I've got a road trip planned. It'll be about 2800 mi, 4500 km. I think I'm prepared but sure I'm overlooking things. I'd love to hear your tips and recommendations; your holy grails!
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
Apply sunscreen during the day; the sun gets to you as if you were outside.
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
wrote last edited by [email protected]Amazed noone has mentioned a tire repair kit (that I saw across many comments at least). A spare tire is only so useful, especially if it's a donut. A kit will let you fix multiple flats and keep on trucking like nothing happened as long as it's not a sidewall blowout or something crazy.
Get a good repair kit, one with a rasp with a strong handle to clean out the hole, tar covered plugs, and the little hook device thing to stuff 'em in easy. Also possibly add some rubber cement to the kit, as if it's cold or a real nasty hole, the tar plug things might not completely plug the leak.
Naturally, that kit should include a tire inflator. Even if it's a hand bike pump, it's better than nothing, but they sell all sorts of pumps. From simple ones you hook up to the battery for power, to ones built in to power packs.
Also some basic tools will go far. At least some needle nose pliers. Way nicer to yank out nails or what ever with than figuring out some way to wedge it out with the tire repair tools.
Project Farm on YouTube has reviewed both tire repair kits and tire inflators, among many other types of tools if you want to get good recommends/alternatives and see how they actually fare before you buy.
Also make sure you know how to use the jack in your car if there even is one. If not, get one. Even basic scissor jacks work fine as long as you're not doing something foolish.
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I also don't recommend bringing all that technology. The best of road trips I've done were from interacting with the other people. You can play elden ring at home. It shouldn't be a priority.
I had a game boy on several road trips I did with my parents, and I barely remember the trips. I had nothing but a flip phone with one I did with friends, and had a lot more fun with them. Maybe because I was older and they were my friends, though.
Bring some low tech entertainment. Cards. Small board games. Dice. There are light weight pen and paper rpgs and word games you could do on the go (eg: Fate).
On one hand, I agree, what makes road trips memorable is being bored and the conversations that inspires.
On the other hand, having a bored teen in the car for that long probably won't provide excellent conversation. If they are too bored for too long, could turn into a nightmare. So I see the logic behind keeping them entertained.
otoh, this shouldn't take more than a single handheld gaming device and a book or something. OP, imo, is going way overboard.
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To paraphrase Pirsig, aim for quality time with an emphasis on the word "quality". Speed and distance don't matter, so don't try to maximize them. If anything, maximizing them will take away from enjoyment of the journey.
He also said that when you are in a car, the whole world is in a frame and moves by you, boringly. You aren't in the scene.
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
I would agree with others here that you are going overboard on the electronics. Bring a handheld device for the kid. Adults will get the most out of the trip watching the landscape go by and talking. Instead, I recommend thinking of some good audiobooks or podcasts to listen to. Then you have something shared to do when the conversation lulls, and can talk about it as another conversation.
Lots of people pack junk food snacks for road trips, like chips and soda. My experience is that even when I consumed these foods regularly, their availability on road trips would typically cause me to carb crash and feel nauseous for hours. Instead, drink water, and get a cooler. Pack the cooler with food to make a real lunch, like sandwiches or something. Put the cooler in the trunk so you arent tempted by it. When it is lunch time, pull over at a rest stop/ gas station/ park/ whatever and sit down outside for lunch together. Don't snack in between meals.
When stopping for gas/ bathroom/ meals, take the opportinity to move around and exercise a little. Walk around, stretch, maybe do a quick jog or a few push ups. Really helps with fatigue and stiffness.
If you will be driving along some of the really long, straight roads in the American Southwest, watch out for highway hypnosis. This is where driving is just so repetitive and boring that you will rapidly fall asleep at the wheel.
As others have mentioned, have some basic tools for doing minor repairs. Tire pump, patch kit, and check to make sure you have a spare and it is inflated!!. Needlenose pliers for pulling nails out of tires and swapping fuses. An adjustable wrench in case you need to tighten your battery terminal. And, imo, gorrilla tape and bailing wire to fix body panels or plastic skid plates that start flapping in the breeze. If it is possible you will drive on dirt roads (especially in the southwest), I recommend packing an entrenching tool so you can dig yourself out of sand if you make a mistake and get in over your head. Tow straps are also good to have - if you get stuck in some sand or mud, flag down one of those big, lifted 4x4s and watch the owner light up with glee as they actually get to use their truck for its intended purpose for the first time in years.
Get a paper atlas, and pick up paper maps for any parks you'll be checking out. If you will be getting off the major highways for a while, download the area on your maps app ahead of time.
