Four Itchy Feet

June 21, 2025. Packwood, Washington. Day 31 of 170

We’re now 31 days into our 170-day adventure across the United States and Japan! We’ve settled into a great routine: seven days at an Airbnb, moving about 400 miles, then another seven days. We’ve found that staying for at least a week allows us to truly explore an area and feel like we’re living there, rather than just passing through. Plus, many Airbnb owners offer a discount for weekly stays, which is a nice bonus.

So far, we’ve traveled 4,853 miles, visiting nine cities and passing through Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, and Idaho. We’re currently in Washington State. Our plan is to maintain this pace until our grandkids return home and we head to Japan in early August.

At the start of our trip, we set a daily budget of $350. I honestly thought this would be a very comfortable goal, but I have to admit it’s been tough to stick to. I believe my biggest misjudgment was underestimating how much more expensive things are out West. For instance, we’re now paying $4.69 for a gallon of gas, and a pint of ice cream or a dozen eggs can’t be found for under $8. As for accommodations, I don’t remember ever paying over $200 per night for Airbnbs before, but now it’s hard to find anything that can accommodate the four of us for under $260. We have, however, kept our entertainment costs down since we mostly enjoy hiking and visiting regional and national parks.

Below is a snapshot from our travel budget app, Travel Spend:

• Total Spent: $10,846
• Average Daily Spend: $349.25 (just $0.75 under our daily budget!)

Inflation is definitely a real factor, and it’s something that should certainly be taken into account when planning a trip like this. We’ll continue to provide updates as we journey northwest to the Pacific Coast, Canada, and Seattle over the next month.