Say you had something to do in a few months on the other side of the country. You had time to plan your trip, whether that meant you drove (in your car, and stayed in hotels, or in your RV and stayed in campgrounds) or flew. If money weren’t an object, would you rather spend seven days driving cross-country or would you rather just fly for a few hours and get the journey over with?
We’re assuming that since we’re all RVers (read: drivers) here, you probably don’t mind driving. You might even love to drive! But perhaps you’d rather just fly somewhere quickly instead of spending seven days driving.
After you vote in today’s poll, please leave a comment explaining your answer. Thanks!
After Easter we are driving from Louisiana to Minnesota with 120lbs of live crawfish for a crawfish boil with family. We pick up the crawfish on Thursday arrive on Friday and boil on Saturday.
What time is dinner?
It’s all in whether you want the joy of the journey. We love to see life in this wonderful country we all have. The smallest little bridge we cross or the field we see or the restaurant we visit is a part of someone’s life. Someone built or tended it, someone had a memorable experience there…all part of the varied culture throughout this land. Our windshield is a neverending tv screen of wonder.
We’re DONE with both flying and moteling. We’ll only fly when absolutely necessary, and we hope to never take a trip by car again.
I’d rather drive an RV, but 3,000 miles in 7 days?
The only problem I can see in taking my trailer across country would be getting around the big cities. Oh, diesel prices. Crazy people on flights and Covid eliminates flying.
I haven’t flown since 1994 and then it was such an unpleasant experience. I can’t imagine with the TSA, Unruly Passengers and Covid it would now something I would be looking forward to.
Seven days? Train. Let someone else drive while I sightsee. Seven months? Then I’ll RV and enjoy every mile and minute. Otherwise fly me to my destination.
Totally agree. Believe your subject matter is either worded wrong or vague with what you’re asking.
Crossed this fall in our RV in 10 days and never want to do it again. No way to enjoy where you are and I’m not the driver. It will take us 60 to get back.
There’s no way I would drive across the country in 7 days. What an exhausting trip that would be! So that being said and money being no object, I would fly in my private jet.
The last time I took a flight from Texas to Minnesota, I felt like a sardine in a can. Cramped and could hardly move.
Seven days is pushing it in the motorhome. Give me 20 days and I would much rather go cross country in RV than fly.
As a Canadian snowbird we do it twice a year, (not the last 2 years due to Covid) going down south and then returning home. We drive about 6 to 7 hours a day with our class A and a toad approximately 3500 klms or over 2500 miles from north to south. Takes us about 5-7 days and try and stay off the major highways. If course all this depends on the weather. Can’t wait to get back on the road again! Travel safe.
Recently have done to both ways. Covid forced a drive in 2020. this June we will fly out for a Grand Daughter’s High School Graduation.My favorite trip is by Train. The Empire Builder lands us 15 minutes from our Daughter’s house in WA State. We start the trip 15 minutes from home. Cost and time are factors. The trip is 3 days long, the cost , one way, is equal to a round trip air. this does include Dining Car, Sleeper. Train out, fly home is a good way. Driving, money wise , wins. We camp in our Mini-Van. Meals out of a larder (usually, one take away a day), Fuel, Campgrounds (usually, Rustic with outhouse). We’ll hit a Motel, now and then . Bad weather, or to freshen up. Our Daughter with a Family of Five (plus Dog) Tent camps when she comes East to Michigan. Bad weather puts them in a Motel.
if $$$$ didn’t matter – charter a plane to and from my point of travel.
I really hate flying, I am a bit claustrophobic and airplanes are far too cramped for me. When we travel to visit friends and family we pull our travel trailer or pack the tent, I only fly when time is of the utmost importance. When visiting my mother in law we drive but the next trip my wife is going by herself for a month, because of timing she has to fly, alone. I have flown around the country many time in the past for business but am now retired and am staying on the ground if I can.
