Top 5 Things to Do on a Road Trip

Whether it is during the height of a hot summer or a crisp winter, whether spring flowers are blooming or the fall colors are starting to show, there is nothing quite like the feeling of taking a long, scenic drive across the country. It’s part of what makes a road trip so much fun. While there are few people who enjoy the long hours and cramped leg room that comes with flying, a road trip vacation is all about the journey. But road trips are only good if you do them right, and sometimes it takes a few fresh ideas to keep things interesting along the way. Here are five things that are guaranteed to make your road trip special.

1. Find a quirky roadside attraction

You may think that you are driving in the middle of nowhere, but often the best things to see and do are in the places that you least expect. Take a few minutes before you leave to research some of the best and most quirky roadside attractions that will come along your route. There are also a few great apps that you can download that will help you to find them along the way.

2. Eat at unique places

While it is easy and safe to stop at the nearest McDonald’s and grab yet another Big Mac, to make your road trip truly special, step outside of the box and try some unique restaurants and unfamiliar cuisine. There are apps such as Foodspotting and OpenTable that can help you as you search for these hole-in-the-wall places, and they will even include ratings from other travelers.

3. Get to know your road trip companions

Often you take a road trip with friends and family, but sometimes road trips just happen–when you are driving home from college, for example, and you don’t know your companions very well. But when you are stuck in a moving vehicle for a few hours, there is no better way to get to know another person. You can play “hot seat” or a similar game, and even if you think you know each other, you might be surprised at what you learn.

4. Invent a new game

Or you could just play a game to pass the time. Have fun by coming up with a game together, and discussing the ins and outs of it as you go.

5. Collect things

It is inevitable that you will make a fair amount of pit stops along the way; rather than filling up the car and leaving, take some time to wander around and see what you can find. Try and collect something interesting or unique from each place that you stop, and maybe have a competition with your road trip companions to see who can collect the weirdest or coolest things.

For more tips like these, visit our Road Trip Planner. Also, don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a Blu-Ray player in our Halloween giveaway–visit Facebook for the details!