7 Ways to Make the Most of Your Road Trip

An ideal road trip is exciting, full of new experiences and carefree adventures. Unfortunately, spending days on end trying to navigate your way across the state or even across the country isn’t always as glamorous as it’s made out to be. Especially if you’re someone who is prone to travel anxiety, the thought of a road trip might fill you with more stress than excitement.

Planning and embarking on your upcoming road trip doesn’t have to be so stressful. Keep reading to learn how to pack smart, plan well, relax and have fun to make the most of your road trip no matter where your destination takes you. Pack up your Mazda and get going with these tips to make the most of your road trip.

Pack Only the Essentials

Try to pack light when you’re headed on a road trip. Overpacking can make your car feel uncomfortably squished, and no one wants to spend hours on end in a crowded, claustrophobic car. However, there are certain things that are absolutely essential to bring with you on any road trip.

A few essentials you might not think to pack include: a paper map, a flashlight, and over the counter painkillers like ibuprofen. A paper map will be your savior if your phone dies in the car or you’re driving through a low-service area. You’ll thank yourself for bringing a flashlight if the lights inside your car malfunction at night, or if you have to get out of your car in the dark in an area that is not well-lit. Headaches and muscle soreness are common side effects of riding in a car all day long for multiple days in a row. Having painkillers on hand in the car helps provide the quick relief you might need.

Get a Car Trash Can

If you don’t already have a trash can in your car, get one before your next road trip. It’s amazing how quickly trash accumulates when you spend so many hours in the car every day. Having a trash can available in your car encourages all passengers to dispose of their trash immediately and prevents piles of trash from collecting in your backseat. Plus, emptying a small car trash can when you stop at a rest stop or gas station is much more convenient than rooting around the entire car trying to round up loose trash to throw away. Search our site for other Mazda accessories to use on your trip!

Embrace Tourist Attractions

Don’t worry about being “basic” by stopping off at popular tourist attractions along your road trip route. Doing and seeing silly, tourist-y things will likely become some of the most memorable moments of your trip.

Plus, roadside attractions targeted at road-tripping tourists are usually right by the main highway; you won’t have to deviate too far from your route to enjoy them. So if you get the urge to take pictures in front of the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Kansas or the Paul Bunyan Statue in Minnesota, don’t hesitate.

Turn Off Your GPS

Using the GPS on your smartphone is the most practical and accurate way to get where you want to go on your road trip. However, when you take a break from the highway and want to explore an unfamiliar town or city just for fun, try turning off your GPS and driving without direction.

Relax and give yourself the opportunity to explore your surroundings more freely. You might be surprised at the interesting places you discover when you’re not mindlessly following automated directions to a specific destination.

Bring Snacks

Gorging on silly snacks in the car is half the fun of any road trip. Be carefree with the snacks you bring, and don’t worry too much about whether or not they’re healthy. In addition to fun junk food and sweets, however, make sure you pack some fruit and healthy protein as well to keep energy levels high.

Before you hit the highway each morning, stop off at a gas station or grocery store to restock your daily snacks. When you see little food stands and markets on the side of the road, take the time to stop and buy something interesting that you might not normally consider. It’s tough to feel stressed or agitated in the car when you have a pile of yummy snacks to try in front of you.

Skip the Motels

In the past, motels offered the most convenient, cost-effective accommodations for road-trippers. Now, Airbnb is giving classic motels a run for their money. Some Airbnb rentals are even cheaper than budget motels.

A motel might offer you a bed to stretch out on and the hot shower you’ve been craving, but there’s nothing particularly notable or interesting about staying in a Motel 6 right off the highway. Plus, staying in identical chain motels night after night while you’re road
tripping gets very stale very fast. Take advantage of Airbnb and similar companies to find charming rental options that are more personal and offer a more authentic feel for wherever you’re staying than a chain motel ever could.

Lower Monthly Payments

The average monthly payment for a driver who is leasing a car is approximately $100 less than the monthly payment for someone who is paying off a car loan.

You can find tons of Airbnbs virtually anywhere you go. Choose between multiple housing options—including a cost-effective single room within a house, a private house or apartment, or a guest house—to find the one that best fits your budget and needs. Every Airbnb is totally unique, so you’ll always have a new and exciting accommodation that you can look forward to exploring every night during your trip.

Don’t Rush It

Planning your road trip carefully is important to minimize the stress of your trip and make sure you actually make it to your final destination in a timely manner. However, you should also try to leave some room in your road trip schedule so you don’t feel rushed. Whether you hit more traffic than you expected or find a roadside attraction you just can’t resist exploring, your road trip progress is likely to get delayed at some point. Plus, some of the most memorable parts of your trip will probably end up being spontaneous activities that you didn’t even plan.

Sticking to a rigid timeline takes away your opportunities to make these memories and raises your stress levels. If you need to get to your final destination by a very specific date, hit the road a full day or two earlier than you think you need to and spend your extra time leisurely exploring.