10 Essential Tips for Your Upcoming Road Trip

I usually work from home in Towson, Maryland, a suburb just north of Baltimore. I reside in a cozy two-bedroom, 1.5-bath apartment featuring a spacious living room, dining area, office, full-size washer and dryer, and a balcony. Before the pandemic, I considered my 1,300 square-foot apartment quite roomy—until I had to shelter in place with a delightful but temperamental teenager who missed her school and friends.

My family is based in San Antonio, Texas. So when my sister called in April 2020, inviting me and my child to visit, I eagerly accepted. I opted to rent a minivan for a great price of $134 for two days, load it up, and embark on a 1,700-mile journey. Since then, I’ve made that drive two more times. I even canceled a plane ticket I purchased in August 2021 in favor of taking my third road trip due to concerns about the delta variant of COVID-19.

I suspect I’m not alone in this. Despite the delta variant's rise, many people are still eager to travel. Like me, they are hitting the roads rather than flying this fall. Here are some tips to consider before you set out.

Car rental prices remain high

I thought about renting a car for my road trip. I checked several rental car websites for an overnight rental on October 20, 2021. As we all know, car rental rates have skyrocketed since the start of 2021. Personally, I wasn’t willing to shell out $420 to drive a car (the Kia Soul) that I already own, so I opted to drive my own instead.

Inspect your vehicle

Before my August road trip, I took my car to the mechanic for a thorough check-up because the last thing you want is a breakdown hundreds of miles from home. He assessed everything from oil levels to the transmission and gave me the all-clear. I also have AAA for emergencies, but check if your credit card offers roadside assistance before hitting the road.

Fuel prices are on the rise

On my first road trip in April 2020, I spent just $77 on gas, with prices varying from a high of $1.41 to a low of $1.09 per gallon for regular fuel. However, for my August 2021 journey, I paid between $2.50 and $2.70 per gallon. Be sure to use a credit card that offers rewards for gas purchases, like the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) (3x points) or the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (3% cash back at U.S. gas stations; rewards come as a statement credit).

Public restrooms can be questionable

I’ll admit it — I’m a bit of a germaphobe and public restrooms make me uneasy. While I’m not as extreme as supermodel Naomi Campbell, I always carry Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer when I travel. Knowing I’d need to use restrooms on my trip, I brought along my Clorox spray and a roll of paper towels. I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of most restrooms during my initial journey (but I still gave them a wipe-down). This time around? Not quite the same, especially with the delta variant surge.

Fast-food restaurants continue to enforce social distancing

The fast-food places we visited on my first trip had employees wearing masks and gloves. Chick-fil-A was particularly impressive; a worker would come to your car to take your order and instruct you to swipe your card. Instead of receiving your food at the drive-thru window, a gloved and masked employee placed your order in a gray bin for you to collect. These safety protocols were still in effect at the fast-food joints I visited during my August 2021 trip.

If you prefer not to stop, consider packing a cooler with sandwiches and beverages, along with a stash of road-friendly snacks.

Hotel deals are a thing of the past

In order to earn 5x points with my Platinum Card® from American Express, I booked a deluxe room with two queen beds at the Kimpton Aertson in downtown Nashville back in April 2020 for $209.42. Now, in October, that same room is priced at $332.60 per night.

During this trip, I ended up paying for two hotel rooms since my initial one was a disaster. I was fortunate to find another room, especially as college students were returning and accommodations were in high demand.

Traffic has returned to its usual levels

We left Towson in April 2020 on a Thursday at 7 a.m., planning to merge onto the Baltimore Beltway toward I70 West. At that hour, traffic usually moves slowly, but on that day, the roads were nearly deserted, with 18-wheeler trucks outnumbering cars. By August, however, the highways were back to their usual bustle, and I found myself stuck in traffic multiple times.

Speeding remains a common occurrence

Despite speed limits ranging from 55 in Baltimore to 70 in Texas, most drivers ignored them on both trips. Interestingly, there were numerous highway patrol officers present, yet I only witnessed two cars being pulled over during the entire journey.

Roadwork is currently widespread

In April 2020, states took full advantage of the reduced traffic to tackle road work, such as painting lane lines, repaving roads, and constructing new ones. This trend continued during my last trip, particularly in Alabama and Texas.

Cities and towns are open for business

Having grown up in a time when everything shut down on Christmas and Thanksgiving, I appreciated the quiet during holiday drives with my parents. My April 2020 trip felt like those holidays every day, but on my latest journey, shops, restaurants, and businesses were bustling with activity.

Final thoughts

For those eager to travel but hesitant to fly, a road trip presents a fantastic alternative. With the right preparations before hitting the road, you can truly appreciate the American landscape from the ground.