So what do you think? Would you be happy on my oranges and pasta diet? I hope that this video helps you plan for a big vacation when that sort of thing becomes safe again. If you saw my USA travel video and subscribed, thank you so much, my UA-cam goal this year was to reach 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year so... wow, I am so grateful, and I'll be working extra hard making videos for you. I hope you're doing well, and that you had a great weekend. (Edit: 2 minutes after posting this, I can see people have liked it... those of you who liked immediately and watched to the end, I appreciate you so much! I’m so not used to this so thank you!)
Tom - Could you expand on how and why you were scammed by Greyhound please. It seems like a useful piece of information for others to know about it. Did you follow up on this with Greyhound? If so what was their response?
I'm very interested in doing one of the routes, most likely Seattle to San Francisco or Chicago to Seattle. I'm unsure though about one thing. Can you buy one ticket , and get off on a stop , and resume the next day (or the next day a train on that route passes the same city). I'd like to see some of the smaller places along the way too.
Thank you so much. I live in Africa and with our exchange rates, American seems an impossible dream but you gave us practical tips to make the impossible seem possible. Thank you 🙏
For me, it wasn't about how "budget friendly" your trip to America was, but the pure joy you both experienced doing it. Hopefully, this won't be you're last time visiting, as America has much more to offer and see! Cheers!
If you're going to eat at restaurants in the US, make sure to eat breakfast. It's very cheap, has large portions, and is tasty. You can do a big breakfast and skip lunch even on a busy day.
Adding to that, Lunch deals are almost as great and often just a smaller portion of dinner. Nobody wants to deal with leftovers while traveling anyway and I'm happy with yogurt and a granola bar for breakfast.
Double adding to that, google places with brunch menus. They are open from 10 to 3 pm (usually) and can have a variety of breakfast and lunch options that are all very affordable and if you order one item, they usually come with toast, a salad, or some extra item included to keep you full.
Pro tip: if you're interested in getting off the train somewhere along the route (say, Washington to New York and you want to have a couple hours in Philadelphia) book multi-ticket and make sure you book the same train route, but the second train is later in the day. You will pay the price of Washington to NYC, rather than separately paying Washington to Philly and Philly to NYC. Saves you good money!
Cool, thanks for sharing the tip! A good way to spend a day somewhere. We bought all our tickets for separate legs of the journey. Like I said, I think this increased the price a bit.
Tom, I only had your USA video pop up in my recomendations 2 days ago, but wow, what a great video. And now this one is really helpful too. Thanks for all the information. As someone who is aiming to go to the USA for the first time post-Covid, I'll absolutely check out your suggestions.
I am a 71 year old from DC and I greatly enjoyed your USA vid. I reveled in your curiosity, calmness and all-around appreciation for travel and what it can offer. I too struck out in my twenties to travel so I felt great empathy watching your journeys. Good insight on economic approaches too for fellow travelers. As was said, "travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer". Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much, Bob. Visiting your country and especially DC was our pleasure. We’d love to come back some day. Hope you’re doing well - and staying warm - over there.
I lived in LA 15 years and i never knew I could travel by train. Your 45 min video has inspired to plan a trip like this one day. I've also always wanted to visit japan and I'm going to watch your videos on japan later. Can't wait to see more from you!
I hope you know that Salinas is called the “salad bowl of the West”. Many of the oranges, berries, kiwi, avocados, etc come from California. Glad you had such a successful trip. Come back again!
If people are planning to visit the NYC area, be aware that from EWR/Newark Liberty, you can access the PATH train system via AirTrain for an easy train ride into lower Manhattan. Get on the AirTrain at EWR to Newark Penn Station (Newark NJ) and then get PATH to the World Trade Center station, which is adjacent to a NYC Metro system hub. The Metro card works for both PATH and the Metro. (Newark Penn Station also has access to Amtrak and NJ Transit if you need to get to other areas). I know people who have avoided EWR despite a lower air fare because it seems harder to get to NYC when it really is not and can actually be much faster than JFK. Unfortunately, information online can be confusing about how easy it is.
Tom, thank you for making these videos. I'm a 50-year-old American and I learned so much from your trip and this breakdown of how you did it. I first watched your Amtrak video because my husband and I are huge Amtrak fans and have taken two trips so far (Minnesota to see family in Virginia) and want badly to see all of the USA via train. It's so relaxing and so much fun. What you've done is just inspiring and it makes me eager to get going as things reopen again.
Your video has let others feel like they traveled with you, the camera angles felt like i was walking the places too! l also loved how unpretentious the whole trip was. It was an average joe trip, felt very attainable! Kudos!
Gosh, this video takes me back to the mid 70s when my wife and I went across Canada to Vancouver by train in coach. We saw so much though we had so little money. Thanks!
Thank you! Made me interested in travelling in my own country! Thinking about the camping the Grand Canyon/ Sedona/Yellowstone area. Please come back soon and see our national parks up close and maybe New Orleans or Niagara Falls although it’s nicer on the Canadian end.
American here from Alabama: I love your videos. If y'all find yourself back in the states I'd highly HIGHLY recommend renting a car and taking a cross-country road trip. There's nothing quite like hitting the open road, going where you want, when you want. You can find good deals on rental cars with unlimited miles, and while it may seem a bit pricey, you can save money by camping on public lands -- often times for free. You could spend a lifetime on the road here and not even make a dent in all the places there are to see. Cheers!
