Imagine cruising down a highway with the windows down, music blaring. Two of your best friends sit in the front seats of the car and sing along obnoxiously to some Drake song you've never heard. You talk about the latest movies and albums that you're just obsessed with and occasionally have deep conversations while glancing at the scenery that surrounds you outside.

This is something that I recently experienced and it has been one of the greatest times of my life so far. My cousins and I decided that we needed to get away for a while, so we planned a road trip that would lead us to Estes Park, Colorado. The drive was approximately sixteen hours long, but there was never a moment that I felt bored. When we finally arrived at our destination, we pitched a tent at a KOA campsite a few miles outside of the city. We were surrounded by insanely gorgeous mountains topped with whitecaps and towering pine trees.

During this trip I gained a sudden love for traveling that I always imagined I would have. It seems to be something that we tend to overlook because we think that we won't be able to afford it, won't be able to fit it into our schedules, won't be able to sit that long in a car, etc. That's what I originally thought, but planning a road trip is actually a lot easier than we make it out to be. It just takes proper communication between who you're going with and it's important to schedule things ahead of time, not within a few days notice. In the end, it will all be so entirely worth it. Here are a few reasons why you should start planning a road trip for next summer.

1. Traveling (duh)

If you're like me, you're usually busy working two jobs and juggling all of the other joys of life while trying to stay mentally and physically awake. The chances of traveling and leaving your worries behind probably seem pretty slim, so that's why you have to snatch up every opportunity that you get. The world is insanely large and full of exciting and enchanting things to see! Why settle for a night on your couch when you could spend a night under the stars in the middle of the Rocky Mountains?

2. You will see amazing things

I've been to Colorado a total of three times, but I have never been able to shake the feeling that the atmosphere gives me. I will always be in awe of the mountains and the wilderness that lies in them. No one should miss feeling this way, and I guarantee that you won't when you travel. There is so much to see out in the big ol' world, namely mountains, sand dunes, oceans, beaches, forests... the list goes on.

3. You will experience new cultures

When going on a road trip, it's crucial that you open up to new things, no matter how much you think you don't want to. I've always been super picky about what I eat, but when I was in Colorado, I tried eating a variety of different foods, because why not? You'll also be able to meet new people of different heritages and cultures. It is likely that there will also be a lot of different buildings and businesses that you've never heard of, so be sure to check those out, too.

4. You will bond with the people you travel with

Driving long distances and being enclosed in a car for however long can really bring people together, no matter how crabby everyone may get. You're experiencing something new together, which, in my opinion, is a pretty big deal. You'll be able to share memories of your trip, like the time that bear snuck into your campsite, or the really sketchy gas station bathroom that you hope to never see again.