Trip Fundamentals: Where to Go?
Everyone has to start somewhere — When Andrew and I first began traveling together almost 20 years ago, we started with the most basic of plans: drive my 2000 Volkswagen Beetle to Las Vegas to get married, explore all we could in the western US, and make it back home in two weeks. That trip laid the basis of every other trip we would make in the future. We have learned SO MUCH in the years we’ve traveled on the road. Whether it be keeping a loose plan/itinerary, packing for all types of weather, keeping ourselves fed and clean… we’ve learned things the hard way. This series I’m beginning on our Travel Fundamentals may seem like common sense. But, because there’s always someone new to the scene, my hope is our mistakes can aid someone to be smarter, safer and more equipped than we were in the beginning.
Our first camping stop together in Kansas (pre-Vanagon).
First things first…. How do we decide where to travel? Figuring out where to go can be a huge challenge. When there is more than one person, there is usually more than one opinion. Here are some factors to take into consideration when traveling:
1. How long do you want to be on the road?
If you live on the east coast and have a long weekend, chances are you are not making it to the Santa Monica Pier for the weekend. Be realistic about your radius of travel.
2. How long do you want to drive?
This is the area I have issues with. I have no problem driving 10 hours after a work day to get some space between my house and where I want to be. It's the drive home that will get ya. Remember, you have to get home. Unless your goal is to JUST DRIVE HOME, it’s always a good idea to make time to have a place to get out and have some fun on the way home. You don’t want to wear yourself out trying to make a huge drive straight home without any fun.
3. What’s the weather going to be like?
This is one to take into consideration if you don’t want to be ultra hot/cold. Our Vanagon does not have a standalone heater or air conditioning. So I can speak on the fact that I have been very uncomfortable at times. Either find some place that has a mild climate or get yourself mentally prepared for the weather.
Our hottest campsite to date: 102 degrees at Valley of the Gods, Utah, USA.
4. What do you want to see?
This is the fun part. When we are deciding the next place(s) we’d like to explore, we normally discuss it while we’re still on a trip. With traveling fresh in our minds, it’s easier to think of places off the top of our heads we want to go. There have been times where we have loved an area so much (I’m looking at you Utah) that we immediately begin planning return trips to take in things we may have missed. Make notes when you see somewhere or something on TV, social media or the internet that looks like fun and/or interesting. Check out things you can do in-between when driving out to places. Pick a state you want to explore and find out about some of it’s high points. When you find those high point areas, other little towns and experiences in-between sometimes just fall into place. Research is the name of the game.
5. Are there travel restrictions?
A few years ago, this question would have never crossed my mind. In a world that now has Covid-19 as a factor, it’s best to find out what kind of restrictions you may run into while traveling. For example, three times we have tried to go to Monument Valley, and three times it was closed. Each time, it was not the best time as an out-of-state person to be running around on the Navajo Reservation. They were having a full-on crisis due to Covid. As a responsible traveler, you do not want to go somewhere you will cause more harm. Sure, we wanted to see Monument Valley, but missing out gives us a reason to go back to that area and really take it in. Know the restrictions and honor those limitations put in place. They are there for a reason.
This is as close to visiting Monument Valley as we have gotten in 3 tries.
6. What kind of vacation do you want?
Most of our vacations are centered around getting “off the grid”. It’s our time to reconnect with the earth, with our brains and each other. We both enjoy being completely away and alone. Not every trip is like that. We also take a lot of trips that include paying for a campground close to a city. We enjoy our city adventures as much as our wilderness adventures. Not every trip is going to be the same, nor does it have to be. Knowing if you’ll be on or off the grid will play a part in how you pack for your trip.
Over the next few months, I am gonna share some other tip/tricks we have discovered during our adventures. If you’d like to add anything or share something we may have left out, please comment below. We’re always looking for tips and ideas!
-BINK