I had planned to take my California-centric daughter on a road trip to see the Carolinas, Virginia, and the DC area this summer. But plans have changed... we will be driving straight from Ohio to DC, and will try to see a few things on the way.

Posted By Ellen on June 22, 2008, 8:58 AM

I have hopes that our fortunes will allow us to tour the national parks in the US Southwest this fall. And yeah, I expect to pay through the nose for fuel, but what are the alternatives. We won't scale back our ambitions, but we will camp, do most of our own cooking at our campsite, and cut back a little on our biggest downfall, the coffee budget... but also, we're driving a car that gets passable mileage, not some whopping SUV or inefficient truck/trailer combo. Scaling back could just mean scaling back on the rig, not on the trip.

Posted By pam on June 22, 2008, 11:20 AM

We are still taking a road trip, but we are renting a vehicle that will get better gas mileage.

Posted By Vic on June 23, 2008, 12:59 PM

Our yearly family camping trip was planned last year before gas prices went sky high. We drive a 32ft M/H, but we cook our meals and have our lodging with us. We will continue to do our yearly trip as it is important to us. Gas prices in Europe have been high for years (lived there 25yrs ago) we just must plan our trips and local errands much better. Planning out your errands on 1 day will save on gas, walk kids to bus stops and schools. If for 1 week a person tracks down everytime she/he fires up their car and drives, I think they would see that combining trips would help. People who drive to jobs are stuck with their schedules and probably cannot make any changes.

Posted By Lucida on June 23, 2008, 1:08 PM

we have cut our travel plans by at least 50%, and the two trips we do plan to take are closer destinations. we need gas cost relief!

Posted By deb c. on June 23, 2008, 1:09 PM

My 2 year old son and I just returned from a road trip that took us from Atlanta to Nashville, Bloomington (IN) and Cincinnati and back home. We had a blast and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Gas prices were actually less expensive in most places we visited compared to where we live!

Posted By Logan on June 23, 2008, 1:14 PM

nope, in fact we are driving from Seattle area to Chico, CA for the first time with our travel trailer.

Posted By ELLENM on June 23, 2008, 1:23 PM

We are taking a road trip this year because it will still be cheaper than flying. We will be spending a couple nights in local hotels and then a couple of nights camping. We'll be packing the car full of food to avoid eating out for every meal. Since we're exploring SW Colorado, most of our activities are related to the great outdoors...it's hard to spend money when you're hiking in the woods!

Posted By Jen on June 23, 2008, 1:23 PM

We took our yearly summer vacation. The gas hurt but we had it planned and reserved so we bit the bullet. We had fun. We worked overtime for the extra gas money it was gonna take. I think the road trip is still alive and well, it just can't be as spontaneous as it used to be.

Posted By Marlina on June 23, 2008, 1:42 PM

We're doing Yosemite Nat'l Park, Disneyland, Santa Barbara & family! It probably will be pricier than originally planned but I want my 14 yr old daughter & her best friend to experience CA the way I did growing up! And I love the camaraderie of a road trip!

Posted By Laurie on June 23, 2008, 1:48 PM

I plan to purchase a Discovery Pass from Greyhound Bus CO. A thirty day pass unlimited travel to either the US or Canada is much cheaper then driving. Plan to stay in hostels or camp out. Once arriving at a place I want to stay for a couple days I can just rent a car if needed.

Posted By Bob Rainey on June 23, 2008, 1:57 PM

I love to drive, so although the price of gasoline doesn't make me happy, it's not interfering with my road trips. I drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Connecticut (second-highest gas taxes in the nation) in May and just spent a long weekend in Burlington, Vermont. I cut back a bit in other ways, like skipping lunch and not spending quite as much on local crafts.

Posted By Plet39 on June 23, 2008, 1:57 PM

We have children in Atlanta and Jacksonville Fl we will take one trip to visit both of them. Additionally when we head north from New Bern NC we first see family in Norfolk and Chesapeake we head to Richmond to see friends and on to DC to see our son. On the way home we stop in Suffolk to see our father. ON our summer road trip we will fly to Sacramento rent a small car and drive in a circle to Reno, Monterey, San Francisco, Napa Valley and back Sacramento. We will explore just a little less, drive smaller cars, and plan each trip with GPS to use a little gas. This will hold cost down. This California trip has been in the planning for about 8 months. We are retired and not wandering as much as we did.