Trader Joe's is one hundred percent the best option for groceries! Great call... also a great call on using a Safeway card. Even better (since you can help someone out) ask the person behind you if they want to give you their number so they can get points on your purchases :) Edit: Just finished your video and as someone who has lived in California my entire life (both in NorCal and SoCal) and travels California a lot, you definitely did everything right! Great tips :) I've taken the Coast Starlight once and I love the observer train. One thing I could recommend (and this might even be budget-friendly) is taking the 101 and highway 1 down from SF to LA using a rented car. You can rent the car in SF/LA and drop it off in LA/SF and it will probably cost you around 300$ total (including gas) for 2 days. It is such an amazing drive along the coast and there are so many beautiful coastal towns on the way.
Thank you! I really really appreciate you saying so. I have a couple of quieter videos from out in nature that I'm working on now. I don't know when we'll be able to do a huge adventure video, but I hope you're able to stay safe and well until then :)
I loved the Zepher part of your trip...I have to enjoy travels vicariously through you. I have a very bad spinal disability. Somedays I can walk and be mobile...some days I'm stuck in bed. Plus I'm 63. I used to hike, camp. Very active. I just got my medical marijuana card, so I'm hoping it will reduce my pain....I hope so. Maybe the train trip would become feasible. I sure enjoy seeing what you see. Be safe, stay healthy, travel as much as you can. Please say hello to your beautiful travel companion. You two are so agreeable together and so kind when you speak to people....thank you for your videos....I'm anxiously awaiting for more. 😊❤😊
Discovered you this morning, quite by accident. I live north of Los Angeles. Love your USA trip from January 2020. We've been to all of those cities... but not by rail. Some beautiful images you captured. ❤ you and Molly. Keep having fun and stay safe. PS - we're Boomers... but love you young ones!
Yay, thank you! It's a really new thing to me to receive comments like this, so please know I mean it when I say I really appreciate it! Nice comments like yours have given me such a boost in encouragement for making videos.
@@thornton so many of us, including me, are cooped up. Watching your travel videos make me feel like I'm traveling with you guys, and you two are the kind of people I would love to travel with. Low key, relaxed, and smart traveling. I'm about to finish the Japan trip, but looking forward to more!
although i’ve lived all my life in the united states i’ve really never gone out of my way to go to other states and you’ve inspired my to do a trip like this one day so thank you!!
Ah thanks! Yes, I tried to keep it brief (if 43 minutes is brief!) by not filming absolutely everything, so it seemed a little rushed but we were able to relax and breathe it in, particularly in DC 😊
I loved your series of videos on your trip across the USA. I'm in LA and I love traveling by train like this when I go to Europe. I noticed that your favorite parts of the country were west of Chicago so if you wanted to focus more on one area rather than the whole country, something to consider for next time would be renting a car out here and seeing your favorite parts in more detail driving around. You can rent a car for real cheap and if there are multiple of you, the total is cheaper than taking the train. And faster too. There's a reason why you hear about California road trips all the time. You could also fly to Denver and drive through the Rockies to SLC because it is absolutely beautiful through there.
Great advice from you for young travellers. I loved your full 43min video, also your cat-sitting experience in Melbourne (my home town) and have posted lengthy comments on both for when you get a chance to review them. Thank you so much for your channel and the joy your experiences have been for me to watch, especially now I'm in lockdown (AGAIN - 3rd time, hopefully only a short one this time). I was young once (approaching my 68th birthday this week) and have had some wonderful travel experiences too. It's great to reminisce by viewing your more recent experiences and I do hope you and Molly remain safe and well in your new environment. Looking forward to more of your well constructed posts.
Michael, it's a pleasure to meet you and thanks so much for your comments. I'm so glad the videos have given you a little 43 minutes of forgetting about the world. Happy birthday, if it hasn't come yet! We're here stuck inside in Germany too. I'm trying my best to keep making videos :) Best wishes from Europe.
Hi loved the video series. I have a small travel tip, If you are planning to do more of a city-hopping trip Megabus/bolt is also very affordable. A trip from New York to Washington DC is booked1-2 months in advance is about 60 USD on Amtrack and 30 USD on Megabus. I'm from the east coast and Mega bus is a bit more prolific here I'm not sure what the bus services are on the west coast and central parts of the USA. Also if you do plan to eat out instead of cooking U.S portion sizes are generally quite large so when you finish your meal make sure to ask for the rest to go or wrapped up, it means that you can eat whatever you had for a second meal.
Just got your cross country travel video in my recommended and it was very good. This video has also made me much more confident with the idea of travelling in America without spending a lot of money. Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to seeing more videos.
I'm so happy you got to experience whale watching. My grandmother always use to say how much better the fruit was in Italy than America so this really makes me wonder about th UK. Your videos are such a pleasure to watch.
Traders Joe's is a very popular place, you did all right. It's where 2 buck chuck came from. For some reason I thought America wasn't made to travel with. I'm realizing with all this train travel, it is very much possible and I plan on making more trips this way. I may fly in though to save time (ie fly to denver to take the California zephyr)
One way of saving on both groceries and good hot food out is finding a cities China Town. I dont know about a midland city like Chicago or in Utah but definitely NYC, LA, SF...basically any coastal city has China Towns where the both the eateries and grocery is ridiculously inexpensive .
15:50 One thing I hear from people, something I have lived with all my life, is sales tax is not included in the sticker price. In my hometown it's 6.5% but that ranges wildly everywhere, city to city, state to state. NY and CA it's insane and might be the reason for that $10 that went missing. Caveat to that, there are some states that have 0 sales tax.
