Some suggestions for "successful" road tripping

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

Some suggestions for "successful" road tripping...

:arrow: Ask for directions! Typical male tendencies aside, this is both a way to meet new people as well as to avoid undue stress and worry.

:arrow: Read signs! Seems simple enough, but often overlooked. Aside from keeping you oriented can also sometimes provide unanticipated entertainment. :wink:

:arrow: Refuel before you hit empty! Seriously! Aside from being better for your car this can help avoid major stress on unknown roads and stretches of freeway... and isn't it better to enjoy the scenery rather than anxiously glancing at your fuel gauge intermittently as you scan the horizon for a gas station?

:arrow: Bring maps! For those occasions when there's no one available to ask or they don't know the way. Pre-planned routes, be it from AAA (in the USA) or elsewhere, are all well and good.... but having a more general area wide atlas/map can be invaluable. Maybe there's new and extensive road construction on your planned route? Maybe you were at a local diner and heard of a "must see” not to far away? Whatever the reason, having a map can really make your road trip into a journey rather than just a commute.

:arrow: Don’t pass up cheap gas! Sure, the next gas station may be cheaper yet... but chances are it wont be! If the fuel's cheap, fill up!

:arrow: Stop before you’re too tired! You won't enjoy your trip if you're exhausted, but even more importantly (indeed, most importantly) driving tired isn’t' safe!

:arrow: The fastest isn’t always the best! Sure, a given route may be the most direct, but is it the most picturesque? Or does it take you by a given sight that you may want to stop and see? Or by a great little eatery? Enjoy the journey!!!

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Before going on any road trip in the US, check out www.roadsideamerica.com, www.roadtripusa.com, and www.roadtripamerica.com. I use these sites to get ideas for off-beat things to do and see along the way that I might miss if I didn't know about them.

Don't forget your bathing suit, even in winter. I can't tell you how many times I've had to buy a new bathing suit because we ended up at a place that had hot springs, or a pool, or hot tubs. My husband is even worse, he's got about 8 bathing suits now! Yeah, sometimes you can go in in your shorts if you're a guy -- but if you're not travelling with any shorts either then what do you do if it's not the kind of place where you can go naked?