I can attribute my solo road trips as a main contributor to my confidence as a woman. There is something about travel, especially when you do it by yourself that helps to develop a greater sense of self. The following are some of my tips and tricks on how to plan and accomplish your next or maybe even your first road trip. If you choose to road trip alone then you should do all that you can to be safe, financially prepared, and ready for the time of your life.
Start small
If you want to take a road trip by yourself then your first need to establish what your driving boundaries are. You don’t want to make the same mistake as me. I figured out in the middle of a 13 hour drive from Raleigh NC to Baton Rouge LA, that such a drive is beyond what I’m comfortably capable of. I have made this mistake twice. Trial and error has taught me that any drive under 6-7 hours is cake for me. I can reasonably do up to 9 hours. Anything over and I have difficulty staying awake, I get agitated, and overall am not as safe to myself and others on the road as I should be.
My suggestion for anyone who wants to make road tripping a part of their travel experience is to start small. Try to plan a couple of day trips or perhaps even weekend trips that are about 3-4 hours away. If you are able to handle that then you can expand it to about 6 hours and go away for 3-4 days. When you become comfortable, then you can expand your road trips to include several days, locations, and terrains. These baby steps can help you establish what your limits are so that you can travel in a safer way.
Know your insurance or AAA policy
If you are planning any sort of long term trip then you need to make sure that you have insurance. I would also suggest that you get AAA if you can. You never know if the car you are taking will blow a gasket, pop a tire, or end up running out of gas. If any of these things happen then you need to have some sort of back up. The last thing that you want is to end up on the side of the road, in another state, and unable to get the help that you need.
Always carry cash
It is important to always have cash when on a road trip. You never know if you will be in a place that has restaurants and gas stations that don’t accept cards or have minimums before you can use your card. This is far more common than you can imagine. You can avoid ATM charges and additional fees if you go to your bank beforehand and take out a couple hundred in cash. I typically try to take about $200 with me before I hit the road. If I have any cash left over than I can always put that money back into my bank account.
There is always the chance that you can also run into a place where you don’t want to use your card. You never know what safety precautions that a business has put into place to protect your information. You also may run into toll roads. In these situations cash may be your only option. You don’t want to end up with a ticket because GPS took you through a toll road and you didn’t have any cash with you.
Have basic safety precautions in place
I always have a “check in buddy”. Your “check in buddy” can be anyone but you should make sure that they know where you are going, about when you will arrive, your basic plans for the day, and also know what to do if they don’t hear from you. While I do believe that it is safe to take solo road trips, I am also a believer that anything can happen. What happens if someone gets lost, a car breaks down, or something even worse? I personally never hit the road without someone being able to check on me in case of an emergency.
It is important to have some sort of basic safety kit in the car with you. I always have a first aid kit, medicine for an allergic reaction, something for a headache, and a few days worth of water. In same cases I have also taken a gas can with a few gallons of gas in it. I will wrap it in trash bags so it doesn’t make the car smell. If you are traveling through terrain where the temperature often changes or the elevation has a drastic change, then you should have water. Staying hydrated is crucial to avoid dehydration or other medical issues.
If you are a person who likes to hike, as I often do, then you want to make sure you can handle minor cuts and scrapes before infection sets in. I always try to keep band-aid, wraps, and basic antiseptic items with me.
Portable chargers and other useful items
There are few things that I have found to be more frightening than having my phone die on the road and not knowing where I am supposed to be going. This is one of the reasons why I always have a portable charger with me. I also make sure to keep that portable fully charged. Just in case my phone is running low, my car dies and I can’t use the UBS port, or I have been exploring for a large portion of the day, I know that I can charge my phone.
When I head out on the road I also stop at the visiting centers to get a paper map. I have actually traveled through the state of Wyoming with the help of a paper map. This was before I realized that Google Maps allows you to download offline maps. The backup maps are my primary “go to” if my phone loses service but I always make sure to download my offline maps, just in case. If all else fails I have my backup paper map, which is free at the visiting center, to travel by.
Beware the audible book and other things that put you to sleep
I love books. I’m talking about down to the bone, in my blood, a complete and total spiritual experience, and still…. audio books will start to put me to sleep if I listen too long to any story. I have tried different genres and even listened to my favorite authors. Every time that I listen to an audio book, I make it a few chapters and I have to turn it off before I drive myself off the road.
This may not be everybody but it is definitely me. It is one thing to listen to an audio book or classical music or a podcast on your way to work. The experience is completely different if you have been in the car for 3 hours.
I always try to switch things up my having a variety of things to listen to while on the road. It’s super easy to google popular books, the latest podcast, and even make special music playlists to keep you awake. Just keep in mind that if you are falling asleep it may be what you are listening to an not because you are getting tired.
There you have it. My tips and trips for taking that solo road trip. Travel safe my friends!