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The warm weather is finally here. Spring seemed to take its sweet time getting here this year and now that it’s finally arrived we’re all ready to get out there and explore.
One of the best ways to do just that is the All American road trip. Some of us have fond memories of being crammed into the back seat of a sedan or station wagon to take that once a summer long-haul road trip. Cries of “she’s touching me” and “he’s looking at me” and the ever favorite “are we there yet?” punctuated the journey that we thought would never end.
But the payoff, once we arrived at our destination, was always worth it. Seeing beautiful sites, swimming in hotel pools, camping in the woods all made us forget about the bickering and boredom of the backseat.
As we enter that road trip season once again we’d like to share a few tips to help make the trek a bit more fun.
Safety & Comfort
Before heading down the road, making sure your vehicle is in roadworthy shape is definitely priority #1. Checking the oil, tire pressure and the spare tire are the basics. If you have a newer vehicle it’s likely you can run a diagnostic check right on your dashboard to be sure you’re good to go.
When we were heading to the Twin Cities our loaner vehicle was a Mitsubishi Outlander. This truly is a perfect road trip vehicle. With three rows of seats, there’s room for 6 or 7 people to have enough space not to worry about anyone “touching” each other. If you don’t need that extra row it quickly folds down for storage space. Even the second row of seats folds up separately if you need extra storage. Getting to the rear space is made easy with a remote power tailgate that easily opens and closes the door with just a push of a button.
The Outlander also has plenty of safety features that ensure a pleasant and easier drive.
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Multi-View Camera System
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Blind Spot Warning And Lane Change Assist
- Lane Departure Warning
- Auto High Beam Headlights
- Forward Collision Mitigation
- Rise Body Construction
Since we were traveling when it was still cold and snowy we appreciated all the extra comforts on the Outlander like the heated steering wheel and heated seats. The front windshield wiper also has a de-icer that keeps the blades from freezing to the windshield.
The side mirrors automatically fold in when you turn off the car ensuring no one will harm them if you’re in a tight-fitting spot.
Plan Ahead
Have a good idea of where exactly you’re going. Doing a bit of research might save you hours of time on the road. Construction, festivals and road closures can make a drive frustrating and long. Reach out to local convention and visitors bureaus (CVB) of the destinations you are visiting. Most states have really comprehensive websites with local events, festivals, dining recommendations, accommodations and more. For example, we checked out VisitRoseville.com before our trip to the Twin Cities. That’s when we discovered that the Como Conservatory was having its Spring Flower Show the weekend we were visiting.
Also, check out the tourist information stops or offices. Most are clearly marked with road signs. Here you can often find free maps, ideas on what to see and do and discount coupons to attractions and local businesses.
Entertainment
These days with our ever-shrinking attention spans having entertainment while you’re on the road is a must. The Outlander does a lot of heavy lifting on this front.
The large 7″ touchscreen on the dashboard makes it easy to connect your smartphone to Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. If you’re a Stereophile you’ll appreciate the premium Rockford Fosgate sound system. With the latest in audio tech, you can have a dance party in the car or enjoy your favorite podcasts and audiobooks. The 710 watt sound system has nine speakers, which include a 10-inch dual voice coil subwoofer. You’ll get a deeper bass and clear highs. We know we sure did!
Apps And Maps
Most people rely heavily on navigation apps like Google Maps not only to get to vacation spots but for saving time on day-to-day trips. Since we are usually looking for places of interest while we’re driving we often use one navigation on the car and another on one of our cell phones. The nav in the car keeps us informed of how long it takes to get to our final destination and the cell phone nav gets us to fun restaurants and attractions we might otherwise miss.
We often use the Waze app because it usually provides the quickest way to get to your destination. However, we always look ahead at the drop down directions to make sure it isn’t taking us too far out of the way. It also has a tendency to avoid traffic lights and will have you making a left onto a busy street without a light, which sometimes takes twice as long as just taking the first light.
The Outlander makes it easy to connect to all your favorite apps with one touch of a button.
Waze has another good feature, though. It lets you know when there are police up ahead, construction, cars stopped on the road and other traffic alerts. There are also ads for nearby restaurants, gas stations and more. You can add your own tips as well along your route making it a fun game. Just be sure your passenger is manning the navigation. Don’t adjust or change your navigation while driving. If you’re driving alone pull over at the nearest exit and do all your adjusting in a safe and secure area.
When Is A Map a Map
Call us old school but we also take a road atlas and maps in the car when we travel. If you lose a cell signal or simply want to see where you are on a larger format the old-fashioned yet practical maps work out quite well. I like to see what’s around where we’re going. Many a fun side trip has happened because of a paper map. It’s also a great way to find alternative more scenic routes.
There are so many apps to discover places to eat along the way. From snacks to Michelin starred restaurants you can find them all easily with a few taps on your smartphone. Some of the free apps we like to use are ChefsFeed, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Zagat and Open Table. As always, these are users’ opinions so you can’t take them all as fact. By checking multiple sources you’re likely to get a good idea of where you’d like to go.
If you’re looking for gas or a pit stop near you try Waze, Gas Buddy, PublicBathroomNearMe.com, or Flushd.
Prepare To Stop and Go
One of the things we love best about road trips are the fun and unexpected stops along the way. We will typically leave more than enough time so that we can stop and check out things that interest us. A small hand painted sign on the side of the road saying “alpaca farm this exit” is sure to get a visit from us.
State parks, covered bridges, chocolate shops, farmers markets and bakeries are all just a few of the unexpected stops we’re prepared to make along the way. When we don’t have an assignment to get to we often don’t even book a room in advance. That way we can stop overnight anywhere that interests us along the way.
