I would like you all to meet Pam! Pam the Dodge Grand Caravan. My lovely minivan… (ignore the dent in the side from when I tried to back around a poll and had no concept of space…)

If you follow me on Social Media then you know I promised this post quite awhile ago but I had been putting it off until recently when my car started giving me issues. It overheated and forced me to pull off to the side of the freeway recently. So I ended up learning how to install a radiator! Along with some other stuff, she is doing a good job at draining my savings account. But I can’t be mad because I inherited this car for free and my mom happened to marry a mechanic. I got a pretty good deal, honestly. With all the money I’m spending on her I figured it was time to give her some credit with a blog post…

Fun fact about me: I didn’t get my driver’s license until I was just about to turn 22. I usually relied on public transportation or dated guys in college that were willing to drive me everywhere. It wasn’t until one boyfriend finally put his foot down that I took the test and got my license.

I’ve had Pam for over a year now and she’s been my trusty travel companion on all my road trips. If I’m going on a road trip with a friend then usually I’ll suggest we take their car because mine gets terrible mileage, but otherwise Pam is the one who takes me to Central Oregon, Central Washington, Seattle, or anywhere else I feel like going!

This is honestly the perfect car for traveling! All of the seats in the back fold down and I can easily fit an air mattress in the back. Who needs a tent when you have a van? And Wal-Mart parking lots are free to sleep in! Safe hotels are great, but have you ever tried saving money instead?

Whether I’m traveling for a couple days or just a three hour road trip, here are the essentials I take with me everywhere:

snacks

Nothing is as important as having food in your car at all times. I repeat: nothing. This isn’t just for road trips but for life in general. Always pack snacks!

• Chips
  • I keep goldfish in my car at all times but I also like to pack a bag of chips for long drives. Pepperoncini Kettle chips are my fav!
• Granola Bars
  • Personally, I don’t actually like granola bars. Usually it tastes like someone packed a bunch of cereal into a brick and I happen to hate cereal as well. But Nature Valley bars with chocolate taste like cookies so I’ll pack a couple of those.
• Fruit
  • If it’s a long trip, I feel it’s better to not pack so much fruit because it goes bad but dried fruit is great for snacking on and they make absolutely no mess. (I mean, as if I care? I’m a 23-year old woman, do you actually believe my car isn’t a mess?)
  • For shorter trips I love sliced honey crisp apples and blueberries. The smaller the snack, the easier it is to eat while driving.
• Coffee
  • I never leave for a road trip without making myself some espresso first. Iced Americanos are my best friend because I love driving at night and usually the drive is better if I’m… ya know, awake for it.
  • Since I can’t make coffee on the road I like to research the best espresso stands in the area so I can find some local coffee before heading out.
  • No coffee stands are open? My last resort is RedBull.
• Lost of water! If you know me then you know that I always carry a 48oz Nalgene water bottle with my everywhere. In fact, almost everyone I know has made fun of me for it at some point because it’s so big… I won’t apologize for being hydrated though.

clothes

There is nothing worse than sitting in a car for upwards of 3 hours in no stretch, 100% cotton, high waisted jeans. Who cares how great they make your butt look if you’re sitting?

• I always wear my stretchiest jeans in the Winter and my comfiest shorts in the Summer.
• Always have a hoodie on hand!
• Sneakers are just more comfortable in all walks and sits of life.

emergency kit

I always like to have an Adventure Bag at the ready! Along with snow chains, a spare tire, coolant, and other car necessities, you never know when you might need other things. I don’t have specific scenarios for these, but is there such a thing as too prepared?

• Flashlight
• Toilet paper
  • What if the rest area is all out? Or, worse, there is no rest area for another 50 miles and you need to find some bushes?
• Car charger or rechargeable battery
  • One time I didn’t pack my car charger and my phone died right after I was able to write down directions to where I was going and I had to get there MapQuest style for 2 hours.
• AUX chord or Bluetooth
  • This is probably the most important item on the list. Driving without music is something I just cannot do.
• Snacks
  • I told you it was important.

 

The most important tip I can give you for your next road trip is to take your time and always stop at view points. Whether it’s life or a drive, remember that detours are okay and might even be worth the setback.