Cheap Road Trips for Travelers on a Budget

Hitting the open road for new and exciting adventures is a great way to enjoy a vacation. It can be easy to go over budget on a road trip if you're not careful. Cheap road trips are possible, but you have to know the best way to do it.

How to Road Trip on a Budget

How do you save money on a road trip? There are several simple steps you can take before you go—other than having a fuel-efficient vehicle, of course.

Bring a Map

Getting lost is one of the top ways people lose both time and money on a road trip. Having a map and someone there to read it and navigate while you drive is one of the best ways to keep you on target and within price range on your next road trip. GPS on your phone is great too, but some road trip destinations run through areas with spotty cell service.

Avoid Holidays

Traffic is the top annoyance of taking a road trip during the holidays, but it’s not the only headache you’ll encounter. Popular tourist spots get packed with people, restaurants are frequently reservation only, and shopping is a nightmare—all making this the worst time of the year for cheap road trips.

Be Prepared

Spare tire? Check. Snow chains? Check. Being ready any situation can be the make-it-or-break-it difference between a cheap road trip and a budget-draining ride. Be prepared by packing these items in your car before leaving home:

• Spare tire
• Snow chains 
• Tire jack
• Flares
• Extra water and radiator coolant
• Windshield wiper fluid

Make a Schedule

Touring the U.S. on a budget often means squeezing attractions into your schedule based on their availability, not yours. Plan out your trip ahead of time for maximum savings.

Get Insurance

While it may cost more money upfront, having a good insurance plan can also mean saving lots of cash on repairs and problems down the road. This means getting a policy that goes beyond just basic liability. Try to find one with provision for roadside assistance and make sure your policy is valid out of state if you're crossing borders. 

Find Budget-Friendly Hotels

Cheap road trips still require quality digs where you can get a good night's sleep at the end of a long day behind the wheel: that’s where Wyndham Hotels & Resorts comes in. Check out our budget-friendly options across the country and book ahead to catch great deals on the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts app.

Cheap Road Trip Ideas

Did all this talk get you ready to hit the road? Here are our top picks for cheap road trips across the U.S.

Horseshoe Bend

Enjoy spectacular views over this dramatic bend in the Colorado River from the overlook of Horseshoe Bend, located just outside of Page, Arizona. The drive here passes along the rim of the Grand Canyon, making it an epic journey that will leave lasting memories.

Big Bear Lake

Just a few of hours outside of Los Angeles and an easy drive from both Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ, Big Bear Lake is one of Southern California's most popular outdoor adventure destinations. The cheapest way to road trip through the U.S. is to take a mini road trip, which allows you to be home again at night, and Big Bear is a great candidate. Once you’re at the lake, enjoy some fishing and boating or hit the impressive trails in the area.

Antelope Canyon

One of the cardinal rules of saving money on a road trip is to avoid tourist traps. Antelope Canyon is a little-known natural wonder that rivals the nearby Grand Canyon in raw beauty, but it’s a bit further from the tourist path. The two slot canyons here allow visitors to get inside the rock formations and enjoy an otherworldly ambiance. Close to Phoenix, AZ and a stone's throw from Flagstaff, AZ, Antelope Canyon is a great mini road trip for those in Arizona or the Southwest.

Seven Magic Mountains

Road tripping to see public art is both rewarding and easy on the bank account. Seven Magic Mountains is a colorful display of creativity. Located just outside of Las Vegas, NV and built by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, this spot is free to visit. It's a cheap road trip that you can take from anywhere in the southwestern U.S., although visiting the nearby casinos may quickly put a hole in that plan, so be wary of tourist traps. 

Cadillac Ranch

One of the most iconic sites on historic Route 66 is Cadillac Ranch, a graveyard of brightly painted old Cadillacs that was created by hippies and has been around for decades. Ready for more good news? Cadillac Ranch is free to visit and open to the public, so all you have to do is get there. Located just west of Amarillo, TX, this site is easy to visit from much of the southern U.S.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the cheapest way to road trip across the U.S.?

The cheapest way to road trip across the U.S. is to remember that quality over quantity is key when it comes to both distances covered and attractions visited. For example, spending all day slowly exploring a national park, stopping to take quick hikes, uses much less gasoline than simply driving on the highway all day. Choose your destinations ahead of time, don't veer off course, and spend quality time in each place.

What's the secret to touring the U.S. on a budget?

If there’s one secret to touring the U.S. on a budget, it's the lodging. That's where Wyndham Hotels & Resorts comes in. We offer quality, comfortable rooms that take the stress out of your road-tripping itinerary and let you concentrate on enjoying the ride.