This summer, putting your family on a plane feels a little fraught. With coronavirus numbers continuing to climb, sitting in a small space with hundreds of strangers for hours doesn’t feel like a recipe for relaxation.
A road trip, on the other hand, has a lot of advantages: You have the freedom to plan a route that avoids virus hot spots, you can keep your crowd contact to a minimum, and you’re outside—one of the safest places to be, and a great way to reconnect with nature and each other. Plus, major bonus: Taking advantage of all our country has to offer al fresco means, most likely, less cash out of your wallet.
That’s certainly my family’s perspective, anyway, as we plan a 10-hour drive to stay in a state park near my mother, whom we haven’t seen in months. We’ll do some hiking and biking, and a lot of catching up. Friends of mine are taking a similar road trip cross country so their toddler can reconnect with his grandparents. With planning and safety precautions, a road trip can help you get away and see some of the country—and it doesn’t have to stress your budget.
Here are some great ways to save on your next road trip and be sure it’s a success:
Plan your route.
Use an app like Roadtrippers to plot your course from Point A to Point B and make sure you’re taking the smartest route and catching all the cool things on the way. The app will calculate your travel time, mileage, and gas cost, and you can tweak to your specifications.
Book hotels wisely.
Hotels often include breakfast and coffee as part of your lodging costs, and that can shrink the daily food bill. Most Choice Hotels — like Comfort Inn & Suites, Sleep Inns, and Quality Inns — for instance, offer free breakfast, as well as free wifi (great for kids on devices) and pools for summer splashing. Choice Hotels are taking great pains to keep their properties clean and safe for guests, with heightened cleaning protocols and furniture spaced for social distancing. Plus, you can trust that when you book directly on ChoiceHotels.com you’re getting the lowest price (no more surfing 5,000,000 travel sites!) and will be able to modify online if your plans change. Because these days, who knows what next week will look like?
Stock up at grocery stores.
Eating every meal and snack out can add up fast. Take advantage of local grocery stores to replenish a bag of snacks you can take with you in the car, as well as some staples you can use to put together a quick lunch or dinner on the road if needed. Some suggestions: peanut butter or the nut butter of your choice, whole-grain cereal or crackers, nuts, hearty fruit like apples and grapes, trail mix, and snack packs of hummus. A cooler (grab fresh ice periodically) can keep perishables and drinks cold. And look for Choice Hotels rooms that come with a mini fridge you can use to stow your grocery stash (!).
Be smart about gas.
Apps like GasBuddy or Gas Guru will show you the cheapest gas prices in your area. Since gas is one of the primary expenses on your trip, this can save you significant cash. It’s also a smart idea to plan a route that bypasses major traffic snarls, since idling doesn’t help your gas mileage. Drive at a consistent speed (use cruise control if you have it), and turn off your AC at low speeds—roll down your windows and enjoy your surroundings!
Get outside.
The great outdoors is free, versus the admission price of many museums and tourist destinations. There are also a variety of free attractions across the country, such as the Bronx Zoo in New York City (free on Wednesdays), the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, or the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Search “free things to do” or “free attractions” along your route. That said, there may be park entry fees in some places. Consider getting a National Park Pass if you plan to visit more than three national parks within the year—you’ll save overall.
Have your vehicle checked before you go.
On-the-road repairs can be super costly, since you’re at the mercy of the nearest mechanic. (And breaking down three hours into your multi-day road trip is a major bummer—I speak from experience.) Having your trusted auto shop take a peek at your wheels for a “trip check” before you hit the road can save you a big headache—and repair bill—down the road.
And no matter where you are in this great big country of ours, there’s a great itinerary for you. Here are some of the best routes across the country along with some tips on what to do, eat and see along the way.
Starting in the East
Atlantic Coast: By working your way down the Atlantic Coast, you can visit Boston, New York City, Washington DC, Richmond, Charleston, Savannah, and Key West. See historic sites, enjoy some Southern food, and dip your toes in the Atlantic Ocean. Fall or spring, when the temps have dipped a bit, is the best time for this drive.
Directions: Roads vary, but you can cover most of this trip on Interstate 95, except for the leg from Boston to New York City, which can be done via Interstate 90.
What to see: Boston’s Black Heritage Trail, White Point Garden in Charleston, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, the Southernmost Point in Key West
Where to stay: Quality Inn West End in Richmand VA, Sleep Inn Charleston – West Ashley
Starting in the West
Pacific Coast Highway: You can drive the entire 1,650-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway from Western Washington to Southern California, or you can tackle a more bite-sized chunk if you want to keep your trip shorter. Enjoy scenic coastline views as well as the sights of Seattle, Big Sur, San Francisco and San Diego.
Directions: Take US Highway 101 South from Seattle. Continue on Highway 1 in California to San Diego.
What to see: Olympic National Park, Redwood National Park, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Hollywood (CA), San Diego Zoo
Where to stay: Comfort Inn Carmel By The Sea, Comfort Suites Columbia River
Starting in the North
US Highway 2: From Seattle, WA, to Acadia National Park in Maine, US Highway 2 takes the scenic route across the North part of the country. You won’t see a lot of big cities, but you’ll see big scenery, and you can cover as much or as little of it as you have time for—there are thousands of miles to choose from.
Directions: Take US Highway 2 from Seattle to Maine, driving through Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, Quebec, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
What to see: Glacier National Park in Montana, Devils Lake in North Dakota, Mackinac Island in Michigan, the city of Montreal, and Acadia National Park in Maine
Where to stay: Comfort Suites Canal Park, Comfort Inn & Suites in South Burlington, VT
Starting in the South
Southern Pacific: Traversing the Southern half of the United States, the old Route 80 and its counterparts will take you through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, depending on how far you want to go.
Directions: From Savannah, GA, take Route 80 West through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, where it becomes 180. The road dips through Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and becomes Interstate 10, then becomes Route 80 again in Arizona, and then Interstate 8. Follow Interstate 8 into California, all the way to San Diego.
What to see: Savannah Historic District, Bonnie and Clyde’s Death Site in Louisiana, site of JFK’s assassination in Dallas, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Painted Rock Petroglyphs in Arizona
Where to stay: Comfort Inn in Jackson, MS, Comfort Suites West Dallas, TX
Keep in mind:
In any location, go for hotels committed to keeping you safe during these extraordinary times. For instance, Choice Hotels is leading the pack with its Commitment to Clean, which promises heightened cleaning protocols for high traffic areas, furniture arrangements to encourage social distancing, and pre-packed breakfast items in place of the usual hotel buffet. Plus, with 6,500+ places to stay in the U.S., you’ll be able to find a Choice property almost anywhere. (Bonus: Comfort Inns nationwide were all recently refreshed.)
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