10 Reasons to take a roadtrip

I never imagined that I would like roadtripping as much as I do; when I was younger, the thought of sitting in a car for hours on end just seemed like some kind of brutal torture. Don’t get me wrong, I did plenty of roadtripping as a child and even teenager, of course mainly with my family, but when presented with the option to fly versus get in the car, I’d always opt for the former. I liked the ease and comfort of boarding a plane and arriving at my destination in a matter of hours.

Today, I absolutely love to roadtrip. It’s a way to not only get to your destination, but also a way to see and experience more of the country. And sometimes discover places that you never even knew existed.  I’ve taken some incredible and unforgettable summer adventures like traveling  to Wyoming (exploring Idaho and Montana along the way), just me and my dog, and then doing it all over again with my husband because I loved it so much, and traveling with my mom out to Amarillo, Texas and stopping along the way in all of the beautiful Southwest states, exploring and discovering Tuscon, Santa Fe, and more. And even a winter roadtrip with two dogs (mine and a friends) out to Lake Tahoe that was filled with adventure and challenge.

This past week, I roadtripped out to California with Liz, Nicci and my dog, Abbie for our EMPOWER Race + Yoga Festival and as we were making a last minute decision to stop in Lake Tahoe on our way to the Bay Area, I realized why I have fallen so in love with roadtripping. The spontaneity, the random adventures, the experiences that only come from long hours in the car, and of course, an excuse to catch up on all of your favorite podccasts.

If you love to travel but are skeptical about doing it in your car, here are my top 10 reasons why you should absolutely take a roadtrip:

• You’ll experience more. Roadtrips aren’t necessarily about the destination, they are about the detours, the experiences, and the adventures that you take! For example, some of my best roadtrip memories are the spontaneous detours – like while roadtripping through Montana and seeing a trailhead and just hopping out of the car to run, just because, or on this current roadtrip, deciding to detour to Lake Tahoe to enjoy some outdoors before heading into the city, or even the random coffee shops or cafes where you might park for a few hours to relax and get online.

• You’ll see more. On a roadtrip, you’re bound to see more than you ever will out of an airplane window. You can take in the surroundings, the local culture and flare and learn a little bit about geography in the process.

• You’ll find more extraordinary out of the ordinary When you’re out on the open road, you’re forced to really experience the ordinary  – the sunsets that take your breath away, the density of a forest, the shape of the clouds, the surprising cleanliness, friendliness, or even amazingness (like an awesome plethora of snack options) at a particularly questionable rest stop – whatever it is, ordinary becomes so much less ordinary and so much more extraordinary.

• You’ll communicate better. Deep conversations often happen when you’re in the car; when you’re sitting together for hours on end, you’re more likely to open up to your roadtrip crew and really talk to one another. When you’re driving through areas without cell reception and bad radio signal, your only option is to talk, so take advantage of that! If you’re a solo roadtripper like I often am, use the time to think and really listen to what’s on your own mind.

• Your wallet will feel heavier. As far as vacations go, roadtrips can be a lot easier on the wallet, especially if you keep it low key, meaning not staying smack dab in the middle of  a city you’re visiting. When you have a car, you can go for lower budget accommodations and drive where you want to explore. Or even better, camp! Plus, it’s easy to eat on the cheap. You can pack a cooler and keep your dining out minimal.

• Your schedule is easier to manage. If you’re like me and work remotely anyway, roadtrips make it easy to set your schedule and work when you need and travel when it makes the most sense. It’s a great way to do more!

• You will feel less stressed. Every roadtrip I have ever taken has felt so freeing. Being able to jump out of the car and just go explore and not have strict plans to adhere to is a far less stressful way to travel. Plus, it’s just so fun to explore and take everything in!

• You don’t have plan so much. You don’t need to pre book anything or stress about arriving somewhere at a certain time. You can just pick up the keys and go!

• You can bring your dog along for the adventure. Nuff said.

• You get to eat all the snacks. I mean, what’s not to love about that?

 

Do you like roadtripping? And if so, what are your reasons for roadtripping? If not, why not?

Stay sweaty (and adventurous!) friends!

XOXO

Jamie