Travelling through USA

[InCreator]

I have this little plan of visiting United States.
Since I've never been so far from Europe, It's quite a dark ground for me.

Initial plan is to go through Munich and Montreal to Washington DC, rent a car, trip 1154km southwards to Jacksonville, Florida (friend's relatives there) and probably continue southwards to Miami, by car, also.
Same way back!

As much as I've googled, motel rates are around $30-40 which is not so cheap actually...

Trip is planned to span over 2 weeks, with 9 days between flights to/from Washington DC-

Anything for me to know, especially due the fact that I come from a country even 1 of million americans haven't heard of?

[Wonkyth]

If motels are too much, then don't use 'em.

[Technocrat]

Sounds like the reverse of part of a trip I did in my gap year a while ago.

Best advice from personal experience - if you find yourself being arrested, pretend you don't speak English. That way, they give up pretty quickly. That, or demand to speak to the embassy.

And in the states in between "Civilsation" and "Florida", if you talk to any of the locals, you're going to find a whole lot of "Hey, y'all got a' ak-sent! Where're y'all fraam?" Surprisingly enough, few people outside of the UK have heard of Bournemouth, so just pick a big, landmarkish city, and say near there. My response was always "near London" - any other answer will make them furrow their brows in confusion.

Downright friendly in most parts though, just don't eat the grits.

[InCreator]

Well, in my case, "Estonia" isn't a remote location in UK, it's a country.

I guess "Mother Russia!" is closest to a "big, landmarkish city" then
But I'm not sure if naming it would contribute to a friendly atmosphere  

Anyway, we have guaranteed shelter in Jacksonville, but since it will be an exploration & video/photo trip, we won't stay there for all time. Miami felt like most interesting location to drive to, but maybe me & my friend will choose something else for sightseeing & language practice...

Also, since we'll be carrying a laptop with WiFi capability, how real is to get internet connection anywhere? Since we'll be needing google maps, rental locations etc, I'm quite positive we need da Net all the time.

[Technocrat]

Ah, in that case you can mention how Estonia won its freedom from those darned commies in 1991 - that ought to go down better.

I was always thoroughly dependent on the webs as well, and while the whole country isn't exactly blanketed in wifi signal, they have it in a lot of branches of McDonalds now. Just pick up a box of McNuggets to stare at for an hour or so, and you can use their connection. These days too, nearly all motels have internet of some description, as do rest-stops on roads. Sometimes, I'd just wander around neighbouroods with my PSP until I found an unsecured internet connection, those are common too.

[Stupot]

You want cheap accomodation, try http://www.hostelworld.com/.  You can find some really cheap places and everything is ranked and graded by the users, so you can get a rough idea on which ones are good value for money or not.

Quick look at DC, the cheapest one was about $25... in Miami they went down to $11 for a private room... and the rating wasn't so bad. I suggest you read the comments, first.

[InCreator]

Thanks. Considering how many national parks and campsites are everywhere, I figured that bringing a tent would save enough money on accommodation to spend it for fun elsewhere But of course, nothing beats real bed & shower

I'm actually not on particularly tight budget, but I imagine such long trip would still cost heavily (especially flight), so the less basics cost, the more I can spend on sightseeing etc

[Darth Mandarb]

I think it's great that you're visiting the States!  You can then see that we're not all as bad as the rest of the world seems to think!

And you've picked a pretty decent area to road-trip! 

You can get a good glimpse of true southern hospitality driving through the Virginias, Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Florida (depending on the route you choose).  I would strongly suggest a route that takes you through Savannah, Georgia.  I love that place (and actually hope to reside there some day in the future).  I've been all through-out the States (every state but Hawaii and Alaska) and the area you've chosen is probably the 2nd suggestion I'd make for a road-trip (CJ, AGA, Creed and Esseb did it last year in the week before Mittens and had quite the adventure).

Also, if you decide to come down to the Miami area there are a few of use AGSers down here

As for a 'net connection you should be quite able to achieve this.  There's a starbucks on every corner of every city (so it seems) and they offer free WiFi.  There's also Panera Bread, Barns & Noble (book stores) and many (many) other places that offer free WiFi.  Or just take a detour through an apartment complex parking lot and piggy-back off somebody's network (as sooooo many people seem too stupid to lock their networks!!)

What dates are you planning on being here?

[InCreator]

Dates depend heavily on cheap flights, but initial plan is

* Leaving Tallinn at 21. April to Munich (about 6h flight)
* Munich-to-Washington flight is a variable yet.

