another Aussie family on a 7 month road trip

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Mik68

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Posts
22
Location
Perth, Western Australia
G'day & apologies if this sounds familiar. We are a family of 5, 3 girls aged 5, 8 & 10 and at this point, which may change, will more than likely be flying directly into Dallas, purchasing a fifth wheeler and truck, at the moment we fancy the Rockwood signature 8286ws & Dodge Ram Megacab, probably 3500 Cummins Deisel.
Our plan is to travel in a anti clockwise direction over a 7 month period to the almost furtherest points Being Miami, Florida up to Maine, across to Vancouver then down to San Diego. with a loop through to Las vegas, Bryce, Zion, Colorado, Mesa verdi & Grand Canyon & everything in-between. We will be shipping this rig set up back to Aus & yes I have looked into all the necessary conversions etc. How am I going so far? Is there something I perhaps haven't thought of?
Our other option was to fly in to LA & start from there but Texas seem to tick a lot more boxes as far as purchasing & using the likes of Escapees. Kids of course would rather start in La (Disneyland) but I figured Disney world wouldn't take too long to reach. It seems to work from either starting point regarding weather but not sure about your School Summer holidays? & whether it will be more of a problem getting into campgrounds in certain places on our route. We like the idea of camping mainly in natural settings with the native animals such as national & State parks & like.
Cheers Mik & Pen.
 
Welcome.

Most of the plan sounds pretty good. However, you might reconsider the start. There is not a whole to to see between Texas and Florida. Also, The biggest selection of RVs will be found in the Tampa area. If I were doing it, I would start there.

Are you planning on buying new or used?

Joel
Edit: Removed excessive white space.
 
Hi Joel, Theres a few reasons we are looking to fly into Texas. Cheaper flights as there are direct flights from Aus to Dallas, Also my wifes cousin lives in Houston, visit him & this would be our street address for registration of truck & RV. Getting familiar with driving rig & on right side of road a little less congested i am guessing? Besides we wanted to fully circumnavigate most of the US & the Gulf of Mexico inc. New Orleans doesn't look so bad.  :D
 
Our plan is to travel in a anti clockwise direction over a 7 month period
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Hi and Welcome to the gang. You do realize your maximum length of stay in the USA is limited to 6 months, I hope. Your actual length of stay permitted will be determined by the Immigration (Border Services) Officer you meet on entering the first time so "be nice"!!! There are legal ways to extend the visit allowed  but....  A lot of valuable reading is available under Visitors to the USA discussion.
 
When are you starting your trip?  7 months is enough to go through summer and into fall and winter, or vice-versa.  Temperatures in the areas you want to visit will be the primary limiting factor on whether you are in the north or south at any particular time.
 
Since you mentioned Vancouver, I assumed that meant you'd be leaving the USA for a short while, and re-entering. That re-starts the clock on the 6 months (maximum) stay. Here's some relevant reading -  know before you go.
 
Hi Mik,

Please let your daughters know that Disney World is WAY better than Disney Land! We live about 40 miles from Disney World and I have been to both. There is too much to see at Disney World!!  ;D

If you find yourself near Titusville, FL, be sure to let us know. That is where we live during the winter. Orlando and Disney World is not that far away.
 
Yes I have had a look at 'visitors to the USA discussion' and noticed the 6 month visa being mentioned quite a bit. We have had friends do a similar thing & on there 1st entry got lucky with a 12 month entry visa, 2nd time they weren't so lucky & only got 6 months, so we will ask for 8 months, but in the event we only get 6 or less, yes we are entering Canada on the East & West coast. Is it true you need to be out of the US for at least 30 days? If so we will come close to this through the Rockies to Vancouver.
Thanks for your concern & advise.
 
Lou Schneider said:
When are you starting your trip?  7 months is enough to go through summer and into fall and winter, or vice-versa.  Temperatures in the areas you want to visit will be the primary limiting factor on whether you are in the north or south at any particular time.
Click to expand...
Hi Lou, We are starting in late March from more than likely Texas & heading East to Florida for all of April then North to N.Y. city through May, so June, July & August across the top & then down the West coast August/Sept. with a side trip to Grand Canyon etc. in September then back to California by October. Sound all right?
 
Jim Dick said:
Hi Mik,

Please let your daughters know that Disney World is WAY better than Disney Land! We live about 40 miles from Disney World and I have been to both. There is too much to see at Disney World!!  ;D

If you find yourself near Titusville, FL, be sure to let us know. That is where we live during the winter. Orlando and Disney World is not that far away.
Click to expand...
G'day Jim, I have heard DW is better than DL, I have only been to DL so am looking forward to it as well. We have mapped out a fairly detailed route while trying to leave it flexible, we mainly did it to see how long we would need. I recall Titusville as a place we would be passing through. How's the weather there in April?
 
