Road Trip!!

During the pandemic travelling by air, rail and other forms of public transit was a cesspool of potential contamination and possible death. Despite that fear people still wanted, or needed, to get around; to check on family, get to work or when possible enjoy some time outside of their home.  The result was that many people got back into the habit of driving.

Now that the pandemic is pretty much behind us some people are choosing to drive to avoid the chaos of airports and train stations.  Add to that the availability of technology supported route guidance and many people find driving easier, cheaper and safer.

Back in the day, before GPS were commonplace in most vehicles or on cell phone apps we would drive using paper maps, our route highlighted to make it easier to follow.  It was only a slight step forward when we could print our directions off MapQuest.  One wrong turn however and we could be lost for hours.  Now we just punch in our destination and the GPS does all the work.  Even when we get off the planned route it will recalculate to get us back on track.

Some of the advantages of driving is that the journey becomes a part of your travels, with an opportunity to see more of the country both here in Canada and into the United States.  You also travel on your own schedule and in many cases it can be less expensive than air travel.  If you have a large party then a road trip is definitely cheaper than flying.

The additional time it takes to drive somewhere, such as when we went to Florida, can be a huge disadvantage if your vacation time is limited. It does work better when you are retired.    You need to have a reliable vehicle and I cannot recommend a CAA membership enough as well. Weather can also be an issue when you travel during the winter months.

Some of our tips for a great road trip are;

• Pack a lunch and snacks for the road to save costs and to help avoid lengthy expensive stops for fast food. Have plenty of water as well.  This may increase your roadside stops but every gas station off the major highways have clean restrooms for travelers.
• Take along activities to help avoid boredom, especially for the children.  Download movies, favourite television shows or music to listen to.  Even adults will enjoy a good comedy or their favourite band.
• If you are travelling into the United States be sure to know customs and duty free limits upon your return to Canada. Be aware as well with what you can take into another country.  Avoid adding fruits to your packed lunch as they will be confiscated. Have all of the correct government issued identification at the ready.  Passports are the easiest and accepted everywhere.
• Leave time in your schedule for unforeseen delays.  Weather is just one example.  Accidents, construction and congested city traffic will all slow you down as well.
• We pre-book a place to stay just off the highway.  This gives us an address to drive towards and ensures we have a place to sleep.  You can decide for yourself how far you are comfortable driving in a day and plan accordingly. I use a booking site such as Expedia to find a hotel so that I can check customer reviews and plan based on the surrounding restaurants and shopping.

We shared the driving between us, making sure that we switched up every two to three hours, usually just as we needed to stop for gas.  For us it was a way to unwind and really get to talk to each other after the busy holiday season. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the time on the road, the beautiful scenery and friendly folks that we met along the way. I am totally up for the next road trip!