I'm applying for biometric passport and won't get Visa Waiver travel permit until I get the passport. I hope this won't take whole month! Luckily, I can get passport in 2 days (going to migration offices tomorrow) for extra fee, so it's all up to permit apply time. And before permit, I won't book flights.

But if all goes well, I'll be in US from 22th Apr to 1st May I think. Since I'm literally traveling back in time (8 hours!), it's kind of confusing to figure out  

[Questionable]

Well I had typed out a huge post but it got eaten my internet demons.

Anywho:

http://www.airbnb.com/ is super cheap I found stuff as low as $20 per night.

If you're looking for something a little more homely:

http://www.istopover.com/home/search?search%5Bref%5D=home&search%5Blocation%5D=washington+dc&search%5Bcheckin_date%5D=05%2F01%2F2010&search%5Bcheckout_date%5D=05%2F01%2F2010#update

ISn't like renting out a hotel. They're furnished apartments/houses/condos/etc that you can rent on a night-per-night basis and sometimes if you're planning on staying longer you can get good deals if you communicate with the owners.



There were other tips I had and things I found but I can't remember the stream of consciousness that I had going...

[Anian]

In any case, have fun. Hope you'll enjoy you're adventure.

[InCreator]

Thanks!

I got passport apply done yesterday and it takes only a week or so. ESTA (electronic travel permit thingy) application is suggested to be done 72 hours before flight and I think I can make it even earlier... so all is good so far. Also, flights from Finland are times cheaper so I guess I'll take a swim over Gulf of Finland

I've heard that you'll be asked upon landing for address where you intend to spend your night, and also how much money do you have. Can it be true? And if so, should I have cash to show then and how does "in a car or tent" would qualify as a sleeping answer?

As a long time tradition, me & my friend aren't planning too much, besides most basic things, such as flight plan, to leave more room for crazy adventures and randomness.

[Anian]

I'm pretty sure it's a bad idea to awnser "in a car" or similar. For example in my country you can't drive a camp trailor and then stop somewhere and sleep. The money thing probably has a limit of how much you can bring in, since if you drop by an ATM, that number can change.

Don't forget to check about those "liquids" and stuff you can bring on the plane. Had to take my carry-on luggage back cause I forgot I had a swiss knife in the backpack (I left it there after some trip before that).

[SSH]

Just give your overnight address as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, then you'll be free of any suspicion 

[Mr Flibble]

Don't forget to check about those "liquids" and stuff you can bring on the plane. Had to take my carry-on luggage back cause I forgot I had a swiss knife in the backpack (I left it there after some trip before that).

My girlfriend has flown on planes with, to name but a few: razor blades, scissors, a cigarette lighter (on two occasions), and some nail polish. None of which were noticed or removed by security.

Flying out of Belfast once, she was asked if she had any makeup, then remembered to put the her nail polish into those little plastic bags. She's forgotten to remove scissors on three seperate occasions and had them confiscated each time. Also, a bottle of water, though I pointed this one out to her right before the security gate ("Aren't you forgetting something?"). It's worth pointing out that none of these hindered her getting her flight in any way.

This reminds me of a much better story, her mum was moving house and flying there with a lot of her stuff. She didn't have room in her suitcases for all her luggage, so she ended up taking all of her kitchen knives in her hand-luggage. The security guard just stared at her, and after a few seconds said, "You can't take these on a plane." They still let her fly, though. I'd always presumed they'd be a lot more strict about detaining you after something like that.

[Tuomas]

I got passport apply done yesterday and it takes only a week or so. ESTA (electronic travel permit thingy) application is suggested to be done 72 hours before flight and I think I can make it even earlier... so all is good so far. Also, flights from Finland are times cheaper so I guess I'll take a swim over Gulf of Finland

...or take a cruiser ship. It's around 15â,¬ there and back, not too much imo. And bring me some cheap alcohol while you're at it

[RickJ]

InCreator welcome to the US is a few weeks .

The reason they ask you about money is that they want to be sure you are able to support yourself during your stay.  So you have to have enough resources so that you don't become a burden on the US tax payers.   Your answer to the last question plays into the next,  which is likely to be "Where do you plan to stay and/or do while you are here?".   

I assume that it's necessary to visit the US consulate to get a visa.  They will likely want to see financial documentation of your resources at that time.  You can ask them what documentation you will need on entry, how much money on hand, and what other requirements there will be.     

