Road Trip Tips
by Lindsay Smith (RSS feed) on Aug 12th, 2010 at 11:37PM
Traveling with your beloved pooch often takes the same careful planning as hitting the road with young children. Utilize these tips to ensure a smooth ride:
- Give your pup a thorough brushing before loading him into the car, greatly reducing the amount of flying fur.
- Pack travel necessities for your road trip like water and a bowl, treats, paper towels, and cleanup bags.
- Unless your dog requires specialty food, don't try to squeeze a bag of food into your already packed car: stop and purchase a bag once you arrive.
- Identify places to stop prior to leaving to assure your doggie can relieve himself and strech every few hours.
Bon voyage!
[Photo: Flickr |
emdot]
by Sandra J. Kimmel (RSS feed) on Aug 10th, 2010 at 11:44PM
In preparation for a recent trip, we compiled 10 day's worth of information on accommodations and attractions,
maps, directions, and other paperwork.
I purchased a plastic, expandable folder with 10 slots, then labeled each with one day/date of the trip. Into each day's section went everything we needed: maps, directions, confirmation numbers, hours and costs of museums and attractions, etc.
If we ran into a delay or found ourselves a day ahead of schedule, it was easy to move the pile to a new slot.
Bonus: Receipts and
souvenirs readily replace used maps and directions, ready to remember a great trip!
[Photo: Flickr |
BLW Photography]
by Cathleen Shaffer (RSS feed) on Aug 10th, 2010 at 1:44AM
On a road trip, you just can't stop everywhere that looks interesting or fun. And of course, what would appeal to an 8-year-old girl might lead to the eye-rolling of a 14-year-old boy. An easy solution: every family member gets a "stop" card daily.
No questions asked, no arguments -- if a family member pulls out their "stop" card, the whole family stops. You can put a cap on cost ahead of time, and no complaining allowed as each gets a turn.
It's fair, fun and very interesting to see the type of stopping points chosen.
[Photo: Flickr |
Rich Anderson]
by Rebecca Weber (RSS feed) on Aug 10th, 2010 at 1:44AM
On road trips, dedicate a small bag to trash.
Even people who normally do not eat or drink in the car will likely do so when driving all day long, and the trash piles up quickly.
Bonus points for a separate recycling bag.
[Photo: Flickr |
shioshvili]
by Patricia Marroquin (RSS feed) on Aug 7th, 2010 at 1:44PM
An essential ingredient for any road trip is fuel. While you know the cost of your accommodations, you may not always know how much gas will cost for the length of your road trip.
There are websites to help you determine that cost, however. For example,
AAA's
Fuel Cost Calculator allows you to calculate the fuel cost of your trip. Using drop-down menus, you select your starting city, destination and vehicle. The calculator determines mileage, gallons of fuel used and total fuel cost. Not all cities and destinations are listed, but you can get a general idea.
At
GasBuddy.com, you can search for the best gas prices in each city or region you're traveling through. Site visitors report what they paid for fuel at individual gas stations. You'll learn the lowest and highest prices reported in the past 36 hours. Armed with this information, you can budget your fantastic road trip.
[Photo: Flickr |
Borderfilms (Doug)]
by Alex Sharp (RSS feed) on Aug 7th, 2010 at 1:44PM
Being without internet access makes a road trip seem desolate. Here are two simple tips for getting online for free:
1.)
Wifinder is a good site to find public wi-fi hotspots, and people can submit them as they find them during their road trips.
2.) Getting a wi-fi detector is an easy way to find a hotspot, because not everyone posts a sign that says that free wi-fi is available. There are a lot of companies that offer signal detectors. For example, the
Mobile Edge MEASL1 is on a keychain, which is a good way to find a hotspot and measure signal strength when stopping in new towns along the way.
[Photo: Flickr |
Florian]
by Heather Younker (RSS feed) on Aug 7th, 2010 at 1:44PM
One of our favorite aspects of road tripping is building in time to go "off route" to small town bars.
No matter how small, most towns have a townie bar. Walk in, count the number of heads that swivel around and stare until you pick a seat. Choose a seat at the bar and let the heads turn back to their normal position while conversation returns to local gossip.
Your benefit from a trip to a small town bar: a cold brew break and a slice of Americana right before your eyes.
[Photo: Flickr |
Darwin Bell]
by Vanessa Hartsfield (RSS feed) on Aug 7th, 2010 at 1:44PM
When you pull into a rest stop to refresh, include a 3-5 minute jog or brisk walk.
It helps relieve the stiffness from sitting in the car and gets the blood pumping. It also provides children an opportunity to run and scream.
When you finish, do a quick stretch. Now you can be awake and alert for the road.
[Photo: Flickr | MikeBaird]
by Erin Frank (RSS feed) on Aug 6th, 2010 at 3:02PM
When embarking on a road trip of a few days or more, plan ahead by finding local fitness classes you can take as you pass through a new city.
Rather than spend your time stretching at a boring rest stop, pop in for a 30 minute or 1 hour session at a yoga, pilates or fitness studio. You'll meet locals, get a feel for the town, and get that cooped-up car-feeling out of your system. Search for businesses that accept walk-ins, and allow yourself time to get to town in case of traffic or a minor misshap.
[Photo: Flickr |
fdean55]
by Katie Arvidson (RSS feed) on Aug 6th, 2010 at 2:02PM
Invest in a portable shower.
Nothing's worse than having to crawl back into the car after an impromptu hike during a road trip.
