The Ultimate Summer Road Trip

Maggie O'Hara, Assistant Editor

As Summer draws near, seniors are starting to think about their next great adventure before they continue on towards adulthood and start college. Many of them are looking to hit the road. Going on a road trip is a classic way to celebrate finally graduating, strengthen the bonds with your friends, and even explore the country. Here’s a guide to planning and executing the best Summer road trip ever.

How to get started:

Since Summer is so short, especially for underclassmen who plan to play sports in the fall, the ultimate Summer road trip may have to be cut a little short. Lucky for you, websites like roadtrippers.com can help you to customize all aspects of your adventure.

Talk to your parents and see how far they will allow you to go. Planning your trip will rely heavily on the location you choose to visit and what you’re looking to do. Whether your ideal adventure is a short day trip to the beaches of Maine, or to visit your family in Virginia, lots of planning will be necessary before embarking.

Do your research. Make sure to read about the places you’re going, look at the directions before you leave, and try to plan your stops and refueling times around interesting attractions.

What to Bring:

Make sure to look into how long you will be on the road in order to know how many days worth of clothes to pack. Packing light is ideal so that the car doesn’t get overstuffed. Also, make sure to map out all of the spots before hand that you will have available sinks or washing machines to clean your dirty clothes.

You are going to want  some snacks for the road. Stocking up on snacks will allow you and your pals to drive farther distances without worrying about when to stop when your tummy rumbles. Plus, it’s a great money saver. Food will also keep passengers calm and happy — preventing the “you’re not you when you’re hungry” feeling that Snickers describes in its ads.

Driving across the country is a fun way to make the dog days of Summer pass by, but it gets a little boring when you’re by yourself. Bringing friends along not only allows for a great pastime while rolling down the highway, but it helps to ease the blow of the driving. With multiple drivers, your Summer road trip will be more efficient and consequently shorter if you have more passengers with licenses packed into the car.

Bring a map. Yes, it might seem medieval or even prehistoric, but when your phone dies driving down I-95 or you use up all of your data for the month, it will save you from driving into the middle of nowhere.

When to go:

Go now. Or, maybe wait until all of your finals are done. One of the best things about road trips is that they can be spontaneous and don’t have to be planned too far in advance; no plane tickets to worry about, and there’s no hassle if you decide to add another stop or extend your stay.

Take off work for the weekend, talk to your friends and family, and get driving!