On road trips, dedicate a small bag to trash.
Even people who normally do not eat or drink in the car will likely do so when driving all day long, and the trash piles up quickly.
Bonus points for a separate recycling bag.
[Photo: Flickr | shioshvili]
If traveling with another adult and children, change seats from time to time.
Swapping seats gives the grown-up a new perspective … and makes the child feel important for sitting in the seats normally reserved for “Mom” or “Dad.”
Finally, it also gives everyone a chance to have different conversations and makes the trip more fun.
Stock your console with a few handfuls of change.
Loose quarters, dimes, and nickels can be used to pay for toll road travel, might come in handy if your cell phone battery dies and you need to make an emergency call, or if you need a late-night cup of coffee from a gas station to keep you going just one more hour down the road.
You’ll also be glad you brought along loose change if you need to make an unscheduled stop at a carwash or Laundromat — like when you spill that cup of coffee in your lap.
You’ve packed your bags, prepared some snacks and even went so far as to tell your family you were heading out of town. (How thoughtful!) But did you remember to clean out your car?
A little dust and grime isn’t too bad for a short trip, but leftover fast food bags and a pile of stuff cascading over the back seat can turn a road trip into a nightmare-on-wheels pretty quickly.
Instead of dealing with foul smells, swirling dog hair, or dusty air, treat yourself to a clean car the next time you plan a road trip. Get rid of all the trash, clean the windows, and vacuum the seats. A little effort can make a big difference in the quality of your road trip.
And you may even arrive at your destination without the need to shower immediately.
Quirky roadside attractions can often be the part of the trip you remember most!
You might recall the movie Michael, where an angel wreaked havoc upon his fellow travelers until they relented and allowed him to visit The World’s Largest Ball of Twine. Talk about the spirit of the Great American Road Trip!
Research your route well, and plan to visit at least one — or maybe several! — unusual attractions along the way for an unforgettable road trip experience. Roadside America, a definitive guide to offbeat American attractions, lists thousands of offbeat destinations. Plan ahead, and you’ll never miss such wonders as the Museum of Stripping or Mystery Hill.
Bonus: when you reach your destination, you’ll actually have an interesting story to share with the people at that end.