Grab some water and a quick change of clothes and you can get back in the car with a fresh start.
[Photo: Flickr |
Mariachily]
by Tracie A. Handley (RSS feed) on Aug 6th, 2010 at 1:02PM
Cookie sheets may seem like an odd suggestion for a road trip, but they have LOTS of uses! If you're traveling with kids, cookie sheets make great trays for snacks or on-the-go meals -- the edges help catch spills!
If you flip them over, they make a great desk for coloring, card games, and other activities that are better on a flat surface. If you have really little guys traveling with you, bring along those metallic letters and numbers. They stick to the cookie sheets, for lots of fun play.
Finally, they're a good seat divider between arguing siblings.
[Photo: Flickr |
Veganbaking.net]
by Trinise (RSS feed) on Jun 20th, 2010 at 5:28PM
Before embarking on a road trip, map out two different routes -- a slower, scenic route and a shorter, faster (less scenic) route.
In case you need to reach your destination sooner than planned, you'll have your faster route. However, try to take the more intriguing scenic route. Grab a camera, hop out, and snap some shots of the beautiful scenery you pass by. Discover the hottest eateries on your journey. Be sure to stop in, indulge in the local eats, and continue along your trip-capturing memorable moments.
NOTE: Make sure to print a copy of your scenic route and your fastest route even if you have GPS. Just in case...
by verdismo (RSS feed) on May 10th, 2010 at 10:36AM
It might be a simple suggestion, but... bringing a bike (or two) on your next road trip will yield rich rewards.
Not only does a bike ride stretch your legs after hours in the car, it helps provide a lay of the land when you make a pitstop. Further, you'll absorb more local flavor (markets, parks, impromptu street performances) than is possible solely on foot. Finally, riding a bike is good exercise! (And who among us didn't eat just a little too much on our last vacation?)
Bike racks conserve trunk space but if you manage to fit the bike inside your vehicle you'll have less logistical hassle. Pro tip: Folding bikes like those made by
Bike Friday take up less space.
See also:
20 great bike ridesby Hans Ford (RSS feed) on May 10th, 2010 at 10:30AM
Walkie talkies use radio waves to communicate directly with each other, unlike cell phones, which rely on a cell phone tower as a go-between.
People on
road trips often end up in rural areas where cell phones are useless. A couple of inexpensive walkie talkies can help your group stay in touch, as well as keep the kids entertained.
Bonus tip: Walkie talkies also work on
cruise ships!
by Donna Montgomery (RSS feed) on May 9th, 2010 at 10:37AM
Use the digital photos from your road trip to make a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
A photo book is a great way to share your adventures with friends and family, and it would also make a perfect gift for your traveling companions. Services like
Shutterfly or
Snapfish make it easy to turn your favorite photos into books. If you'd like to include journal entries or blog posts that you wrote along the way, try sites like
Blurb or
MyPublisher that have more advanced design options.
It's fun, and it'll keep your travel memories fresh for years to come.
by Charles Clayton (RSS feed) on May 5th, 2010 at 10:37AM
Ever ponder the origins of that distant mesa? Curious about those snowy mountains, those flinty hills, the flatness of Central Indiana? Perhaps you're bored to death by the lack of scenery?
Consider taking a
roadside geology book on your next trip. These books contain an array of maps, easy to follow mileage logs, basic geologic primers, and photographs that can bring a landscape -- even a "boring" one -- to life: cornfields become shark infested seas, lifeless brown deserts become breezy tropical islands, and dinosaurs roam in the next road cut.
by Julie C. Arnold (RSS feed) on May 4th, 2010 at 10:28AM
When sharing driving on a long trip, it's tempting for one driver to drive until he or she is tired, then switch to another driver. The tired driver then wants to sleep, leaving the new driver "alone" while the tired driver sleeps.
You can drive for greater distances without being exhausted if you switch drivers on a schedule -- for example, every one to two hours. This way, neither driver becomes exhausted.
Additional bonus: the switch allows for a brief stretch which also tends to diminish fatigue.
by Beth Snowberger (RSS feed) on May 3rd, 2010 at 10:30AM
When hitting the road for a long stretch, pack your clothes in a large laundry basket in the car and keep just your pj's, toiletries, and valuables in an overnight bag. Each night, put your next day's clothes in the overnight bag to take into your hotel or tent.
It's a lot less to lug in and out of the car than a full suitcase or duffel.
by Monica L. Williams (RSS feed) on May 2nd, 2010 at 10:35AM
Looking for cheap lodging alternatives? Check on campus.
Most colleges and universities offer dorm rooms to rent for next to nothing to non-students during the summer. The price usually includes meals.
Or, if you don't mind conjugating verbs while on your European vacation, check into an independent language-immersion program. A weeklong stay at a host home with classes can cost the equivalent of a night's stay at an upscale hotel in the US. Bonus: you'll get smarter on vacation! Now, who can make that claim?!
by Cynthia Darling (RSS feed) on May 2nd, 2010 at 10:32AM
The best advice for anyone taking a road trip: get a mascot.
This doesn't need to be complicated. On one cross-country trip, my friend and I took a small stuffed goat. Over the course of 3000 miles we told many stupid stories about that goat and photographed him with us in places ranging from the Hoover Dam to the Amish Country of Pennsylvania. A family member recently took a small stuffed Sponge Bob on her trip cross-country.
It's not what the mascot is that counts. It's that you have one. It will be the glue that holds the trip together.
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