We’re all about making travel easier and more accessible. Whether flying, road-tripping, or even going on a local adventure, here are some of our favorite travel hacks we’ve discovered over the years of full-time travel.
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Last Updated: December 19, 2022
Road Trip Hacks
1. Create a Playlist or Download Audiobooks
The first time we went on a cross-country road trip over ten years ago, I worked on a playlist where no song would repeat for over 24 hours. You don’t need one that long, but a road trip playlist can help you through long trips. We like switching between music and audiobooks. Just be sure you download them so you can still listen to them if you don’t have cell service.
Pro Tip: We recently discovered Libby, where you can download free audiobooks from your local library and listen to them offline.
2. Download Travel Apps
Apps can come in handy when you’re on the road. Here are a few of our favorites.
- myRewards Plus App – We’ve managed long stints on the road (we’ve once done Atlanta to LA in 36 hours straight). Regardless of whether we do any overnights, we always make stops for gas, stretch our legs, and pick up snacks. Pilot Flying J gas stations are our top pick on road trips. Not only do they have reasonable gas prices, but the convenience stores are more extensive and facilities clean and spacious (bye-bye dingy gas station bathrooms). Their free app makes it even better because it gives you 10¢ off every gallon of gas and deals to help you save money on snacks.
- Google Maps – This is our go-to map app and I typically download offline versions of the areas we’ll be in, especially when I know service might be spotty. It really helps to be able to still search and navigate without cell service.
- GasBuddy – When I forget to watch the meter and need gas immediately, we use GasBuddy to find the cheapest gas near us. It’s straightforward to use. They recently also added a gas card which helps you save money too.
- Spotify – I take my road trip music seriously. On our first cross-country road trip, I created a 22-hour playlist. Ever since then, I’ve worked on adding and modifying only to…