Why a Road Trip Might be the Perfect Option for You

In my last post I talked about a road trip we recently took, and I feel like road trips will continue to be popular at least throughout the next year…if not longer! Here are just a few of the things to consider when trying to decide if a road trip is right for you!

Are you wanting to travel with pets?
I always want to bring my little fur babies everywhere, so road trips are becoming a favorite way of travel for us!

Are you on a strict timeline?
If the answer is no and your schedule is flexible, take a road trip! There is so much to see along the way to your destination that you miss out on by flying! When I first moved to Connecticut from Texas, I went on my own and broke the trip up into about five days because I knew I wanted to stop along the way (Nashville, Memphis, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, NYC). You will see road markers for things that you didn’t know you were close to or even things that sound great but you didn’t even know existed.

Do you want to save some money?
Though you can find some great airline rates right now, a few tanks of gas can be much more cost efficient than multiple tickets for your fam. You can also pack as many snacks/food and drinks as you want – which is much cheaper than buying a $4 water bottle at the airport.

Do you want to stay away from large groups of people in an enclosed space right now?
Obviously your car is only you and whoever you let in there with you! You can control the variables.

Are you traveling with someone and y’all each need to get some work done at the same time?
Perfect! You can switch drivers while the other takes a nap and takes a break or even take turns based on any work they need to get done. It’s great for them to time chunk and get things done if needed.

 

There are a few things I’ve learned from the few trips we’ve taken over the last year, so I figured I would jot a few of them down here.

Overall Road Trip Tips: 

• If you’re going on a relatively long trip, make sure your car is in good shape! Check the oil, check the pressure/tread of the tires, make sure you’ve got a spare ready to go. This is especially important if you’re going somewhere with different terrain or where inclement weather is expected.
• If you have room in the car, pack a cooler with food and drinks. I’m cheap, but I don’t want to have to stop to get fast food four times – my wallet nor my gut really want that.
• Pack a bag of granola bars, Lara bars, quest bars + some kind of salty snacks (I love Quest chips). Throw this in last so it is easily accessible while you’re driving!
• Pack a small box of things that are also easy to grab in case you need it: first aid kit, trash bags, wet wipes, tylenol/ibuprofen, extra gum, (ours right now also included extra masks and hand sanitizer).
• Always have a trash bag out somewhere in the car (Target, HEB, whatever grocery bag you have) – because if you snack in the car, you’ll want a place to put all your trash!
• Plan out your stops if it’s a long trip. I know this is just the planner in me, but I wanted to make sure we had a Love’s, Pilot, or other truck stop along the way. There might be smaller gas stations you’ll find, but especially later at night, the inside is usually closed. There was a lot of road that we traveled that was just fields, mountains, or empty space with no civilization in sight – so we needed to make sure we had enough gas and places to stop to use the restroom. This also gives you built in goals along the way – lets you plan when to switch drivers, grab that coffee, etc.

Road tripping with pets (specifically dogs): 

• Take a portable water bowl in the car and have it easily accessible on stops. We have a rubber collapsible one that worked great.
• Leave 1-2 water bottles out to grab for them.
• Make sure to take bags with you and pick up after them – don’t be those people that don’t!
• Plan your stops so you can stop at a bigger rest stop area (Love’s, Pilot, Bucees, etc.) that will have areas for you to walk your dog or even designated pet relief areas.
• Take sedatives, calming spray, etc. with you if your dogs suffer from any anxiety.
• Pack however much dog food you need for the time you’ll be on the road — we all snack along the way – they need to eat too!
• Make sure to get puppacinos if you stop at a coffee shop along the way 🙂
• Bring some kind of comfort item for them – a blanket, stuffed animal, etc. We had one of Bailey’s huge teddy bears, one of their beds, like 10 stuffed animals, multiple blankets…but yes, we’re those people.

In review, here are the pros of planning your own road trip:

• You make your schedule! You can leave whenever you want to leave – we like to leave late and drive thru the night or before the sun is up first thing in the morning. We are all about avoiding traffic if possible.
• It can be much cheaper – especially if you have multiple people on the trip!
• You can control and plan your meals/snacks along the way and even take the food you want to your destination.
• You can take your pets with you!
• You get to see the countryside and all of the beauty around you along the way.
• If you’re working remotely, give it a try – the change of scenery might do you some good!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

My husband and I truly love driving. We both enjoy it and we both love being along for the ride. I am such a sucker for the beautiful scenery, the different cities and towns you come across from the big cities to towns of a few hundred people and one stop sign. I love flying and airports are one of my happy places, but there really is so much fun to be had on road trips, and right now is the perfect time to test it out!

Hope there are lots of road trips in your future!
Courtney