I love road trips. My family always took lengthy trips around the country in our dinky old van, visiting landmarks, family, and friends. I've always had fun with them. Ever since I got my driver's license, I've gotten used to driving myself and my friends around and it's just as fun.

Recently, every time I've taken a long trip I've been on my own, but this time, I drove back to school after spring break with three friends. It reminded me of some of my favorite parts of hitting the road with people!

1. The Music

It's an unparalleled experience of fun driving around with your friends and blasting music on the road. There's nothing quite like singing at the top of your lungs to your favorite songs, dancing like a bunch of idiots without caring about what any of the passing drivers may think! No matter what genre you favor, it's all good fun.

2. The Snacks

Food is brain fuel. Therefore, having snacks on your road trip is imperative to maintaining your focus while driving! The best part of having a bunch of passengers is that you'll have a range of snacks, and the person sitting shotgun can feed you (only so that you don't take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel, of course).

3. The Talking

Sooner or later you run out of the vocal power to continue to sing along to every song, and you end up talking with your passenger(s). You tell stories, jokes, share tidbits of news or gossip, and it's a really nice way to bond with friends or people you're just giving a ride to!

4. The Games

No matter what age you are, playing games on the road never gets old. My parents still enjoy it. Whether you play Sweet or Sour, the Alphabet Game, or Who Am I?, games are a great way to pass the time and have fun doing it.

5. The Scenery

Although every inch of your road trip probably won't be beautiful, the chances are that at least part of it is. Even just watching the landscapes and communities change from place to place is wonderful to see, especially if you get to see some beautiful trees, coastal lines, or farmland. My favorite time to road trip is in the fall, when I can drive through autumnal rainbows.

Driving with friends is a great way to make time pass faster on the road and also helps out the environment by carpooling! For me, nothing beats spending time with your friends on an open road with good music.