Happy National Road Trip Day! Here are my TOP tips!
Open for top road trip tips and a sale worthy of fireworks!
Hello hello, fellow traveler!
Today’s one of my favorite holidays:
National Road Trip Day!
Always the Friday before Memorial Day, this day is all about celebrating the freedom of the open road.
I’m an inveterate road tripper, with a fondness for the two-lanes and a wanderlust that fuels my soul. This passion has inspired me to write a few books about America’s favorite mobile pastime (no insult to baseball, but I think this qualifies, too).
To celebrate, I’m having a fire sale - a fireworks sale, that is!
The sale’s happening all weekend, but if you hit the pedal to the metal today, you’ll save even more.
Scroll down to skip to the road trip tips
Today you can save 25%. Tomorrow through Monday, you can save 20% (so act now!).
And if you get the bundles, you’ll save even more!
And you can add on a road trip journal for only $5.99 (use code RTJ599 - minimum $20 purchase).
That’s it for the sales pitch. On to the tips!
Top Tips for a Great Road Trip
When you’re thinking of going on a road trip, it can be tempting to imagine simply jumping in the car and hittin’ the road. There’s a romanticized vision: the windows are down, the radio’s up, and you shout “see ya’ when I see ya’” to the neighbors as you head off towards the horizon, not a care in the world.
But then you realize you don’t have any idea where you’re going, you’re thirsty with nothing to drink, the battery on your phone dies, the radio station plays nothing but static, there's no room at the inn, and you’ve got piles of trash at your feet, so you turn around and head back home with your taillights between your legs.
When you’re planning a road trip, planning is the operative word, but you also want to have fun. That’s the main reason for a vacation, after all. These tips can help ensure your road trip is an adventure you’ll enjoy and one you’ll remember—for the right reasons.
Don’t over plan
If you know me, stop laughing—I can hear you. I am the poster child of trying to do too much. As my husband says, my travel eyes are bigger than my travel stomach.
Wanting to do all the things is one of the biggest challenges of road tripping. This is especially true if you’re far from home and in a place where you’re unlikely to return.
It’s impossible to do everything. Plan for the things that you really, really want to do and always allow more time than you think you’ll need.
Make alternative planning easy
Stuff happens. Maybe it rains the afternoon you planned to visit the Botanic Gardens. But guess what: you don’t have to soldier through just because it’s on the itinerary. You can do something else, like go to a museum. Have a collection of rainy day activities and you’ll have built-in flexibility.
If you add hours of operation for attractions and restaurants to your itinerary or your Master Travel Doc (there’s more on that in the Getting Organized section of Planning Your Perfect Road Trip), you can quickly see what’s open and adjust your plans.
And if it’s supposed to rain the whole time you’re there? That’s ok. That’s why you packed ponchos and umbrellas. (You did pack ponchos and umbrellas, right? Make sure you don’t forget with these printable planning pages.)
Face your fears
Road trips often provide opportunities to try something new that might also be scary. Zip lining, for example. The first time I stepped off a platform, I was terrified and practically had to be pushed. By the last platform, I was leaping and squealing into the wind.
Maybe you want to try kayaking or white-water rafting. Get out of your comfort zone and you just might have an unforgettable experience. (I mean that in a good way, not the “why did I ever think that was a good idea" way.)
Know your limits
It’s important to know what you can and cannot do. Two months after radiation treatment, I kayaked in Lake Michigan to Cave Point in Door County, Wisconsin. There’s a spot where you can paddle your kayak onto rocks, climb to the top of Cave Point, and jump into Lake Michigan.
I wanted to do that so badly, and while I knew I could handle the climbing and the jumping parts, the swimming back to my kayak part would do me in. So, I watched and vicariously enjoyed the laughter of those who could.
Likewise, I’d love to hike Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Not gonna happen. (At least, not until I get into much, much better shape.)
When you see a chance, take it
Whether it’s emptying your tank or filling your vehicle’s, never pass up a good opportunity. Like mom always said, go to the bathroom before you leave, and go before you’re doing the dance. (She didn’t say that last part. That’s all me.)
Likewise, don’t let your gas tank run low. I did that once in southern South Dakota and it was one of the most nerve-wracking road trip experiences I’ve ever had. Especially if you’re driving in sparsely populated parts of the country, like Montana and Nevada, it’s important to fill up when you can.