Mik68 said:
G'day Jim, I have heard DW is better than DL...
Click to expand...
There is one problem with this generality. Time. If you  only have a few days then it really doesn't matter. However if you really want to appreciate the difference between the two then you will need at least a week to see DW properly.
 
We have had friends do a similar thing & on there 1st entry got lucky with a 12 month entry visa ...
Click to expand...

That's the second time we've heard anectdotally of someone being given more than 6 months. Border Patrol agents don't have authority to give more than 6 months, but the last person said they asked to talk to a supervisor and were given 8 months. Please let us know what happens in your case.

Is it true you need to be out of the US for at least 30 days?
Click to expand...

I'm not aware of any minimum time to be out of the US but if, for example, you left for just a day or two, that might raise an eyebrow &/or might be treated as if you didn't leave. We have heard, again anectdotally, of one couple who was refused re-entry after going to Canada, but in their case they tried to extend their trip with two back-to-back 6-month stays (18 months total) with short visits to Canada in between. The Border Patrol agent considered that they were merely trying to get around the 6 months rule.

One caveat, mentioned in my referenced message(s), you each need a B1 or B2 visa stamped in your passports before you leave home. B1/B2 visas are good for 10 years, and allow multiple entries into the US. Some countries are on the "visa waiver" list, meaning their citizens can apply electronically via the ESTA program to visit the US without a visa. I don't recall if Australia is listed, but Be advised that ESTA visits are limited to 90 days, and are valid for only one entry with no possibility of extending the stay.

Edit: Australia is on the Visa Waiver list - see here, but remember the 90 days limit, single entry, no extension.
 
Hi, and welcome a little early. We know a couple that did as you plan (there is a fairly long thread here of their visit) including taking the fiver back to AU. As I recall, there is a width limit of eight feet that was quite limiting for them. They eventually bought both the fiver and the truck in Houston.

Ernie
 
SeilerBird said:
There is one problem with this generality. Time. If you  only have a few days then it really doesn't matter. However if you really want to appreciate the difference between the two then you will need at least a week to see DW properly.
Click to expand...

Wow! I didn't realise it was that big, so theres twice the amount to do or see at DW? We have allowed quite a bit of time in our itinerary in Florida & have saved quite a bit of time now starting from Texas instead of LA. so if it takes a week, so be it, but i will be exhausted i would imagine & I do Ironman triathlon so am reasonably fit but 1 week at DW should be testing.
 
Ernie n Tara said:
Hi, and welcome a little early. We know a couple that did as you plan (there is a fairly long thread here of their visit) including taking the fiver back to AU. As I recall, there is a width limit of eight feet that was quite limiting for them. They eventually bought both the fiver and the truck in Houston.

Ernie
Click to expand...
How would one go about finding this thread?
 
Tom said:
That's the second time we've heard anectdotally of someone being given more than 6 months. Border Patrol agents don't have authority to give more than 6 months, but the last person said they asked to talk to a supervisor and were given 8 months. Please let us know what happens in your case.

I'm not aware of any minimum time to be out of the US but if, for example, you left for just a day or two, that might raise an eyebrow &/or might be treated as if you didn't leave. We have heard, again anectdotally, of one couple who was refused re-entry after going to Canada, but in their case they tried to extend their trip with two back-to-back 6-month stays (18 months total) with short visits to Canada in between. The Border Patrol agent considered that they were merely trying to get around the 6 months rule.

One caveat, mentioned in my referenced message(s), you each need a B1 or B2 visa stamped in your passports before you leave home. B1/B2 visas are good for 10 years, and allow multiple entries into the US. Some countries are on the "visa waiver" list, meaning their citizens can apply electronically via the ESTA program to visit the US without a visa. I don't recall if Australia is listed, but Be advised that ESTA visits are limited to 90 days, and are valid for only one entry with no possibility of extending the stay.

Edit: Australia is on the Visa Waiver list - see here, but remember the 90 days limit, single entry, no extension.
Click to expand...
Thanks Tom, We will be acquiring the B1/B2 visa you mention and then its all up to the border control officer in the end, at airport & again when we re-enter US from Canada.
Back in 99 my wife & I landed in Vancouver & set out cycle touring down the West coast, we were given 6 months apon entry. So we could say that we cycled from Canada to Mexico we mistakenly crossed the border into Mexico & didn't realise they ripped out our US visa, so when we returned from a little sightseeing in Tijuana to cross back into US, all in the same day, it got a little scary. "Where is your visa" they asked. So we got separated & interviewed (interrogated). Had to pay from memory $50 each for another 6 month entry & we were happy to pay & get outta there! It all worked out in the end I guess but not without some angst.
 
You're welcome Mike. I get a lot of help from forum staff.
 
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