How To Prepare For A Road Trip This Summer
Happy Friday ladies. With things starting to open up, more and more of us are looking forward to traveling. You may not feel like hopping on a plane or boarding a cruise ship, but many feel comfortable with a road trip. We hopped in the car earlier this week for a 3-day road trip to Canada to visit our daughter, Vanessa. Road trips aren’t as easy as they used to be so today I’m sharing a few tips to help when you prepare for a road trip this summer.
I am fortunate to be a dual citizen. Iām a returning Canadian citizen traveling with my Canadian passport to visit our daughter who lives in Canada. Weāre both double vaccinated. We had one negative COVID test before the drive. One 48 hours before crossing the border and one at the border. Everyone is being very cautious which Iām happy to see
Many restaurants and fast-food restaurants no longer let non-customers use the restrooms. If you drive long hours, be aware that many rest areas are also closed. The upshot is if you’re trying to keep your water consumption up, (like me), you need to plan to stop early and find a restroom.
Carry lots of hand sanitizer ( my favorite ) and keep some hand sanitizing wipes ( my favorites) in the car so you can wipe things down at your stops.
Our first night was at a bed and breakfast in Roseburg, Oregan called Hokanson’s Guest House. The owner is charming and the town adorable. I bring a lot of scarves when I travel so I can cover my neck and chest in the car if the sun gets low plus they’re an easy way to change up an outfit.
Jeans aren’t comfy to sit in for long hours in the car so I opt to travel wearing a skirt or pants with slim legs that won’t land on the restroom floor. This may seem like too much information, but wide-leg or even straight pants hit the floor when you sit. Knit skirts are most comfortable for long hours sitting in the car and easily kept off the floor.
Driving outfit on the left and a quick clean-up for dinner at the hotel on the right. I’m looking a little worse for wear here because we drove longer than expected to arrive at the hotel I was anxious to stay at. Another day, another scarf:)
Pack some healthy snacks because:
- fast food is gross and bad for you
- many restaurants have limited hours and seating
- bring gallon water bottles to refill your personal one
Have sunscreen within easy reach so you can reapply as the day wears on.
Have a change of shoes to switch into if your feet swell…mine always do.
This was a non-travel day so I did break out the jeans because it was breezy along the water.
There are fewer people on the road these days, and fewer facilities so road trips have pluses and minuses. On the plus side, you can go at your own pace and pack as much as you want. On the downside, it’s a hassle to wipe everything down everywhere you go but well worth it.
The Over 50 Style Team is back tomorrow and we’re chatting about travel wardrobes and sharing our tips. Please join us here on Instagram at 11 am PT/2 pm ET.
Do you have any road trips planned?
Do you have travel tips to add?
I learned the hard way about wide pants and public restrooms. During a trip to NYC, I wore cropped wide leg linen pants, which were great for the hot humid weather. But, I had to do major gymnastics to keep them off the floor while using the restroom..so I need a pair of cropped linen pants but not wide leg!!
That was the way I learned too:)
We travel a lot. Tips:
Take a garbage bag for laundry & wet things
Take extra zip-loc bags for shells, etc.
Take peanuts for squirrels
Take a small magnifying mirror for makeup
Take your own laundry soap pods & fabric softener
Take yours & hubbyās sleep meds
Tylenol, bandaids, tweezers, Neosporin
Ear plugs
Load podcasts ahead of time
Take your favorite pillows in a garbage bag
Etc.!!!!
That was glad you got to she your daughter. I am sure you had a fabulous time.
Sorry for the crazy message š¤Ŗ
Have not been on a road trip as yet.
Really looking forward to going somewhere on a boat -Cruise š¢ Ship- but that does not look good until 2022 or later.
Glad to got to see your daughter. Sure you had a fabulous time.
I love road trips! We were gone for 3 weeks this past May on a rv camping trip. I always bring phone chargers, an atlas, a small cooler with water and snack foods like string cheese, apples, granola bars or trail mix, and also gotta have mints and m&m candies, lol! Oh, and we keep binoculars in the car, in case of bird or wildlife sightings, We traveled out west (Wyoming, Montana, Colorado) We drove from northern Michigan.
That sounds so fun!! I miss our RV trips.
We just returned from a road trip and it was so great to “get out there” again! Your travel tips are great! I’m with you about not wearing pants or anything that falls on the rest room floor…yuck! I chose to wear a dress which was great! No zippers, buttons or falling on the floor. I like your idea to take snacks. Wish I had done that. What I do take is a small tupperwear container of lifesavers for good breath on the road. I keep them in my glove compartment.
One other thing I would suggest, is a car charger for your phone. Our phones always seem to drain quickly on the road.
Beautiful scenery on your trip and love the scarves. That’s a good idea to take several on a trip. I took a summer hat like you have on in addition to a baseball cap that I can put on and not feel as dressed up. Those are great for pulling your hair into a ponytail and out the back of the hat, and they don’t blow off.
Great post!