Why does nobody talk about camping vs budget motels for cross-country trips?

Last summer I drove from Denver to Seattle and tried both camping and cheap motels to save money. I figured camping at state parks for $20 a night would beat the $60 motels every time. Let me tell you, after three nights of sleeping on hard ground and waking up at 5am because of birds, I was ready to pay extra for a bed. The motels had coffee, a real shower, and no raccoons digging through my cooler at midnight. Yeah, you pay more but you also don't lose a whole day being grumpy and sore. Has anyone else found that the cheap motel wins over roughing it for actual travel sanity?

2 comments

2 Comments

kai77911d ago

Did I write this post in my sleep or did we just share the same brain? My back still hasn't forgiven me for that "saving money" phase either.

michaelcoleman11d ago

The 2018 memory foam mattress I got during that phase is still giving me grief... it's like sleeping in a bowl of warm cement. I think people confuse "saving money" with "buying the absolute cheapest thing" when it comes to beds. You can get a decent hybrid mattress for around $400 these days that actually supports your spine. Your back is telling you it was a bad trade, trust me I learned the hard way too.

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