The most common vacation is a road trip. Road trips come in a zillion varieties, depending on the vehicle (conveyance), the passengers (occupants), and the destination. Sometimes these choices are made for you, sometimes not. Choose wisely, and be aware of the consequences of your choices.
Conveyance
The vehicle you choose has a defining effect on the flavor of your trip.
- Starting at the bottom of the list, you could do without your own vehicle. Stand well into the shoulder of the road and stick your thumb out. A sign helps, and wearing a shirt and tie helps. You get to have one item of baggage, preferably small. (Disclaimer: This is not a recommendation that you attempt this kind of travel.) Hitchhiking more common in Europe than in the US, and some people swear by it.
- Next up is riding a two-wheeled conveyance, such as a bicycle. Distance bicycling has a whole subculture all its own, and if are considering a long bicycle trip, you probably already have plenty of connections within the community. If you don’t, check around. You need to be in condition, have a dependable bike (recumbents are more comfortable), and pack light. Very light. Extremely light! Consider bringing along a support vehicle.
- Motorcycling has a subculture, too, but you’ll also find a lot of short-distance riders out there. Some motorcycle clubs, such as the Iron Butt Association (real name) and the Motorcycle Touring Forum, have plenty of advice on how to commit a long motorcycle ride. To join the IBA, you have to document a ride of 1000 miles or more in 24 hours or less. You can pack somewhat more heavily than on a bicycle, but good planning is still necessary. A key motto in long-distance motorcycling is All the Gear All the Time. Do not fail to wear a motorcycle jacket and helmet.
- Next step up is automobiles. Consider renting a car instead of using your own. Renting can be less expensive than putting all that stress on the old heap, especially if you belong to a travel club that offers steep discounts (such as (ahem) Destination Vacations International, and there are others), and you have fewer worries about breakdowns and accidents. Your auto insurance company’s web site probably has a good list of things about your car to check on before you head out. Keep track of your gas and restaurant expenses so you have a good idea of the true cost of the trip. If the destination is the main thing, flying might turn out to be less expensive.
- You can go bigger than a mere automobile. Rent that Recreational Vehicle. Unless road trips are part of your lifestyle (subculture-based groups for that, too), you won’t get enough use out of an RV to justify the cost. You see more RVs parked in driveways than you see on the road. And you have fewer maintenance and repair hassles with a rental RV, too. Perhaps the best thing about traveling in an RV is that they are great for small groups, say two or three adult couples. You can split the cost, and you can enjoy fun and fellowship while traveling without having to wait until you reach your destination. Put some bicycles on the carrier in the back.
Occupants
Who comes along? You might not have a lot of choice on this…
- Solo-Freedom! Nobody to negotiate with about breaks or exact route, speed, meals, or choice of radio station. You go where you want, when you want, and how you want. This freedom can be liberating, and a lot of motorcyclists travel this way. But beware the tendency to fall asleep when you’re alone (playing music you don’t like on the radio helps), and be sure you are comfortable with solitude so your aloneness doesn’t turn into loneliness.
- Adult companion-If you are okay with sharing the timing of meal and potty breaks, agree on a route, and have similar preferences for side trips, adult conversation is nice, a competent navigator is nice, and just plain companionship is nice. One system: One drives, and the other reads a good book aloud. Swap jobs when your voice wears out.
- Kids-The key to traveling with children is: The shorter the better. Reconcile yourself to dealing with squabbles and short attention spans. If you have infants or toddlers, consider fixing the back seat into a bed, with a platform over the foot well. They will actually sleep a little. New toys help, renting a large vehicle helps, traveling games help (watch for out-of-state license plates, find objects that start with each letter of the alphabet, that sort of thing), and frequent breaks help. Be willing to take a slower trip than if everyone were grown-ups.
Destination
The destination is normally the whole reason for the trip in the first place, and it’s usually the biggest choice you make when you plan a trip. That and the route.
Earth’s surface covers rather more than 200 million square miles; maybe 25% is land area.You could, in theory, say each square mile is a place to visit. Give or take. So the world has, say, 50 million places to visit. You’re not likely to see them all. (Lessee-a one minute visit to each “place” would take you more than 90 years to visit every place. That’s at 24 hours a day, seven days a week, too.)
You can Google about any place name you like and get more information than you’re likely to need. Besides, the most common destination is relatives, and you know where that is. Probably.
If you’re not sure how to get someplace, a GPS is a good investment, and fun to play with (see the section about traveling with kids.)
How about no destination? They say (It’s a Zen saying, by the way) that the journey is the destination. This kind of road trip can be relaxing, unless you’re one of those goal-oriented types who just has to be headed somewhere. The way to take this kind of trip, even with a destination, is to make more time available than you need to get someplace (or get back), and try to take that whole time. If you can convince yourself that you have PLENTY of time, you will go slower, watch what’s going on more, meander more (turn off on side roads), maybe stop and check things out more. You’ll arrive (or return) more relaxed and refreshed than you would believe.
Wherever, however, and with whomever you go, send someone a postcard while you’re gone.
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