Posted By Mike & Mary Jo on June 23, 2008, 2:21 PM

Heading for Brason,Mo. no matter what the price of gas will end up to be. We just have to live with it until Obama can clean up the mess G.W.Bush has created.

Posted By andbev2 on June 23, 2008, 2:23 PM

We are doing a round trip from Cinti - to St. Louis - the Ozarks and Memphis. We will try to minimize be smart about our touring and are staying in less expensive hotels than normal. We will likely do picnic lunches and still do nice dinners. By going from home we avoid airfare and car rental.

Posted By Rose on June 23, 2008, 2:32 PM

Considering the absolutely terrible condition of virtually all the Interstate road systems in the U. S. today...maybe it will be a good thing for us motorists to get off of them long enough for our politicians to notice what needs doing! What do you think?

Posted By JAMES MARSHALL on June 23, 2008, 3:36 PM

Having watched the ceos of exxon walk away with almost $200 million ($200,000,000) in bonus and pay, and oil companies scam us for over in $40 billion ($40,000,000,000) in profits while we watch our economy imploded and working people fork over $4 for gas, I refuse to drive here. I will not make money for those who supported the idiots in washington who allowed the oil cartel to infiltrate government so thoroughly and rob us blind. I simply fly to Europe, Asia or Australia, then walk, ride a bike or catch the trains to see whatever comes to mind.

You may condemn that, but the hypocracy of not having solar energy, alternative fuels especially after 1970 oil crisis, makes me think that spending money here only encourages these thieves to continue their policy of screw America and they will do nothing about it.

No more for me. I cannot support the guilty ones or the ones who propped up the greedy guilty ones. Oh, and the American flag is made in China.

Posted By Grant on June 23, 2008, 3:42 PM

We decided to limit driving to places we could go to and from on a tank of gas or a bit more. We just got back from a trip to the CA coast at Ft. Bragg, passed through beautiful vineyards in 3 counties on the way, rode the Skunk Train and saw the Mendocino Botanical Gardens there as well. We had coupons for a reasonably priced motel and enjoyed cool weather as well.
Ray Mac
PS-gasoline on the coast turned out not to be very much more expensive than at home. We got 33 miles per gallon in our mid-sized car by staying at 60 mph or less when we could.

Posted By Ray Mac on June 23, 2008, 3:53 PM

Not knowing what the rising gas prices are, we cancelled our road trip from California to Kentucky via HWY 40 etc.

Posted By del on June 23, 2008, 3:56 PM

WE WILL BE FORCED TO CUT OUR USUAL SUMMER VACATION TRIPS OF 2000 TO 2500 MILES TO 300 MILES OR LESS. THE COST OF GAS IS SIMPLY KILLING THIS NATION. !!!!

Posted By TERRY WILKINSON on June 23, 2008, 3:59 PM

That's the real beauty of the road trip. I LOVE getting off the Interstate and seeing all the little forgotten wonders found on old two laners and city streets. I don't have to race the moron behind me, which saves considerable gas, and also allows me to see what I'm on the road to see. I see electric cars in the future. I saw them in the past, but GM destroyed them, literally, even though there was a waiting list for the last 50 that were roadworthy. Now that Toyota is the world's largest auto maker for the first time in my lifetime, I have to wonder if the Prius didn't have something to do with that.

Posted By Jim Michalek on June 23, 2008, 4:06 PM

I've been trying to avoid long-distance travel unless someone else is paying for it or I can write it off of my taxes. Once I'm at my subsidized location, I'm not afraid to burn a bit of gas, but travel I have to pay for is definitely closer to home. So for example, when I was in Florida last month for work, I booked my flight to Tampa instead of Orlando, where I was working, so I could do a bit of sightseeing in Tampa too.

