Tips for Road Trips

I can honestly say that this trip was the best thing I have ever done. Not only did I have the opportunity to spend a top of quality time with my dad, I discovered the beauty of my country. It gave me a new perspective of places I never would have dreamed of visiting and ignited a desire to see the states we could not fit in this trip. I have compiled a list of things to consider when planning a road trip to help encourage others to do the uncommon.

1. Be your own Travel Agent: Pick a route and invest in some maps or a good computer program that will help you plan out and execute a successful trip. Visit the tourism sites of the areas you will be visiting to get ideas.
2. Know that you are going to miss some things: Some people don't like planning road trips and I know I am a bit of an "over-planner". But if you decide to do some research and figure out what site you want to see, recognize that that day when you hit two time zones you might have to skip a few things.
3. Invest in a good GPS: My one caveat to this is that you will always know where you are, you just won't know how you got there. That being said, it really saved us in Tennessee and Virginia where the roads can be terribly confusing and aren't always labeled.
4. Be a penny pincher: Ship around for good hotel rates and research what restaurants are going to be nearby your route/hotel. Knowing these things ahead of time can help you save your money and your waist. A road trip is not about spending money, its about exploring. A lot of the best things we saw on our trip were free or very cheap.
5. Leave your prejudices at home: Or at least try to. Yes Texas and Arkansas and Oklahoma evoke all sorts of "exciting" images, but try to have an open mind. I was constantly surprised. Some of the most beautiful parts of our country is designated as "flyover".
6. Go with someone you know you aren't going to fight with: I know this can be difficult to plan ahead, but I knew from the moment this idea came to me that I could do this with no one but my dad. He and I are alike enough that we share the same interests and easy going enough that neither of us stressed out a moment of the trip. Even though I had done a lot of the planning, when we had to cut things out I was okay just going with it and he was okay letting me be the travel guide. It would not have been the same if I went with anyone else.
7. Have fun! Sees the most obvious, but just remember to focus on why you are on this trip. Whether it is exploration, reconnecting with a loved one or learning about something new, don't forget why you are there!