I will never, ever fly again. Unless I absolutely have to. And the only reason for that would be if a close relative died. And all of my close relatives live in California. Ughhh. What a horrible thought.
As long as there is the incompetent TSA agency exists, I will not fly. If someone wants me across the country in 24hr’s they are out of luck.
If I’d have to be there in 7 days, fly, definitely. If I could take a minimum of a couple weeks, absolutely would drive. You’d have zero time to stop and see or do if driving in that short window and driving fatigue would set in pretty darn quick!
7 Days is too short a time to enjoy the drive.
7 days isn’t enough time to make that drive. I have done it but it was not enjoyable at all.
Drive across the USA in 7 days? About 3,000 miles, let’s say 425 mikes a day no problem but no fun. I would fly which is not fun.
Last time we flew, it was the week of Thanksgiving, 2019….right before the Pandemic. But at the time, there was a well advertised flu outbreak, which had closed several schools in Denver area. We sat in overcrowded gate areas, and on packed planes, for hours. I felt like a sardine. Weather delayed everything. We tried really hard to be cheerful, cuz, really it’s better than being grumpy about the situation. But we hated it. We drive, or take the train, or don’t go at all.
The last time I flew, seven years ago, I was strip searched at my departure airport, during the flight to San Fran there was a 3 or 4 yr old terrorist that sat right in front of me and screamed and yelled the entire way, with no intervention on the part of the parents. I had headphones on and tried to read and avoid her. Made for a horrible experience and vowed to never fly again.
Flying has become a miserable experience, even before the “pandemic”.
I have flown once since 9/11 it was such a horrible experience I won’t fly again. I think I would much rather take a passenger train across the Nation and see areas that you can’t see from a vehicle and be able to enjoy The view
I agree with you, Seann. I think passenger train should have been an option in the poll. It seems that it would be a more relaxing option than the other two.
This is another one of those questions that I wonder if there should be answers from RV vs. Travel Trailer groups. I can see where money could be the limiting factor if you own a big RV vs. time if you own a TT (general statement). For us it would be the time. I would think we would need at least a month to travel across the U.S. and back and even then I think that would be pushing it.
In regard to flying, I have to do it at least once a year. The airline industry is no longer what it used to be, but my expectations are also lower. I don’t enjoy air travel any longer, but it is convenient when I need to get some place.
I totally agree. The time is a huge factor.
With an average of 3000 miles coast to coast it would require an average of 430 miles a day! What would you see trying to keep that schedule? Not much!! I’ll fly!
After basically commuting by airplane for a year, I don’t care if I never get on an airplane again. Besides, I like driving.
Not money, but time.
If I thought it would be better to fly, why am I on this site ????
Fly?? That would mean I’d have to stay in a hotel when I get to my destination. If someone else can pay for gas/diesel, of course I’d take my rig.
I personally don’t care for either option. As long as I have to wear a mask to fly, I am doing my best to avoid air travel. And to only be allowed to have seven days to travel across the U.S.A. would take all the fun out of it.
I would fly only if it were a private jet with myself and family/friends. No commercial flights unless absolutely necessary. So until I’m rich enough for private jets, rv to my destination it is.
I said fly but only because I would not enjoy driving in 7 days.
Jim & Deanne, you hit The nail on the head. Take me two days to recover.
Yeah, NY to LA is 2800 miles. That’s 400 miles of endless freeway per day. No time to sight see or enjoy.
Agreed. On our first long trip we went from Florida to California in 2 weeks stayed 2 weeks and drove home in 2 weeks. Came home exhausted. 7 days????
As they say in Texas: El Paso.
If I were only going for a family or special event, meaning a short stay, I would fly. If I were going to stay a while, I would travel with my RV. Time at destination is the deciding factor.
I used to love to fly, before 9/11…Repression at its finest. It’s nothing but a miserable, dehumanizing full violation of my 4th Amenment rights. Just watch the news, every other day somebody freaks out on an airplane and has to be arrested. I wonder why that is!?! I’ll drive.
