5 Ways to Make the Most out of your Road Trip

We. Love. Road trips. We don’t go on them as often as we used to, but there’s nothing like packing up the car and hopping in for a grand adventure. I think my favorite thing about it is the control you have over your trip. You can stop when you want for as long as you want which is a freedom not enjoyed when on a plane, train, or bus. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any other person besides you and your travel buddy or buddies. No stressing about why the guy over there is coughing…although, I’m usually seated next to them. Yikes! SO how can you make the most out of your road trip? We have 5 ideas.

Use your time productively

Learn something while driving! We love listening to audiobooks or podcasts during our trips. It gives us something to think about and to discuss! One can almost never run out of topics this way if traveling with someone else. If you’re traveling with family or friends who aren’t terribly into your audiobooks or podcasts, why not have a good set of questions to discuss and get closer while you’re at it? If you’re already close friends/relatives, you won’t likely need to prepare ahead of time, but do take advantage of the time you’re trapped in the speeding metal on wheels to chat! By the way, a good playlist is a definite must!

Use this anywhere travel guide for a fun spin

I bought this travel guide for Jonathan a few years ago and it is filled with some really fun activities to do anywhere you are. We keep it in the glove compartment of our car so that we can spontaneously have a great time exploring - it’s even great when you want to explore the city you live in as well!

Don’t let your schedule keep you from being a bit spontaneous…

See a pretty field and want to stop? Do it! See the perfect overlook? Stop! Shoot some photos or just dwell in the moment and then move on. Don’t let your schedule keep you from experiencing the wonders of nature you could see on your trip!

…But Research Ahead of Time

You never know what kind of quirky sites there might be on your way! Do some research on your intended route and plan in some extra time if needed to see some points of interest like restaurants, museums, and parks (just to name a few).

Road Trip Games

We were on to something when we played I-Spy and Truth or Dare as kids in the car. Would You Rather is another fantastic one that leads to great conversations. I came across a book of 3,000 WYR questions the other day that I was very tempted to purchase! We’ve had some fun discussions with that game.

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How do you make the most of your road trips?

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A Day in DC

Road trips are what we excel at. I have lost count of the miles we have travelled by car across North America. 30 hour drives no longer phase us, so when something is a 10 hour drive, it's a short trip for us. We set out for Maryland on a bright, sunny morning and decided to explore D.C. before we had to be at some meetings for the week.

It was the perfect, sunshiny day! Have you been to D.C.?

A Christmas Road Trip

It has been a few years since I have had the privilege of a quiet Christmas at home with family. Instead, the season of late has entailed long car rides and desperate attempts to find open gas stations and food joints on Christmas Day. 

This year, while we did get to be with family (on both sides, I might add!), we did have to travel. It was not all bad and we saw a few different States, but I am looking forward to a traditional and quiet Christmas sometime soon!

Our trip actually started in Tennessee, but we didn't really document it. Chatanooga was as beautiful as ever. The warm Florida sun was a nice change from the cold Winter we left behind. We revisited the Kennedy Space Center, saw some pretty lakes, and enjoyed time with family.

I also saw my very first snake in person - and it was far enough away that I didn't faint, crack my head open and make it easy for it to eat me #irrationalfears 

We can definitely talk about this giant mug I got for Christmas. HOW GREAT IS IT?! Funny story, I actually got two! Everyone must really know I love huge mugs :)

New Orleans was not my favourite city, but there were a few interesting things to see; the architecture and Mississippi River to name a few. We even went on a steamboat ride, which was quite the adventure. But pray for New Orleans.

Galveston was terribly foggy the day we went but was still a sight to behold. It turned into a dolphin-sighting chase when some fishermen told my in-laws they had seen some. We ended up driving to a few different spots to see what we could see, but there were none to be found. 

And what is a trip to Texas without stopping at the Silos?! I made an extra excursion of 6 hours with my mother-in-law and met up with a friend in Waco. Magnolia was everything I dreamed of - and more; it was totally worth it.  

Two weeks on the road made us truly appreciate being home. As much as we enjoy roadtrips, we were glad to be back safely in the end.