5 Ways to Prepare For Your Best Big Road Trip
Every road trip is a story worth telling, though it’s essential to prep to make the most of the experience. At the start of 2023, I packed my bags for my first road trip across the country.
My SO and I traveled from Florida to San Diego via route i-10 and i-8. This route was over 3,000 miles and the states we drove through were Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Although each route can be different in landscapes and terrain, here are 5 considerations for making sure your road trip is memorable in the best ways:
- Set Intentions
Unless you’re a modern nomad, you may not see yourself constantly on the road. Make sure to plan out your days and block off your usual work schedule for your trip. If you have unlimited PTO, make sure to take it! Even if you work remotely, you may not have wifi as often as you’d expect, and that’s okay. Enjoy the moment 💫
- Over-Prepare Where You Can
For this road trip, we made sure to book hotels and structure our itinerary (at least a little bit) ahead of time. I also packed energizing snacks, and got my car checked beforehand. It’s indeed fun to be spontaneous, but when the world is on your fingertips it’s nice to plan where it makes sense, and it’s better to over-plan when you can for your own safety. A priority for me was to make sure the hotels we slept at were clean and in safe, vibrant and explorable areas; specifically we stayed in a FL beach town called Destin, as well as Houston, TX, a unique Airbnb desert stay called The Buffalo, and Tucson, AZ.
- Day is the Way
When driving on all types of roads, make it a focus to cover the driving parts mainly during the day. If you’re from NY like I am, it may be a culture shock to find out how frequently desolate areas appear across the states; many places won’t have street lights, so driving won’t be ideal at night. For example, some places such as the desert will look so cool when it’s light out, that you won’t mind driving during the day- and you’ll want to appreciate the beautiful plethora stars there at night. On the other hand, if you’re passing through a major city that’s new to you, driving no matter what will be a hassle- so make sure you have your hotel confirmed beforehand (especially so you can ensure there’s free overnight parking and continental breakfast) so you and your crew can chill and enjoy the nightlife!
- Be Mindful
As you’re reading this blog post, you’re probably thinking there is a lot to consider and be mindful about when traveling, and this is so accurate I had to make it a point here. I want to especially pinpoint being mindful of yourself and others, such as your road trip co-pilots. Does anyone in your crew have allergies or dietary restrictions to plan around? As a vegan my SO and I made sure to use Happy Cow to find our destination dinner spots. It’s important to be aware of everyone’s needs so everyone has a nice time!
- Have Fun
Need I say more? With these considerations in mind, I trust you’ll have an abundance of fun on your next big road trip 🙂
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