4 Reasons You Should Take a Road Trip this Summer

[Ryan MacKellar]

Summer is just around the proverbial corner, once again. Winter has faded away and with the warmer weather everyone is poking their heads out after a long hibernation. We all know that this means lighter clothing, patios, friendships that were neglected during the cold months, and of course a summer adventure. It's time for a vacation, to take advantage of the sun, and to make some memories. There are always the traditional destinations overseas but if you find yourself on a bit of a budget but still wanting to travel and have some fun, a road trip might be the way to go this summer!

 

Get to Know Your Own Country

It is so easy to get distracted with the idea of faraway lands that you end up seeing more of other countries than of you own. We often take our own home for granted, when in fact there is still so much to see and do. You will get to see amazing views and awe-inspiring nature that is often overlooked, while developing a new appreciation for it. You’ll also get to drive through all the little towns and villages that you wouldn’t visit otherwise. By doing this you will also get to experience the different ways-of-life that you forget exist in your own backyard. Get to know what is around you, see how the city-dwellers live as well as the rural areas outside. Visit the regions that speak different languages and try their food, you could even go on a little town history tour or visit a brewery. Here in the USA, it's a big country and continent, so why not see what it has to offer?

 

Cost Efficient

Listen, as much as we’d all like to be made of money, it just isn’t the case for many people. But that does not mean that you have to sit at home, never visiting anywhere. Plane tickets are ridiculously expensive and only seem to rise in price, but the beauty of road trips is that the prices are so forgiving. Even if you’re only going road-tripping with one other friend, your gas expenses are cut in half. If there are more on the trip, you pay even less. This idea gets attractive when you realize that if everyone was flying somewhere you each would have to purchase separate tickets, which tend to cost at least a thousand dollars for a round trip.

 

It’s About the Journey

Many people get caught up in what they think they should be doing when they're travelling. They have the sights that they think they should see, and the places that they think they should go because of what they've heard. A lot of the time people don’t stop to think if they even care about that thing, or even enjoy it when there because they're too busy trying to get the perfect picture for social media. I’ve too often seen people think that it was a wasted day if they weren’t able to get the right shot, while not realizing the beautiful moment they’re in.

 

This is one of the great things about road trips. Road trips are not about seeing all of the big attractions. They are about enjoying the journey and the spontaneity of the time. The whole point of them is that you can pull over if you see a sideshow that seems interesting or a greasy spoon diner that looks tasty. Road trips are about talking about nothing with your friends in the car and singing along with the radio. This vacation is not about following an itinerary and paying a lot of money to wait in a long line to see a famous item you may not care about. The destination becomes a place that you will end up, but it's not the purpose of the trip.

 

It's a Bonding Experience

It's hard to find an experience that will have such a significant bonding effect between people as a road trip. This makes sense when you think about it. Once you get a couple people to pile into a vehicle - whether it's a van, a convertible, or even a Ford Transit Connect - and essentially live in there for a week or more, they will know for certain how they feel about each other. You’re going to chat, laugh, bicker, argue, and make up. Then you’ll do it all over again. And you know what? You’ll love each other for it. There is nothing like having that kind of closeness and intimacy with a friend or loved one.