Categories: Travel

5 Tips For An Epic Road Trip

The season for epic road trips is upon us, and it is time that you make your road trip one to remember! Even when traveling with your best buds, long road trips can get long, and sometimes, boring. I have been on my fair share of long road trips and have sat in every seat. I have picked up a few tips along the way and I’m here to share my top five!

1. Bring A Regular Sized Pillow

Don’t get me wrong, a good nap on the road is something to be admired, but I am saying this for strict comfort purposes. Neck pillows are nice, but they do not support your back the same way that a regular pillow would. I find this to be crucial for those in the back seat.

Let’s be honest, the back seat is the worst during a road trip. Even if you’re in the nicest most comfortable car, the seat doesn’t recline as far, your legs can’t stretch out in front of you, it is just a more cramped ride. With that said, a pillow can make the journey more pleasant, and yes, it is also way better for sleep than a neck pillow.

2. The Playlist Is EVERYTHING

There are two reasons why the playlist is important. The first is to keep the driver awake. If you are in a situation where only one person can drive or one person is driving for an extended period of time, finding ways to keep them up is paramount. Pick upbeat songs that make you want to sing and dance. Music that will keep you alert and present. As muck as you may like it, Adele circa “21” might not be the best choice.

The second reason why the music is essential is because of the entertainment. Let me tell you, a road trip goes by much quicker when you are having a good time. When you can sing at the top of your lungs, turn the bass up, roll the windows down, and just let go (all within reason, you are driving!), that can be so much fun and next thing you know it, a half an hour has just rolled by, literally.

3. Dress Smart

You should always dress comfortably for a drive. There are few worse things on a road trip other than having pants that are too tight and causing your legs to go numb. However, this is not the only reason to watch what you wear. For instance, if you where overalls, you have to fumble with the straps if you need to go to the bathroom, and let me tell you, you do not want a strap to fall in a gas station toilet.

Be prepared for weather changes. Weather is unpredictable even with a tracker, so bring a rain jacket or umbrellas. Make sure that you also pack tennis shoes too. Even if your road trip is taking you to a sandy beach, you should always be prepared for what could happen along the way. I don’t mean a car accident, but if something breaks down in your car and you have to walk, you need to be prepared to do so, but hopefully it won’t have to come to that.

4. When In Doubt, Tune Em’ Out

So far, we have been making the assumption that everyone in the car wants to be there and will get along, but that does not happen all the time. For the times when a road trip seems more like a trip to Hell, you need to have things that can isolate you as much as you can when you’re in a car full of people.

Headphones and earplugs are great option. You can mentally get away from everyone else and get to your happy place. If music isn’t your vibe, earplugs are great for tuning others out. You can even use your phone as a distraction and put some fun games on it before you leave!

5. Chargers, Not Charger, Charger”S”

You most likely already have a phone charger in the car, but stock up on them. It is important to have at least two in the car, so that multiple people can charge at once, or if one breaks, you’re not out of luck. In case something happens, you want to make sure that not only one person has a charged phone while everyone else is nursing ten percent.