Looking at the comments here, I can tell only a few of us were (or are) truck drivers.
Over 3,000,000 miles commercial in 34 years. At times I still miss it, but the “new breed of me first drivers” took a lot of the fun out of it.
Not enough of a set up. Why am I going, and how long am I staying?
Where or what region am I going?
7 days coast to coast would be too tiring to drive.
Seven days is not long enough to do that long a drive comfortably, even in a car. So given only those parameters, I’d fly. Now if I had 14 days…I’d be in our RV.
Ditto.
Exactly, the 7 days drive versus a few hours means flying for us. Increase the driving time and it would be in the rv.
Seven days? Pull in, sleep, drive; pull in, sleep, drive. Pull in, sleep, drive; pull in, sleep, drive. Not why I bought my RV.
I am done with TSA, rude fliers, masks, long lines and being stuffed into a metal tube with a few hundred of my not closest friends…. Nope, that is why I have an RV
Driving across the US in 7 days is my idea of insanity and exhaustion. We are crossing the country in April and May as we have done over 20 times. I am allowing 5 WEEKS and feel like I am rushing. Maybe this is because we are over 75 and refuse to drive more than 4 hours in a day and take a 2 night stop every two days. I admit I am not thrilled about flying either, but it is less exhausting for me then 7 straight days of driving.
I will be 77 in about 4.5 mos. In August of 2017 we started delivering trailers nation wide until November of 2019 out of Michigan. We covered 220,000 miles in that time frame and I loved every minute of it. As far as traffic, pick your speed and stay in the lane that most supports it. Don’t let traffic get to you! If you get cut off or some other inconsiderate move by another driver, do what is necessary to avoid collision and then forget it. If it starts to get to you stop for coffee or lunch, relax and continue on. The better you are at forgetting the more relaxed you can be. Also if traffic is collecting behind you do the right thing and find a spot to pull off and let them pass. Also there are a lot of good side roads that can be taken where you can stop and “smell the roses”. The drive is all attitude, as far as getting on your nerves. Happy Trails.
By the way, our top speed under any conditions was 60 – 65 mph. Lower when conditions warranted it.
Don’t understand the question! If money were no object. Are you assuming flying is m ore expensive or driving?
Co ast to coast I would consume approximately $675 of fuel. Id need 6 or 7 nights of motels at min of $100 a night.I’d need meals,snacks,potty time and wear and tear on my vehicle. Unless i could take longer to sight see and drive my rv, I’d fly. A WHOLE lot cheaper and less stressful
Actually, if had my way would take the Train. ( Alone!!)
I’d fly only if it were an out and back with 3-4 days at the destination. Otherwise, taking my time in my motorhome. But if money REALLY didn’t matter, I’d buy my own jet.
I think the question should read if you had the time and money were no issue. In all honesty, it would be cheaper to fly then to drive our diesel pusher. Before we retired, we would fly from Cleveland or Pittsburgh to San Jose to spend time with our daughter’s family. They now live in Texas but now we also have the time to drive the RV. We prefer that. No TSA and restrictions with it. We have driven across the country, but not in 7 days. We’re not in any hurry.
Drive by car without question! 7 days, that gives me 2 rest days. Drive 2 days, take a day off, drive 2 more days take a day off. One more day and I’m there. I’ve crossed the country 26 times by car, VW bus or pickup truck and I’d do it again in a heart beat.
Hopefully I wouldn’t have a time deadline to meet and it wasn’t in the winter so I could go by RV. Definitely a lot more to see and enjoy on the ground than up at 30 thousand feet in the air.
Driving in just seven days would be a chore. I would choose flying first class. On the other hand, if I could take several weeks and travel in my RV I’d choose that mode.
I agree with you Bill
Once I retired, I never wanted to fly again. I may be late to my funeral, but who cares?
