My name is Mandy Horvath. I’m a public speaker, media personality, and equestrian, and I’ve spent the last decade building a life and career that I’m proud of.
This May, my fiancé Joshua and I are taking our honeymoon. Due to a time-sensitive work opportunity that I am not yet able to publicly share, we have had to pivot and move our honeymoon to before our wedding. Because of that shift, we are planning and funding this trip on a tight timeline.
Instead of a traditional honeymoon, we are choosing to take a road trip. This is something we both genuinely want to do. To slow down for a moment, spend time together, and see parts of the country we have never experienced.
There is a small work component tied into the trip, but this is first and foremost about us. Time together, away from everything, doing something meaningful in a way that fits who we are.
This is not a luxury honeymoon. It is long days on the road, budget hotels when needed, and camping along the way.
Our route is as follows:
Day 1: Saturday, May 3
Travel from home to Truckee near Lake Tahoe, approximately 17 hours
Day 2: Sunday, May 4
Travel from Lake Tahoe to San Francisco with a budget hotel stay and time to explore
Day 3: Monday, May 5
Travel from San Francisco to Fort Bragg, including Glass Beach and the redwoods, approximately 5 hours, camping
Day 4: Tuesday, May 6
Travel from the redwoods to Bandon, approximately 2 hours
Day 5: Wednesday, May 7
Travel from Bandon to Portland, approximately 4 hours, with a budget hotel stay
Day 6: Thursday, May 8
Travel from Portland to Mount Rainier, camping
Day 7: Friday, May 9
Travel from Mount Rainier to Seattle with early check-in
Day 8: Saturday, May 10
Seattle
Day 9: Sunday, May 11
Travel from Seattle toward Glacier National Park with a budget hotel stay
Day 10: Monday, May 12
Yellowstone National Park, camping
Day 11: Tuesday, May 13
Return home
We are creating this fundraiser to help cover the basics of the trip. Gas, a few nights of lodging, meals, campsite fees, and simple travel expenses. Anything beyond that may go toward small keepsakes from places we have only ever seen in photos.
Estimated Cost Breakdown
Total distance
4,648 miles
Gas
Estimated: $1,000
Adjusted for higher west coast prices especially California
Lodging
Estimated: $1,200–$1,800
Adjusted for west coast hotel pricing and potential need to replace camping nights
Camping
Estimated: $250–$500
Adjusted for west coast demand and higher priced campgrounds
If unavailable, these nights convert to hotel stays
Food
Estimated: $1,300–$1,600
Adjusted for higher grocery and eating out costs on the west coast and while traveling
Estimated Total Goal
$3,800 – $4,900
Note
Costs may increase toward the higher end if camping is unavailable and more hotel stays are required
If you have followed my work or supported me in any way, thank you. If you are just finding this, welcome.
Any support, whether through donating or sharing, genuinely helps.
We will be documenting the trip as it happens. The long drives, the stops, the real version of it.
Thank you for being part of this with us.