Book in advance
Sometimes you want to see where the road takes you, but depending on where you’re going and what time of year it is, that may not be realistic. This is especially true with national parks, whose popularity has increased exponentially.
If you’re going to a popular place during its busy season, book your accommodations and activities in advance. Likewise, if you know there’s a hot restaurant you want to try, make reservations.
Don’t rely on cell service
I don’t care what those cell coverage maps say; they’re WRONG. I’ve checked them (various carriers) several times before road trips and there has never been a time when the coverage they claim has been accurate.
Cell phones are great, but plan on losing your connection. Count on it. Take paper maps, know where you’re going, and print out anything you might need, like addresses and phone and confirmation numbers.
Avoid rush hour
Take it from someone who’s lived in the Chicago area for over two decades: if you’re driving near, around, into, or through an urban area, avoid rush hour. There’s little more frustrating than being stuck in traffic when you’re on a road trip.
Rush hours vary widely depending on where you are. In Chicago, it’s between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sometimes. Sometimes rush hour starts earlier and ends later. In some places, the only time it isn’t rush hour is between 2:15 and 2:18 a.m.
If you can’t avoid rush hour, or if traffic in general is bad, try not to let it get to you. There’s nothing you can do about it and getting upset will only put a bad spin on your trip. Play an audio book, listen to a podcast, or croon to your favorite tunes and know that eventually you’ll get through.
Give Mother Nature a break
Granted, a road trip is inherently bad for the environment because of all that gas required to get you there (unless you’re driving an EV or hybrid, which each comes with its own set of challenges). However, there are other ways you can make less of an environmental impact. Fortunately, most of those are also going to save you money. If you skip fast food, you won’t use single‐use papers and containers. Same with using refillable water bottles, reusable utensils and plates, and avoiding leftovers and food waste.
Use technology as a tool (not the other way around)
The wonders of technology can greatly enhance your experience. Say you saw a geological term on a wayside exhibit and wanted to find out its meaning; you can look it up. Or maybe a local suggested their favorite restaurant and you want to see the menu. You can also use apps to show you what’s nearby and get enough information to decide whether it’s worth the detour. (Most of the time, it is.)
But also unplug
You can stare at your phone at home. When you’re on the road, or any vacation, step away from the digital distractions. Believe me; they’ll be waiting for you when you get back.
Record your experiences
Cell phones and digital cameras make it even easier to bore entertain friends and family after your trip. Get a big enough SD card and you can literally take thousands of photos and videos. It’s great to have a comprehensive record of your travels when you get home.
If you can’t add additional storage to your device, which is often the case, you can back up your images using a service like Google Photos or Amazon Prime. You can then delete them to free more space.
After, of course, you’ve confirmed at least twelve times they’ve been backed up.
Be present
However, the last thing you want to do is get home, see a picture, and not remember taking it because all you did was take pictures. Shoot the photo, shoot the video, then put the phone or camera down. Make sure you’re experiencing with all your senses, and not just looking through a lens or at a screen.
When you’re at dinner, ignore your phone. If you like taking pictures of your food, go for it, but then put the device away. Likewise, when you’re hiking, take the picture and then put the camera back in your pocket.
You only get to experience this specific trip this one time. Be present and your memories will include what you did and how you felt, not just what you saw.
Write it down
I know what you’re thinking: I’m a writer, so of course I’m going to recommend keeping a journal. You don’t have to write a book, though. The simple act of jotting a few notes at the beginning or end of each day will help you remember your experiences.
Be flexible and HAVE FUN!
Road trips are like a wedding. Something is going to go wrong. What makes or breaks either of those is how you react. By being flexible, you can adapt to any situation, whether it’s dealing with inclement weather, or stumbling upon an amazing roadside attraction that might interrupt your schedule but will create lifelong memories.
Being flexible is the most important tip of all, and will keep you planning—and loving—road trips for years to come.
If you loved these tips, you’ll love Planning Your Perfect Road Trip! Save 20% through Monday, May 26 with code ROADTRIP20. And don’t forget to add-on your road trip journal (minimum $20 purchase) for only $5.99 with code RTJ599.
Love and Wanderlust,
Theresa Goodrich