Posted By Pete on June 23, 2008, 4:35 PM

With the increased costs and extreme hassle of flying (it's just not fun anymore), Americans will drive short distances for long weekends throughout the year. They'll rediscover local destinations, in nearby cities, states and natural areas. Here in Maryland, we have the Ocean City beach resort town, the Chesapeake Bay, mountains to the north and west, historic cities... "Little America". We're not flying to Florida, California, Arizona, or anywhere else anymore. It's no longer worth the extreme effort.

Posted By LaurieK on June 23, 2008, 4:46 PM

I intend to travel this summer. I am NOT going to allow the speculators etc who are driving up the price of gas to interfere with my travel. I am driving from north Texas to Montana and on to Calgary. This is also a possibility of a shorter trip to San Diego and a few closer to home. HOWEVER, I have had to postpone my plans to travel to Europe and beyond-the price of airfare is worse than that to drive (especially when a family is involved) And, I am not taking the Alaskan highway trip this summer - that will have to wait.

Posted By Claudia on June 23, 2008, 5:24 PM

I'm going on a 16,000-mile, 48-state, 14-week road trip this summer. But I had to save up for 16 months and get a cultural council grant to pay for it.

And even with all the saving I did, I'm not sure that I'm going to have enough money to get back home. I didn't realize gas prices were going to go up quite so much.

http://lettersontheroad.blogspot.com/

Posted By Daniel Trask on June 23, 2008, 6:35 PM

There is no question that travel is scaling back.
That is only the beginning.
I watch the news about people who can't even make it to work with the hyper-inflated gas prices.
And just wait as it continues to effect the price of everything we consume.
I have watched major projects cancelled because prices cannot be held long enough to finance the project.
How do you think that will effect jobs?
What "right to passage" will there be when america is starving in the streets?
Thanks to the thieves in the commodities market.
Who's back do they really think thay are getting rich on?

Posted By sue malone on June 23, 2008, 7:12 PM

We are planning a driving vacation this summer that will take us from Atlanta to New England including Vermont,New Hampshire and New York State.We love to discover new places and interests with no set limit on time or destination. This adds excitement and makes the trip adventurous. Even with high gas prices its cheaper than todays air fares and much a less frustrating way of travel.

Posted By jerry on June 23, 2008, 7:14 PM

DEFINITELY! We have changed our summer plans. We have a 36' motor home and usually use it most of the summer. We have eliminated 3 4-day weekends a month that we would head out in the RV. Now we will only wander 1 long weekend a month. We have done more gardening, added water features, and plan to spend much of the time we would have been driving in the motor home at home with friends and family. Maybe that is the silver lining in this mess.

Posted By Leah Camara on June 23, 2008, 7:17 PM

Less trips and shorter trips, even to see friends in town. This is the worst I have seen the economy ever, and food and gas prices are way out of proportion to the housing fiasco. Having worked in the hotel industry for 16 years, I am sure they will be feeling the pinch soon. But, camping supply stores should be booming.

Posted By Lissa on June 23, 2008, 7:37 PM

We'll be driving from Miami to Chicago with the dog, bikes, golf clubs and stopping in Savannah, GA and Louisville, KY on the way North and side tripping to Madison, WI. It would cost the same to fly but you see less and have no options. Driving my Explorer in this case make more sense. I've spent time in Asia, Europe and South America, but the good old American road trip is still a favorite, and our roads are the best.

Posted By Max on June 23, 2008, 7:52 PM

Just returned from a classic early summer road-trip to Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and any place interesting in between. Road trips among friends, where we can split the cost of gas, lodging, and food, aren't nearly as impacted as they must be for families. It was cheaper than a trip to Germany that I had originally planned but had to cancel. Planning to go to the Grand Canyon next!

Posted By Jennifer on June 23, 2008, 8:29 PM

I prefer mountains of colorado however with gas prices and older parents i went to 2 arkansas state parks last month and had never realized how beautiful it is down there and plan to explore more. They have nice lodging in their state parks (which funds the state parks) with beautiful views at a reasonable price. It's a good time to explore the state you live in and ones next to you for shorter affordable trips and if you do your homework you might find some neat things you didn't realize were there like the wineries we stopped by right in the middle of arkansas. Being in the kansas city area I have always felt was boring, but I plan on looking harder for beauty closer to me like the state parks of arkansas. The road trip is not dead, but we have to use more common sense and budgeting as we go, like packing some food and spending less on junk and planning so there is minimal backtracking to see things.

