Your Guide to the Ultimate Summer Road Trip
Summer is officially in full swing, and you know what that means: It’s road trip time! Pull out the cheap sunglasses and prepare the playlists, because you’re about to feel the good vibes and embark on the best trip of the year. Where you go is up to you! We’re partial to a trip down the Pacific Coast, from Canada to Mexico, as you can take in the sights from border to border.
Wherever your travels take you, here are 4 questions to ask before putting the pedal down and hitting the open road:
How spontaneous do you want to be?
Depending on your travelers collected preferences, your trip can be as planned or unplanned as you’d like. It’s important to determine if your gang is more of the go-with-the-flow type, or if they like to have their day’s itinerary the night before. Figure out things that each person really wants to do, and keep the rest as rigid or spontaneous as you’d like. Keep in mind, whether your stops are planned are not, try to connect with the local community wherever you go to get the most out of each day.
Who’s the navigator?
Plan out your start and end locations and appoint someone to be the official navigator. Without a designated navigator, things can easily go awry with everyone thinking someone else is looking to the map for directions.
Where are the best local spots?
Ask around at various stops on your road trip to find out the best local hangouts you have to try. No one wants to eat at an average chain restaurant when they can get the best barbecue of their lives next door! Support local all the way down the line and you’re sure to get the most out of the experience. For example, you’d never find the Swanton Berry Farm in Northern California—the cutest organic U-pick farm stand you ever did see, which still uses the honor system as a payment model—if you stopped at the mega grocery store right before.
What lens do you want to view this trip from?
Too often do we view life through the lens of our smartphones rather than through our eyes. Road trips are all about putting the camera away for a while and really appreciating every moment of time spent with friends and family. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use technology! There are many sites that can help enhance your road trip. For example, you can use GetAssist to join local communities along your journey and poll people on the best places to see and things to do! (Check out the “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” Community with a FREE Social Membership on GetAssist) You can also use resources like the RoadTrippers app, which allows you to find road trip classic destinations and prepares itineraries for you with ease.
What’s next on your destination bucket list? Sign up for GetAssist and create your own road trip community! Trade routes, swap stories, and plan the best stops for your next adventure on the road!
