Planning 3 month trip to USA in 2009

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woodentops

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Jan 18, 2009
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Hi all
Have enjoyed reading lots of very useful information in the forum. Here's a bit to introduce ourselves. We are planning a 3 month trip between mid sept and mid dec 2009. "We" is myself, husband and our 19 year old son (who has Downs Syndrome). In 2007 we hired an RV from Vegas and did a 4 week round trip incorporating Grand Canyon, Yosemite,Tahoe, San Francisco, Highway 1 towards LA and back to Vegas. Would now like to see more and are thinking maybe East Coast southern states due to time of year and wanting some sun/heat? but are completely open to suggestions!! Although last trip was 4 weeks we think we tried to cram too much in i.e. 1 day in canyon area not enough.
Advice on where to go, what to see routes would be great.
Also we were considering how best to do this - i.e. hire (suggestions re long term hire bases), or buy and sell, or buy and keep for future planned trips with may be eventually exporting to use in Europe.
At this stage it all seems overwhelming!! HAve read lots about insurance, UK driving licence issues, registration etc. is it worth it for 3 months although our plan is to do 3 months then back to work for at least 6 and then future visits of anything between 4 and 6 months depending on finances and how we get on. Until recently we owned a 24 foot motorhome in the UK.

Not sure whether i need to post specific questions in relevant forum?

Thanks
Julie  :)
 
You asked broad enough questions to require a book to answer, so I think some more specific questions in separate messages would be wise.

The US Southeast is a good choice for that season, anywhere from Virginia south. Work your way into Florida for December. Plan a more leisurely pace than your last trip - this is a BIG country!

It will likely be a great time to buy an RV, with the market so badly depressed and likely to stay that way throughout 2009. Not so good a time to re-sell, though. So I say to rent unless you decide to buy and keep.
 
Thanks for the reply Gary. I am aware that there sure is a lot to learn especially as non US residents. Don't think I mentioned we live in the UK. If we buy, it would be our intention not to sell but either to store in the US for future visits and then ultimately shipping back to europe. Will be posting some more specific questions when I've worked out what we need to know more specifically. Thanks again - love the pictures on your web site - nice RV!
Julie
 
Hi Julie,

Welcome to the RV Forum and thanks for joining us.  Please look around, ask questions, check out the library, and join in on any of the on going discussions.
 
I will probably get blasted for saying this, but after seeing the Grand Canyon, Yosemite,Tahoe, San Francisco, and Highway 1 towards LA the east coast will be a letdown. Sure, there are some pretty places to see on the east coast, but nothing they have there even begins to compare with Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. My suggestion would be to return to the west coast and spend a lot more time at each destination. Two weeks at the Grand Canyon and two weeks at Yosemite minimum.
 
As I said we are very open to suggestions! Would love to spend more time on the west coast and/areas surrounding the grand canyon and would do so but what is the weather likely to be like? With English summers being so poor lately we are really looking for some sunshine and warmth. I am afraid we are very lacking in knowledge of the USA, it surprised us last time how temperatures can vary so much from place to place. e.g. Vegas v San Fransisco.
Does anyone know where/if a non us resident can hire a fifth wheel trailer and vehicle to pull it?
 
I don't know about a fifth wheel and truck, but you can rent Class A motorhomes or lese them for fairly long terms such as you are considering. Here's one possibility:

http://www.innovativerv.com/
 
Ron is correct, southern Utah is not to be missed. There are 5 National Parks there, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. If I were you I would do Yosemite and the Grand Canyon in September, Utah in October and southern Arizona and Southern California in November and December. You would have great weather the whole time. In southern Arizona you could visit Saguaro National Park, and in Southern California you could see Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park, all of which are truely spectacular destinations. If you were in the southern US during September and October it would still be hurricane season.
 
Also the most scenic highway in America North of Cody over the Chief Joseph highway to BearTooth Highway to Red Lodge and return. Then a day or two in Yellowstone, then Teton National Park.
 
Yes but be aware it can snow in September in Yellowstone and the Tetons. That's how the great fire of 87 got put out.
 
You might also check the "Visitors to the USA" thread under RV Forum Community.  Many folks who contribute to that thread are from the U.K. and can undoubtedly add something useful.

ArdraF
 
I am seacoast trophic.
Start from Seattle WA
Olympic peninsula and puget sound
Mt St Helens volcano
WA coast is not so great
Columbia river valley and wineries
Oregon coast is superb
clam chowder at Mo's in newport and 5  other locations along the coast
Redwoods national forest in northern California
Napa valley wineries
San Francisco
Monterey has best aquarium on the coast
 
That would be a great trip if you started in June, but starting in September and you would have way too much bad weather.
 
I'll grant that the West has spectacular scenery and all the places mentioned are great sites (we been to all of them) and it takes years to do them all justice. But visitors to a country usually want to see  different things and the Southeast geography and lifestyle is  a decided change from their previous western trip. And Julie says they do plan to come back again and again.
 
Thanks to you all for your suggestions and comments. Really looking forward to settling down and planning in more detail. When I have further questions (and I'm sure I will) I will post in the relevant forum so look out for me please.  Thanks again.
 
Tho I am a chauvinistic Californian and westerner, let me make a radical suggestion: your timing is almost ideal for a leisurely autumn foliage tour of the East.   Land in, say, Boston, explore New England and the Finger Lakes country of NY.  Then head to Washington DC and then the Blue Ridge of Virginia and\/or the Tidewater, then the mountains of NC and the lowlands around Charleston and Savannah and then on to FL and the Gulf Coast in November.   You will pick up the turning of the foliage in the north and get to follow it south during the Indian Summer season of October down thru NC and then pick up the piny woods country of the Southeast East in November.   

Take it slow and do lots of sight seeing.  Use a national RV rental firm and do a one way rental.
 
Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Niagara, Ticonderoga, Saratoga, whatever.  Lot's to see.  Visit Boston and see the oldest warship afloat and under commission -- the USS Constitution.  (HMS Victory is in drydock.)  Down in VA there is Williamsburg -- more Georgian than Tunbridge Wells.  In Washington, tour the White House, the Smithsonian, the Mall.  North Carolina's mountains (take in a 1/4 mile auto race, lot's of fun).
 
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