Posted By Lisa on June 23, 2008, 9:09 PM

Yes, we pulled back plans for a far-West National Parks tour this year, and will instead stick to Missouri/Ark. Our Dodge mini-van has a 4 cyl. and tho we don't pass many pple, it does get decent mileage at 60 MPH & under so we'll be driving slow & safe. I have noted on the Interstates around Indy tho, that most truckers still seem to place more of a premium on their time, than on fuel economy!

Posted By IndyMo on June 23, 2008, 9:25 PM

We have always driven cars with good gas mileage. Now it costs $36 to fill up for 400 miles. Sure, I liked $15 better, but no sweat. Gas prices don't change our plans at all. The problem isn't gas prices as much as it is bad financial planning.

Posted By keith baker on June 23, 2008, 10:59 PM

Funny you should ask if the great American road trip is dead, because I just came back from doing just that. I live in Baltimore, MD and recently did a 10-day road trip that eventually ended up in Los Angeles. My travels were not the normal route one would take because I wanted to visit some ballparks and go through certain states, so I went through Pittsburgh, Chicago, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Denver, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that I will never forget, and one that I recommend to everyone, no matter what the cost.

Posted By Micah Kleid on June 23, 2008, 11:43 PM

Not for us Brits it isn't. With a weak dollar and, for us, cheaper petrol, it's an ideal time for us to croos the pond and see what you've done to the place since we threw the country away! :-)

My wife and I have just recently paid our very first visit to the United States and we had a marvellous time.

After staying a few nights in a Brooklyn B&B, we took a six-day wildlife holiday out from Belfast on the Maine Coast in a converted trawler and ended our three week stay driving up to Franconia to hike in the New Hampshire's White Mountains, before returning to JFK via Orient Point on Long Island.

As old age pensioners (near 70 year-old retirees) we know just how much we owe America from WWII and wanted to see its citzens in their own country, in the own way. We were rewarded everywhere, and I mean everywhere, we went with generosity, kindness and a politeness that made us not want to leave.

I was about to comment on your inadequate road signage, especially off the major roads, but how else would we have met such wonderful helpful people?

Posted By Paddy Browne on June 24, 2008, 7:08 AM

While gas prices are high, we are not scaling our trip back. We decided that we had to hit all the states by 50 years old. By the end of our 5700 + mile trip this summer, my wife will have all 50 states and I will be short one. We are using our "stimulus" check to pay for fuel. I guess we will help the economy in many states.
I can't wait to see what airline ticket prices will be on our trip to England next year. I hope the exchange rate gets better by then.
Never quit traveling!

Posted By Charles on June 24, 2008, 4:37 PM

We combined a trip to a professional convention with a vacation road trip from Texas to California via Colorado. In fact, I'm halfway through the trip as we speak. We found gas prices to be relatively "low" in Texas and Colorado. Even Arizona was generally less than $4.00 this past week (highest we paid so far outside of California was $4.06). I used free hotel nights from various credit card and hotel loyalty points to off-set the cost of gas. We have tried to stay off the highways except when necessary. My favorite part of the trip? Crossing the Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona--the scenery is amazing and the roads were good. We also loved the trip from Santa Fe to Durango and Mesa Verde although the high mountain driving gobbled up gas. Still, Mesa Verde was relatively empty and the site is amazing!

Posted By Jeanette on June 26, 2008, 11:18 PM

I had planned a cross-country trip lasting 5 weeks with my kids, including a couple weeks visiting family on the East Coast. When we figured the cost of gas, hotels/motels/camping, food, and attractions and compared it to flying 7 people from CA to NY, renting a minivan for 10 days, and lodging, it turned out the latter was slightly cheaper. We found reasonable flights on Southwest. I have taken my kids on other cross-country trips in the past and hope to again. There is so much to see in this country and the only way to really appreciate it is to see it up close.

