The
Art of Planning a Road Trip
Pack
Your Toothbrush - And a Sense of Adventure:
I have a tendency to think that "Planning"
and "Road Trips" are something of an oxymoron. Road
trips, by nature, are an adventure -- just a group of family members
or friends, maybe a dog or two, and the open road. But there are
a few things that I would suggest to anyone embarking on a road
trip.
Invest
in a good road atlas. There's no harm in getting lost -- that's
part of the adventure -- but a good atlas does more than show
you the way. National Geographic and Rand McNally both put out
wonderful vacation-oriented atlases that list popular (and not-so-popular)
attractions along the way.
Pack
yourself lots of goodies. Road trips are conducive to munchies
-- candy, cookies, or maybe celery and carrot sticks if you're
health conscious. Buy yourself a nice sized cooler bag. The Styrofoam
variety are inexpensive and easily found in your local supermarket
during summer months. And if you don't want to spend the money
on chemical ice packs, freeze water in self-sealing sandwich-sized
plastic bags. These work great -- they stay frozen for hours.
Buy bottles of soda, water, or juice instead of cans. This way
you can close them up when you're done.
Don't
forget the music. Make sure there's a variety. Even if you adore
Metallica or The Beatles, if you're on the road for a long time,
you're sure to get bored. Bring something to sing along to. And
make sure you bring something for everyone's musical tastes. No
fighting, now...
When
you're loading up the car, be sure to arrange things wisely. Put
the things you might need (sunglasses, snacks, CDs, maps) where
a passenger can easily access them. You won't want to have to
pull over constantly to find things.
Invest
in a few travel guides for the places you're planning to stop
at en route. They might cost you a few extra dollars, but they're
sure to be worth it. There are so many sights that you'd easily
overlook without a good travel book. "Eyewitness" books
are great for the major cities, and both "Rough Guides"
and "Moon" travel books are great for someone on a limited
budget.
Browse
your local bookstore's general travel section. There are some
great, quirky sightseeing books on the shelves. Interested in
factories, try "See it Made in the USA", which lists
numerous manufacturing plants that offer tours, including Crayola.
There are many books geared towards specific interests such as
zoos, amusement parks, tombstones, the Civil War, etc. There are
books on small museums, small art towns, festivals, and trains.
You'll be amazed, so feel free to browse. Along those lines, Discovery
Channel has out a series of books which are wonderfully original
for someone planning a vacation -- including books on dinosaur
digs, American safaris, whale watching, and haunted locations.
And
one serious note -- if you're going on a long road trip, make
sure to have your car checked out thoroughly before you go. You
certainly wouldn't want to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere.
If you have a cell phone, charge it and bring it with you (charger
as well). But don't talk while you're driving. It's just bad manners
in addition to being a great hazard, and in many areas it's also
illegal without a hands-free headpiece.
Most
importantly, bring your sense of adventure. Inevitably you'll
forget to pack something, but that's what stores are for. Stopping
to buy toothpaste isn't the end of the world Just enjoy, and be
open to what the road brings. You can't fully plan a road trip
-- but you can take the driver's seat when it comes to enjoying
it.
Lisa
A. Koosis is an author on Writing.Com
which is accessible by anyone.
Article
Source: EzineArticles