If I only have 7 days to get cross country, I would rather fly, at least then I will arrive refreshed. I have planned 18 nights to get from Ohio to Northern Washington in August and we will be traveling many more hours per day between the 6 stops, BUT we will stay 3-4 nights at each park. That is the fastest we plan to travel in the 6 years we have been full timing.
It’s not really the matter of money as much as it is the time
Just 7 days?
Since we live smack dab in the middle of north Texas, is so hard to answer that. We are 18- 20 hours either direction by DP. Flying would be 3 hours.
I never was keen on flying apart from the brief amount of time it takes to arrive somewhere relative to driving. However, since TSA’s advent, flying has become even less attractive. Aside from traveling to Hawaii or Ireland, I’ll drive. I enjoy driving and the ability to pack heavy, accounting for every weather/temperature possibility is extremely attractive. Besides, I can much more enjoy the ground I cover, the scenery I see, and the people I meet when driving than flying.
Not going to happen, either way. Driving our camper cross-country on today’s ill-maintained highway system in seven days would see it shaken to pieces before arrival. Trying to fly commercial would see me in prison after a TSA agent groped my wife. So, lets stay home and visit/do business via Zoom. Maybe use the “unlimited” money to have one rip-snorter of a local glamping experience.
Would like to add, my wife recently admitted that she is extremely nervous crossing bridges in our camper under our national “it hasn’t collapsed yet” maintenance system.
We are planning a cross country trip across the S. States in April from AZ to FL. Looking forward to seeing sights we haven’t visited before!!
And how long are you planning to take to do it? I’m going to guess not 7 days.
I used to love flying back in the 70s. It was a great experience. Now a days, you have to go through the gauntlet of security, you get packed in like sardines, airlines nickel and dime you to death for your luggage, flights are often late or cancelled all together. I stopped flying years ago. I wouldn’t go on a flight if it was free. As the old saying goes ” All goes things come to an end.
Wouldn’t fly today or the next several months, would be worried about other passengers who feel they are entitled to do what they want, when and where they want. I take RV or train.
RV for sure, but at least two weeks.
I said fly because 7 days is not enough to enjoy the driving experience. I want at least 3 weeks and more time is better.
We would drive, if it’s only a 7 day window, I’d take a car, but if the schedule allowed for more time, we would take our RV and enjoy the trip. You just can’t cover as much distance safely in an RV as you can in a smaller vehicle, in the same amount of time.
I fly often for work, but that’s just so I can stay productive and get all my work duties taken care of. You can’t really answer emails promptly when you are driving..
At least a Month to drive across, then another Month to drive back by a different route
My way of thinking also
If god wanted me to fly I would’ve hatched out of an egg with wings on my side. I flew in my early 20s but no more, to many nuts flying now.
Lets see One day of being miserable and not being able to take what you would like to take compared to 7 days of having fun and taking everything you would like to take. That a hard choice NOT.
I just do not fit in coach seating designed for a Hobbit.
They specifically said If Money were no object, and there is a thing called First Class. How much do you think a Class A motorhome cost in fuel to go from the east coast to the West Coast?
7 days is definitely doable. I have done it many times and never more than 5 days or less. I always loved driving and hate flying.
I’ve done both several times, 7 days is not long enough, it’s miserable, pushing yourself long hours. Making and breaking Camp 7 nights in a row or catchung a few hours in a Walmart, if I had a few weeks to kill Shure but 7 days sucks
If money is no issue … definitely drive… this county is too beautiful …not to mention the amazing people in it…. to just fly over it..never……7 days has to be a car did it last summer 2021…10/12 days and still felt like we didn’t get everything in we wanted to see or do ..my luck if I flew I’d have to rent a car from Hertz then end up getting arrested for driving a stolen car and sit in jail for 2 months ….I’ll take my chances with my own vechile …..RV would be nice….but with gas at near 5 a gal and a 3000/6000 drive …3000.00 in fuel??…Well you did say money is not an issue
..just don’t think you could enjoy the drive in 7 days in a RV …