Whether traveling cross country by plane or car, the long excursion is one that should definitely be planned out and thought through.
I had the opportunity to travel west this summer by car. I will be the first to say that the pictures you will find under "Road Tripping" on Pinterest are nothing compared to what you should expect for the actual trip. It's a lot less glamorous, yet much more rewarding and beautiful than you will ever dream. Here are some things I ran into along my trip that I wish I would have been prepared for before.
1. Bipolar weather
Traveling west was a new experience for me. As a born-and raised-southern girl I am used to hot summers and cool winters. Nothing else. Out west, it's a new ballgame. Be prepared for summer, winter, fall, and spring weathers within a few states. What this means is pack a diverse wardrobe including outfits for each season. I experienced temperatures ranging from the mid 30's in Yosemite National Park all the way up to 115 degrees in Las Vegas. Needless to say we made a couple stops at Walmart to grab some clothing layers and blankets.
2. Long stretches of driving
Going into a long cross country trip with not much traveling experience, I was expecting amazing attractions and sites to be along every road in every state. Wrong. America is a
large country. There is no way that Google Maps could have prepared me for how long it would really take to get to California from Georgia. If you're traveling by car, choose your companions wisely, because by the end of the trip they will have seen every emotion of yours that is humanly possible.Play games to stay occupied and pass time. Turn your radio on scan to catch the best station in each state. Be aware of your surroundings and switch drivers often so everyone can
sleep as needed.
3. Save money beforehand AND during your trip
A cross country
road trip is not something that can be an impulse decision. It takes months of planning, mapping, and
saving. Save months before whenever you can. $20 saved here and there can go a long way. You may even think about a loose change jar to collect your change that will quickly add up. You must keep in mind that you will need to fill up on gas at least twice everyday. Also be aware that gas prices change from state to state, so some fill ups will be more costly than others. You will also need to save for meals. Assuming you'll be traveling for at least a week, you will need a lot of meals. Sometimes McDonald's is the cheapest and fastest choice, however, when you're traveling you want to experience new things. For me, food is everything and I spent a lot of money on different local restaurants, which can quickly break the bank. So limit your restaurant expenses. Invest in some reliable and
healthy snacks to store in your car for grab and go meals (Cliff Bars, apples, almonds, etc.). You will also need to decide what attractions you'd like to spend your money on as well as souvenirs. Disneyland is a must, and Disneyland is
not cheap. You also might like to bear in mind that national parks cost money. The best thing to do is to invest in an Annual U.S National Park Pass. It costs $80,
but it will get you and everyone else in your car into every National Park you see, instead of paying up to $30 each for every park. In terms of sleeping, driving through the night and switching out drivers quickly becomes repetitive and shouldn't be an every night thing. However, staying in a hotel every night is the best way to lose all the money you've saved. Bring tents. KOA stops are much cheaper than hotels and help you get in touch with your surroundings. Not keen on
camping? Turn the back of your car into a cozy bed. Reserve hotel stays for major places like Las Vegas or Disneyland to limit your hotel stay expenses.
4. Document your experiences!
For many people, traveling cross country is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Savor it. You'll want to remember everything you saw. Of course taking pictures is one of the best ways to remember everything you encountered, so keep your phone charged and ready to snap
animals, buildings, monuments, natural attractions, and even people you can sneakily capture. My favorite way to document my trip was journaling. You can find journey journals online at sites like Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay. In my journal I jotted down the places I saw each day, the weather, noteworthy moments, fun facts, and overall reflections of the day. I also taped small souvenirs from each stop into my journal so I can look at them later. I taped in menus, business cards, ticket stubs, brochures, and even receipts. All things that will be great to look back on in years to come.
Traveling is one of the greatest ways we as humans can explore this giant world that God has created for us. While there are so many things to remember, plan, and capture, the ultimate goal is to see all that there is and enjoy everything that's out there.
