June 2025: Road Trip!
It’s officially road trip season! The longer, sunny days make it so easy to hop in the car for a change of scenery & a bit of adventure. A recent trip reminded me the traditions and quirky goodness that make these getaways so fun, so let’s hit the highway with this High Five:
#1 Playlists
Good tunes for the car are essential and always part of my planning process. I love a mix of genres & artists, new & old to feed my nostalgia and seated dance moves. (Think Elaine Benis but in the driver’s seat) Stevie Wonder, Icona Pop & The Go Gos will be sung out loud (often to my husband’s chagrin and/or amusement). Here’s a sample playlist for you to consider to help you get through long stretches on the road.
#2. Roadside Attractions
Kooky water towers, pencil sharpener museums, Jolly Green Giants – yes, please! I’m happy to pull off the road to get a look at these crazy monuments and if I’m lucky, pop into their gift shops. I love to learn their history (why on earth did someone decide to make a palace of corn?) & of course, get the obligatory pic for my travel journal.
#3 Gas Station Snacks:
I’m usually a healthy eater, but there’s something about a road trip gas station stop that makes the snacks extra tempting and tasty. And I often find that people have their go-to gas station snacks. Me? My top choices are: Orange Gatorade, Pretzel/Cheddar Cheese Combos and/or Cheese & Peanut Butter crackers. Basically anything with a florescent orange, artificial coloring. No judgement please – I’m on vacation!
#4 Travel Centers & Paper Maps
I love crossing a state line & finding a mega travel center full of touristy pamphlets. Often these places still have paper state maps, which I love. I think I’m a bit nostalgic for the atlas that used to be in the back of our family station wagon. I loved reviewing the length of our route, calculating mileage between cities, seeing what scenic highways we’d be taking & what natural wonders we may pass on the way. That’s probably why I’ve got a small collection of vintage maps tucked away with my many vacation souvenirs.
#5 Car Games
Growing up, we’d pass the time driving with all sorts of games. The license plate game, a foot fight in the back seat with my brother, the alphabet memory game (“I’m going to Kentucky and taking an Apple, Barbie, Cactus, Diamond….”). These games, along with my love of postcards, definitely inspired my Bingo postcard series. Right after I got back from Kentucky, I put the finishing touches on my latest card, celebrating the Bluegrass state. You can grab a few now from my Etsy site for the next time you head out on the highway. You’ll be sure to get High Fives from your passengers along the way!