1

Start by trying to find lodging at the national parks. Use the official park sites of http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm and http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm to find campgrounds and/or lodges inside the parks. A general hostels site should do for most of the other locations.

I think you might be using the word "suburb" the way Americans use "neighborhood." In New York City, for example, the borough of Manhattan has neighborhoods like Greenwich Village and Harlem. What we call suburbs, on the other hand, could be 90 minutes away in the state of New Jersey.

For Los Angeles, which is large and sprawling, you need to spend some time with a map and a guidebook. For Las Vegas, visit during the week rather than on the weekend for lower rates. Don't rely on finding urban campgrounds, and don't plan on camping for free by the side of a road.

2

I would not want to stay outside of NYC, the heartbeat and energy is in Manhattan, period, commuting is no fun, and late night as a city it is, not that safe IMO to many areas outside the city on trains. For instance, my company in NY will pay for taxi/car service to employees after 11pm, outside Manhattan.

For Boston, you want to be in the main city area as well, same with DC. Los Angeles is huge, traffic a nightmare, it depends where and what you are doing.

Las Vegas is a no brainer, use Expedia, the main strip in a big casino hotel with a fun pool life is the way to go, Mirage, Ceasars, MGM.

Camping in or near NP's depends on your gear and time of year.

3

In DC I stay in the Du Pont area, I've normally got a good place for under USD100.

In Las Vegas accom is cheap, last time I stayed at Harrah's/IMperial Palace for less than an average of USD40 a night and wasn't disappointed.

NYC will be your toughest area. Check out FAQ 256 and 268 http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=90989&start=268 as an alternative to staying out in the boonies. Anywhere below Central Park is a as good as any other because of the great subway system. I would also argue that anywhere below 110th st is also just as good.

4

Apologies. All FAQ numbers seem to be over the shop and I can't edit.

5

To save money in the cities, consider Priceline or Hotwire.

Back Bay. Cambridge. Downtown (generally dead at night, but cheap on weekends).

Manhattan. Brooklyn. (Subway makes it very easy to get around).

DuPont. Foggy Bottom. Clarendon/Courthouse. Alexandria.

French Quarter. Garden District.

Don't stay on Friday or Saturday night.
Stay off strip, but close.

South Lake Tahoe. Preferably near the border.

Union Square. Chinatown.

"Best" and "cheapest" rarely coincide. And it won't here.
Always try to stay within the park. That usually adds to the price.

Bright Angel Lodge.

Tent cabin in Curry Village. Heated.

6

Yeah, it appears they deleted a lot of the useless "FAQ" posts. I've been having to re-memorize them.

7

I would suggest staying near the Franconia-Springfield Metro station. You don't need a car to see the sights in Washington DC.


"Deals" abound in Las Vegas just now. Try to avoid any large convention dates and stay there Sunday through Thursday. Book rooms through the individual Casino websites if you want to pick where you stay. You may want to check prices in the "Downtown" area on Fremont St. instead of The Strip. You can take the bus between "Downtown" and The Strip. I don't advise walking. If you want to visit any of the national parks or state parks around Las Vegas, a rental car is probably the cheapest way to do that. A rental Car is also the best way to get to Hoover Dam if you want to see that.

Reno is the cheaper location of the two. You can drive between them. You need a car.


A "cheaper" and convenient option is the Travel Lodge on Century Blvd. just east of LAX. You need a car in Los Angeles. LAX is as "central" to the place as anywhere else. Understand that you can drive 100 miles in a more or less straight line in virtually any direction you like in greater Los Angeles and never leave it.

Have a great time.

8

Vegas- stay off strip? Why in the world go all the way to sights and neon of Vegas to stay off strip with the bums, hobos and rednecks? Stay in a casino, a fun one at that, not a Motel 6.

Wash DC, stay in Alexandria? Thats about like staying at Ohare for downtown Chicago,..ugghh

If you can not afford to stay in the city areas, then maybe its best you come back to the US when you can, its not going anywhere.

9

I would highly suggest you don't.
It's hard to get around without a car, the Mall is currently gutted, and it's very quiet at night.