When you go through customs you tell them that you will be staying with your relatives in Jacksonville for most of the time.  Tell them about your driving plans; even have prospective direct route (i.e. Interstate Highways, the ones with red-blue shield) picked out in case they ask.    Tell them you intend to stay at $50-$100 per night motels eat most of your meals at McDonalds.  Have a letter with you from your relatives inviting you to visit them and offering to support you, (financially) while you're here.   I would think $200 cash each, an ATM card and one or more credit cards would be sufficient.   You need to start thinking in terms of miles instead of km.  It's about 650 miles from DC to Jacksonville.  That will require a couple tanks of gas (25 gallons @ $3.??/gallon) .   One person could make the drive easily in two days.  You can say that you want to take your time and see the country so it may take you 3-5 days to make the trip.


There are a couple things you may want to know about our highway system.   The first thing to know is that there are basically three kinds of highways Interstate , US Route, and State Route which you will likely be travelling on. 

Interstate highways are the newest and most modern system.  They are identified by a numbered red and blue shield.  Odd numbered highways run north-south, even numbered highways run east west.   Main highways have two digit numbers and bypass, loops, extensions near are cities have 3 digit numbers.    They are divided (traffic in opposite directions is separated by a barrier of some sort) and have restricted access (it's necessary to use entrance and exit ramps, no turn-abouts or other types of intersections).  Interstate highways have mile markers which are little numbered signs perhaps 5"x3".   They start at zero at the state border and increase as you go.  I can't remember if zero starts at north or south / east or west.   Exits are usually numbered with the mile where they are located.  In large cities where there are multiple exits along the same mile they are sometimes numbered sequentially?

US highways are the older system that replaced by the Interstate system.   They are identified by a numbered white shield.   They can be multiple lane divided highways, they can be multiple or two lane roads with intersections, traffic lights, etc, divided by a double yellow line painted on the road.   Please note they are often combinations of the above.  You may be travelling on a nice highway and suddenly wonder why is there a traffic light here?   

State highways are generally smaller highways often 2 lanes and often divided only by a double yellow line.   On both state and US highways you will sometimes see yellow signs.  These are warnings about the road and usually mean that the upcoming section of road is more dangerous or more difficult.   They can take the form of a speed restriction or sometimes just a crooked line which is meant to indicate the shape of the road.

Oh and when you cross the border from one state to another, normally the only indication is a sign saying something like "welcome to the State of  _______".  I you use a state border as a landmark and you have some other expectation you may miss it.. 


The most direct route is of course just to take Interstate 95 south which will ytake you directly to Jacksonville Google Map.   

I'm not sure what you are looking for as far a sight seeing is concerned.  I lived in Roanoke VA for 8 years and I can describe some things I am familiar with.

If you have an interest in nature and would like to visit inland from the cost a bit you may want to know about the Blue Ridge Parkway.   It's very beautiful and I believe it's possible to find Bed & Breakfast type accommodations.  I wouldn't recommend travelling this road for hundreds of miles because it winds across the tops of the Appalachian Mountains.   The good news is that it follows many main/interstate roads so it is easy to take a 25-50 mile drive and get near a city and get on an interstate or US highway.   The bad news is that you will have to venture inland to explore it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway

There is a lot of US history in the state of Virginia.  So if US history is your bag you can find a lot of stuff in Richmond which is right oin your direct route.   The  Appomattox Court House is a couple hour drive from Richmond and is the place where our Civil War ended when the gGenerals signed the surredner papers.   Roanoke is only a couple more hours west.  So if you have interest in the Blue Ridge Parkway you would probably want to spend a night in Richmond and drive to Roanoke the next day, stopping along the way to  see Appomattox and have lunch. Spend the night in Roanoke and pickup the parkway the next day.  However, I suspect this diversion may require more time than you wish to spend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appomattox_Court_House_National_Historical_Park

Based on the length of your stay I am guessing that you will prefer a more direct route.  If you have an interest in any of the above I'd be glad to share any more I may have.   Likely you will want to spend a day or two in DC exploring the museums and monuments.  The Lincoln memorial is pretty cool and it's a pleasant walk to the WWII, Vietname, Korean, memorials and Washington Monument.  Of course the Air and Space Museum and Smithsonian are a must as well as the Museum of Modern Art.  In the evening I can highly recommend Old Town Alexandria for dinner and drinks, especially drinks.  There is a delightful Irish Pub there with good beer, pretty girls, and live Irish folk music.  There are also lots of unique gift shops etc.  If you plan on drinking try to find accommodations near by;  they have gotten fanatical over here about DUI in the past 20 years or so. 

