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.
Have a safe road trip, and crank up the radio!
- 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!
- 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.
- Sunglasses: even if you bring a cheap pair, sunglasses will help when you're stuck on a long drive into the bright sun.
- Trash bag: bring a plastic bag for your trash from snacks, toll receipts, etc. that pile up during the day.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
