Many people love to take road trips! They pack up their cars and their family to hit the highways and by-ways of this country – destined to explore and find adventure and those hidden gems they will talk about for years after the family vacation. They have visions of what it’s going to be like to see miles of scenery, eat in little roadside diners and stop at the biggest ball of twine for a family picture. Many vacationers go miles out of their way and say they took the “scenic route,” and wear it like a badge of honor.
Well I am here to tell you, I AM NOT ONE OF THEM! I like to get on a plane, be there in a couple of hours and rent a car when I get there. I wonder if that comes from family vacations as a youth baking in the back seat of the Oldsmobile Delta 88 while my father had the pedal to the metal seeing if he could get to Florida in 20 hours vs. 27.
Here are some Road Trip Tips . . .
- Make sure your car is in good condition for the road trip. The last thing you want to happen is to break down on the highway in the dark!
- Check the weather – prior to leaving so you know what conditions you’re going to be driving in and be prepared – cell phone charged – flare and a warning triangle if you have room in the trunk after you’ve loaded the car.
- Visit the local auto club – AAA is my favorite! – Maps, guide books, construction to avoid or where the toll booths are, alternate routes, etc … I know you can get the majority of this online – but I find on our family road trips we still love to look at the Trip Tik and compare it to what the GPS is saying. AAA guide books have reviews of the attractions in the towns we’re driving through and they are a great reference for finding hotels.
- Pack your car properly – the last thing you want to be doing is rooting around in the car for something that’s in the bottom of a pile or in the trunk.
- Make sure you fill up your tank prior to taking off – you don’t want to have to stop right after starting your journey; it’s a letdown.
- Pack things for the kids to do, if you’re taking them – new activity books, a new DS game, snacks and books. I save the DVDs for when were driving in the dark so they still have something to do vs. pick on each other during the road trip!
- Pack healthy snacks – it’s very easy to grab and go with chips and sodas when you stop for gas but you become sluggish and not alert when eating these types of foods. Bring along whole fruits, granola bars, refillable water bottles, and if you must have something sweet, make it sugar free.
Travel Safe, Travel Far, Travel Often! Get out and explore! And create memories on your family vacation this summer!
