10 Ways to Survive a Winter Road Trip Without Losing Your Mind
Road trips are meant to be fun, and each one provides a unique experience. Traveling during the winter season can feel intimidating.
Winter road trips can leave you feeling like you’ll lose your mind between unpredicted weather, what to pack, and boredom. But you can do things before, and during your trip to keep peace of mind, and truly enjoy the adventure.
Here are 10 ways to survive a winter road trip without losing your mind. Namaste.
1. Plan and Budget
Before you embark on any road trip, have a plan and budget. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Especially on a winter road trip, don’t plan to fail.
Be sure to plan your initial route, what you’ll need to pack, where you will stay for overnights, what activities you would like to do, emergency considerations, and the budget.
Planning will help avoid stress about your future adventure knowing you’ve considered everything in advance. Be sure to include an emergency fund in your budget as well.
With winter weather, you never know if your initial route will be partially closed off, canceled accommodations, vehicle issues, etcetera. Always have a plan and budget!
2. Auto Preparation
I highly recommend preparing your vehicle in advance of your road trip. Get a full safety inspection completed, including your windshield wipers, tires, and battery.
You want to make sure your windshield wipers are not worn down and you have plenty of wiper fluid with an antifreeze solution. You’ll also want to ensure your tires can handle any potentially extreme weather.
Pack an emergency car kit with all the essentials (jumper cables, flares, ice/snow scraper, flashlight with batteries, cell phone charger, thermal/warm blankets, pocket warmers, map).
Be sure your vehicle’s heating system is operating properly before a winter road trip and keep your gas tank at least half full as much as possible. In frigid temps, this can keep your fuel line from freezing.
Knowing your car is prepared for a winter road trip alone can give you a healthy dose of calmness.
3. Check the Weather
You could experience varying extreme temperatures and weather. Be prepared and know the weather forecast for your planned route before leaving.
If you’re unable to follow your initially planned route due to extreme weather conditions, consider planning an alternate route. This will minimize any panicking when things don’t go as planned.
One thing that can be upsetting is planning to go on a specific route only to find out the byway or highway is closed off due to extreme weather conditions. You could find yourself scrambling to figure it all out.
Save yourself the stress and plan ahead!
4. Packing List
One thing that can drive you crazy on a trip is not having the right clothing for the varying temperatures and weather. Be sure to pack a couple of warm sweaters, pajamas, thermal underwear, thicker leggings, warm socks, a medium-warm jacket, and a warm coat. Bring your hat, gloves, scarf, and warm, waterproof boots.
I recommend packing an emergency clothing bag (per person in tow) to keep in your car separate from your packing list for your destination. This will have all your essentials to keep you (and the others with you) warm in an emergency.
Nothing is worse than making an emergency stop in an unplanned location because your body can’t handle the weather conditions due to poor planning. Pack light, but warm!
5. Helpful Road Trip Apps
In today’s world, we have access to nearly anything and everything at our fingertips! This can be a blessing when planning and keeping your mind at peace during a winter road trip. Be sure to download these helpful road trip apps to help keep you in the know regardless of where you’re headed.
Trip Whistle is an app that lets you share your current location via text, or share your GPS coordinates with others. You’re never alone!
Did you have to stop unexpectedly and need somewhere to stay for the night? The Hotel Tonight app gives you last-minute available hotels in your current location.
The Gas Buddy app will help you find the cheapest gas or service stations near you.
Lastly, download a weather app like the Weather Bug or Weather Underground, and you can receive current weather alerts throughout your trip. These will surely give you peace of mind knowing you have this level of access when needed.
6. Stay Hydrated
Pack plenty of water! Whether your road trip is half a day or 5 days of driving. Without being a mind reader, the weather can change in a heartbeat.
You don’t want to be in a situation where you’re unable to make it to the next leg of your trip, and you have nothing to drink in the car. Traveling through various weather conditions could mean driving alternate routes and being in areas with less access to grocery or gas stations.
Keep bottles of water in your car. Hydration is essential, always.
7. Nutritious Snacks
It’s easy to be on a road trip and realize you’re hungry, and you’re hungry now. You could be stuck in traffic, lose track of time, or forget that you haven’t eaten yet. Unpredicted weather could be approaching, and there’s nowhere to eat nearby.
Unfortunately, this has happened to me, and it’s the worst! You’re hungry, it’s 1 am, and none of the stores within your reach are open due to the time of day or inclement weather.
What to do?! Be sure to pack snacks with substance, such as nutritional snacks to help keep you from getting hungry and tired. It’s essential to keep your body appropriately fueled for winter road trips.
8. Off-Route Activities
Road trips are fun, but they can also be incredibly dull if all you’re doing is driving straight through. Plan and give yourself time to do some off-route activities.
You could stop in a state park and take in the views. Maybe try a random activity you found based on a street advertisement. I’ve done this before and it’s quite fun!
The unexpected off-route activities can be some of the best and will help break up your time so you don’t feel stuck in your car all day and night in less-than-ideal weather.
My motto is, “Even if it wasn’t as fun as I hoped, I would’ve never known if I didn’t give it a go.” Be spontaneous and make some pit stops to explore new areas!
9. Music Playlists, Podcasts, and Audio Books
I love music! I listen to music at home every day, that won’t change when on a road trip. Make sure you have several music playlists you enjoy listening to, and some you wouldn’t mind listening to on repeat (if your trip is that long).
Music can help soothe the soul on a winter road trip. Rather than nervously driving through bad weather, you can put on your favorite music playlist and let your soul relax.
If music isn’t your thing or you tire of listening to music, put on your favorite podcasts or an audiobook. Change it up some and enjoy the ride!
10. Kid-Friendly Entertainment
Are you taking a trip with the kids? If so, consider ways to keep them entertained while on this adventure.
After all, you will be together for extended periods in the same vehicle. Car boredom is a real thing for adults and kids!
Depending on the ages of the children coming along with you, I recommend having playing cards, UNO, play eye-spy, coloring books with crayons, iPad with games or kid-friendly shows/cartoons, reading books (age-level appropriate), or crossword puzzles. This is also a great opportunity to spend small amounts of quality time conversing with your children and sharing jokes.
These days, It’s not often families have this level of quality time with each other. Take advantage of the situation and make it fun!
What is One Thing You Do to Keep From Losing Your Mind on a Winter Road Trip?
I like to ensure my car is all tuned up and safety checks completed before any road trip, especially winter road trips. Knowing my one mode of transportation for a winter road trip is good to go helps calm my mind.
What’s the one thing you do to keep from losing your mind on a winter road trip? Let us know in the comments!
