Ahoy honeys. As Kyle and I are working our way down the East Coast I think it’s time I share some of the lessons I’ve learned on the road. I have been on several road trips all over literally coast to coast, head to toe, 30 states and 14 national parks.

Road trips are one of my favorite means of vacations. Not only do you get to visit various places, but you also learn a lot about yourself and the people you are with. The long hours spent in the car, singing, sharing embarrassing stories, trying to navigate without cell service, UGH what more could you ask for! 

Here are some of the Life Lessons I’ve learned while on the road. 

1. You Can Never Be Too Prepared

I believe if you don’t prepare for it, whatever it is, is gonna happen to you. Before heading out make sure you get your car looked at and anything fixed that might be acting up. Know how to fix a tire. Pack a first aid kit, cash, a physical map, extra batteries, blankets, pillows, chairs, an umbrella, etc. You may not always have civilization around to save you and you’ll be happy you thought ahead.

2. Loosely Plan

Part of the road trip preparation is making a loose plan. I say loose because you should leave yourself some time for unexpected adventures that will (always) come up. I love doing research about the places I’m going to before hand to get myself psyched for my trip and also know what to do once I get there. It’s especially important to scout campsites around weekends, national parks and state parks because they usually fill up weeks before. 

3. Stop and Smell the Roses

If you see something cool, STOP THE CAR! You most likely will not regret it and if you do, it probably hasn’t taken too much time out of your trip. On the other hand, if you’re in a bind or confused, it can’t hurt to stop ask for help as well. My favorite example is when my buddies and I stopped through Yellowstone National Park in the summer, AKA the busiest time of the year, without a camping reservation and somehow got two free nights at a group campsite. We met some sweet people we still keep in touch with today because we stopped and asked for help that day. Or the time my boyfriend and I stopped at Great Basin National Park, where you usually need reservations weeks beforehand, and got on a tour of the caves because a group had just cancelled.

4. Pack Efficiently

Strategic packing is so helpful on a roadtrip. For example, I’ve found rolling my clothes makes everything easy to see and gives me the most space in my pack. Also, its good to keep an everyday backpack with enough clothes for 2 days, extra socks and extra underwear close by just for next day convenience. We love a passenger that rewears clothes but bring a garbage bag for when they do finally get dirty. 

5. Prepare to be Entertained; And Not

Road trips make for some awesome stories and sights. Nevertheless at some point, you will get bored. Make sure to download playlists, podcasts, TV shows, movies, games. Better yet get a physical crossword puzzle, coloring book or educational pamphlet along the way to help entertain the driver too. Though, until you’ve asked and answered some life questions and maybe played the sign game, really try to hold off on these resources or else you’re missing out on the real road trip experience.   

6. Document It All

Keep a journal whether that be physical or on your phone of some of the exciting stuff that happened during the day. Or even a bucket list of things you’re cross off. If you don’t, trust me you will forget. In addition, make sure to take lots of pictures and videos. Even though phone cameras are just as good now as actually cameras, I recommend getting a nice camera or the app Dispo, that develops pictures 24 hours after they’ve been taken.

Pick up souvenirs! They don’t have to be extravagant and expensive. Every road trip I collect parks maps and save ticket stubs to later use in scrapbooks. Nowadays, lots of people make vacation compilation videos. That’s awesome and so fun to look back on or show others. All of these medias will help you remember and cherish your experiences. 

7. Visit and Stay With Your Buddies

I mention this because I feel like there’s still a stigma around bothering people for favors. There are a wholleee lotta people I haven’t talked to in a while that if they texted me saying they were in town I would love for them to stay at the house. Not that I have a house anymore… but that’s not the point! Not only do you get quality time with your friends and the local tour of the town but also probably a slightly cheaper trip. 

8. Do and Try Things You Normally Would Not

Ahhh. My whole premises of Plank Runner. Fulfillment comes from overcoming. Challenging yourself to step outside your comfort zone will reward you with confidence, knowledge, strength, courage and happiness. Outside your comfort zone could be trying local cuisines, taking yourself on an excursion or even just staying up late to check out the night scene in a new place instead of going straight to bed. This life is so short and I am so proud of you for doing your research and looking into new adventures. Now be ready to take the next step. 

9. Talk to Locals

I forgot its 2023 and no one talks to strangers anymore. So okay, a safe place to start is talking to someone who work at a restaurant or store in town. They know what’s up! More so, they’re on the clock and usually have to be polite to you. Ask them what places they recommend to visit. What experiences are worth it? What do they do for fun in town? Who knows they might even have connections or share something you could’ve never found before on our precious internet. 

10. You Can’t See Everything

There’s only so much time. So get in your head before you even start, there probably won’t be enough of it to do it all & that’s okay! Do some researching before and find out your most important things to see. Everything else you don’t get to is another reason to come back on another vacation. 

Those are my lessons. Class dismissed! Let me know where you’ve gone along your road trips and what you’ve learned along the way! Check out where we’ve been and what we’ve been up to since our last road trip with the latest Kyle & Halley Update.