Sharing Some Tips for a Road Trip
Invest in a comfortable car. And only drive 300-400 miles a day.
At first I was reluctant. But a comfortable car makes all the difference in the world. And after a full day on the road - you WILL be tired.
Plan really far in advance - as much as 5-6 months!
We can’t figure out if it’s because of covid, but demand for house rentals and hotels is greater than we have ever experienced and we’ve been at this a long time! We are planning places to stay 5-6 months out and often finding inventory to be very low. The trade-off is that there is often very little ability to change reservations. Insurance sometimes helps (especially if you get sick), but may not cover the reason you decide to cancel (plans change anyone?). It’s a tricky balance.
Small quantities only.
While it may be more practical and cost effective to buy larger quantities (or bulk), all those extras take up space in the car. What’s more, it gets really tiresome hauling it all in and out of hotels, airbnb’s etc.
Stay flexible - situations change.
We’ve had to “pivot” from our original plans a couple of times. Most recently a house we rented for a month had mold - a real show stopper! So we talked to the owner (and got our money back), but then had no place to go during a very busy season. We cobbled together several 5-10 day adventures. On the plus side, good things sometimes come out of plans that change. We fell into a day long (4 guests only) guided tour of Mobile Bay by Ben Raines, discoverer of the Clothilde - the last boat to carry slaves to the US. Simply marvelous.
Don’t Ship to Your Next Location until You Arrive.
Shopping online is usually pretty easy these days and it can be tempting to ship in advance, anticipating that the package will arrive shortly after you do. But don’t - just in case your plans change (even if you are absolutely convinced they won”t) because you never know. Just wait till you arrive and go from there.
Prepare to be Disappointed (and Hungry)!
We were surprised to find that we actually did not care for some of the places we visited. The tourist information sometimes made the town/city/park sound like the best place ever. We were sometimes profoundly disappointed (SC State Parks come to mind - shaby and overused.)
And we went hungry in several places because the restaurants closed early or the city was a ghost town with nothing open. Carry protein bars or other snacks and water and learn to let it go.
Plan to Alternate House/Hotel Stays
For multi-month road trips, it helps to alternate staying in houses/apartments with hotels. Houses give you the ability to spread out, have more space, do laundry (pick houses with a washer/dryer) and cook meals. And if you’re in need of a rest from extensive driving or intense sightseeing we have found that houses are typically more comfortable.
Build in Time for Rest, Attending to Business & Planning Future Excursions
We have found that we need downtime to rest, veg and take care of business (banking, etc.) after very long drives or intense daily sightseeing - the kind you do when you’re working and on vacation and don’t want to miss anything for the short time you’re away. And it helps to have a house to stay in when you need this time.
Limit your Clothing Requirements
Try to take as little as possible. You will get tired of packing and unpacking the car - even after a month!
Carry a Portable Printer and Stationary Kit
We regularly needed a printer for many reasons. So we bought a small printer that’s about the size of a shoebox and easy to use. And we always carry a little see-through plastic tote bag with scissors, tape, a stapler, pens, markers and an extra print cartridge. It’s been indispensable!
Use Clear Plastic Tote Bags
We use bags of different sizes to carry stationary, vitamins, exercise equipment. They tend to be small so you can tuck them in spaces in the car where a larger bag might not fit.
Make a Checklist of Your Luggage and Bags
We have a checklist we review when we pack the car to make sure we’ve got everything. It’s very easy to overlook a small bag when you’re moving around a lot (and you’re whole life is pretty much in the car) and the checklist helps!
Buy Travel Insurance As Soon as You Book!
If you’re planning a trip with a significant and non-refundable cost several months out, be sure you buy travel insurance IMMEDIATELY after you book the trip. The longer you wait, the more it costs and there are likely to be “look-back” periods on your health - if that matters.
If you’re planning on traveling to Canada, get health insurance for the duration of the trip.
Researching Future Excursions Takes Time! A Whole Lot of Time!
Ok, so you’re going to be in a certain place for a certain number of days. Now, what are you going to go see? Research to understand that’s on offer, what’s most appealing, what requires advance ticketing, what the open hours are, etc., takes an extraordinary amount of time. And the more places you visit, the more time you need to plan for the visits. We have found that a month or more in one city provides ample opportunity to have downtime, engage in future planning AND enjoy the place we’re in.
Expect Decision Fatigue
We have found that decisions about where to go, then where to stay and then what sites to see can be exhausting! A good problem to have but a problem nonetheless.
Carry a Scale
Site seeing nearly always involves eating out at least once. Helpful to keep track…..