New York to California Roadtrip in 5 Days! Tips & Roadside Attractions

If you’re planning a road trip from NY to CA here are some of our tips, expenses and stays:
Drive break down:
Day 1: New York to Gary, Indiana- 11 hours, 706 miles
Day 2: Gary, Indiana to Lincoln Nebraska- 9 hours, 598 miles
Day 3: Lincoln, Nebraska to Rock Springs, Wyoming. - 10 hours, 704 miles
Day 4: Rock Springs, Wyoming to Winnemucca, Nevada. - 7.5 hours, 528 miles
Day 5: Winnemucca, Nevada to Bay Area, California - 6 hours, 407 miles
Hotels:
We traveled with our dog so we used this link to help us find pet friendly hotels (fidosfinest.com.... Here are the places we stood(in order) and what we rated it.
• Hyatt Place South Bend/Mishawaka
215 W Day Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545
*Free Breakfast
Rate 4.8/5
• TownPlace Suites by Marriot Lincoln North
7353 Husker Cir, Lincoln, NE 68504
*Free Breakfast
Rate 4.5/5
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Rock Springs Green River
1660 Sunset Dr, Rock Springs, WY 82901
*Free Breakfast
Rate 4.5/5
• Candlewood Suites Winnemucca
460 E Winnemucca Blvd, NV 89445
*NO Free Breakfast
*Our Least Favorite 2/5
Total Expenses:
Hotel Total: $725.21
Gas Total: $461.51
Food Estimate: ~ $225.00
**Tolls not included. Our EZ Pass worked in many states. We never paid any tolls with coins or bills.
TOTAL: ~ $1411.72
Tips:
• Bring GPS or use google maps (you may lose connection in some locations more out west)
• We used the app Road trippers which was super beneficial in locating nearby gas, food, hotels and even nearby things to do and see!
• Always fill up when you have ¼ gas left, gas can be scarce in some locations (again, more out west)
• Take advantage of those hotels with free breakfast to save you some $$$ BUT also keep those hotel pet fees in mind of when you’re traveling with you furry friends.
• For the Salt Flats bring shades and booties for your pups as the salt can be damaging to dog paws.
• Bring a pair of hiking shoes/boots for pit stops where you can hike.
Please feel free to ask questions in the comments below! Were happy to answer them

[@maza9191]

I'm traveling from Massachusetts to California by myself. Thanks for your tips.

[@juliancintron1998]

Be careful

[@fatihh8245]

Why ? Does it worth move mass to california ?

[@scottphillips471]

Here’s a good one July 2023, I had the entire month off and left Wisconsin for the top of One World Trade Center, started out traveling through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, down to the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, west to Indiana (just in case), east to Cleveland and Canton, OH. July 4th, I visited Shanksville, Pennsylvania, crash site of Flight 93 on 9/11 and Philly for the fireworks. By 11am on July 5th, I left PA , drove through NJ and reached the Endless Pool Memorials of 9/11 and the 102nd floor of the WTC. From NYC, I headed north to CT, RI, MA, until I reached NH. (7 states in one day, can’t do that back home) July 6, Maine and Vermont were checked off the bucket list. July 7, Delaware and Maryland. 2,600 miles so far. July 8, Arlington Cemetery, Abraham Lincoln Monument and the Pentagon, the third 9/11 Memorial. July 9, Virginia and West Virginia. July 10, National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY and Nashville TN. And North Carolina. July 11, South Carolina, Georgia, Miami, FL and ended the day in Key Largo. (5,100 miles from home) July 12, Key West all day and the Everglades after dark. July 13, Sweet Home Alabama, Mississippi, New Orleans, LA. July 14, Little Rock, AR. The two week old oil had 7,000 miles, so I got it changed. Headed north to Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. July 15, Kansas and Oklahoma to visit my uncle and cousin. July 16, Texas and New Mexico July 17, Four Corners, Arizona, Utah, Colorado. Grand Canyon at sunset. July 18, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Nevada, California desert 117 degrees. Finished out the day 10,100 miles from home. July 19, 55 degrees on the Golden Gate Bridge, later saw snow capped mountains. July 20, Portland and Multnomah Falls, Oregon July 21, Seattle Space Needle, Washington, east to Idaho and Montana. July 22, East to North Dakota, south to Wyoming. July 23, Devil’s Tower, east to Rapid City, South Dakota, across Minnesota, at 11:00 pm I was only an hour from home, but I had to go to Illinois! July 24, the date changed, but I was still driving from Devil’s Tower and wasn’t stopping until I found my bed. South to Iowa, east to Illinois and north to Wisconsin. 5:30 am arrived home!!! 48 states in 24 days, 13,482 miles. Solo van adventure coast to coast. The last 7 days of July,,, I rested!!

