East Coasters are generally frank in their speech and can be perceived as rude. The gamblers paradise of Las Vegas is up next, or you could just stay in Utah if youre liking it. For all their desolation, Southwest deserts are indescribably beautiful and incomparable to anything else. You bet cha. On average, you expect the cost of backpacking Europe to be approximately 42 - 105 per day (approximately $44 - $110 USD per day). Dont spend too long in LAtheres an entire coast to see. World Nomads mission is to support and encourage travellers to explore their boundaries. It might just be the most extraordinary piece of nature in all of North America. In 3 days, dont miss out on Club Space for the coolest sounds in the city, South Beach for beaches and bottles, and Key Biscayne for a more relaxing, natural beach day complete with water sports. Oaxaca City is a vibrant destination to explore, and Merida, the safest city in the country . Public transportation doesnt jive well with this kind of time frame, so youre going to get acquainted with its many airports. This 40-litre backpack is high quality and surprisingly budget-friendly. Spend a few days staying in the amazing Grand Canyon, one of the most amazing natural landmarks in the US. After all, this is where most of the nations modern history has taken place and where most of its aspirations have sprung from. Oregon wine is more delicate and the pinots here are some of the best in the world. For all campgrounds outside the main urban areas, you will, 99% of the time, need a car to reach them. Visiting Alaska could be an unforgettable experience as there are few places this pure left in the world. Want more deetz on why its so damn perfect? The first step in quickly getting money to be able to travel, is selling your stuff. Make a pitstop at one of the scenic parts of Appalachia before getting into the last bit of your American adventure: an East Coast road trip. Texas and the Southwest are a furnace at this time and it is tornado season in Middle America. Driving in the USA will allow you the ultimate freedom and the chance to see many of its remote attractions and natural wonders. During our year-long honeymoon, we spent 5 incredible months backpacking in South America. Four whole states are just prairie and a large portion of Texas is as well. And while backpacking in South America, just being a Gringo wearing a backpack can make you a target. Best Travel Itineraries for Backpacking the USA, best places to visit in the United States, same size as the entire European continent. To see plenty of US history, be sure to squeeze some days in Philadelphia, one of the USAs oldest cities. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Hardcover) by. France, Spain, and Portugal are easily one of the most classic combinations for European itineraries out there. In Brazil, most of the large cities are great locations for learning Portuguese. If you are granted an ESTA, which is valid for 2 years, you are not actually guaranteed entry into the USA. Marijuana is legal in more than a dozen states, which means one of the best things to do while backpacking the US is to get stoned. To get your imagination going, here are some amazing random places in the USA: Weve tested countless backpacks over the years, but theres one that still stands the test of time: the backpacker-approved Osprey Aether. Americans cant get enough of their sports; some are diehard fanatics. Travel in Cuba, once off-limits to Americans, is beginning to open up and traveling in Puerto Rico is a good time as well. Its largest city, Portland, is regularly mocked for being a mecca for hipsters and beer snobs but its becoming more these days. There are dozens of car rental companies in the US that offer an exponential amount of deals. Weed is fully legal in the state, and you can find every strain and edible you can imagine. There are more cities besides Chicago worth seeing too. Business on the west coast IS about relationships though; business on the East Coast is often about grinding it out. If youre short on time and want to see a lot though, you may end up buying a lot of plane tickets. Backpacking Peru and Bolivia Route. Having lived in the USA for the first 25 years of my life, I sometimes have a hard time answering this question myself. Since then, has walked across America four times via its three major mountain ranges. You learn to organize yourself. You also cant miss the Yosemite Tunnel View, the famous vista that looks its absolute best when tinged with fall colors. Vanlife is perhaps the most ideal way to see the US, though it might be hard (or extremely expensive) to acquire an affordable one on a tourist visa. Drivers who are under the age of 25 will often be charged extra premiums for rental cars (theyre a reckless bunch). If youre trying to go backpacking in the USA with no money or very little of it, youd better use some of these travel hacks: Plastic washes up on even the most pristine beaches so do your part and keep the Big Blue beautiful! From hospitality in Hawaii to social media management in Sacramento and everything in between, youll find a whole load of different projects to help out with. Paperback. Start your jet-setting itinerary by spending 3 days visiting New York City, the so-called Capital of the World. Dont miss out on the artsy vibes of Williamsburg and Central Park, which might just be one of the only times the US has succeeded in creating a free, public green space. Otherwise, backpacking is a great opportunity to unplug and get offline for a while. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. Moving along, make a stop in Santa Fe, New Mexico before making it to one of Americas most iconic states: Colorado. Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. The South is also predominantly Republican (AKA right-wing) and has the lowest Covid vaccination rates in the country. Fast food meal: $6 to $11. It's not offensive, but if you're alone in a dark backstreet of Bogot and someone's growling gringo at you, give them what they want and run. Better yet, Broke Backpacker readers also get a $40 with Outdoorsy! The GRAYL Geopress is hands-down the most effective one weve ever used as well! How much money do you need to drive across America? The buildings are older, the food is more old-fashioned, and the cultural memory stretches further back. I hope that you learned a lot from this article and about backpacking across the USA. Smaller but no less interesting cities, like Baltimore (MD), and Newark (NJ), also contribute greatly and are worth visiting themselves. How you choose to get around will largely depend on your intended USA backpacking itinerary. Sandwiched between the Puget Sound and Mt Rainier, its arguably the most beautiful city in America as well (on a clear day). New England has a distinctly more old-school vibe than other Atlantic states. Remote and massive albeit a bit expensive, Alaska is a nature lovers paradise. Youll also need to make sure you have your road trip packing list kitted out with the proper gear. Appalachian people are often portrayed as hicks, rednecks, bootleggers, or inbred mountain people. That said, Southern America is not a scary or particularly ugly place to visit. Prices vary a lot by region, but here's a rough guide of what to expect for the average cost of a meal in the US for one (without drinks): Cooked meal in a hostel kitchen: $4 to $8. Cusco / Arequipa / Titicaca / La Paz / Uyuni / Atacama Desert. If you want to see a particularly interesting US city, you can also hit up Hotlanta AKA Atlanta, Georgia. Most tourists come here for a short vacation, visit one or two cities, and then head home. Sign up to The Broke Backpackers EXCLUSIVE VIP AREA below and download our top backpacking guides as PDFs go offline with peace of mind! Okay, Hawaii can be expensive. Backpacking can refer to those hiking and camping while carrying everything they need for the trail on their back. The Pacific Northwest, composed of Oregon and Washington, might be rainier and somewhat more dreary but the region is just gorgeous. Use rental car search engines to sort through the various car companies and find the right price. Quite the opposite of Alaska, traveling to Hawaii means visiting a tropical paradise. All other countries that do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program must apply for a regular visa for the US. Train travel in the USA is not like train travel in Europe. As a United States native, one who has gone on more than a few road trips, I know a thing or two about traveling in this country. But did you know that some of the finest North American architecture is preserved in the cities of Charleston, South Carolina or Savannah, Georgia? You can also rent an RV or campervan to live the vanlife, which means you dont have to worry about packing camping gear. The Southwest is a desert filled with some of the most surreal and fantastic natural features you can imagine. Remote is the best word to describe Alaska. As the first destination of our travels, it was hard to know what to budget for backpacking South America's most expensive country. You arent going to save the world overnight, but you can be part of the solution and not the problem. The Northeast, Midwest, Rockies, and Alaska are frigid and probably buried in snow. In fact, theres roughly 5000 km between LA and NYC; if you were on a coast-to-coast road trip in the US, thatd be a whole lot of fuck-all in between. My missus travels with all her clothes in ziplock bags:dont be like my missus. A 10-day itinerary in the USA doesn't offer a whole lot of time to see the country, but you'll still have lots of options with a larger budget. Get Rail Passes. After checking out the famous beaches, drive to Las Vegas for a quick stop to hopefully make some winnings before continuing onwards to some of the United States best national parks. On February 26, 2011, Nate Damm stood barefoot in the Atlantic Ocean on the Delaware coast, then put his shoes on and started walking west. Be aware that getting through security can be a real pain in the ass. Check out some of these potential activities and then go search for the best places in America yourself! Two years later, millions of Americans do not believe it is real. The most beautiful place in the US by far, Hawaii feels like another (very green) planet. In some parts of the Plains, youll find some spectacular landmarks, like Badlands National Park or Mt Rushmore (SD). This metropolis is one of the most energetic cities in the USA and has a number of attractions that will both shock and entertain you. But the United States is a big country, not to mention really expensive. There is a multitude of regions in this country and a multitude of tourist destinations that are inhabited by an even greater multitude of people. Secure that visa and book that ticket, American dreams are to be made! Germany can be staid or mind-blowing. If you want to spend less on camping, we suggest going to the state parks. All you need is a quarter. These are, of course, (mostly) outrageous stereotypes, but most will agree that Appalachia is a poorer and more discriminated region in the USA. Take some US dollars with you. Now for some of the best multi-day backpacking trips (and a whole lot of doobies!) Throw in a huge array of unique lodgings: stay in a castle, treehouses, yurts, houseboats, and farm stays, plus with all the campgrounds you wont lack of options. Washington is the more mountainous and richer sibling to Oregon. A visit to America isnt quite complete without Florida. Youll need to arm yourself with some considerable knowledge though and know the best ways to save a buck while traveling in the USA. Colin Fletcher. Why? Segregation persisted until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, even the neon lights of Las Vegas; all of these sights are deeply ingrained in the American consciousness. And when I say love, I mean need to party. document.getElementById("ak_js_3").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Yes, it is possible to hitchhike in America. Taking a tent backpacking is not always practical but hammocks are lightweight, cheap, strong, sexy (chicks dig hammocks), and allow you to pitch up for the night pretty much anywhere. The Gringo Trail (The Classic South America Backpacking Route) Like 'gaijin' in Japan, 'gringo' is a word used to mean foreigner in Latin America. Or, yknow you can stick to ziplock bags. Zion National Park is perhaps the most stunning (and therefore most famous) of Utahs national parks. You'll get discounts on museums, monuments and historical sites, as well as National Parks across the country. Go to site. Term. And for half the money too! Learn how to repair your own bike and get used parts. That said, camping is much cheaper and more fun than staying in a hotel. Backpacking across Europe is a low-cost, autonomous, and touristic travel that frequently entails camping, sleeping in inexpensive hotels, and carrying all required goods in a backpack.