Tim Ervin intends to travel by car this month with his son from their home in Portland, Oregon, to Northern California, but he wasn’t motivated to do so by the pull of the open road.
Driving is more affordable for the two of them than flying, according to Ervin, who has friends and family in Folsom and Chico.
Ervin, 52, who has lived in Portland for 26 years and figured he’s driven there approximately 80 times, said he would fly if money were no object because his family has always resided there. It’s good; I can practically do it now with my eyes closed, but nothing really remarkable about it.
Ervin, a project manager in the construction industry, calculated that although driving roughly eight hours in his Toyota Prius would cost just $100, taking a flight to Chico for him and his 12-year-old son Alex would cost $400 to $500.
Road vacations may not always be more affordable than flying, especially given how much more expensive travel has become due to inflation.
The more travellers going on the trip, the more you may often save (by driving), according to Kaleigh Kirkpatrick, founder of the travel company The Shameless Tourist, a subsidiary of Avenue Two Travel.
She suggested that a road trip might be more affordable for a family of five than purchasing airline tickets. Driving, after accounting for gas and meals, might not be the more economical choice if only one or two individuals are travelling. Also, according to Kirkpatrick, drivers might spend less time at their destination and be forced to take longer breaks.
