A successful road trip does take some planning, but the gem moments happen when you least expect it. So tack a few more days onto your trip. Allow yourself to stop and check out the World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab on the side of the road. Go where the road takes you — your inner explorer will thank you.
A roadtrip is one travel adventure that every girl should take in her lifetime — preferably with her best girlfriend in tow. If you’ve been dreaming of a cross-country adventure, read Nona Willis Aronowitz’s tips on how to hit the road in style and safety. She shares some highlights here:
A great playlist is essential
No self-respecting roadtripper gets behind the wheel without a well thought-out soundtrack. It keeps the energy up when it’s low, and can mellow things out when the stress hits. Anything by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Dr. Dre, Blonde Redhead, and even some Britney Spears, depending on the scenery, are recommended.
Know cars 101
Do you know how to change a tire or check your oil? Are you armed with extra bottles of antifreeze or WD-40? If not, get on it, because nothing makes you feel more like a damsel in distress than being forced to bat your eyelashes at a sleazy car mechanic. Lacking a basic auto vocabulary can also leave you vulnerable to scams. Study up.
Nothing beats a real map
GPS systems and iPhones are all well and good, but an actual map puts it all in perspective, and can get you out of a mess when a cell phone unexpectedly loses range. Plus, when you’re on a freewheeling road trip, do you really want a GPS robot yelling at you?
Get off the beaten path
The difference between taking Highway 1 and Route 5 to get from San Diego to San Francisco is considerable, but coastal drives are worth it. The same goes for smaller roads. Interstates don’t often cut through unspoiled landscapes.
In 2007, Nona Willis Aronowitz and photographer Emma Bee Bernstein climbed into a Chevy Cavalier and set off on a cross-country trip to interview women — from well-known feminists to ordinary gals — to find out what feminism meant to them. The result of that journey is the new book “Girldrive: Criss-Crossing America, Redefining Feminism” which lands in bookstores this weekend.