I know it'll take almost a week (compared to a few hours), but I think it would be great to have a first insight of the American subcontinent as a whole (it'll be my first time to the States anyways) - but I have identified some places I'd like to stop along the route:

1) Chicago 2) Santa Fe 3) Denver 4) Grand Canyon

Problem is, this would be my big graduation trip (I graduate at the end of this year), and thus I'm sorta on a budget. I will however, only be free to travel between December and early February next year - thus flying around the Xmas season would be really expensive. :/

I will be exploring the East and West in detail too; spending at least a few weeks in LA/SF and NY.

If any of you redditors have done it, what's the best way to survive through this long journey?