Seconded. Or, more accurately, fifteenth or sixteentheded.
Had a wonderful experience many years ago on a hound. Left LA for SD about 9PM one night. Sat across from a young lady intent on proving she could out drink the 7th fleet. By the time we arrived in Oceanside, she had puked on herself twice. Puke covered her blouse. In the end, not one guy followed her off the bus when she exited.
You really see America on the bus.
I highly recommend it.
Fewer than five hours, fine. Not what the OP has in mind.
If you are still interested in bus travel in the US, investigate MegaBus. You should Google it.
The price varies by how early you buy your ticket. Service is, from what I have heard, well above average compared to Greyhound. The number of routes is much less. It is intended as a long-range commuter service. Think cities 400 miles apart. I don’t think it is intended for trans-continental trips, but not sure.
Riding Greyhound is not a good way to see America. Perhaps 50 years ago, but the country has moved on from those days.
Your best bet is the suggestion from Tired and Cranky. A mix of various modes. To see the “real” America, driving a car and spending a day or three in various stops along the way is the way to go.
I’ve used Greyhound because its often the only public transportation to certain towns in the US. I dont think the experience was much worse than flying coach but do be prepared. On the last trip some woman went psycho and the driver pulled off at a truck weigh station and an Iowa state trooper took her off. The driver said such things happen about 1/4 trips.
A lot of this depends on what your circumstances are.
Frankly, are you strapped for cash? Are you traveling alone? Are you on a time constraint? Are you concerned for your safety (ie, a petite female or a big strapping dude)?
I think “keeping it real” is overrated, and it’s certainly overrated to go by bus.
If you have the means, I’d recommend renting a car if you could. You have your own transportation, you can see what you’d like and find the accommodation that you want.
Walking though the inner city of LA at night would be keeping it real to. Wouldn’t do it though.
Since this has gone beyond the question in the OP to general advice, let’s move it to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I used to take Greyhound a bit and it wasn’t too bad. Back around 1980, there was a “Bus+” between NYC and Montreal and I took it a number of times. It had a rest room on board and an attendant who passed out a boxed lunch and we stopped only at the border. It was actually quite nice and cheap, although a bit more than the regular bus. Then about three years ago, I took a bus Montreal to Boston. Shudder! Never again. They have managed to reduce the space between seats to airline specs; the stopped at every little hick town (twice in Burlington, once at the airport and again at UVT) and took forever. But it was the discomfort that got to me. I do not recommend it.
And more reasons to find another way: Woman stabs mother after holding her 3-year-old at knifepoint on Greyhound bus. Greyhound may not be attracting the best clientele.
Greyhound may be an option for a short trip to the next metro area where there is no train service, but for a longer, cross-country trip, it’s probably easier and faster (and safer) to just fly there.
x 100!
The last Greyhound trip I took was Atlanta to Greenville, SC, less than three hours including several stops along the way. It was a rare instance when there was a major fare difference in flying into Greenville than just to Atlanta. But that was unusual. With enough advanced planning air tickets are usually not much more than bus fare for longer trips. Placing even a nominal value for your time and you often come out ahead by flying.
I haven’t taken Greyhound in probably 25 years, but I just took Amtrak this past weekend. Ticketing was a piece of cake; e-ticket just like every airplane flight I’ve taken in living memory. There’s an app, too, but I haven’t tried that.
I’ve taken Megabus, too, but only for a relatively short (4.5-hour) hop between two points where flying wouldn’t have made much sense (Chicago-Ann Arbor). IMHO you’d have to be bonkers to consider a long bus ride like that on Greyhound if airfare is even remotely comfortable. Amtrak seating is MUCH more comfortable than any bus I’ve been on. If you’re going to take that long to get from point to point and want to see the country, Amtrak is the way to go, for sure.
OP is already avoiding seeing the “real” Florida by going to Naples. Florida Man barely lives there, it’s nice and clean and so Greyhound might add some grit. Amtrak is nicer but probably more expensive and maybe slower.
Megabus would be a good clean, option but their routes are very limited, and it looks like you’d have to go to Fort Lauderdale or somewhere first and find your way across the state somehow.
Thanks, Folks ! Been a great help by way of enlightenment. Looks like my friend in KC will drive me in his car, and I’m changing the route too, from KC to San Diego/LA. We are golden oldies a bit inspired by the movie Going in Style. Best wishes to all of you who contributed !
Have fun geekrish! Seeing the states by car is a great way to see the US, especially if you can stop and explore towns along the way. I hope you enjoy your visit to the US and I hope you stick around this message board.
Geekrish, now that everyone who posted is emotionally involved in your pending trip, ahem, there ought to be an ongoing thread while you’re traveling. Some of us never go anywhere and could use the vicarious thrills/chills/spills, although there should be fewer of them now that y’all have eschewed Greyhound.
To conclude, I shall now sing the jingle from the Greyhound commercial:
Relaxin’ while we’re ridin’ in a Greyhound Bus!
We’re seein’ all the scenery and comfort plus!
It’s such a com–fort to take the bus!
And leave the drivin’ to us!
In a Greyhound Bus-
Lucky us!
In a greyhound Bus!
Enjoy your new trip. For what my opinion is worth, the short route takes you through Denver, the Grand Canyon and a bunch of boring stuff including Las Vegas, one of my least favorite places on earth. Your mileage may vary.
I would take the more southern route. Hit Santa Fe, Albuquerque (though I’ve never been here), the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Phoenix, Joshua Tree National Forest (one of my favorite places), and Palm Springs. This adds about four hours to the total drive time according to Google Maps but brings you to stuff I would like to see at least. You could save a few hours by dropping the Grand Canyon but I would want to see it.
I’ve driven stl to la several times non-stop alone in 36 hrs–not that bad
I certainly hope to keep posting in this vibrant forum. And I plan to take one short Greyhound for all this effort - from San Deigo to LA on the eve of Independence Day, and on 4th July in LA, stand with my hand on my heart as the Star Spangled Banner is sung, in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave !
Coming to songs, I am pretty much sure that this, written about 45 years ago, a huge hit those days, by someone who got a reprieve from jail, while he was travelling Greyhound:
I’m comin’ home, I’ve done my time
Now I’ve got to know what is and isn’t mine
If you received my letter telling you I’d soon be free
Then you’ll know just what to do
If you still want me, if you still want me
Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
It’s been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don’t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I’ll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me ( THAT’S MY BABY - GREYHOUND HERE )
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
San Diego to LA is an acceptably short ride if you really want to experience Greyhound travel.
If you want some other Americana experience you might consider driving at least part of your St Louis to California trip along Route 66. Many years ago this was a major federal highway to the west and there is still a bit of kitsch appeal to the various diners, small towns, and roadside attractions along the route. It would be considerably slower than Interstate Highway travel, but would be an actual way to see some of small town America.