Very nice of you to tip 20%! I typically do 20% or $5, whatever is higher. That is, unless the service is notably bad. Very inspired by your trip, appreciate all of the info and the breakdown!
Just came across your site and looking forward to watching the video of your whole trip. This one is all great advice even for us Americans. There are so many great things to do that don't cost a lot of money. I just wish we had a more extensive train system like in Europe!
Love this. We're planning to visit Paris and Dublin next month and cooking for ourselves is, indeed, the only way it's possible for us! Plus, I find you can eat better if you cook for yourself. Thanks for this video!
4:00 Do you guys have Uber or Lyft in the UK? It's much cheaper than a Taxi. Also depending on the city you are traveling through we have a bunch of scooter companies that if you have the app you can go up to any scooter you find on the sidewalk, scan it, and go for pretty cheap, it's also a nice way to go site seeing if you need to get across town. Note they is still a vehicle so no drinking and driving.
Tom , Thanx, had done the Amtrak and Hostel xcross the US & Canada , many times. Glads to see someone, did it and enjoyed it. All my friends: 'Are you nuts? Fly "! You just miss seeing everything American& Canadian & meeting the wonderful people Everybody' s ' backyards' Thanx again for your wisdom. I used to get all aboard America passes for $150. You learn to sleep, sitting up. As an old conductor told me in Pocatello, Idaho: 'always sleep, feet flat on the floor and hands folded in your lap.' It's worked for 25 years Thanx again
this is such a helpful video. I am forty now so most of the budget constraints do not apply to me. I still picked up some tips, but if I was twenty I would kill for this advice.
I'm so glad that you got to spend a nice, big chunk of time in the DCA. We are a terrific part of the country, with so much to do here. Yes, the Smithsonian spoils us for museums elsewhere. Just know, in the time of Covid, the Smithsonian is either shut down or is only taking limited advanced reservations. We have a great Zoo as well. Free to enter but you have to pay for parking, Parking is pricy around DC and it is difficult to find around the museums. It's best to take Metro, if you can. Staying in Roslyn or Arlington Virginia or Bethesda or Silver Spring Maryland may be cheaper than staying in DC proper but look to see the distances to where you are planning to go. Also, please remember that DC is a working city, not Disney Land, and stand to the right on the Metro escalators and pass on the left. Also, please do not block the escalators with your hands on both hand rails. If you do, people will speak to you about it. People in this area are very friendly and almost anyone you ask will be willing to help you. I'd like to put in a word for visiting Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. Though it isn't cheap, it is a day trip worth doing with lots to see and truly beautiful grounds. The National Geographic museum can be great, just check to see what is on at the present. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is lovely in the spring and summer and a peaceful commune with nature the rest of the year. You'll probably have to take a Metro bus to get there or a ride share, but it is free to get into and very worth it.
Ty so much for the info I live here in the USA and I didn't know how expensive it would be so I never been out any where especially with the gas prices now .I always wanted to travel in my country but never could .now with you showing prices maybe I'll think about taking a leap
Loved your cross country video. As a resident and citizen, sometimes we forget about the cool things to do, and right in our backyards. And you went to the correct tower observatory in Chicago. Hancock is actually a far better view of the city. And you're IN the heart of the mag mile there. Great vids, well done, keep posting. Cheers!
Excellent informational video. Many of us viewers appreciate the unpretentiousness and blissful simplicity of your journey; a lot of video bloggers just like to show off and be fancy. Chipotle tip, order the "burrito bowl" instead of the burrito next time, costs the same but it is almost double the weight in food (proven online, simple search). Next time you are headed to Chicago, PM me, we'll take you for Deep DIsh and a Wrigley Field game. Peace.
the excursion you did at the chicago tower, you could do for free! you dont need to go to the top floor, you could get a table at the resturant on the 55th floor. its free and they have a viewing section =] lots of fun and you can eat during it
I take the same strategy of eating on the cheap, and taking in as many sights as possible. I will try to get an iconic food for where we are at least once, but I rarely eat in a sit down restaurant. I watched your Ca Zephyr video yesterday, and I can't wait to watch your others!
Your food sounds better than fine. I am planning a trip via Amtrak going west to east. It's a big vacation but just for a visit. I am not put off and thank you for your advice. I've been to The Smithsonian museums in DC, and they are amazing.
Ein tolles Video!! I love how you keep it simple to really SEE this amazing country. My girlfriend and i will fly to the us on January 1st, to stay there for three month. I already booked the California Zephyr Tickets (because of you 💪🏻💪🏻) Thank you so much for your calm way to give us all information! Do you still live in Germany?
We have done so cal - Los Angeles, San Diego, Mohave desert and Vegas on a budget all in for 1700 x 2 including car hire. We used hostel and budget hotels that do breakfast most do pancakes and then had a week in a Vegas strip hotel, the experience was amazing! Going to do a amtrack next year but in May when it’s warmer. Your vids are an amazing find in covid world!
Great video, I have absolutely no idea how you found accommodation this cheap, even campsites are 30usd per night, airbnb's in every large city is minimum 40usd :( maybe times have changed in 2 years
Did anyone mention how great the music is in this video?!!! Perfect soundtrack for the trip. I absolutely loved it! Do you have a Patreon account? Im sure people would love to contribute to your travel fund in exchange for the amazing content!!
Americans are the most charitable people on the planet...not saying that your a charity case Tom but I did read that about Americans somewhere & I believe it!
