No matter where you live, you have probably seen or read about a road trip experience. Media portrays these trips as fun, easygoing, and a great way to bond with your travel companions. But is road tripping all it’s made to seem, or is it an overrated form of travel? I won’t answer that for you, but let’s look at some of the pros and cons that can help you decide whether you should take a road trip.
Pros
Enjoy Underrated Attractions
No matter where you are looking to road trip, you will likely find an attraction, a restaurant, or even a national park that most tourists tend to overlook. It’s here that you’ll often see the most real version of a place; it’s where you can stop being a tourist and just be a person. After the trip is over, these places are the ones you’ll most remember.
Group Bonding Time
The cliché is real — road trips are a great time to learn more about your traveling companions. You’ll spend time together in a small space for days, and there will be times where the drive is boring. After the fun and excitement starts to wear off, you can expect to open up a bit and relate to each other on a more personal level.
Fully Customizable Travel
Do you want to visit a city that has no close airport? You may end up traveling for the same amount of time you would if you drove, but spending way more. Or, you might book a hotel and find out it looks much worse in person than it did online. Taking a road trip means being able to customize your travel itinerary to suit your needs, so you can avoid situations like these.
Cons
No Room To Breathe
Although staying in close quarters may lead to a heart-to-heart moment, it can also be the catalyst for epic fights. People get sick of each other after spending so much time together with no out, so be ready to argue over nothing, just because.
The Cost
Although road tripping may be less expensive than an international vacation, it can often be more costly than expected. Gas drives costs up, food and lodging can be a surprise, and you never know when your vehicle will break down. It’s a good idea to have extra money stashed away, just in case something goes awry.
Where’s The Excitement?
Unfortunately, no road trip is going to be interesting 100% of the time. You may have days of travel without an exciting element. Be prepared to entertain yourself in other ways, or else you may regret taking this kind of trip.
Taking a road trip can be a fun experience, but it can also be grueling. Before you commit to the idea, make sure you consider both the good and the bad. You may be surprised at how you feel after weighing all of the consequences.