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Adding to this. Even if you're not in the pictures, take them. Psychologically, pictures can 'jog' our memory and bring forth details, emotions, etc. that we experienced during and around that time.
I found this to be a good read on the topic. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/longing-for-nostalgia/202401/looking-at-your-photos-can-be-uplifting-enlightening-or?msockid=05ea5f1c09a3646b2d67494a085b656b
MAKE SURE YOU BACK THEM UP! I can't stress this enough. Those memories can be lost forever if you're not careful and set up and use an image backup system of some kind. And please, please, please. Don't just save them to one device.
Long story short: A good friend of mine and his parents would periodically take photos of us while we were over there gaming, hanging out, and celebrating things over the years. Unbeknownst to us, our friend was only saving them to his laptop. Nowhere else. Not even to an email account. So when one of his 'newly' made "friends" borrowed his laptop to make some music on it. It went missing for over two months and my friend tried many times to get a hold of this dude to get it back. Finally, my friend got hold of him and just begged for him to just let him grab all of the images and irreplaceable things from it. My friend didn't care about the monetary loss. He just wanted those photos back. The dude told him that he had pawned it a few weeks ago. It was gone. Nothing to do and nothing to save. Years of us having game nights, hanging out, and celebrating a few birthdays... gone forever. So... BACK, UP, YOUR, PHOTOS!
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
Do you have...snacks?
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
Get a Justin Case for the car, and a bag of kitty litter in case you get stuck somewhere without traction.
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Do you have...snacks?
wrote last edited by [email protected]I can't help but think that a toddler wrote this comment. As if to say, 'If you don't have snacks, then why go on the trip. And if you don't have a good selection of snacks, I'm not going.' xD
But in all seriousness, having healthy snacks like a few bananas, trail mix, plain or low salted nuts, and some deli meat sandwiches, all stored in a cool with 3-5 ice packs, is very wise.
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
Find what kind of oil your car requires and get a quart of it to keep just in case. Also replace your windshield wipers and top up the windshield washer fluid. Check your tire pressure and make sure that the spare tire is in good condition. Basic car care goes a long way.
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
Power bars and or protein bars - stock a case. Bring water containers and fill them at rest stops at fountains for free. Do not buy anything from the machines at rest stops. Every time you stop for a bathroom break adds 30 minutes or more to your destination time. Caffeine pills instead of coffee stops if you're on a budget. Go to roadside America ( dot com ) to see if you will pass worthy places like the world's biggest pencil.
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Amazed noone has mentioned a tire repair kit (that I saw across many comments at least). A spare tire is only so useful, especially if it's a donut. A kit will let you fix multiple flats and keep on trucking like nothing happened as long as it's not a sidewall blowout or something crazy.
Get a good repair kit, one with a rasp with a strong handle to clean out the hole, tar covered plugs, and the little hook device thing to stuff 'em in easy. Also possibly add some rubber cement to the kit, as if it's cold or a real nasty hole, the tar plug things might not completely plug the leak.
Naturally, that kit should include a tire inflator. Even if it's a hand bike pump, it's better than nothing, but they sell all sorts of pumps. From simple ones you hook up to the battery for power, to ones built in to power packs.
Also some basic tools will go far. At least some needle nose pliers. Way nicer to yank out nails or what ever with than figuring out some way to wedge it out with the tire repair tools.
Project Farm on YouTube has reviewed both tire repair kits and tire inflators, among many other types of tools if you want to get good recommends/alternatives and see how they actually fare before you buy.
Also make sure you know how to use the jack in your car if there even is one. If not, get one. Even basic scissor jacks work fine as long as you're not doing something foolish.
You're right ..make sure you have a tire plug kit and some green goo. A super capacitor instead of a battery type battery charger makes a big difference too
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I would agree with others here that you are going overboard on the electronics. Bring a handheld device for the kid. Adults will get the most out of the trip watching the landscape go by and talking. Instead, I recommend thinking of some good audiobooks or podcasts to listen to. Then you have something shared to do when the conversation lulls, and can talk about it as another conversation.
Lots of people pack junk food snacks for road trips, like chips and soda. My experience is that even when I consumed these foods regularly, their availability on road trips would typically cause me to carb crash and feel nauseous for hours. Instead, drink water, and get a cooler. Pack the cooler with food to make a real lunch, like sandwiches or something. Put the cooler in the trunk so you arent tempted by it. When it is lunch time, pull over at a rest stop/ gas station/ park/ whatever and sit down outside for lunch together. Don't snack in between meals.
