Road trips can be both the best and the worst way to get away for a while. One minute, you’re taking in the beauty of a city you’ve never seen, and the next you’re sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic along the interstate trying not to argue with the person in the passenger seat.
Things can get even more complicated when that person is your best friend, or a significant other. Still, you shouldn’t let the possibility of a spat get in the way of what would otherwise be a great adventure. Sharing memories (good and bad) with the people you care about most will bring you closer together and leave you with things to reminisce on years later.
Try these tips on your next girls’ trip, and remember to enjoy yourself.
Put your planner down:
Sometimes you can schedule so much stuff for your trip that it becomes a hassle to do it all. Yes, I get that you’re excited to drive right by 10 attractions in one city, but that doesn’t mean you should hit them all on the way to your destination. People have different ideas of fun, and unless you and your bestie or S.O. are having meetings to plan the trip together, someone is going to be disappointed. Throw your schedule out of the window (metaphorically, of course, littering on the highway is illegal) and go where you can as slowly or as quickly as you want. You can still have an idea of the places you have to see, but you should leave time to discover totally new places with your BFF. Finding good road-side stops requires spontaneity, and Google can’t help you schedule everything.
Don’t Stress:
Like Jesse McCartney said back in the day, “Don’t stress, don’t stress, don’t stress.” Calm down. A road trip isn’t a race, and stressing about getting somewhere (unless you have reservations) won’t get you there faster. During my last road trip, a friend and I were delayed almost five hours because of wrecks and a rain storm. We spent half of our trip lost and even pulled in to a gas station that was almost completely out of gas. Though our situation seemed irredeemable at that point, we enjoyed ourselves. We could have turned on each other, but instead we kept calm and updated our hotel on our arrival time. When people are stressed out, they’re not the best to be around. There’s nowhere to go when you’re both stuck in a car together for hours, so it’s best to sit back and realize that your partner can’t do anything about the delay. Because my friend and I made the conscious decision to make the best of our situation, we never fought and we kept the trip moving smoothly.
Enjoy your time:
You may not get a chance to take trips like this very often or even ever. Make yourself comfortable on the ride however you want. Play your favorite songs, eat your favorite snacks and have fun. Don’t bury yourself in your phone or school work or even in a book during the ride. Think of this as an opportunity to unplug completely and just enjoy who you’re with. Enjoy your friendship or relationship, and stop wherever you can to appreciate nature or architecture or good food. A road trip can be a great time to truly reconnect with the people you care about and reminisce on the times you’ve already had. You might even take this time to catch up and learn something new about the person you’re with. If any trip pushes a person to be their true selves, it’s a road trip. Life is about the journey after all, and this is part of it.