[@fly_boi]

I'm definitely gonna try this when I move to the U.S.A

[@SAsh-zg6ln]

Nice break down. I might do it from LA to nyc

[@LebanonArmy1]

I think I gonna do this trip soon Thanks for all the information and tips your provide 👍🌹

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

Thanks for watching our video! Good luck on your trip😁

[@trailer1210]

I enjoyed watching this Video 🎉😊 Thank you....

[@adiyahbaig9508]

So helpful! You guys are so cute ! Definitely wanna travel to cali !

[@JC_06]

Your dog is very beautiful 🐶❤

[@fazlerobi]

Thanks for making this video.

[@galato4234]

Thank you for ally our tips. I am moving to San Francisco, CA from Vermont. Which Highways did you take? Thank you.

[@daisy7572]

Amazing video!!!! 💗💗💗 thanks for the info 😊

[@lavenderchai1613]

I’m about to do this from CA to Rhode Island solo trip.

[@Theeinsom]

I want to plan a trip like this for my future wife. I’m in NYC and want or drive out there using a rental car. Hope it goes well

[@VAStacker14]

7:08 that specify place is an area where you should shoot music videos and movies

[@biillyy]

that’s a sick drive ..u do this often?

[@rizwanahmadkhokhar2557]

Planing a solo one way road trip from Queens NYC to San Francisco this coming August . Are the hotels on route 80 close by or do you have to get off and drive a while to get to one

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

Hi! Thanks for watching our video :) Hopefully not to late to answer your question but hotels were not to far from the I -80. Each one maybe about 10-15 mins away from highway.

[@mdh.4231]

Hi, great video. could you share a bit about the tolls? The states that didn't have ezpass access, how did you pay? Also what was the biggest/unexpected challenge?

[@saivarunalluri]

lovely video ! Can you please share the location of the salt flats in Utah? Was it a rest area or an actual tourist spot?

[@papichulo-wd9qy]

Was there any check points from New York to cali?

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

We did not experience any check points.

[@user-mb6gs3xm7b]

How's going LA ? Living in NY for 36 years. Planning a round trip with several Koreans in 3 weeks. Which is better rent a car or my Honda Ridgeline? ? Any tips appreciated.

[@JC_06]

How many days did you travel from New York to California?

[@user-dt9zp2nu2b]

What kind of car you guys driving

[@anthonyilie972]

hey question how much did you guys pay for tolls?

[@josephinern7681]

Planning to drive from NY to Cali, thanks for sharing this video. Hows hotels you did reservation on the day every lay over or did it in advance booking? Thank you! Im an RN too

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

Hi, thanks for watching! We booked hotels the day of, so it didn't limit the hours we were willing to drive each day. We felt that was beneficial to us because we were able to stop whenever we wanted and drove more hours on days we had the energy to. Good luck! :)

[@josephinern7681]

@@sippingwithmatcha747 thanks for replying I arrived here in California 2weeks ago, yes I did drove 7days and took 500-600miles a day and stop in Vegas for 3days. I enjoyed the trip, tiring but fun. Starting my new job this Monday. Make more fun and interesting vlog and thanks again for sharing.

[@rizwanahmadkhokhar2557]

Also how many hours a day would you drive ?

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

I believe 7-11 hrs per day, check out the break down in my description! Hope it’s helpful 😊

[@papichulo-wd9qy]

Hi guys I like this video How hours did you drive at day? I’m about to do that too

[@sippingwithmatcha747]

Hi, we drove 7-11 hrs per day. Check out the break down in my description! Good luck 👍🏼