Some advice for my USA road trip

[Negata]

Hey guys so some may remember I've mentioned I'm going to drive from LA to NY in 4 weeks with some buddies starting next monday and I guess it's about time to ask for some advice.

At the moment I'm wondering about a prepaid mobile, where to get one and what kind of options I have, anything I should possibly know about different carriers etc..? I doubt I'll need calls that much but unlimited data is a must have for me.

 

[Wicious]

How fun! Me and a friend of mine have actually planned a road trip in the United States in a couple of years as well, but we're going from WA to NY. You can buy a prepaid phone at Walmart. There's one in every state but Alaska. That's all I know. I just used Google to find out, so you will probably get better replies than this.

Good luck!

 

[Bloodraven]

Go to the Grand Canyon while on the road trip.

 

[Ron]

I'd go with Virgin Mobile tbh.

 

[Lee]

I'd go with Virgin Mobile tbh.

Id say go with virgin moblie too, $35 a month if you don't need many minutes but it has unlimited text and data.

 

[Negata]

Id say go with virgin moblie too, $35 a month if you don't need many minutes but it has unlimited text and data.

Excellent, just what I need. Where do I go to get one? What kind of data rates am I to expect across the country?

 

[Lee]

Go into any walmart would be easiest. Check out there official website for all the details

You must be registered to see links

 

[Negata]

I'm picking that to use Virgin Mobile I need to get a phone from them as well which is not an option for me.

 

[ChewBecca]

Take me with you

2

 

[Aksel]

Go to the burger places, even if you're on a diet. Burgers are delicous in the US. Atleast when i went to LA and NY they were delicous as hell. ( I'm not talking about Mcdonalds or Burgerking ) Good luck, man.

 

[RaptorJesus]

As someone who's road tripped a ton here is my list of advice

-Load up on your iPod/MP3, not with just music, comedy albums are good too.
-Try new foods, no matter how gross they look, they normally are delicious.
-Don't eat too much fast food, it'll just make you stop at gross rest-stops more
-Take the scenic route in between taking the fastest route (1 hour scenic, cut over, 2 hours fastest)
-DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS UNDER ANY Ducking CIRCUMSTANCES, they stink and normally are crazy.
-If you feel tired, pull over and nap.
-Stop in small towns and walk around to stretch your legs and check out local places.
-Don't be a penis to locals, don't be obnoxious.
-Don't go to bars in the midwest as a foreigner, or the deep south. People get obnoxiously drunk and will try to pick fights with you.
-Take as many pictures as humanly possible

 

[Lee]

I'm picking that to use Virgin Mobile I need to get a phone from them as well which is not an option for me.

What is your phone currently with?

 

[Negata]

A Finnish operator, but the phone isn't locked to that if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Lee]

Bestbuy has every prepay sim card that I know of, have a look and see which ones will be useable by your phone would be my best advice. Unless theres a RZ member living near to where you will be landing and can gift you an old phone.

 

[Negata]

Found out that T-Mobile seems to have phoneless prepaid deals. Will have to visit their store in LA when we get there and ask more.

 

[Wreckless]

As someone who's road tripped a ton here is my list of advice

-Load up on your iPod/MP3, not with just music, comedy albums are good too.
-Try new foods, no matter how gross they look, they normally are delicious.
-Don't eat too much fast food, it'll just make you stop at gross rest-stops more
-Take the scenic route in between taking the fastest route (1 hour scenic, cut over, 2 hours fastest)
-DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS UNDER ANY Ducking CIRCUMSTANCES, they stink and normally are crazy.
-If you feel tired, pull over and nap.
-Stop in small towns and walk around to stretch your legs and check out local places.
-Don't be a penis to locals, don't be obnoxious.
-Don't go to bars in the midwest as a foreigner, or the deep south. People get obnoxiously drunk and will try to pick fights with you.
-Take as many pictures as humanly possible

It's also illegal to hitchhike in most or all states in the United States, so be aware of that. When you get to New York, try to eat outside of Manhattan and outside of New York City pretty much. Everything there is much more than the actual price. McDonalds in New Jersey is $1.00 for a McDouble on the Dollar Menu. New York City's McDonald's doesn't even have a Dollar Menu. (Not to suggest you're going to eat McDonalds, but all the prices are pretty high there). I would eat a restaurant in NYC only once because it's expensive. When you're paying the bill, check on the bottom of the bill/check. If it says Gratuity, Grat., GRT Tax, Tip, or anything of that matter, do not leave a tip. That means the tip is covered in the bill and they'll sometimes scam you into leaving extra money.

 

[Negata]

Oh right speaking of tipping, what's a good policy on that? We don't really have the tipping culture here at all.

 

[Justice For All]

Oh right speaking of tipping, what's a good policy on that? We don't really have the tipping culture here at all.

Depends upon how you feel the service and food was, but a typical tip is somewhere in the vicinity of 15%

We would usually just round up or down depending on the food/service, so 10% for bad and 20% for good.

 

[RaptorJesus]

Oh right speaking of tipping, what's a good policy on that? We don't really have the tipping culture here at all.

Just tip 10% and they won't get butthurt.

 

[Negata]

Anything else about socially acceptable behavior come to mind that foreigners tend to miss?