I’m highly impressed with the way you managed this trip. Example, getting off the train to spend a day or two in a city you wanted to see. It just makes me think that the train tickets would be more expensive. Maybe I missed this in the video but wow, I’m so jealous.
What a wonderful video and trip! You've inspired me to try this when time permits in the future. I knew about the trains and all but I never saw it the way you showed it. I'm glad you had such a great time! Cheers, mate!
Love your videos man! The USA video was a perfect way to disconnect from home uni learning, quality! Have also really enjoyed the Australia and Japan videos, keep it up and buzzing to see more!
Keir, I'm really grateful for your comment, thanks so much. I'm going to keep working hard on videos even in this weird situation we're in. I have a lot of respect for people trying to do their best at uni right now, it sounds so hard. We wish you all the best with it :)
Thanks for this, Tom ! Writing from England, a retired boomer (and also vegan). So interesting. I lived 10 years in New York City, left when I was 15, didn't get the chance to see anything. Would love to see more sometime.
Get a coupon card to one of our huge chain grocery stores that are all across the country (Kroger, Publix) that are free and will save you a bunch on groceries. They're free and you can sign up for them at the customer service desk. I'm sure you have these in the UK but its a good tip
Wow, Tom, that was really complete. Fortunately, I don't have to travel on such a strict budget anymore, but this is so helpful for those who do. You mentioned this, but let me reiterate that all the museums are FREE in DC (except the Phillips Collection) as is the Air & Space Museum, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Corcoran, and the zoo. So if you're going to house-sit, DC is the place where spending a few nights in someone else's home can really help the budget. BTW, I have that T-shirt from Vesuvio Cafe in SF. I hope you got to see the colorful mural on the wall outside. All the Beat Gods are represented! ps - Have you thought about joining Patreon? I think people might pay for excellent content like your videos...
Did you go into Monterey Bay Aquarium? That's probably one of the best things about Monterey, not including the food... the history... the wildlife... the people... Also, in my opinion, Trader Joe's is kinda expensive for a lot of groceries. Somedays some items would be cheaper, but other days they'd be the same price or more expensive. I'd argue Safeway is cheaper for bulk foods, but you would get higher quality items for much cheaper at Trader Joe's. So like fruit, veggies, bread, etc... I'd go to Safeway. Candy, "crisps" as you'd call them, wine, tea, etc definitely go to Trader Joe's.
Have a crossed the USA driving from new York to Las Vegas with $50 I got money for gas/fuel by ride sharing on Craigslist. I drove a 1994 corrola I bought for $300
So what do you think? Would you be happy on my oranges and pasta diet? I hope that this video helps you plan for a big vacation when that sort of thing becomes safe again. If you saw my USA travel video and subscribed, thank you so much, my UA-cam goal this year was to reach 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year so... wow, I am so grateful, and I'll be working extra hard making videos for you. I hope you're doing well, and that you had a great weekend. (Edit: 2 minutes after posting this, I can see people have liked it... those of you who liked immediately and watched to the end, I appreciate you so much! I’m so not used to this so thank you!)
So cool that your channel is growing you deserve it :)
Tom - Could you expand on how and why you were scammed by Greyhound please. It seems like a useful piece of information for others to know about it. Did you follow up on this with Greyhound? If so what was their response?
I'm very interested in doing one of the routes, most likely Seattle to San Francisco or Chicago to Seattle. I'm unsure though about one thing. Can you buy one ticket , and get off on a stop , and resume the next day (or the next day a train on that route passes the same city). I'd like to see some of the smaller places along the way too.
Thank you so much. I live in Africa and with our exchange rates, American seems an impossible dream but you gave us practical tips to make the impossible seem possible. Thank you 🙏
I love pasta and could live off it hahah. I’m planning a train trip with bread and peanut butter and a main train meal
For me, it wasn't about how "budget friendly" your trip to America was, but the pure joy you both experienced doing it. Hopefully, this won't be you're last time visiting, as America has much more to offer and see! Cheers!
Tom, believe me, it was OUR pleasure to watch your masterpiece. This one looks really promising..will watch now.
If you're going to eat at restaurants in the US, make sure to eat breakfast. It's very cheap, has large portions, and is tasty. You can do a big breakfast and skip lunch even on a busy day.
Adding to that, Lunch deals are almost as great and often just a smaller portion of dinner. Nobody wants to deal with leftovers while traveling anyway and I'm happy with yogurt and a granola bar for breakfast.
Double adding to that, google places with brunch menus. They are open from 10 to 3 pm (usually) and can have a variety of breakfast and lunch options that are all very affordable and if you order one item, they usually come with toast, a salad, or some extra item included to keep you full.
You got me hooked from your NYC to LA video. I hope you get noticed by the right people and make it in film
Ah thanks mate, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for joining me for another video and I hope this helps you plan to do the same some day!
I’m planning my solo rail trip, I’m excited! Thx for info💡
Pro tip: if you're interested in getting off the train somewhere along the route (say, Washington to New York and you want to have a couple hours in Philadelphia) book multi-ticket and make sure you book the same train route, but the second train is later in the day. You will pay the price of Washington to NYC, rather than separately paying Washington to Philly and Philly to NYC. Saves you good money!
Cool, thanks for sharing the tip! A good way to spend a day somewhere. We bought all our tickets for separate legs of the journey. Like I said, I think this increased the price a bit.
Thank you, that's helpful
Nice one.
Thank you so much for this tip! 🫶🏼
This is my plan for when Covid decides to calm down, Keep up the good work man.
