Traveler's Edition
America owns the road trip! The epitome of freedom with the wind in your hair and your worries well and truly forgotten, road trips make you feel awesome. You’re never late, because you have nowhere to be. It really is the ultimate flexible holiday travel.
But despite all the freedom and this new cool-guy attitude you’ve adopted it is important to be prepared pre-road trip. Don’t underestimate the power of planning and research, but that’s not to say you should suck all the fun out of the ‘open road’ concept.
Just stick to these few helpful tips for planning your road trip and you will be super psyched that you choose the road over a flight.
Packing
No luggage check in. Bliss. This means you don’t have to wait in long lines AND means you can take as much as you want!
BUT, hold up, do you really need that outfit ‘just in case’ you go to a fancy restaurant? No? Put it back. In fact, unpack 25% of your stuff and just get rid. This will ensure you have plenty of leg room and will make the journey far more comfortable, pleasant, and less stressful.
Clean you care before and during journey
For the next however many days your car is literally your home, and even if you are staying in motels every night, you will still spend a huge about of time cooped up in your vehicle. So respect your space. Be sure to unload the trash when you stop and please, give it a vacuum and deep clean before you set off.
Embrace the CD
OK if your kids insist that a mix CD isn’t cool anymore: 1. They are wrong 2. An iTunes playlist will suffice.
Creating an epic playlist for a road trip is like, mandatory. Your tune choice will greatly impact your mood and when you hear those songs in the future it will bring back all these amazing memories to relive again and again.
It goes without saying DO NOT ROAD TRIP with someone who isn’t musically compatible with you. Well, I guess you could, but just brace yourself for the arguments.
Essentials: cash, change and beer
Change only cash tolls seem to appear out of nowhere, so be sure to always have some small notes and coins with you.
Beer is also essential, because, well you can’t watch a sunset on the hood of your car without a beer, right?
Spare keys
Just please. Please.
Road games
Your time on the road will most likely be the most memorable; time spent with your travel buddy will have plenty of laughs, memories, and comfortable silences. Road games are a great way to pass the time, you can make them up or play some of the classics.
Capture the moment
The time spent in your car will make a great time lapse vid, so start experimenting and create something awesome to show your friends and family back home. Plenty of photos and videos are the best way to document an experience and remember it forever.