One October, we traveled throughout France for 7 days with no reservations. Although it made this planner a bit nervous at the onset it turned out to be one of our best trips ever. We stayed at both 5-star resorts and just-off-the-highway budget hotels and enjoyed each one. Try the Hotel Tonight app for rooms that are currently available in the nearby area.
Just as soon as I say stop and take your time to enjoy the ride I will also say you should know when to move on. We’ve been on road trips around the world and sometimes more time at a destination is just not necessary. Maybe a place doesn’t interest you as much as you thought it would. Maybe you’re anxious to get to the next spot. Whatever the reason, remember that this is your trip. You control the timing and what you’re doing. Stop when you want, and go when you want, too.
You Gotta Eat & Drink
Last but not least, be sure to bring snacks and water in the car. We typically bring our refillable water bottles and fill them up along the way. We also bring coffee and tea to start the trip. We both like to get an early start when we’re road tripping. We bring energy bars, fruit, hard-boiled eggs and trail mix to get us started. We also bring other snacks both sweet and savory to satisfy just about any craving. I absolutely love Graze snack packs. They are small but packed with flavor and good for you foods. Easy to carry in your bag or purse, this snack will keep you from having to worry about getting hungry.
We have learned not to carry too many snacks. Some of you may be saying, no such thing. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve brought home snacks we thought we’d need. We have a tendency to stop at local bakeries, candy makers, roadside shacks and farmers markets.
Beyond the snacks, stopping at local restaurants and markets along the way is also a fun way to experience the local culture and take a break. We’ve spent hours combing through apps and other websites trying to find local gems. We still find the best places by simply getting off the road and looking for ourselves.
Get On The Road
Whether it’s a one-hour trip or a cross-country adventure get out there and see the world. I promise you’ll learn more about how much we all have in common. You’ll see the beautiful landscapes and bustling cityscapes. Talk to people, say hello. You just never know where the conversation will take you. You will learn and grow from the experience.
If you are looking to buy a car and would like more information about the Outlander be sure to check out Mitsubishicars.com.
Have a great trip!
We drove a Mitsubishi Outlander courtesy of DriveShop. All suggestions and endorsements are solely personal. Our policy is to only share and recommend what we personally like.
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24 Comments
You don’t have to talk me into a heated steering wheel! For road trips, do you listen to audio books?
I’d love to go on a road trip one day. And I’ll definitely keep your tips in mind 🙂
Louise x
Great tips for a road trip. We always prefer driving over flying, since it allows us to see more of the countryside. Just glad that the weather has warmed enough for some time on the road.
At the end of this month I am embarking on a three week, 3,500-mile, solo road trip, so I especially appreciated your tips. I’m with you on the maps. I use the GPS, but I love a paper map to plan ahead and get the big picture. Your other tips were right on target too. Great post!!
Sue, I used to love to take road trips. But then I became a travel writer, and the length of trips became an issue. It seems that I never have enough time to go slow. But I do love the thought of just meandering along with rush and an agenda.
Ooh we love a good road trip! The Outlander looks great and perfect for a road trip together!
Good advice. My best trips have been when I was moving cross-country.
We love to take road trips, I have two young boys but we always pack things to keep them entertained or stop at a park when we spot one.
My friends in Taiwan have a Mitsubishi (not sure if it’s an Outlander or not), but a great vehicle for road travel. Yes, you never know what you’re going to find on a road trip. This week I wrote about the Thai and Greek coming together in a tiny Nova Scotia farming community. Besides the apps (which are great), I also like to pick up local free papers. They can be a wealth of information.
We RVed for 8 years, full-time and it was such a great experience. And we visit our kids in Denver, Boise, Calgary and San Francisco via road trips. We can never have enough of them. We do all that you suggested.
The Outlander has an awesome amount of trunk space! Our number one tip for car trips is to have a lot of snacks, way more than you think you will need!
The idea of not having a very specific timeline sounds great for our family because I always want to make sporadic stops along the way. We have some amazing things to see between Arizona and California but never take the time to stop. We need to let loose and have some fun on a more spontaneous road trip this summer!
With our family of 5, flying can be crazy expensive so we are always down for a road trip! We went on one just a month ago and had a blast.
All super good planning ideas. I want to be prepare when we have summer road trips. Nothing like missing a good spot to stop!
We do a lot of traveling, and it is so important to have a vehicle that is safe and comfortable. The Outlander looks so stylish and has lots of great features, I’d love to try it out sometime.
I love road trips!! I have a small, crossover SUV and it’s perfect for pretty much any trip I take!! I love the cargo space in this SUV!
I have been wanting to go on a road trip with my husband for ages. I love all of your ideas and the Mitsubishi Outlander can’t be beat by the looks of it with all of its bells and whistles. Of course, safety is a number one positive but everything else that comes with it is by far inviting. Although we won’t be able to afford one right now, I would be happy to just get away in the car we have if it meant getting away lol.
Thanks for these tips. Traveling as a family of 7, 5 being kiddos is always stressful so we don’t do it much but your right when we finally hit our destination it is always worth it.
I’m so ready to take a road trip and I would love to take it in the Mitsubishi Outlander! That is one spacious , sweet, ride! Great post and I can’t wait to grab a few gaze snacks for when we hit the road soon.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is a sleek and stylish ride. Plenty of room for extra people, or, if it’s just you and your significant other, I like that the seats fold down for extra space. You have to respect the safety features included!
We just returned from a road trip. So much fun. Looks like a great car for going on a road trip
Good tips, with the weather warming up we need to start planning some good trips for long weekends I need to try some of those graze snacks which look so tasty.
That outlander does look like a nice vehicle. We love road trips. I’d like them better if we could relax some and not always rush to get places. 🙂
i love road trip, 3 month ago i went nepal from delhi by road even we have only two bikes for whole 13 day riding. Thanks for sharing your experience and tips. That’s the reason loving your blog.