Thanks for the encouragement! So glad you liked the video. I hope you have a great vacation when you can - who are you taking? Jesse or Skyler?
@@thornton Would you recommend going solo? 100% Jesse! I’m meeting him in Alaska.
We don't usually tip if ordering take out from a fast food chain. We do tip if eating at a table or counter in a cafe or regular restaurant.
Thanks. I’m German and I’m planning to this when the pandemic is over in the US
Tom, I only had your USA video pop up in my recomendations 2 days ago, but wow, what a great video. And now this one is really helpful too. Thanks for all the information. As someone who is aiming to go to the USA for the first time post-Covid, I'll absolutely check out your suggestions.
Let me know if you have any other questions before you go, I’m happy to help however I can. I hope this is all over soon and you can hit the USA 😁
I am a 71 year old from DC and I greatly enjoyed your USA vid. I reveled in your curiosity, calmness and all-around appreciation for travel and what it can offer. I too struck out in my twenties to travel so I felt great empathy watching your journeys. Good insight on economic approaches too for fellow travelers. As was said, "travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer". Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much, Bob. Visiting your country and especially DC was our pleasure. We’d love to come back some day. Hope you’re doing well - and staying warm - over there.
I am vegan too in the US and I love Aldi which some US towns and cities have them. They have cheap protein pastas too and fresh produce too.
I lived in LA 15 years and i never knew I could travel by train. Your 45 min video has inspired to plan a trip like this one day. I've also always wanted to visit japan and I'm going to watch your videos on japan later. Can't wait to see more from you!
I hope you know that Salinas is called the “salad bowl of the West”. Many of the oranges, berries, kiwi, avocados, etc come from California. Glad you had such a successful trip. Come back again!
If people are planning to visit the NYC area, be aware that from EWR/Newark Liberty, you can access the PATH train system via AirTrain for an easy train ride into lower Manhattan. Get on the AirTrain at EWR to Newark Penn Station (Newark NJ) and then get PATH to the World Trade Center station, which is adjacent to a NYC Metro system hub. The Metro card works for both PATH and the Metro. (Newark Penn Station also has access to Amtrak and NJ Transit if you need to get to other areas). I know people who have avoided EWR despite a lower air fare because it seems harder to get to NYC when it really is not and can actually be much faster than JFK. Unfortunately, information online can be confusing about how easy it is.
Good advice, thank you!
Tom, thank you for making these videos. I'm a 50-year-old American and I learned so much from your trip and this breakdown of how you did it. I first watched your Amtrak video because my husband and I are huge Amtrak fans and have taken two trips so far (Minnesota to see family in Virginia) and want badly to see all of the USA via train. It's so relaxing and so much fun. What you've done is just inspiring and it makes me eager to get going as things reopen again.
Your video has let others feel like they traveled with you, the camera angles felt like i was walking the places too! l also loved how unpretentious the whole trip was. It was an average joe trip, felt very attainable! Kudos!
Gosh, this video takes me back to the mid 70s when my wife and I went across Canada to Vancouver by train in coach. We saw so much though we had so little money. Thanks!
Thank you! Made me interested in travelling in my own country! Thinking about the camping the Grand Canyon/ Sedona/Yellowstone area. Please come back soon and see our national parks up close and maybe New Orleans or Niagara Falls although it’s nicer on the Canadian end.
It’s an amazing country with a lot to offer, for sure we’d love to come back and see some national parks. So glad you liked the video too, stay safe 😊
I've lived in DC for two years, I saw your video and I promised myself to do something similar. Thanks for motivating me
American here from Alabama: I love your videos. If y'all find yourself back in the states I'd highly HIGHLY recommend renting a car and taking a cross-country road trip. There's nothing quite like hitting the open road, going where you want, when you want. You can find good deals on rental cars with unlimited miles, and while it may seem a bit pricey, you can save money by camping on public lands -- often times for free. You could spend a lifetime on the road here and not even make a dent in all the places there are to see. Cheers!
Trader Joe's is one hundred percent the best option for groceries! Great call... also a great call on using a Safeway card. Even better (since you can help someone out) ask the person behind you if they want to give you their number so they can get points on your purchases :)
Edit: Just finished your video and as someone who has lived in California my entire life (both in NorCal and SoCal) and travels California a lot, you definitely did everything right! Great tips :) I've taken the Coast Starlight once and I love the observer train.
One thing I could recommend (and this might even be budget-friendly) is taking the 101 and highway 1 down from SF to LA using a rented car. You can rent the car in SF/LA and drop it off in LA/SF and it will probably cost you around 300$ total (including gas) for 2 days. It is such an amazing drive along the coast and there are so many beautiful coastal towns on the way.
Great, thanks for letting us know! :) and thanks for the tips, really helpful.
You are an incredible talent, Tom. I'm looking forward to following you on your travels. Thank you for your videos so far.
Just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying all of your vids, can't wait for more!
Thank you! I really really appreciate you saying so. I have a couple of quieter videos from out in nature that I'm working on now. I don't know when we'll be able to do a huge adventure video, but I hope you're able to stay safe and well until then :)
@@thornton thank you, stay safe as well :)
Thank you for all of the great information and ideas. I think without meaning to these videos showcase your genuine, down to earth, kind heart. 🌁
Really glad I just discovered your channel. It's a true gem!