10

It's often cheaper, and usually avoids resort fees. I stayed about a block away, so you're not always "in the boonies."
It was just a suggestion to keep costs down, as the OP requested.

1) It's a lot closer to DC than O'Hare is to Chicago, at about half the distance (25-30 minute ride to downtown, compared to 45-60 minutes).
2) It's full of restaurants and bars, plus old row homes (Alexandria pre-dates DC), lending atmosphere.

11

Sorry if this is bad advice. I was last there a little over a year ago. In general, the farther from the center of Washington DC, i.e., the Mall, you stay the lower the room rates. I have found that anywhere within an easy walk of an outlying Metro station is ideal. There is a good selection of accomodations near the Franconia Station.

12

#8, if you'd read the OP you'd see everything travel is all arranged so the 'don't come' recommendation seems unhelpful and pointless. I stayed in Alexandria once before and found it to be a good way to access DC and all it has to offer and may be a cheaper option.

13

Grand Canyon:

Staying inside the park is better, but the village of Tusayan just outside the park entrance is a reasonably convenient alternative, just a 15 minutes drive from the rim (although not walking distance like most of the lodges inside the park).

The Bright Angel Lodge probably offers the best value in a historic property right on the rim, there are even some "budget" rooms with a shared bathroom, and some surprisingly affordable (but basic) private cabins. It's a little rough around the edges, but being right on the rim is nice. The other hotels, with the notable exception of the El Tovar (which is expensive), have all the character of a concrete box - just pick one.

Alternatively, if you have camping gear you could always stay at the campground, it's nice enough, and services are nearby, including shuttle bus connections to the rest of the park. The smaller campground over by Desert View is quieter, but is first-come, first served only.

14

Which places are you going to have a car in? That matters a lot in certain places. It also doesn't always pay to stay outside of the city and pay for parking, tolls, etc besides losing valuable time.

You should also check Airbnb for rooms in locals' apartments or stand-alone apartments.

Here are some suggestions for hostels, which are typically your cheapest option (but not always given sites like Hotwire.com).

• Boston

HI Boston hostel

• New York City - this is the most expensive city of all in terms of accommodations. what's the most you can spend? hostels are about $50 per night for a dorm bed. You can often get a good deal for a 3-star hotel on Hotwire in the $120-140 range in Manhattan which is worth it. It's best to stay in downtown (below 30th St) in my opinion. Cheapest places are on the Upper West Side and in Brooklyn. Near the subway is most important. Some options, but keep in mind that prices vary with dates:

American_Dream_Hostel
Hostelling_International_New_York
Broadway_Hotel_and_Hostel
http://www.chelseahostel.com/
The_New_York_Loft_Hostel-Brooklyn

• Washington DC - also a good city for scoring a deal on Hotwire.com

HI Hostel

• New Orleans - hostels are not located in or near the French Quarter here (where you want to stay) and there are only two. You can typically find a good deal for a hotel near Canal St within a few blocks of the French Quarter. Check Hotwire.com.

• Las Vegas - it's actually not hard to find a good deal on the strip in Vegas as long as you're not there Fri/Sat nights or during a major convention.

Imperial Palace (now renamed Quad Inn) is typically one of the best deals on the strip. http://www.thequadlv.com/
Tuscany Suites is very close to the strip and usually a good deal

• An area near to Lake Tahoe or Reno

Airbnb is good for this. Don't stay in Reno if you're planning to see Tahoe. Skip Reno actually if you can. Where to stay in Tahoe depends on your goal for the trip there.

• San Francisco - another city that typically has good deals via Hotwire.com

Green Tortoise
http://sfhostels.com/fishermans-wharf

• Los Angeles

LA is comprised of many neighborhoods and is very spread out. There is no "outside the city" to stay in - that can be 2 hours away. You have to pick a neighborhood you'll be spending most of your time in. I typically recommend the HI Hostel in Santa Monica because it's right by the beach and in a walkable area which is hard to find in LA. If you want the Hollywood party scene, then USA Hostels in Hollywood gets good reviews.
http://www.hilosangeles.org/
http://www.seashoremotel.com/ Great motel in Santa Monica with free parking
Seaview_Hotel-Santa_Monica