Preparations

The new year wasn't very old yet and there is the question "Will I do my vacation this year in the US again?". Usually the answer wouldn't be hard. But I'm planning a huge investment (building a house) so the question wasn't easy to answer. So I thought about if I would do a vacation in the US and when I'll do where I would do the vacation.

After a while I recognised that the investment has an effect on my financial situation a year later, so I decided to do a grand tour this year. I asked my lovely homestay family if it would be ok to celebrate the 4th of July with them. They said yes. So I will definitely celebrate the Independence Day in the US this year.

Just to fly a few days in the US wasn't enough for me and I thought about what I could also do.

A good friend of mine was with her husband a few weeks ago in Miami, so I thought about a roadtrip from Oklahoma City to Miami. But I haven't seen New York City yet, too and Miami in July shall be too hot and the danger of hurricane is very high at this time.

I decided to do a roadtrip to NYC. But what else? The Niagara Falls! I got some informations about the Niagara Falls and planned a rough trip.

At this version I just would have only two days in NYC. I decided not to drive to the Niagara Falls also because most of the people I asked said that it isn't very spectacular. Sure everyone has his own opinion but I wanted more time for NYC. With this version I'll have five days in NYC.

The rough planning was done and I could plan the details and book everything.

 

After I knew what I will do this year, I could plan the details: When I want to fly? Where I will land? What will I see? and so on.

 

The 'When' was solved pretty fast because we had to plan our vacation for 2018 in 2017 and because we have parents in our team there was just the beginning of July for my vacation (because of the summer holidays in school in Germany). I'll start on 2nd of July in Berlin.

 

Where I will land?

That was a good question. Oklahoma City has an own international airport but you need a lot of time and a minimum of two changes to get there. Because I would loose to much time I searched in the surroundings. I found St. Louis/Missouri. I checked the flights and I've found my destination. There were also Dallas and Kansas City but with the rental car these both destination were more expensive. I watched the prices over approx. 5 weeks. I used Momondo and Skyscanner. The prices were between $1,000 and $1,200. Flight with WOW Air over Iceland. Flight time with waiting in Iceland approx. 14 hours. But then the flight were getting more and more expensive and I've found not as much as I did the last days. When I booked the flights seperate they curiously enough were cheaper. I wanted to wait another week and watch the prices. But nothing changed. So I decided to get up very early and book the flight or the flights separate on saturday morning.

I got lucky and I could book the flights together. I've found an offer at Momondo. I'll fly with United Airlines respectively with Lufthansa with change in Newark. I booked on Expedia and payed $870 with travel insurance.

Because I booked at Expedia I got a discount of 26 % by booking the hotels on Expedia. And I had a coupon (see the problems last year) and could save just a little bit more. :)

 

The rental car I booked again on billiger-mietwagen.de. A mid-range car with free miles for $400.

 

Because the drive with the car to NYC would be too long and more expansive I decided to take the train on the last stage. I'll drive with an AMTRAK from Cleveland to NYC. 12 hours but faster and cheaper as I would take the car.

The ticket costs $67. The rental car incl. gas would cost more than $130.

 

What will I see (in NYC)?

Oh yes there is a lot. I got a travel guide on my birthday last year from my co-worker. Now I could use it. Sure there is the One World Trade Center Complex on my list but also the Brooklyn Bridge. Not to forget the Central Park, the Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rocks) or the American Museum of Natural History. I've put all the sights in a way it will not be stressful and I can enjoy everything.

On the way there isn't so much to see also because some stages will be very long (about 8 hours of driving with the car). But I will drive and see a part of the Route 66. I'm looking forward to see this road again.

 

The stages you can find here.

 

Overview of the costs you can find here.

 

I will drive through the following states:

• Missouri
• Oklahoma
• Kansas
• Arkansas
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Ohia