Aw thank you, nice comments like this keep me motivated to keep making more 😊
Yay! A perfect video to watch and daydream future trips for on my day off! This was extremely helpful! Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks Vicky! My pleasure :) I hope the travel dreams come true very soon!
I loved the Zepher part of your trip...I have to enjoy travels vicariously through you. I have a very bad spinal disability. Somedays I can walk and be mobile...some days I'm stuck in bed. Plus I'm 63. I used to hike, camp. Very active. I just got my medical marijuana card, so I'm hoping it will reduce my pain....I hope so. Maybe the train trip would become feasible. I sure enjoy seeing what you see. Be safe, stay healthy, travel as much as you can. Please say hello to your beautiful travel companion. You two are so agreeable together and so kind when you speak to people....thank you for your videos....I'm anxiously awaiting for more. 😊❤😊
Discovered you this morning, quite by accident. I live north of Los Angeles. Love your USA trip from January 2020. We've been to all of those cities... but not by rail. Some beautiful images you captured. ❤ you and Molly. Keep having fun and stay safe. PS - we're Boomers... but love you young ones!
We do love our fresh fruits and veggies over here. If you ever come back check out the grocery chain Sprouts. I am so glad you had a great time!
Grocery Outlet, Aldi's, Trader Joes, WalMart...these are the least expensive in Cali to grocery shop at!
I am currently binge watching your video catalogue, and it's bringing me so much joy. So well done.
Yay, thank you! It's a really new thing to me to receive comments like this, so please know I mean it when I say I really appreciate it! Nice comments like yours have given me such a boost in encouragement for making videos.
@@thornton so many of us, including me, are cooped up. Watching your travel videos make me feel like I'm traveling with you guys, and you two are the kind of people I would love to travel with. Low key, relaxed, and smart traveling. I'm about to finish the Japan trip, but looking forward to more!
although i’ve lived all my life in the united states i’ve really never gone out of my way to go to other states and you’ve inspired my to do a trip like this one day so thank you!!
I can’t believe it was 35 days! The video made it seem like it was 12 or so 😭 that’s amazing!
Ah thanks! Yes, I tried to keep it brief (if 43 minutes is brief!) by not filming absolutely everything, so it seemed a little rushed but we were able to relax and breathe it in, particularly in DC 😊
Thank you for taking the time to break everything down. You've turned a daydream into something very attainable. Kerouac would be proud. Cheers!
I loved your series of videos on your trip across the USA. I'm in LA and I love traveling by train like this when I go to Europe. I noticed that your favorite parts of the country were west of Chicago so if you wanted to focus more on one area rather than the whole country, something to consider for next time would be renting a car out here and seeing your favorite parts in more detail driving around. You can rent a car for real cheap and if there are multiple of you, the total is cheaper than taking the train. And faster too. There's a reason why you hear about California road trips all the time. You could also fly to Denver and drive through the Rockies to SLC because it is absolutely beautiful through there.
Great advice from you for young travellers. I loved your full 43min video, also your cat-sitting experience in Melbourne (my home town) and have posted lengthy comments on both for when you get a chance to review them. Thank you so much for your channel and the joy your experiences have been for me to watch, especially now I'm in lockdown (AGAIN - 3rd time, hopefully only a short one this time). I was young once (approaching my 68th birthday this week) and have had some wonderful travel experiences too. It's great to reminisce by viewing your more recent experiences and I do hope you and Molly remain safe and well in your new environment. Looking forward to more of your well constructed posts.
Michael, it's a pleasure to meet you and thanks so much for your comments. I'm so glad the videos have given you a little 43 minutes of forgetting about the world. Happy birthday, if it hasn't come yet! We're here stuck inside in Germany too. I'm trying my best to keep making videos :) Best wishes from Europe.
@@thornton Thanks Tom. Hope you and Molly stay safe and well.
You’re the coolest most likable vegans I’ve ever seen! Just teasing, love you two ❤️😂
Hi loved the video series. I have a small travel tip, If you are planning to do more of a city-hopping trip Megabus/bolt is also very affordable. A trip from New York to Washington DC is booked1-2 months in advance is about 60 USD on Amtrack and 30 USD on Megabus. I'm from the east coast and Mega bus is a bit more prolific here I'm not sure what the bus services are on the west coast and central parts of the USA. Also if you do plan to eat out instead of cooking U.S portion sizes are generally quite large so when you finish your meal make sure to ask for the rest to go or wrapped up, it means that you can eat whatever you had for a second meal.
Just got your cross country travel video in my recommended and it was very good. This video has also made me much more confident with the idea of travelling in America without spending a lot of money. Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to seeing more videos.
I'm so happy you got to experience whale watching. My grandmother always use to say how much better the fruit was in Italy than America so this really makes me wonder about th UK. Your videos are such a pleasure to watch.
Traders Joe's is a very popular place, you did all right. It's where 2 buck chuck came from.
For some reason I thought America wasn't made to travel with. I'm realizing with all this train travel, it is very much possible and I plan on making more trips this way. I may fly in though to save time (ie fly to denver to take the California zephyr)
Thanks for the tips, going to save this for reference! Looking forward to your Germany videos as well, greetings from Austria! 😁
One way of saving on both groceries and good hot food out is finding a cities China Town. I dont know about a midland city like Chicago or in Utah but definitely NYC, LA, SF...basically any coastal city has China Towns where the both the eateries and grocery is ridiculously inexpensive .
15:50 One thing I hear from people, something I have lived with all my life, is sales tax is not included in the sticker price. In my hometown it's 6.5% but that ranges wildly everywhere, city to city, state to state. NY and CA it's insane and might be the reason for that $10 that went missing. Caveat to that, there are some states that have 0 sales tax.
