How Can a Road Trip Feel Fun Even on the Driving Days?

So, the quickest way to make a road trip feel miserable is to treat it like a mission to “get there.” Because once the whole day becomes mileage, traffic, and bathroom breaks, the trip turns into transportation, not a vacation. It just turns you into focusing on the road to get from point A to point B; it doesn’t make the road trip screen-free. In fact, the car ride itself isn’t the experience; it’s not fun, it’s just none of that!

But when the drive itself gets a little intention behind it, like comfort, pacing, and one or two genuinely fun moments, the whole thing starts feeling like the holiday it was supposed to be, wouldn’t you agree with that? But how can you actually make the car ride just as enjoyable as everything else during the road trip?

Just Make the Overnight Stop Part of the Trip

Okay, the overnight stop is where a lot of road trips either become relaxing or become exhausting. If the stop is only chosen because it’s cheap or “technically on the way,” it can feel like a chore. But if the stop feels like part of the experience, the whole trip changes. It’s not even just with road trips; it’s basically any trip in general. A nice accommodation just really had an impact both physically and mentally on you. It really can turn the trip upside down in the best way possible!

So, it depends on the trip and the route you’re doing, of course. But that might mean booking a spot near a cute downtown, choosing a hotel with a pool, or finding an RV resort that’s actually pleasant to hang out at for a few hours, not just sleep. But seriously, having a place that you’re staying at that’s far more than just being an accommodation is seriously so nice because you can really just decompress. Basically, the whole family can.

Try and Plan One “Fun Stop” Each Day

It doesn’t matter if this is you, friends, the kids are with you, it doesn’t matter because you should still get out of the car each day and just try and have a good time. But of course, something else to keep in mind here is that trying to plan a day full of stops can backfire.

Okay, think about it; too many stops become stressful, and then everything feels rushed. But one intentional “fun stop” per day is the sweet spot. Well, maybe two if you can do that. What do you want? What can you do that doesn’t get in the way of time?

It can be anything. Like a scenic overlook that’s actually worth pulling over for, a local diner that feels like a memory, some sort of silly yet questionable roadside attraction (there’s loads of them), but again, this is a vacation, it’s not running a bunch of errands, so try and have some fun.

Does Every Day Have to be a Big Driving Day?

And this is a fair question to ask, because is there one particular destination in mind? Are you in a hurry? Is there a time limit? Most road trips do seem to be in a hurry. But really, road trips stop feeling like a vacation when every day is packed with long driving hours. Even if the destination is exciting, constant driving drains the joy. If you can, give yourself some breathing days, just try to relax and have a nice time where you currently are.

Nanny to Mommy