7-Holiday Road Trip Tips
Another holiday season has officially arrived! Kids are sending their wishlists to Santa, parents tell themselves they won’t last-minute shop like they did last year, and people are planning their holiday menus and guestlists (Check out GuestParq by ParqEx for all things guest parking). With that in mind, people are most certainly doing a lot of travel during their holiday season. Besides air travel, the following favorite holiday travel style is the good old-fashioned holiday road trip. Anyone signing up for a road trip this holiday season? Parents, are you stuffing your SUV filled with all the kiddos and even bringing Spot the dalmatian? If so, here are a quick 7-holiday road trip tips for you and your family:
1. Keep all passengers entertained.
No matter the age of the passenger, it’s essential to keep everyone entertained. Road trips tend to get a little longer when the car is loaded up with as many people and as much baggage as possible. So, nothing is better than a good distraction. Whether that be books on tape, podcasts, classic holiday movies, or even some old-school games, these are all options to keep everyone’s mind off the length of the road trip. In my experience, nothing passes the time better than the U.S. license plate game. Try and see how many U.S. state license plates you can cross off your list by the end of the trip! Plus, at ParqEx, we’re big fans of all things license plate — especially our License Plate Recognition technology. Take a look if you are curious!
2. Map out your trip before even leaving.
It’s always wise to be proactive when it comes to traveling. For instance, take air travel; you wouldn’t show up at the airport 20 minutes before take-off during a holiday travel day, would you? But, of course, planning is essential for road trips as well. Sure, you may be avoiding the crowds of travelers at the airport by road tripping instead, but don’t forget about the thousands of drivers you’ll encounter on the road that are doing the same thing as you. In addition, with the holidays, you are bound to find yourself in traffic in any major city you pass through. So with that in mind, plan for delays, choose a different route or even leave earlier.
3. Pack snacks.
Sure, grabbing junk food at the gas station or going through the McDonald’s drive-thru is tempting on road trips, but by packing snacks, you can eat healthily and save money! But, if you find yourself having forgotten to pack the snack essentials, stop at a grocery store instead of a gas station to find better options. In my experience, healthy snacks will make the drive a little bit easier. Your energy will last longer, and you will be more alert on the road.
4. Play holiday music – duh!
No holiday road trip is complete without some good holiday jams! No matter what music streaming platform you subscribe to, I guarantee you you’ll find a plethora of varying playlists with all genres of Christmas music. And yes, it would be blasphemous if you skipped Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” even if you’ve heard it too often already this holiday season.
5. Stay safe on the road.
This tip in our 7-holiday road trip tips is something you need to take care of before leaving and while on the road! Before leaving, check your tire pressures, make sure you have a spare tire, booster cables, and bring extra phone chargers just in case. While on the road, make sure that everyone is wearing their seatbelt. And an excellent last-minute piece of advice for the driver: drive for others; assume they don’t know how to drive and anticipate their next move. It’ll save you from a lot of possible accidents!
6. Get your car road-trip-ready.
First things first, are there any check engine lights on in your car? Second, when was the last time you got an oil change? Third, are you still riding around on that spare? Set yourself up for success this holiday road trip and get your car checked out before you and your family pile in for the drive! Next, pack for the “worst-case scenario.” Put blankets, winter jackets, gloves, hats, window scrapers, hand warmers & foot warmers, and boots in your trunk. You’ll most likely never need anything from this pile of stuff, but it’s always better to plan for the worst-case.
7. Book parking before even getting to the destination.
If your road trip is anything like what mine usually are, you’re in for a 2-day trek! So our last tip on our 7-holiday road trip tips is to book your parking before even getting to your destination. With ParqEx, you can plan and book your parking way before even getting to the finish line. By doing this, you’re not only ensuring you’ll have parking at your destination, but you are also eliminating added stress. For example, on my 2-day road trips from Chicago to Naples, Florida, I often stop in Atlanta for the night. When I stop, I book my parking ahead of time with ParqEx, and all I have to worry about is safely getting to the hotel for the night. So book your holiday road trip parking with ParqEx today and focus on enjoying your road trip!
