Road Trip!

Here's a photo from one of our road trips.
Check out my sweet "My Dad Did My Hair
Today" and matching high socks look.

Growing up, my Dad and I took a trip every summer to somewhere on the East Coast. We've gone as far North as New Hampshire and Vermont, as far south as Florida and as far west as Ohio. Each trip my Dad drove the entire way, except for Florida when we took a train. I attribute my affinity for driving, especially long distances, to these annual trips with my Dad. Since then I have gone on my own driving adventures. I eventually did make the drive to Florida with some friends for Spring Break during my senior year of college, and that same year drove up to Plattsburgh, NY, which — if you don't know — is basically Canada. So I would say I have some experience in long road trips and I would like to share some advice with you. I have compiled a list of things you should do before you go, along the way, and things to keep you occupied when the road ahead is paved with a whole lot of nothing.

And to switch it up this post, I am putting the Pinterest board in the beginning of the post for anyone who doesn't actually make it all the way to the bottom. So don't miss it! There are tons more tips, snack suggestions, games and more!


Before You Go
You should have:
1. A schedule of how long you think your trip will take including pit stops and overnight stops if necessary. You should have an estimate of how long it will take you to reach your destination, but don't forget to factor in time for spontaneous stops too. One of the best parts of my trip to Florida was our stop at South of the Border. South of the Border itself is a weird place and I probably wouldn't go back, but the build up from all of the billboards along I-95 South was enough fun to keep us entertained until we got there.
2. A budget for gas money, food and emergencies.
3. Hotel arrangements if you are going far enough that you will need to find somewhere to rest for the night. Sometimes, if you have enough people and naps you can drive right through to your destination, but if you are planning to drive more than 24 hours, a hotel is a safer option.
4. A checkup for your car before you go. Check the brakes, the engine, the oil and the flux capacitor. Disclaimer: I don't actually know anything about cars, so find a mechanic who does.
5. Always have an emergency road kit with jumper cables, a spare tire or a patch kit, because some cars don't come with spare tires anymore (mine). Your AAA card won't hurt either, especially for those who don't know what they're doing (me).
6. A GPS and a map. I know, the map doesn't have that helpful arrow to tell you exactly where you are, but if for some reason your GPS and smartphone die and you can't charge them or satellites can't find you, you need another option.
7. Snacks. Snacks on snacks on snacks. They will keep your energy up and keep you from complaining about being hungry the whole way. Not every road is laden with rest stops stocked with burgers, froyo and coffee, so BYOSnacks.
8. Energy drinks, soda, coffee, or whatever it is that keeps you awake when you start to feel sleepy — apart from illegal drugs, but I think that goes without saying.
9. Good music. If you plan to listen to music together, forgo the radio. Someone make a playlist and burn it onto a CD (or cassette if your car still has a cassette player) or sync it on your iPod. If you each plan to listen to your own, then bring your music player of choice and headphones. For those lucky enough to own a portable DVD player or iPad with movies and TV shows already on them, bring something good along that everyone can enjoy. Otherwise, HEADPHONES! Disclaimer: The driver should absolutely not be watching a movie.
10. Something to read. Hey, there are still these things called books and there are stores devoted entirely to selling them (and overpriced coffee...that I will absolutely buy). Or if you're still in school, bring some homework. You have nothing better to do, may as well get that out of the way before the fun begins.
11. A comfortable outfit. You will be sitting for a long time, and while your jeans may make your butt look good, no one can see it when it's parked on a chair covered in goldfish crumbs for hours at a time. Road trips are the only time sweatpants, even non-embarrassing pajama pants are acceptable outside of your own home, so embrace it. You may never get this opportunity again.
12. A pillow, blanket, inflatable neck pillow and anything else that will make your trip more comfortable. I advise against a pillow and blanket for the person driving, but have them handy for naptime.
13. Sunglasses. If you're short like me, the visor doesn't do s#!%, so protect your eyeballs with something else.
14. Fun travel partners. Choose travel buddies wisely and your road trip will be an adventure, not torture.