It's so weird to hear praise for American food from a Brit. I think American food is pretty good, so I'm glad you liked it!
House sit? Now that never occurred to me. Thank you for sharing.
Very nice of you to tip 20%! I typically do 20% or $5, whatever is higher. That is, unless the service is notably bad. Very inspired by your trip, appreciate all of the info and the breakdown!
Just came across your site and looking forward to watching the video of your whole trip. This one is all great advice even for us Americans. There are so many great things to do that don't cost a lot of money. I just wish we had a more extensive train system like in Europe!
Thanks John!
Love this. We're planning to visit Paris and Dublin next month and cooking for ourselves is, indeed, the only way it's possible for us! Plus, I find you can eat better if you cook for yourself. Thanks for this video!
Your USA video was absolutely fantastic! I've watched it twice already!😀
Great advice-and a fantastic way to see USA.
You should think about doing more long-form travel films like your USA film (when travelling is permitted again). It was a fantastic video.
4:00 Do you guys have Uber or Lyft in the UK? It's much cheaper than a Taxi. Also depending on the city you are traveling through we have a bunch of scooter companies that if you have the app you can go up to any scooter you find on the sidewalk, scan it, and go for pretty cheap, it's also a nice way to go site seeing if you need to get across town. Note they is still a vehicle so no drinking and driving.
Tom , Thanx, had done the Amtrak and Hostel xcross the US & Canada , many times. Glads to see someone, did it and enjoyed it.
All my friends: 'Are you nuts? Fly "!
You just miss seeing everything American& Canadian & meeting the wonderful people
Everybody' s ' backyards'
Thanx again for your wisdom.
I used to get all aboard America passes for $150.
You learn to sleep, sitting up.
As an old conductor told me in Pocatello, Idaho: 'always sleep, feet flat on the floor and hands folded in your lap.'
It's worked for 25 years
Thanx again
If John Lennon and Harry Potter had a baby.
If John Lennon and Harry Potter, and or Waldo had a baby
Lol yes
Ah, I'm not the only one who sees Lennon
Spot on!.... 😂😂😂😂 I just had to look @him again...😂😂
this is such a helpful video. I am forty now so most of the budget constraints do not apply to me. I still picked up some tips, but if I was twenty I would kill for this advice.
New viewer from NYC...thanks for sharing. Plan to do a cross country by Amtrak in a few years.
Tom Wikivoyage that's brilliant 👏
I'm so glad that you got to spend a nice, big chunk of time in the DCA. We are a terrific part of the country, with so much to do here. Yes, the Smithsonian spoils us for museums elsewhere. Just know, in the time of Covid, the Smithsonian is either shut down or is only taking limited advanced reservations. We have a great Zoo as well. Free to enter but you have to pay for parking, Parking is pricy around DC and it is difficult to find around the museums. It's best to take Metro, if you can. Staying in Roslyn or Arlington Virginia or Bethesda or Silver Spring Maryland may be cheaper than staying in DC proper but look to see the distances to where you are planning to go. Also, please remember that DC is a working city, not Disney Land, and stand to the right on the Metro escalators and pass on the left. Also, please do not block the escalators with your hands on both hand rails. If you do, people will speak to you about it. People in this area are very friendly and almost anyone you ask will be willing to help you. I'd like to put in a word for visiting Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. Though it isn't cheap, it is a day trip worth doing with lots to see and truly beautiful grounds. The National Geographic museum can be great, just check to see what is on at the present. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is lovely in the spring and summer and a peaceful commune with nature the rest of the year. You'll probably have to take a Metro bus to get there or a ride share, but it is free to get into and very worth it.
Ty so much for the info I live here in the USA and I didn't know how expensive it would be so I never been out any where especially with the gas prices now .I always wanted to travel in my country but never could .now with you showing prices maybe I'll think about taking a leap
Loved your cross country video. As a resident and citizen, sometimes we forget about the cool things to do, and right in our backyards. And you went to the correct tower observatory in Chicago. Hancock is actually a far better view of the city. And you're IN the heart of the mag mile there. Great vids, well done, keep posting. Cheers!
Thank you Tom, can't wait to see more travel vids 💜
Excellent informational video. Many of us viewers appreciate the unpretentiousness and blissful simplicity of your journey; a lot of video bloggers just like to show off and be fancy. Chipotle tip, order the "burrito bowl" instead of the burrito next time, costs the same but it is almost double the weight in food (proven online, simple search). Next time you are headed to Chicago, PM me, we'll take you for Deep DIsh and a Wrigley Field game. Peace.
One of the things that kept my trip to New York pretty cheap is just grabbing something from a food truck and carrying on.
I hope you have more video footage. I felt like I was watching a movie. Invredible
Ah thanks! I’m working on some more videos already 👏
What a sweet clip in the beginning, I'm subbing, great informative videos!
the excursion you did at the chicago tower, you could do for free! you dont need to go to the top floor, you could get a table at the resturant on the 55th floor. its free and they have a viewing section =] lots of fun and you can eat during it
Thanks for the tip!
@@thornton of course. loving all the travel vids. keep it up brother
this is my new favorite channel
Greetings from Germany. Love your videos. They are so inspiring. Now I want to travel
I take the same strategy of eating on the cheap, and taking in as many sights as possible. I will try to get an iconic food for where we are at least once, but I rarely eat in a sit down restaurant. I watched your Ca Zephyr video yesterday, and I can't wait to watch your others!
