Usually, I get the question, how did you survive driving from Virginia to California and then from California back to Virginia? The simple answer is because it was fun and we had a cross-country road trip guide. The challenge and long hours of drive was part of the reason we did it.
If you are like me and you hate flying and the logistics that come with it, then you would understand why I’d rather drive cross country. I have a fear of flying. I have read books and have done many methods to help with the anxiety I have on planes, but nothing seems to work.
Since I like to travel, I don’t allow that fear to take control of my adventures. If I can drive to Europe, I will probably be the first to break that record.
Now let’s talk about the ultimate cross-country road trip guide.
FIND A TRAVEL BUDDY-CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD TRIP GUIDE 1
I was lucky that my husband was ready to take on the challenge with me. Keep in mind that you will drive for long hours. You will need someone along to make the journey less tiresome. At the time of traveling, we were dating. The long hours of driving day and night strengthened our relationship as we were able to enjoy each other’s company and learned more about ourselves.
Another reason you need a buddy is to share the driving with that person. I’m sure one person can pull this off, but that will require getting lots of rest. At least with two, one can drive while the other sleeps.
FIND A GOOD PODCAST
My husband and I both have many podcasts that we listen to daily. So, we made sure to download as many episodes as possible. Some of our favorite podcast we heard on the road were This American life, TED TALK, and How I built this (My favorite). Since we are both huge sports fans, we also listened to our favorite sports podcast, “First Take,”.
SNACKS
This one is a no brainer. Having a variety of snacks avoids any unnecessary stops for food. Snacks like peanuts, crackers, cheese, chips, juice, soda, and water can keep you filled until your scheduled food stop time.
COOLER FOR THE ROAD
As I have mentioned above, since you will have snacks that may need to be refrigerated, you will need a cooler. You may ask, how did the ice hold up from Virginia to California. We filled the cooler with ice at each hotel we slept. So we almost always had fresh ice each day.
FIRST AID KIT
You are going to be on the road for a very long time. Some nights will be lonely, and while driving, the unexpected can happen. Just make sure you have a first aid kit that way if something happens at least you can take care of it until you can get medical attention if needed.
SPARE TIRE and JUMPER CABLE
As explained in my budget post about this road trip, we used my HONDA Civic. We brought a spare tire with us, a tire jack and a jumper cable. Thankfully, we didn’t have to use any of these.
SEAT MASSAGER
We bought a seat massager on Amazon. The seat massager made seating so comfortable and cozy, especially during night drives. It’s a must-have, in my opinion, and it provides relaxation to your body.
ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE
If you don’t have Triple-A, make sure your insurer knows about your trip and what assistance they can offer in case of an emergency.
GPS GUIDE FOR THE ROAD
Make sure you have a GPS other than your phone’s GPS. You can go old school and get the physical map. Technology can sometimes fail, and you don’t want to get stranded in the middle of a state you don’t know.
FILL UP GAS TANK
The last thing you want is to ran out of gas. On our way back from California, we almost had the unexpected happen. Once we got to Nebraska, there was a snowstorm and an accident. Both incidents contributed to bad traffic. Our gas tank was below the half mark. Thankfully we didn’t run out of gas. Don’t be like us and always fill up as soon as you reach half of the tank.
ULTIMATE EAST-COAST WEST-COAST ROAD TRIP GUIDE
I enjoyed the trip so much. It helped me to become more comfortable with my husband, and while I appreciate all the places we visited during this road trip, I enjoyed the quality time we spent together in the car. By following this cross-country road trip guide, our mission became accomplished.
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I actually would love to go on a long road trip like this! I love your idea of having a good podcast at the ready. They really make the time go by quickly!
Thanks Mariam! You should definitely try it one of these days.