Dee-Lovely: Road Trip USA

My route for the big LA move

As I mentioned in my previous post, my dad and I spent over 3,000 miles in a car together driving from NJ to LA. We either had to be crazy, or love road trips. I'm a little of the former, but a whole lot of the latter - I LOVE road trips! Imagine my joy when my boyfriend got a Prius. Super low gas mileage and a roomy trunk? Fill that tank and put on Bon Jovi, Deanna's gonna hit the road!

Together, Webb and I have road tripped to Palm Springs, down the California coast, and a few times from LA to his hometown, and I've gone from Boston to Oklahoma - a total 24 hours each way. After many hours on the road and games of Cracker Barrel checkers, I've come up with a few traveler's tips - and lucky you gets to read them below :)

Pack Snacks & Water

So you're trying to save room in the car by not packing snacks? Skip the cooler and stuff non refrigerated snacks in the glove compartment. Don't start your journey with an empty car because you'll regret it when you end up at a rest stop with only a dusty vending machine. EW. I learned not every rest stop is as glorious as the ones along the Garden State Parkway (#jerseyshoutout) Some ideas here!

Print directions

Guess what happens in the California desert? Cell reception says "Adios, amigos" and you're stuck with asking for directions at a gas station 37 miles ahead. The laminated binder of alternate routes and points of interest I once created may have been extreme - but you get the idea.

Be spontaneous

Preparation is key, but a sense of adventure is what makes the trip. When my dad and I were driving through Arizona, we saw a sign for the London Bridge 17 miles off the road. At that point, we were eager just to get to California, but our curiosity got the better of us. I excepted a dinky bridge surrounded by desert, but what we discovered was a beautiful oasis town. Awesome discovery, and worth the detour!

The actual London Bridge right in the Arizona desert.

An unplanned detour to "Metropolis, IL" led us to this amazing Superman statue - my dad feels like his 8 year old self here!

No Drive Thrus!

You have two beautiful limbs that like to move. They get cranky when they are curled up for hours on end. Get out of the car! Drive thrus can be tempting since they're so quick, but use the stop as an excuse to stretch, get some fresh air, and find some fun local food.

When driving through NorCal, Casa de Fruta is a MUST! Here, Webb is checking out some of their jams.

Playlist

Sing-a-longs are key! I'm lucky Webb happens to be an amazing car DJ. My favorite road trip memories with him are singing at the top of our lungs and dancing like fools. 90's pop rock, 80's power ballads, raps that you know every word to. Nobody puts baby in the corner!

Ernie is trying to escape our rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

Small Towns

I had more fun in Lompoc, CA (where?!) than I've had in a lot of big cities. There is just something about painting a small town red. Accommodations are usually cheaper, plus you get a real sense of the region versus a more gentrified big city. Nashville's awesome, but nothing felt more Tennessee than the random road stop town with a store devoted to confederate china. Yes - that was a real thing. Oh, America.

Local Groupons

Before your trip, check out that town's local Groupon or Living Social site. Webb and I did this before Palm Springs, and ended up with a great deal on dinner in a fun part of town we wouldn't have thought to go to otherwise.

Visit Friends

The best part about a super long trip is seeing friends along the way! It breaks up the drive, and locals know the best places to go. My network of friends and family across the country helped outline my route. A few hours of snoozing on their 5 star couch - and I was ready to hit the road again!