yo don't let everyone turn you off the bus yeah sure LA to dallas in august is a long shitfest but just do whatever is cheapest and put up with the rest. when you're poor, that's how you travel. no one has good advice if their advice is 'don't take the bus because it sucks' ----with that said, sometimes the buses over here are just baffling price-wise so never underestimate flying southwest/spirit/etc instead make sure you make a post when you're in chicago in case some of us happen to be there
I didn't thought that plan would change a lot but it definitely did. Two friends will come over and we are planning on renting a car for the first two weeks to do the West Coast. For the remaining days, it will be a mix of buses/planes. I went to Niagara Falls last weekend thanks to your recommendation, I spend an amazing time there, it's really a natural wonder. It was a 18 hours bus roundtrip (Departure Friday from NYC at 22pm, Arrived to Niagara Falls ON at 7:45, spend 12 hours there, and I was back in NYC at 5:30 am on Sunday).