Everyone knows that sitting in a hot car for hours on end with the wrong people always leads to disaster. Heck, even with the right people random arguments tend to appear.
However, every road trip doesn’t have to end in meaningless fights about the AC, or arguments about when to stop for gas next. With the right factors, any road trip can become a great memory down the line. If road trips weren’t any fun, why would people go on them anyways?
The Right Route
Some people can handle ten hours of driving at a time, while others can only stomach six or so. Considering this, when planning a road trip it’s never a bad idea to consider how the total drive time can be split up to make the drive entertaining, but also reasonable when it comes to days off work or school. Good road trip routes usually include sightseeing attractions, planned places to stay the night, and spur of the moment dive restaurants.
Getting the Squad Together
Choosing the right people for the trip can prove to be one of the most difficult parts of planning a successful vacation. Although one of your best friends might be tolerable from time to time, planning a four-day long drive with your buddy, who’s a die hard Shane Dawson stan, may prove to be the wrong call about 5 hours into the trip, or at the point where you are much too far along to turn the car around.
Signature Soundtrack
Aside from having a good group, having a jam-able playlist is everything to taking a good road trip. As tempting as it may be to play your own, superior music for a whole ten hour span of driving, not everyone is a hopeless male manipulator who wants to listen to Radiohead, The Smiths, and Car Seat Headrest.
If your group doesn’t have time to make a shared playlist, Spotify has a handy little “shared session” function that allows for multiple people to be on the AUX at once. Essentially, this allows everyone to have a say in the queue, and they can line up music from their own devices.
However, as time goes on on the road, it’s evident that everyone’s eyelids will start to feel heavy, and the urge to slide on sleeping masks will begin to set in. Although nap-taking is a great pastime on the road, the designated driver doesn’t have the luxury of lounging around in the back seat and resting their eyes for a while.
Essentially, choosing soft, relaxing music isn’t the move if you’re interested in having an attentive driver. If you notice your driver starting to lean a little too far back into their seat, or tapping their fingers against the steering wheel more often than normal, it might be a good time to offer them the aux cord for some energetic tracks. Another good tip is that the person in the passenger seat shouldn’t fall asleep. In my family, their job is to keep the driver awake and handle any snacks or drinks.
On the topic of Spotify playlists, if you’re looking for a mix of energetic and sing-your-heart-out songs, the Paw Print staff have created several playlists for everyone to enjoy.
Cars can “wreck” your time on the road.
Now, when it comes to choosing the primary driver, it’s important to consider which vehicle will be best for your group. Sure it’s cool that your best friend drives some subcompact car, but that might not be the right call for a group of four and several suitcases. It’s also important to divide up the cost of gas equally, or any other vehicle related expenses because those costs add up quickly when it comes to road tripping.
On the Road Cuisine
Last but not least, having yummy snacks can make or break your road trip. Be sure to choose a variety of snacks, including options with limited refined sugars. Right now, my friends and I are completely gripped by the strawberry sweet tart ropes. By gripped, I mean we get these things for every social event.
Aside from that, it’s never a bad idea to have some energy drinks on hand for everyone in the car. Whether that’s a cooler full or one per person, energy drinks can come in handy when everyone starts to feel drowsy, or anytime someone is looking for a quick pick me up. However, the deliciousness of energy drinks should always be accompanied by water, as caffeinated beverages can quickly lead to dehydration.
At any rate, the perfect spring road trip is made up of far more than a route from point A to point B. Whether your spring vacation is through the pacific northwest or a quick drive to park city, there are memories to be made everywhere.
