best tent camping places in iowa image
Fuel4Torqu
I'm going to be driving from San Diego to Chicago next month and I thought that it would be fun and a good way to save money if I simply brought a tent and camped out rather than paying for hotel rooms along the way. I was hoping to find places where I can pitch my tent for free if possible. I am also active duty military, so I don't know if that will help get me into certain parks for cheap? Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!
Answer
I drove from Denver to Iowa and camped every 300 miles along the way at state parks. If you investigate National Forests from San Diego to Chicago, you can go dispersed camping up almost any Forest Service road for free, reasonably close to the I-70 corridor, then go up to I-80 across Nebraska and Iowa to Illinois. National Forest campgrounds are usually primitive, without running water. However, you can find recreation centers in Eagle, Silverthorne, and Breckenridge, in Central Colorado, for example, where you can pay a reasonable entry fee for a shower, swim, and hot tub.
The state parks east of the Rocky Mountains only cost about $20 per night and usually will have showers. There are many state parks along the Platte River. Prairie Rose State Park in western Iowa is a great place to stay over, with showers near the RV section at the entrance to the park.
I drove from Denver to Iowa and camped every 300 miles along the way at state parks. If you investigate National Forests from San Diego to Chicago, you can go dispersed camping up almost any Forest Service road for free, reasonably close to the I-70 corridor, then go up to I-80 across Nebraska and Iowa to Illinois. National Forest campgrounds are usually primitive, without running water. However, you can find recreation centers in Eagle, Silverthorne, and Breckenridge, in Central Colorado, for example, where you can pay a reasonable entry fee for a shower, swim, and hot tub.
The state parks east of the Rocky Mountains only cost about $20 per night and usually will have showers. There are many state parks along the Platte River. Prairie Rose State Park in western Iowa is a great place to stay over, with showers near the RV section at the entrance to the park.
how to plan a road trip?
sleeping b
my friends and i are planning a road trip for next summer coming from NY to CA and we'd like tips and advice from experienced travelers. Things like, how much money should we bring? what's a good route? is a tent a good idea? what are the best places (cheap) to stay? any really nice places to check out? best car for a road trip? none of us have ever done a road trip so any help would be appreciated!
thanks!
ps my friends are 18, 18 and 16. i dont no if that helps or not...
Answer
Check out http://www.hostels.com/ for cheap places to stay. Camping gear's a good idea. You can check out the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) websites in each state for places to camp along the way. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of a national DNR website where you can get campsite information.
I'd recommend bringing as much money as you can, but don't tell anyone you have it. Things come up (car problems, for example), and it's better to have the money and not need it than vice versa. But, be smart. Don't spend it unless you need to, keep it in several different places in case one of your bags gets stolen, etc. If word gets out that you have a decent amount of cash on you (or access to it via a debit card), you're more susceptible to robbery, or just plain mooching.
As far as what to see, that depends mostly on your interests. Personally, I really like the outdoors and do a lot of hiking. If you're of the same mind, you might like traveling through Wisconsin and Minnesota. I got off the interstate for a while on a trip from Indiana to Minneapolis and drove along the Mississippi river between Wisconsin and Iowa. It was a beautiful drive. You could go to Chicago, check out some of the sights (Field Museum, Chicago Art Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Sears Tower, John Hancock Building), then cut over to Dubuque, Iowa, and then head north from there. While in Minneapolis, stop by the Mall of America. Then head west into South Dakota, see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands National Park.
Anyway, there's a few ideas to get you started. Have fun, and above all, be safe. BTW, one of your friends is 16? How does his/her parents feel about this?
Check out http://www.hostels.com/ for cheap places to stay. Camping gear's a good idea. You can check out the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) websites in each state for places to camp along the way. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of a national DNR website where you can get campsite information.
I'd recommend bringing as much money as you can, but don't tell anyone you have it. Things come up (car problems, for example), and it's better to have the money and not need it than vice versa. But, be smart. Don't spend it unless you need to, keep it in several different places in case one of your bags gets stolen, etc. If word gets out that you have a decent amount of cash on you (or access to it via a debit card), you're more susceptible to robbery, or just plain mooching.
As far as what to see, that depends mostly on your interests. Personally, I really like the outdoors and do a lot of hiking. If you're of the same mind, you might like traveling through Wisconsin and Minnesota. I got off the interstate for a while on a trip from Indiana to Minneapolis and drove along the Mississippi river between Wisconsin and Iowa. It was a beautiful drive. You could go to Chicago, check out some of the sights (Field Museum, Chicago Art Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Sears Tower, John Hancock Building), then cut over to Dubuque, Iowa, and then head north from there. While in Minneapolis, stop by the Mall of America. Then head west into South Dakota, see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands National Park.
Anyway, there's a few ideas to get you started. Have fun, and above all, be safe. BTW, one of your friends is 16? How does his/her parents feel about this?
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