Backpacking advice for a new traveler

If possible avoid travel during the peak Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's periods. Fares and accommodations will be pricey, except with a break perhaps during the first two weeks of December between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since you're from Australia, note that one Australian dollar currently is equivalent to about 69 U.S. cents. So please factor that in your plans.

If you're determined to visit the U.S., suggest visiting the coasts where there are clusters of hostels. See this link: https://www.hiusa.org/

There are reasonably priced fares from Australia to Honolulu on Jetstar. There also are reasonably priced fares from Honolulu to cities on the West Coast; and even to the East Coast now that Hawaiian Airlines has nonstops to Boston (BOS) and New York (JFK). Transcontinental flights from cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco to JFK and BOS also are reasonable because of competition among the major carriers.

See this link: https://www.google.com/flights

Also because of competition travel on the Boston, New York, Washington, D.C. corridor also is reasonable, especially those offered by bus companies. See this link: https://www.rome2rio.com/

Entry into most of the major museums in Washington, D.C., are free. There are national parks and national monuments within urban areas that are easily accessible. See this link: https://www.nps.gov/index.htm

The major cities have convenient public transportation, although some cities will have better networks than others.

Reasonably priced fares from the East Coast, as well as the West Coast, to Europe also are available. Check google.com/flights.

While the cost of travel in the U.S. will be higher that can partially be offset by some of the lower costs of travel in certain parts of Europe. So it's wise to plan ahead. But add some flexibility to those plans to forestall or deal with problems while traveling.

Quoting greatgrandmaR

So would you consider the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Colonial National Historical Parkway to be a park which don't give you a chance to do anything?

I was strictly speaking of National Parks, not National Parkways, which are not the same - in fact I already mentioned other federal lands as being ideal, in my opinion, for some visitors...me included. Even though the National Park Service manages many of the parks you've mention as visiting, National Parks are not the same as National Historical Parks, or National Historical Parkways for that matter, for several different reasons.

To clarify, I was merely speaking of National Parks only. In short, I've enjoyed other federal lands more than National Parks and, to be honest, was just sharing my own experiences and opinion while trying to encourage the OP to keep these other lands in mind.

Further, I didn't say that I've never had a chance to "do anything" while at many National Parks at all - instead I maintain I find more chances to do and see more on other federal lands - that's all. What I said was there is, in my opinion, little chance to do and see more in many cases at National Parks....and this is for many different reasons. Not all NPs, just a lot of them.

[ Edit: Edited on 19-Jan-2020, 18:16 GMT by road to roam ]

OK - I find it difficult to keep all the distinctions in mind. I just wondered which National Park you found disappointing.

Quoting greatgrandmaR

I just wondered which National Park you found disappointing.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park immediately pops into mind. I can think of loads of places owned federally just as beautiful and worth visiting which are more accessible and less busy. It's free though, but it's also one of the busiest NPs in the US - I get the sense Gatlinburg, which literally begins the moment you exit the park, is the main reason for the popularity. Then there's Pigeon Forge if you really want to get away from all that nature.

I'm guessing that when Jase96 says he/she wants to see 'the national parks' he/she means the best-known outside the US e.g. Grand Canyon, Yellowstone/Grand Teton, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, Canyonlands....

...and I'm also guessing that all of these are difficult (maybe impossible?) to access using public transport, other than with organised day or longer tours from nearby cities?

[ Edit: Edited on 19-Jan-2020, 20:37 GMT by leics2 ]

I've been there twice - once in the middle of the summer on my honeymoon in 1959 - it was very busy then. I thought the car might overheat. The other time was in December 2002 and it was quiet and peaceful. If I had been physically fit, there were hikes I could have taken. I've been to Gatlinburg but not to Pigeon Forge.

Quoting greatgrandmaR

I thought the car might overheat.... I've been to Gatlinburg but not to Pigeon Forge.

Funny, that - I stopped to assist an overheating vehicle going through Great Smoky Mountains NP (loose coolant overflow hose). That mountain road....

Pigeon Forge was a shock, more so than Gatlinburg. I knew about Dollywood, but really had no idea such a large part of that area has adopted a theme park-like formula, independent of Dollywood.

Quoting road to roam

Quoting greatgrandmaR

I thought the car might overheat... .

Funny, that - I stopped to assist an overheating vehicle going through Great Smoky Mountains NP (loose coolant overflow hose). That mountain road....

Well remember that my honeymoon was in 1959. We were driving a new car, but it was a 1959 Ford Station Wagon loaded with all our worldly goods - we were going to Bob's first duty station which was Flight School.