After you finish with the monuments and museums in DC you will likely want to I95 south to Richmond Virginia.  As I said earlier there are lots of things to see there also and this would likely make a good place for you to stop for the night.   I personally wouldn't be comfortable or recommend any accommodation that cost much less than $40 per night.  If you find a $20 a night motel or one that rents by the hour you can be pretty sure their clientele consist of hookers, drug addicts, and      worse.    If you are looking for a hostel type  of accommodation the closest thing we have are called "Bed and Breakfast".   These are usually nice and homey and often not too expensive.  It would be a nice way to meet the local people.

The next day you would go on 95 south again.  You will pass through a town called Rocky Mt. in the state of North Carolinia.  I don't know much about it, just a land mark.  Some parts of this region were famous for making Moonshine (home made whiskey) .  If you happen to get friendly with some local people you could ask it any is available; a very original souvenir IMHO.  Be careful though, because it is legal to make a certain amount for personal use but is illegal to sell because taxes are not collected.  You wouldn't be arrested for buying but the seller is technically at risk.

Now you could keep going south until you got tired of driving and just find a Motel 6 or Holiday Inn along the interstate but that wouldn't be much fun.  If you are looking for a little side trip then you could get on Interstate 40 and go to Wilmington South Carolina.  A little further east is a lovely little town on the ocean called Wrightsville Beach.  This time of year everything ought to be inexpensive, accommodations, food, etc.   Even though it's off season if I were you I would make reservations and get firm quotation for accommodations because it's possible someone may hear yiour accent and try to overcharge you.

The next day you could drive on highway US17 to Myrtle Beach South Carolinia.  I have done this before and it's a very nice drive.  Just make sure you do it in the day time; it's not to difficul;t to lose your way on a US Highway at night.  Myrtle Beach is much larger and there are a lot of touristy things to do and a lot of places to eat.  It's off season so everything should be inexpensive.

Wrightsville_Beach
Myrtle Beach

After Myrtle Beach it's a little difficult to get back on I95.  you could keep going south on US17 to Charelston.  This will take you through Francis Macon National Forest which is a national park.  You can probably find a campsite there and put up a tent for the night if that is your interest.  Btw, it's not allowed to camp on most of the beaches.    When you get to Charleston you can take I26 back to I95 or you could keep travelling on US17.   Don't be fooled by the perceived greater distance taking I26; it may be more miles but is likely less time..  Either way you end up in Savanah which is just a short distance from Jacksonville.


About your accent and origin; Americans are pathetic at geography; most of us wouldn't be able to find North America on  a map if it wasn't labelled as such.  Just say you are from Estonia a small  European country just north of Poland and Germany and just east of Finland and Norway.  You can say something like "You probably haven't heard of it because we were part of the Soviet Union until we broke away and got our freedom in 1989".  I know you are not a gung ho capitalist like me so if the conversation turns that way, instead of making up stuff that you don't believe, you talk about freedom and how good that is.  I think you do prefer Estonia being free from Soviet rule right?  Anyway I think most americans respond positively to the notion of freedom.   I think they also understand the complexities and difficulties of governance so you could explain about the corruption and other negative things going on now and how in some ways things were better before.  I would save the "Damm Commies" line as a last resort.   I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Be aware, however, that our own current politics are very hotly debated and the people have extremely strong opinions at this point in time about what our own government is doing.   If that comes up in conversation I would recommend that you say something like "It's difficult to for people in one country to really understand what's going on (politically in another).  Any opinions I may have are based on the incomplete or incorrect information reported in our media.  ... How much do you know about Estonia from your news media? ".


I apologise if any of this is obvious or if you are already knowledgeable.  When I travel international it's often difficult to pick up on some of the small deatils like  the highway system, political sensabiloities, etc.  The local folks take many of the details for granted an so don't think to tell; and of course there are things you would never think to ask because you are also taking things for granted. 

I hope you have a successful and interesting vacation and I hope you like our country.  Please let us know how everything turns out.

Safe and Happy Travels
Rick

[Calin Leafshade]

The top gear guys went driving through the US in bright pink, homo-suggestive cars with Hillary Clinton on the side.

They were chased out of the south by guys with shotguns.

but I'm sure that wont happen to you...

UNLESS YOU'RE PINK!

[InCreator]

Loads of thanks for such informative reply!!! This will be definitely google-doc'ed with our plans, photoshopped google maps and bits of needed information/IM chats/forum replies that prove to be useful.

The reason they ask you about money...

