Dreaming of a Coast to Coast Road Trip? Use Timeshare Points

If the crowds at the college football games last weekend are any indication, Americans are ready to get back to normal. So does this mean coast to coast road trips are back, even with COVID cases on the rise in America? Early indications are that the answer seems to be yes, with more protections in place as the COVID vaccination rate slowly climbs above 63 percent for Americans with their first jab.

So, what does that mean for timeshare points owners?

One of the major advantages of timeshare points is the flexibility of breaking those points into smaller quantities to use for multiple stays. In theory, owners could use their points to take a coast-to-coast trip across the country, but it’ll take some planning to do it.

The larger timeshare points programs such as Wyndham, WorldMark and Marriott will provide the simplest way to plan such a trip, due to the number of resorts and ability to use points within their networks. Exchange companies can also be an option, but you’d probably need to discuss this directly with one of their travel planners.

Tips to Planning a Coast to Coast Trip

Here are some tips if you’re thinking of traveling across the country:

1) Time of Year – the best use of timeshare points trends to be during off-peak seasons, which can also be the best travel times since the crowds at destinations are smaller. Plus, the weather can be great – not too hot and not too cold, just right. Because it’s off peak, most programs require lower daily point totals for accommodation, so you can stretch out your points for more stays.

2) Choose Your Destinations Wisely – some places don’t have timeshares so keep this in mind. If looking in-network, see where your brand has resorts and see if you can plan around them. You might have more options if going through an exchange company, but the logistics may be more challenging. 

3) Where to Begin – not all coast-to-coast itineraries are alike, as some trips are longer than others depending on where you start and where you end up. For example, New York to Los Angeles is nearly 2,800 miles whereas Jacksonville, Florida to Los Angeles is just over 2,400 miles. And the JAX to LA trip can all be done using Interstate 10.

4) How Far Can You Go – judge your distances and plan for how long you can safely drive between stops. Plan for breaks and enjoy the trip, rather than just racing from one place to another.

5) Time at Each Stop – you may want to spend more than one day at each place, so plan accordingly. Using the JAX to LA leg as an example, you could realistically split up those 2,400 miles into four segments of the trip. This allows for four travel days (also allowing for possible delays) and could give you a day at each stop and still let you make the trip in a week.  

6) Mode of Transportation – how are you going to travel? Rental car? While this may seem like a no-brainer, choosing the right vehicle can make a huge difference in comfort as well as the cost of the trip.

7) How Will You Get Home – the assumption here is that travelers would rent their vehicle and leave it at their final destination before flying back home. Remember to stay alert to travel updates, especially if you’re dealing with any local COVID-related lockdowns during your trip.

What’s a Good Itinerary?

Because of the size of the Wyndham Club Access program, and as a Featured Reseller for Wyndham, we’ll use Wyndham as an example of a possible itinerary using the resorts below:

Day 1 – Jacksonville FL to New Orleans

This leg is 547 miles and estimated to take just under 8 hours. You’ll probably want to fly into Jacksonville the day before, so think about possibly using your points for a hotel stay the day before beginning your trip.

Wyndham La Belle Maison – just two blocks from the French Quarter and located in the Warehouse District, this historic building gives you the feel of everything New Orleans. Choose from a studio, one- or two-bedroom unit for a spacious place to relax after your trek through the Quarter.

Day 2 – Take in the Southern Hospitality and enjoy more of New Orleans, beyond the Quarter.

Day 3 – New Orleans to San Antonio

This segment goes 543 miles and about 8 hours. Ironically, you’d travel all that way and only venture from one state to the next, that being the great state of Texas. Be sure to hit Houston at the right time, since this is the fourth-largest city in America and comes with the corresponding traffic as you head around town.

Wyndham San Antonio at Riverside Suites – an amazing location right in the center of San Antonio and on the famous RiverWalk. You’re only a half-mile from the Alamo and in the midst of all the shops and restaurants. Accommodation ranges from studio, one- and two-bedroom timeshares with living room, kitchen and separate dining area.

Day 4 – enjoy all that San Antonio has to offer.

Day 5 – San Antonio to Tucson

This is the longest leg of the trip, at 869 miles or about 12 ½ hours. You’ll need to take turns with others in your group driving during this stretch, which will take you through the vast open spaces of west Texas, through El Paso, across southern New Mexico and then into Arizona. Make sure you stay gassed up since it’s miles between stops. But the scenery is amazing.

Wyndham Rancho Vistoso – in the Oro Valley just a few miles north of Tucson, you’ll love the beauty of the desert southwest. Units are in the southwest pueblo architectural style and feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts with all units inclusive of kitchen facilities and washer/dryers – even the studio units.

Day 6 – rest up from that long trip the day before. Take a dip in the pool, soak in the hot tub or explore Tucson, including the Native American history and culture of the region.

Day 7 – Tucson to Los Angeles

At 485 miles, this is the shortest leg of the trip and should get you into Los Angeles in about 7 ½ hours depending on where in LA you finish your trip. You’ll head north from Tucson, then through Phoenix before turning west and proceeding into California.

Drive along the Joshua Tree National Park and take a break in Palm Springs before entering the Los Angeles metro area.

If you really want to take it all the way to the coast, stay on I-10 into Santa Monica and head all the way to the renowned Santa Monica Pier. Keep in mind that the Wyndham timeshare resorts are in Anaheim, so you’ll need to divert off I-10 at some stage to get to the resort.

Wyndham Anaheim – just around the corner from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, you’re also down the road from Knott's Berry Farm and a few minutes from Angels Stadium to catch an LA Angels baseball game.

Units come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations with all the modern conveniences.

With so much to do, you can take all the time your points allow to get the most out of your stay, or head straight home after an amazing trip.

This is just one of dozens of ways to travel from the east to the west coast on vacation. We kept this to a seven-day itinerary since most points packages are tailored to seven days’ worth of vacation time. However, as mentioned before, there are ways to extend the use of timeshare points to get more bang for the buck.

If you have any questions about the best way to use Wyndham, or any other, timeshare points, give us a call on 877-624-6889 or click here to leave us a message.