Posted By Mary on June 28, 2008, 10:58 AM

Not yet, we can switch from motels to camping, and from amusements parks to swimming, hiking, and photography.

So why aren't you running more articles on "best campgrounds", "best campsites", "best parks for photography", "best natural hot springs", "best swimming holes", "best travel vehicles", "gourmet camprire food", "best public lands to visit for free" and so on? Heck, I'll write them and supply the photographs as I travel the Western U.S. this Summer and Fall.

You can simply sit back and watch us collectively travel less as oil costs raise the price of food and all other goods and services, or you can adapt with us and help travelers at all budget levels downgrade in cost to more efficient, lower cost, closer-to-home options.

Posted By Jeff Sullivan on June 30, 2008, 3:05 PM

I think the whole gas price thing is overblown. The only people that it is really affecting are the poor who are struggling to pay all the bills. Gas prices have made no effect on our recent trip through Colorado and Utah, or on future trips planned. In fact the gas prices are a good thing in that our gas-guzzling culture is finally starting to make a few minor changes in our agregious consumption.

Posted By Alan Gilbert on July 3, 2008, 1:07 PM

News flash for Alan-most of America is struggling to pay the bills! We are the "working poor"- we are well educated, make decent salaries but cannot pay our bills because everything is overpriced-gas, groceries, medical bills, rent/mortgages. The "poor, poor" get all the financial aid/public services and the rich are getter richer while the working class is left out in the cold to sink or swim. It should not cost someone $400 a month to drive to work (not even taking a vacation into consideration)! My family and I are taking Governor Jody Rell's advice and doing a "staycation" by using discounts posted on the CT Tourism Website this summer. We are also taking weekend trips to Springfield, MA (1.5 hours) and Philadelpia (3 hours). Buy museum or zoo passes that allow free admission to hundreds of others across the country. I found inexpensive motels with free breakfasts through AAA. If you like Six Flags, buy a season pass as it is good at all their locations. I hope you all have a wonderful, safe summer! You can still take vacations, just surf the web for good deals close to home.

Posted By Liz Esposito on July 17, 2008, 1:03 PM

I'll lead 16 Corvettes around one of our great 50 states again this year, ten days of supurb driving in America. That $3 bottle of beer at the corner pub is not much different then $4 a gallon gas. Our newer Corvettes average 25 mpg, so gas is a bargain when you consider what we will be seeing, the roads we will be challenging. Nothing better in the world...."See the USA in your Chevrolet..."

Posted By Cap'n Tom on August 2, 2008, 11:17 PM

My wife and I just completed a road trip from Bellingham, Wa to San Diego, CA via Hiway 101. We encountered $4.50+ gallon for gas and high hotel rates. After burning through our budget in the first four days, I finally gave in and reached for the plastic. Once we realized that we were going to have fun regardless of the cost, the trip turned fun. Yes, the trip was expensive, but can you put a price on a road trip and getting to know your wife again... Long live the American road trip!

Posted By Wayne on August 4, 2008, 10:24 PM

I think the great road trip is NOT in danger! People just need to look at it a different way and go and do it. As a kid, my parents had next to no money, but saved enough each year to take us on vacation. I only have one state left to see, and I'm not yet 30. Now for recently: Again, the road trip is about fun, and some planning. If you remember this, it won't be in danger. I just lived one for three weeks and counting! It's all about a few things---personal opinion. I do not make a lot of money (I am a teacher) and for summer break just camped the whole east coast and states for under $1000 for 3 weeks. How? Some things I did to save $$$$: Camping and/or staying with friends and family, seeing the low cost sites (which tend to be the stuff you want to see anyways: i.e. Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., ALL of the National Parks sites: see www.nps.gov) (They are OUR parks paid for with OUR tax money!), let your pictures and brochures be a lot of your souvenirs, cook/make your own meals, take a fuel efficient vehicle if you can (my diesel Beetle gets 45MPG and I also use Biodiesel), and the most important thing: GO with your friends! Splitting costs will save everyone money!

Posted By Amy on August 5, 2008, 2:31 AM