Thanks for the tips! You have inspired us to do the NY to LA trip one day!
Ya the DC metro is pretty solid as someone whose spent their whole life in the DMV
Your food sounds better than fine. I am planning a trip via Amtrak going west to east. It's a big vacation but just for a visit. I am not put off and thank you for your advice. I've been to The Smithsonian museums in DC, and they are amazing.
Ein tolles Video!! I love how you keep it simple to really SEE this amazing country. My girlfriend and i will fly to the us on January 1st, to stay there for three month. I already booked the California Zephyr Tickets (because of you 💪🏻💪🏻) Thank you so much for your calm way to give us all information!
Do you still live in Germany?
We have done so cal - Los Angeles, San Diego, Mohave desert and Vegas on a budget all in for 1700 x 2 including car hire. We used hostel and budget hotels that do breakfast most do pancakes and then had a week in a Vegas strip hotel, the experience was amazing! Going to do a amtrack next year but in May when it’s warmer. Your vids are an amazing find in covid world!
Epicly, great advice my guy
Thanks! I’m really glad you found it useful. When everything clears up and you can travel again, let us know where you go!
Great video, I have absolutely no idea how you found accommodation this cheap, even campsites are 30usd per night, airbnb's in every large city is minimum 40usd :( maybe times have changed in 2 years
Yep, planning another trip now and costs have gone up an insane amount
I love you from SALT LAKE CITY, Utah!💟
Thanks for this bro 🙌
Glad you liked it, I know it’s a lot of information but I wanted to share as much as possible! 👏
Did anyone mention how great the music is in this video?!!! Perfect soundtrack for the trip. I absolutely loved it! Do you have a Patreon account? Im sure people would love to contribute to your travel fund in exchange for the amazing content!!
Americans are the most charitable people on the planet...not saying that your a charity case Tom but I did read that about Americans somewhere & I believe it!
I’m highly impressed with the way you managed this trip. Example, getting off the train to spend a day or two in a city you wanted to see. It just makes me think that the train tickets would be more expensive. Maybe I missed this in the video but wow, I’m so jealous.
Outstanding lecture!
What a wonderful video and trip! You've inspired me to try this when time permits in the future. I knew about the trains and all but I never saw it the way you showed it. I'm glad you had such a great time! Cheers, mate!
Thanks! So nice of you to comment, hope you’re able to have that vacation soon 👍🏼
Wow. Excellent.
Thanks hombre
Love your videos man! The USA video was a perfect way to disconnect from home uni learning, quality! Have also really enjoyed the Australia and Japan videos, keep it up and buzzing to see more!
Keir, I'm really grateful for your comment, thanks so much. I'm going to keep working hard on videos even in this weird situation we're in. I have a lot of respect for people trying to do their best at uni right now, it sounds so hard. We wish you all the best with it :)
@@thornton thanks! Everyone's in the same boat I think 😁
Wait! Wait! Wait! I still have LSS on that pedestrian crossing... Tnx for the tip btw
I’m saving this video, sooo useful
Lots of good advice, Tom. No shame in jazzing up ramen. I like to go for frozen peas in mine.
Ah thanks! Good to see you again. Frozen peas is a good shout, we might try that one next time.
Thanks for this, Tom ! Writing from England, a retired boomer (and also vegan). So interesting. I lived 10 years in New York City, left when I was 15, didn't get the chance to see anything. Would love to see more sometime.
Hi I love your video and I'm planning to visit NY & CA too I hope I can travel soon after this pandemic of course... 🤓
Really love your videos
Great video. Your kit link in the description doesn't work on this video though.
Thanks Richard! And thanks for letting me know, it should be working now. Cheers
Get a coupon card to one of our huge chain grocery stores that are all across the country (Kroger, Publix) that are free and will save you a bunch on groceries. They're free and you can sign up for them at the customer service desk. I'm sure you have these in the UK but its a good tip
A lot of the nyc stations have contactless now btw
Wow, Tom, that was really complete. Fortunately, I don't have to travel on such a strict budget anymore, but this is so helpful for those who do. You mentioned this, but let me reiterate that all the museums are FREE in DC (except the Phillips Collection) as is the Air & Space Museum, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Corcoran, and the zoo. So if you're going to house-sit, DC is the place where spending a few nights in someone else's home can really help the budget. BTW, I have that T-shirt from Vesuvio Cafe in SF. I hope you got to see the colorful mural on the wall outside. All the Beat Gods are represented! ps - Have you thought about joining Patreon? I think people might pay for excellent content like your videos...
Great video!
Nice vlog 🤸♂️👨💼😊💐
Thanks! We’re so happy you enjoyed it.
The Beach Boys reference was cool!
Did you go into Monterey Bay Aquarium? That's probably one of the best things about Monterey, not including the food... the history... the wildlife... the people...
Also, in my opinion, Trader Joe's is kinda expensive for a lot of groceries. Somedays some items would be cheaper, but other days they'd be the same price or more expensive.
I'd argue Safeway is cheaper for bulk foods, but you would get higher quality items for much cheaper at Trader Joe's. So like fruit, veggies, bread, etc... I'd go to Safeway. Candy, "crisps" as you'd call them, wine, tea, etc definitely go to Trader Joe's.
Have a crossed the USA driving from new York to Las Vegas with $50 I got money for gas/fuel by ride sharing on Craigslist. I drove a 1994 corrola I bought for $300