Call me crazy but I just love a road trip!  My family thinks I am nuts when I say it’s only about a 15 hour drive.  I think it goes back to my childhood when we would pack up the family van each spring and hit I-95 headed to Florida. Ok so my Jetta is nothing like our old van but it is still a fun drive. Now that I live down in Florida my road trip starts out going the opposite direction but the return trip always reminds of that drive from my childhood. I am always looking for those South of the Border billboards that seemed to perk up the middle of the drive. For some reason they don’t seem as cool as they did when I was a kid though.  Two nice things I noticed on my most recent drive were that gas prices went down as we went south and there didn’t seem to be as much construction as there used to be.   For those of you that are thinking about taking a road trip here are some things I have learned over the years. 

First always have your car serviced before any road trip.  Then go online and map your route and while you are at it look for anything that would make an interesting stop.  Now on to packing the car.  Be sure any little ones have enough space.  I only have one child so he gets the whole back seat to himself, but I do remember all the too close for comfort times with my brother and sister when we were kids.  A little extra room can go a long way on a raod trip.  Be sure to pack plenty of activities to keep the kids busy - DVD players and hand held games are tops on our list.  Try to have a few surprises that you can pull at crucial times during the trip.  A new toy or book or even a favorite treat can work wonders.  My best tip is to start the drive at night.   Sleeping through half the drive will always make the trip seem shorter (of course that doesn’t count for the driver) 

You are going to need to make pit stops and take it from me the rest areas you come across on I 95 are usually your best bet for bathrooms.  I have tried gas station and fast food rest rooms before and they can be pretty bad.  The rest areas (especially in the south) also have nice pinic areas that make great places to take a break from the drive, enjoy the freah air, and stretch your legs.  If you happen to have packed a picnic even better!  If your furry four legged friend is traveling with you, like ours did a few times, these areas also have a spot just for furry friends to stretch thier legs and take care of business.    Food is the other thing you just can’t do without.  Fast food seems to go with a road trip but my favorite road trip food stop isn’t a drive through it is Cracker Barrell.   To me there is one way to descride the food - comfort food!  There are plenty of Crackel Barrells along 95 just look for the tall sign and a place with lots of rocking chairs out front. 

My last tip is to just have fun and enjoy the road - you are on vacation so don’t stress about traffic or getting soemwhere by a certian time - just turn up the radio, sing along, and remember Life is a Highway!

Coleen

coleen@MEI-Travel.com

Call me crazy but I just love a road trip!  My family thinks I am nuts when I say it’s only about a 15 hour drive.  I think it goes back to my childhood when we would pack up the family van each spring and hit I-95 headed to Florida. < more... >