When stopping for gas/ bathroom/ meals, take the opportinity to move around and exercise a little. Walk around, stretch, maybe do a quick jog or a few push ups. Really helps with fatigue and stiffness.
If you will be driving along some of the really long, straight roads in the American Southwest, watch out for highway hypnosis. This is where driving is just so repetitive and boring that you will rapidly fall asleep at the wheel.
As others have mentioned, have some basic tools for doing minor repairs. Tire pump, patch kit, and check to make sure you have a spare and it is inflated!!. Needlenose pliers for pulling nails out of tires and swapping fuses. An adjustable wrench in case you need to tighten your battery terminal. And, imo, gorrilla tape and bailing wire to fix body panels or plastic skid plates that start flapping in the breeze. If it is possible you will drive on dirt roads (especially in the southwest), I recommend packing an entrenching tool so you can dig yourself out of sand if you make a mistake and get in over your head. Tow straps are also good to have - if you get stuck in some sand or mud, flag down one of those big, lifted 4x4s and watch the owner light up with glee as they actually get to use their truck for its intended purpose for the first time in years.
Get a paper atlas, and pick up paper maps for any parks you'll be checking out. If you will be getting off the major highways for a while, download the area on your maps app ahead of time.
Paper Atlas is a great mention. If you lose signal your maps app may quit. Happened to me. A gps only device like a Garmin (still sold today and can be gotten at places like Loves) won't need an Internet connection.
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2 adults and 1 younger teen
We're going on a two week road trip that'll be fairly leisurely. Stopping by some parks and sights as we go and a few nights at our ultimate destination
I had my car recently serviced. It all checks out
I have a steam deck on the way! Any recommendations here for travel accessories? Or just in general?
We've all got devices and chargers and their respective blocks. I'm looking at a power inverter for the hungrier devices
I was debating bringing the oculus to give whomever a bit of isolation if they need; is there anything specific I'd need to do to use it where there's no internet? I haven't used it enough to be very familiar with most of its abilitiesWe adults have ps5s. Most likely won't bring one. I've seen portable monitors that people use with a local device; does anyone have experience using one for remote play for the ps5?
And making sure we've got entertainment downloaded to our devices; obviously books and offline/non electronic entertainment will be brought, as well
I'm really looking forward to this and want to make it the best experience for all involved! I look forward to hearing your tips
Edit to add: the point of the road trip is to bury my grandfather. And I'm petrified of flying in the current state of the US
Since we HAVE to make this trip we're trying to make the most of it by stopping by some state/national parks and other landmarks/pois during which we'll be present. But there's going to be LONG stretches of literally nothing exciting. Like corn fields. Many hours of corn fields. Most days are 6 - 10 hours in the car
One small note about the car "checking out" and five separate bullet points about technology and entertainment... Bring food, drinks, something to keep everything cold, comfortable clothes. And please leave the VR headset out of the family bonding experience
to think I used to get chastised for wearing an earbud during road trips. -
Man, take a break from electronics and take in the trip. Make sure you bring enough liquids.
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
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I'm seconding the other person - lay off the tech!
What's the point of doing a massive road trip if you're all going to be glued to a screen of some sort?
Take some books as they work without any reception, have you read any books about road trips? The most obvious one would be On The Road by Jack Kerouac.
How are you mechanically? Can you change a tyre? If not have you got breakdown cover?
I drive from UK - Spain twice a year. I tend to drive for 4 hours each day. I know I could do that trip loads faster but I prefer to do it and relax.
Tunes for when driving and then either read a book or watch something on the downtime
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
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There's literally no point in taking the trip if you're just going to play video games the whole time.
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
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Do you even know the goal of the trip?
Maybe only the destination is of importancewrote last edited by [email protected]Thank you. Yes, the point is to go bury my grandfather. I didn't want to include that but fuck me for trying to get advice for a long trip. I did not think I'd be torn apart for "not being one with nature" for 50 hours
But sincerely, thank you for actually thinking for yourself
️Edit: ok, torn apart is a bit of a stretch but I wish that wasn't what people focused on
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Then there's no point in the trip.
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
And I know I already replied to you , but I wanted it to really sink in
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Find what kind of oil your car requires and get a quart of it to keep just in case. Also replace your windshield wipers and top up the windshield washer fluid. Check your tire pressure and make sure that the spare tire is in good condition. Basic car care goes a long way.
Good tip on the oil! Thank you, I'm adding it to my list! Probably some extra washer fluid; I know some stretches of that drive are very buggy