On the Road
1. Have a general amount of time each person will drive in mind and come up with a rotation that works for everyone. Most importantly, if you do feel yourself getting overtired and your Red Bull just isn't doing the trick, switch with someone who isn't tired or, if no one feels up to it, pull over for a cat nap. Reaching your destination safely is more important than getting there early.
2. Drive for optimum gas mileage. If your car has an Eco option, turn it on and it will do half of the work for you to save on gas, but driving the actual speed limit and avoiding quick accelerations or braking will help too.
3. If you experience car sickness, well maybe a road trip isn't for you, but if you know your triggers and cures, a road trip can still be fun for you. I have never experienced car sickness, but I have known people who can't read in the car or need to sit near a window to avoid getting car sick. Know what makes you sick and how to avoid it. Otherwise, some Dramamine may help too.
4. Stretch your legs. Take plenty of breaks to go to the bathroom, stock up on supplies and move your limbs.
5. If you are traveling with pets, give them breaks and snacks too. If you're hungry, they're probably hungry. If you have to pee, they probably have to pee. And if your legs are killing you from sitting in one position for too long, they probably need to run around a little too.
6. Don't drink too many liquids. While staying hydrated and taking regular bathroom breaks are important, drinking too much water and having to stop every 20 minutes will make you and your travel partners miserable. Another pro tip: Don't ask me why, but every time you actually say that you have to use the bathroom out loud, the feeling suddenly becomes 10x worse. Keep it to yourself until you see that "Rest Stop 5 Miles Ahead" sign or feel like you're going to burst and need to pull over to the side of the road.
7. Take photos. I didn't do enough of this during my road trips. While it's hard to take pictures in a moving vehicle, take some pictures at those tourist traps or lookout points you keep seeing signs for.
8. Electronics can be your friend. Tune out the awful radio station your friend insists on listening to or zone out in a game of Candy Crush to keep your sanity.
9. But talk to your travel buddies too. You're all in this together and this is a great time to get to know each other while you're so uncomfortably close.
10. Play games. I was the queen of road games when I was younger and I don't care if you feel silly while playing them, road games will help all of you stay sane. Here are some of my favorites, and they are also good for any other long-wait situations:

• The Alphabet Game. Find all of the letters of the alphabet in order. No cheating!
• The License Plate Game. Make a list of how many states or providences you can find. You'll be surprised how everyone turns into a 10-year-old again when they spot a new license plate.
• I Spy. Depending on the location of your object, maybe leave the driver out of this one.
• Scavenger Hunt. Make a list before you go and see how many things you can find. They can be boring objects like stop signs and traffic lights, or look for funny things like someone sound asleep with their mouth open and face pressed up against the window.
• 20 Questions. Think of something, anything, and give your friends 20 questions to figure it out.
• Movie Game Variation 1. Think of a movie and give your friends one-word clues to guess what it is. For example, if you are thinking of Home Alone, your first clue can be Christmas. Give your friends some chances to yell out answers, then give them a second clue when they give up. The winner thinks of the next movie. We play with a total of three clues per movie, but feel free to make it your own. 
• Movie Game Variation 2. One person starts with the name of a movie, then the next person has to name an actor in that movie, followed by the next person who has to name a different movie that actor was in, and the next person names another actor in that movie, and so on. This game gets difficult when you have that one friend who knows every obscure actor and indie movie they were in. Feel free to kick that person out of the car. 
• Sing-a-longs. You know you want to. Disney songs are always a classic, but there's nothing better than discovering you all have the same smooth jam guilty pleasure. For example, I recently discovered at a karaoke club that EVERYONE loves Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now." Everyone.

11. Enjoy the ride, the journey is half the adventure.

That's it for this post, but before I go I will leave you with one more Fun Fact that will help you on your next road trip. In most cars, the gas gauge on the dashboard tells you which side your gas tank is on without you having to look. This comes in handy particularly if you are driving your friend's car and he/she is sound asleep. Look at the symbol that looks like an old fashioned gas tank and look for an arrow next to it, that arrow is pointing to which side the tank is on. You're welcome.

Thanks for reading everyone and good luck on your next road trip!
-Sam