7 Ways to Prepare for a Thanksgiving Road Trip
For Americans, November ushers in the holiday season, family gatherings, gift giving and spending time with family and friends. Part of sharing these special moments together involves traveling to attend family gatherings. By far, Thanksgiving is the busiest and most hectic time to travel.
It is also the season when most flights are fully booked, airports are packed with travelers and weather conditions may disrupt some travel plans. While flying is the fastest way to reach our destinations, it could also be more expensive and troublesome to large families with children or pets. The best way to take control of your travel time and beat the crowd is to take a Thanksgiving road trip.
Here are 7 ways to prepare and have a smooth Thanksgiving road trip:
One: Travel on Tuesday before Thanksgiving
Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are the busiest travel days of the year. You want to avoid those days as much as possible.
Check out peak hours of the toll plazas you will be passing through and plan your road trip outside of the peak hours. For example, The
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey peak periods are 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Two: Maintain your vehicle
Check your tires, transmission fluid, brakes, and coolant system and make sure your vehicle is in top condition for your road trip. It doesn’t matter if you are just traveling across town or thousands of miles away; a well-maintained vehicle will ensure a smooth journey.
Three: Bring snacks and drinks
Saving time and cutting junk foods are important ways to prepare your family to enjoy Thanksgiving gatherings. Too much sugared drinks or high salt and preservatives foods may lower your immune system. You want to be well hydrated and have healthy snacks while you are on the road.
Four: Plan your road trip
You need to know the distance between your home and your destination. If you are traveling from Dallas, TX to Pensacola, FL, use Travelmath’s travel calculator to find out your halfway point, driving time, distance and cost to drive.
Here’s how:
Dallas, TX to Pensacola, FL
Driving Distance: 649 miles
Driving Time: 10 hours 28 minutes
Halfway point: Monroe, LA
Cost to drive: $86.67 one way (at time of writing)
It would be quite difficult to drive 10 hours 28 minutes if you have young children. For some families who prefer to find a halfway point for a hotel, the halfway point calculator is extremely helpful for your trip planning.
Five: Book your hotel early
Since Thanksgiving is the busiest time to travel, hotels may be full as well. Make your reservation as early as possible. You may need a hotel when you make a stop for a night on your road trip, at the halfway point or at your destination.
Here is a link to find out more about
hotel prices and availability.
Six: Entertainment for your road trip
Long road trips can be draining for young children and teens. Since it is the holiday season, why not bring your favorite Christmas CDs and have a sing-along during your trip? Bring electronic games like an iPad and the iPod Touch for kids. Books are great for the avid readers in your home too.
Seven: Phones and chargers
Now smartphones have replaced the GPS, paper maps and AAA’s Trip Tik. Make sure you have car chargers for your phones. Your phone is also important for making calls or checking out the best place to eat while you are on a road trip. It could be a tool to check the weather and road condition of the roads you will be traveling on.
Technology brings us convenience and better-planned road trips. Remember to use Travelmath’s tools to plan your Thanksgiving road trip this holiday season. Travel safe.
