Localeur’s Guide to Road Trips
If the pandemic year forced us to drastically change how – or if – we moved around in the world, the vaccine year is teaching us how to embrace those changes; not because we have to, but because we want to. Globetrotting is well and good, of course. But after exploring our own backyards last summer, we’re hungry for more. The road trip is an American institution that was too often overlooked pre-pandemic – today, even as the world begins to reopen, we think there are just as many reasons to hit the open road as there are to fly the friendly skies. That’s why we’ve given the Road Trip Guide a 2021 makeover. For a personalized itinerary, subscribe to Localeur!
A subscription to Localeur means having access to recommendations from locals in 200 cities around the world. To raise the bar on your next adventure, subscribe today and get a personalized itinerary.
Essential Tips for Your Road Trip
Public Health Safety
There’s nothing more important than following public health guidelines from federal and state agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, not even your trip. If guidelines restrict travel to/from various destinations, heed their advice for the benefit of your health and the health of others. We can’t stress this enough: don’t travel if you’re not feeling healthy and strong.
Where to Eat & Drink
Figuring out where to eat and drink in a new place can be difficult. One way to ease the pain is to become a monthly or Lifetime subscriber to Localeur (click here) and we’ll make sure to reach out to you with any desired recommendations on where to go. An alternative is to do your own searching (beyond Google, which often gets the hours and info wrong) and call individual places to ensure they are still open during COVID-19.
Local Guidance
Beyond federal and state agencies and authorities, mayors and local public health officials often provide their own directives for residents with regard to non-essential activities and restrictions. Before visiting any of the destinations listed below, make sure to check out what the locals are saying. Hotels, in particular, are keen on following guidance from local officials and mayors so book accommodations only after calling and speaking to a person at the hotel if possible.
Getting Out There
It should go without saying that car insurance is the most basic of prerequisites for a road trip – and we think you should switch to Loop before you go anywhere. Loop takes all the structural bias out of your coverage (did you know your credit score and education level impact your monthly rate, for instance?) to get safe drivers on the road without playing favorites.
Rules & Reservations
For starters, make sure to buy a national park pass if you’re in the U.S. and make reservations for the major parks that require them (e.g. Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Olympic, etc). If you’re heading out camping and don’t have your sites booked, don’t fret. There are always dispersed camping or “boondock” sites to put down stakes; we recommend using the Campendium app or an old-school Gazetteer to help you find them.
What to Pack
We could go on and on about what type of clothing to bring depending on the destination, but here are a few items that always work: 1) a place to park your cell phone during the drive to minimize distraction, 2) a rain jacket, 3) sunscreen and bug spray (we like Picaridin), 4) a wireless hotspot for any unexpected moments where you absolutely need internet, and 5) a dry pair of socks or sandals on hand to slip on post-hike. Remembering all five of these things is the key to packing like a pro.
Featured: Texas Trips Done Right
Enchanted Rock
The undulating landscape of the Hill Country can look more like the dry terrain of Southern Europe than it does Texas – but Enchanted Rock looks like no place else on Earth. Traipse its slopes or explore the caves on a day trip (and be sure to make the requisite stop in Fredericksburg afterwards).
South Padre Island
If the Gulf conjures images of muddy water and lackluster beaches, South Padre Island is the indisputable exception. Go with the fam, go with a group, or go with your better half. If you live in Texas, and have never been, be sure you go straight away.
West Texas
An escape to West Texas is an unforgettable way to get off the grid, whether you’re looking for big skies or installation art. After you head to Big Bend for trails, canyons, and rock climbing, explore places like Marfa, Terlingua, Marathon, and the Chinati Hot Springs.