Yes, I figured that. Since I haven't held cash money for 5+ years and done all my shopping with card, I think I have to withdraw some, just in case. Overly paranoid attitude is still funny I think... But yes, no liquids, no food, no machetes, etc. I know. I simply hope it won't be totally random thing I cannot suspect and customs still find somehow deadly...

I assume that it's necessary to visit the US consulate to get a visa.  They will likely want to see financial documentation of your resources at that time...

Thankfully, this is not the case. Estonia is a part of Visa Waiver program (90 days for leisure/tourism visa-free) so all I need is to fill electronic travel permit called ESTA and get 'ok' for this. It's basically bunch of questions about me not being convicted and such.

When you go through customs you tell them that you will be staying with your relatives in Jacksonville for most of the time.

But this might not be true at all. We planned meeting them, but maybe won't. Ah, it wouldn't hurt to say so anyway.  

Tell them about your driving plans;

Our plan is mostly based on blue path Google Maps generated. Of course, we will make stops/detours whenever we see something interesting or need a break. I guess I have to write down some basics to remember & tell at border.

There are a couple things you may want to know about our highway system.   The first thing to know is that there are basically three kinds of highways Interstate , US Route, and State Route which you will likely be traveling on.  

I believe we can handle US highways. If not otherwise, this long text will help

Oh and when you cross the border from one state to another, normally the only indication is a sign saying something like "welcome to the State of  _______".  I you use a state border as a landmark and you have some other expectation you may miss it..

I've seen them American movies  

I'm not sure what you are looking for as far a sight seeing is concerned.  I lived in Roanoke VA for 8 years and I can describe some things I am familiar with.

At this point - I am not quite sure also, what goes for sightseeing; basically everything is new. Of course we're gonna see all "default" landmarks at DC, stop at a National Park or two (It seems there's no end to them on our route) and so on. I personally want to see land of entire country of low buildings (living in a jungle of 9-floor apartment buildings) and American people. My friend wants warm weather (it's snow outside here!) and biiig burgers. Since roads would get boring after awhile, we pinned Miami as a destination... Everything else is a plus, and it sounds like there's going to be plentiful of it.

About your accent and origin; Americans are pathetic at geography; most of us wouldn't be able to find North America on  a map if it wasn't labelled as such.

I'm totally aware of being from nowhere
I guess even many Germans (who occupied us for millennia!) wouldn't know where's Estland so whatever. If anyone's interested, I can explain understandably enough.

I think you do prefer Estonia being free from Soviet rule right?  Anyway I think most americans respond positively to the notion of freedom.

Gotcha. I'm into Forest Brothers-phase with my history-interest right now so I could tell some cool stories...  

I think they also understand the complexities and difficulties of governance so you could explain about the corruption and other negative things going on now and how in some ways things were better before.

Rather not. Over 10% of unemployment and entire country sold out to Scandinavian banks by corrupt politicians, added constant threatening from Russia... we're third Iceland now, with Latvia being second.

Be aware, however, that our own current politics are very hotly debated and the people have extremely strong opinions at this point in time about what our own government is doing.

Well, I'll careful here, as I tend to love argumenting But I don't know much about current US politics anyway. AFAIK, there was hell of a noise and Bush-hate, then Obama got elected and US suddenly got veeeery quiet. At least, viewed from this end of globe.

I apologise if any of this is obvious or if you are already knowledgeable.  When I travel international it's often difficult to pick up on some of the small details like  the highway system, political sensabiloities, etc.  The local folks take many of the details for granted an so don't think to tell; and of course there are things you would never think to ask because you are also taking things for granted.  

Ah, I thank you again for this super-useful reply! Also, repeating knowledgeable only strengthens it and removes doubts.

I hope you have a successful and interesting vacation and I hope you like our country.  Please let us know how everything turns out.

I'm not left yet But if all goes OK... most of our baggage is audio/video equipment. Trip so epic WILL be recorded for generations to remember. Why not shared?

The top gear guys went driving through the US in bright pink, homo-suggestive cars with Hillary Clinton on the side.

We thought about renting a minivan or RV - thus eliminating accommodation and time constraints, but nothing beats big, shiny Dodge Charger... so we might have trouble fending off rednecks trying to be friends rather than running from them

[Matti]

AFAIK, there was hell of a noise and Bush-hate, then Obama got elected and US suddenly got veeeery quiet. At least, viewed from this end of globe.

Quiet? With the healthcare reform thingy? Nah.

Anyway, have fun in the states. Oh, and I think the majority in Germany knows where Estonia is located