Road Trip Tips

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, many people will be taking road trips to see family and friends.  We recently took two long road trips, driving for 10 hours each time from Boston to Washington, DC as part of our move.  Here are a few tips we will keep in mind for our next road trips.

1. Tolls:  there are a lot of tolls on long trips, so bring an E-Z Pass or cash with you. The E-Z Pass lets you skip long lines at the tolls, and the cash prevents you from stopping to get some or digging around on the floor!
   
2. Water:  bring a bottle of water or two, or preferably a reusable bottle that you can refill at a rest stop.  Sitting for hours without water can make you dehydrated, which will not help.
   
3. Sunglasses:  even if you bring a cheap pair, sunglasses will help when you're stuck on a long drive into the bright sun.
   
4. Trash bag:  bring a plastic bag for your trash from snacks, toll receipts, etc. that pile up during the day.
   
5. Phone charger:  we use this phone charger in the car, which allows us to use our phones for GPS and not run out of battery during the ride.
   
6. Truck lock:  if you are making a move in a big truck you rented, bring a truck lock.  It is important to keep your items safe when you stop or park overnight.  You can buy these at truck rental spots, but they will be cheaper elsewhere.
   
7. Rest stops:  if you only stop a few times along the way, you want the rest stop to have good food and caffeine options and to be clean!  We discovered a new Darien, Connecticut rest stop on Route 95.  It's by far the BEST rest stop I've ever been to -- the bathrooms are huge and clean, and they don't smell bad!  Big win.  You can use highway exits guides like this one to see what's available at each rest stop, including WiFi, ATM, picnic areas, gas, and rest rooms.  My favorite rest stop options?  Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks!

Have a safe road trip, and crank up the radio!

My Travel Musts

There are a few things that make travel easier for me. By sticking with these little tricks, I can focus more on the trip and less on what I might have forgotten or lost!  Here are some of my tricks, in no particular order:

1. Always have a big scarf, sweater, or long sleeve shirt for the airport -- either I'm wearing it to the airport, or it's in my carry on. Planes are often cold, and the extra warmth is almost always needed.

2. Place your carry on luggage onto the security belt LAST.  When I put my bags through the security check at the airport, I always put my carry on luggage last.  I take everything off the belt in order, and I won't forget the biggest piece of luggage I have!  That way, I won't forget something small on the security belt (like a cell phone or book).

3. Keep travel sizes of toiletries in a makeup bag, so they are ready to go when you're packing. Otherwise, I'm looking everywhere for shampoo or mini toothpaste, and I have to make a trip to the store to get something I probably already have in the house.  Here are the minis keep in the makeup bag: shampoo, conditioner, q-tips, band-aids, a few makeup minis, toothpaste, a comb, and a nail file.

4. Put in your carry-on or purse a snack that doesn't melt or get smushed easily.  Sometimes you find yourself unexpectedly stuck on a plane for 3 hours longer than you anticipated, and that snack can make you very happy! Good options include protein bars and nuts.

5. Have a designated place for your tickets/boarding passes.  My tickets are always in my wallet or book.  I don't put them anywhere else in my bags.  That way I always know where the tickets are!  It's nerve wracking looking through everything to find a boarding pass.  By keeping them in only 2 places, I cut down on stress and time spent looking for my tickets.

6. Make a list of things you need to remember the day you leave. I make a list of things I need to remember on a piece of paper, then leave it by my cell phone the night before I leave. As I'm packing and I remember little things that I need to make sure to do the day I leave, I can add them to the list.  For example: empty the trash, pack phone charger, water the plants.

I hope my travel musts are useful to you!