So my boyfriend and I are going to drive from Washington to Florida (and back) in a couple of months to get some of his stuff. We're trying to plan out the trip in the next week or so. We are trying to make it there and back in a week (so with weekends that's 9 days).

Some things I'm wondering: What are good things to pack to eat? Would a cooler last the whole time? Should we sleep in the car to save money? (Are Walmart parking lots too dangerous?) Should we plan out our gas stops? How often should we stop to rest? We'll be taking shifts driving 14+ combined hours a day. Any suggestions on how to stay entertained in the car? (Music, podcasts, word games, etc.)

This will be my first major road trip, so any advice you can give me would be great!

Edit: After posting I realize this should go in the Issues/Advice forum. Oops! Feel free to move this please!

So, my ex boyfriend and I drove across Canada, all-in-all, it took 7 days (we took our time). That was one way though.

Motels/Hotels were very expensive, and we would have camped had it been warm enough. If you have the room to sleep in your car comfortably for a few nights, I would recommend it. We slept in the truck one night, and it was awful. Not enough room, and it was pretty cold, so if you do plan on doing it, have blankets.

He drove the whole time, so it's great that you guys are switching over. Stopping for food and gas should give you enough time to do some walking around, so unless you wanna stop and sight-see, you should be alright if you're constantly switching.

We didn't plan our gas stops, but if you notice that there's a long distance between two gas stations, then it might help to have a gas can in the trunk or back seat, just in case. We didn't have any issues, though. We spent the bulk of our money on gas.

As for food, if you've got a cooler that's great, but it definitely won't last you 9 days. I'd use it to store water, granola bars, other non-perishables, and possibly long-lasting fruit. Replace the ice every once in a while.

You might want to bring a pillow to sit on! Or to use when you sleep in the car.

If you have a GPS, use it, even if you know how to follow all the road signs and not get lost. It's useful if you're having trouble finding a restaurant, gas station, mechanic, or a motel.

Bring lots of music! Switch between your music, his, and the radio. Find lots of things to talk about, and play games. Just so you know, he and I started bickering a lot after being stuck in a vehicle together that long. Try not to get frustrated, keep talking, and keep entertained. We also had major vehicle troubles, so make sure your car is in great shape before you go.

Hopefully that all helps!

Thank you for the advice! I had never thought to bring a pillow or extra gas. Also, it's good to know that gas might be the most expensive thing on the trip. My boyfriend and I slept in the car once and it was extremely uncomfortable but I'm thinking it might be worth it to save money. Again, thank you so much for the tips! That was more helpful than I can describe ^^

No problem! I've only done that one road trip that was so long, so hopefully my tips are worth it. We went in the start of May, and since it's Canada, it was too cold to camp or we would've done that. Sleeping in the vehicle is a nightmare if you're doing it overnight, so if you get really tired of it and have extra money, spending a night or two in a cheap motel isn't too bad.

But yeah, gas and motel stays were really what we spent a lot of money on. We also didn't like, bring actual food, so we spent a bit on that as well. The experience is wonderful though, I wouldn't trade a day of that trip!

eek long drive. I've been on a lot of long car drives, so will try to help some!

1. I'm bad about food on road trips, usually end up just getting munchie snacks and fast food. Beef jerky is good though, maybe sandwiches? You don't want anything messy/difficult to eat. Bringing a pack of bottled water is good.

2. I've never slept in a car, can't speak to its safety but from my experience, even if it's a crappy motel it feels great to lay down in a bed and get a hot showert after being in the car all day. I would not suggest sleeping in the car just due to that. You can generally find Motel 6's for $30-$50 pretty easily, and they're decent enough.

3. Eh, it might save you a little money but I usually don't plan gas stops. The only time you really need to plan is if you're going through a dead area like Route 50 in Nevada. Then you want to make sure you stop and fill up the tank before you get on there because you will go forever without seeing anything and you do not want to get stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

4. I've driven 14 hours non-stop on my own, so it's doable but sucks. Even with another person just being in the car that long is not fun, especially if you're not stopping anywhere for a day to rest or do sightseeing during the trip. Right around 12 hours is where it just gets awful for me to keep driving. Additionally, it depends on what time you're leaving in the morning. If you're starting earlier you can go longer, but if you start a little late and you have 6 hours left driving in the dark it really sucks. So, just sort of depends on you and your boyfriend.

5. Bring lots of music. Have something interesting to think about, have conversations. Make weird sounds. Chew gum. I've been meaning to get some podcasts, Serial in particular, for my next long roadtrip. Those would probably be best because they give you something to think about and focus on.

Other random tips, bring pillows and blankets and towels. First two for comfort, last in case you spill something. Wear comfy clothes. Bring a plastic bag for trash.

Also, just read you're going to pick some stuff up which brings up another issue. Are you getting a ton of stuff? Is it valuable? Unfortunately you can't go all the way in one go so you'll need to think about if leaving stuff in the car overnight while you're sleeping will be an issue.

Sorry for the massive reply, hope some of it helps though!

Cheap motels are a good idea. We want to be showered and well rested when we get down there, haha! I have heard good things about Serial. I should get that on my ipod so it's at least an option for us to listen to it. Towels are a good idea! I hadn't thought about that. Knowing me I'm going to spill something during the trip. Thank you so much for the advice!

The husband and I have driven from Ohio to Florida a couple of times and it's exhausting but can be fun. Our rule when taking long trips is 'You can't get lost if you're not in a hurry'. Take the time to explore a little and don't make the trip 'Work'.

AAA is a good thing, to help with roadside emergencies, but it's always a good idea to have a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, flares and a can or two of fix-a-flat in the trunk. The husband strongly advises having a good jack, the ones that tend to come with the car donut are almost universally useless. It wouldn't hurt to discuss roadside emergency plans with each other beforehand.

So, food advice- jerkey, dried fruit (apples, apricots, pinapple-but not the super sugary kind!) fresh grapes, small apples...but remember when you dispose of stems/cores to put them properly into trash, do not just chuck them out the window! That sort of thing leads to animals getting run over on the roadside. It's okay to pack along some candy/chips too, but I would strongly recommend things that 'engage' your mouth, chewy and crunchy textures are the best!

(careful, my brother and I nearly killed each other with gummybears on a roadtrip, we got to giggling with mouthfuls of candy and I very nearly choked and ran off the road from laughing to the point of breathlessness!)

For comfort's sake make sure to pack along a blanket for each of you, along with a couple of those weird little horseshoe shaped neck pillows. Wear comfy clothing..sweatpants/flannels, slippers for when you aren't driving are awesome! As well, treat your road pillow with a little spritz of restful essential oil before heading out, the scent helps to relax and well...a few days on the road will probably build up some strong stale travel stink in the car so the pillow spritz can be nice if you're triggered by strong odors.

Lastly, music can be awesome but the all time best for long road trips...books on CD! We love listening to the Harry Potter and the Harry Dresden books, a single book can get you through several states easily. Our last trip to Florida we took the latest 2 Dresden books by Jim Butcher (supernatural private investigator if you're not familiar). One got us down there, one got us back. The stories keep you really engaged mentally. Best part, most libraries have a good selection of books on CD to borrow for free!

Wow, what a trip!

I've done a few road trips, so I'll try to answer your questions with my opinion.. but your experiences may be different, so the number one thing I'd say is remember what works, and what doesn't, so you'll be better prepared next time!

1. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are pretty common road trip food, but do NOT make the mistake I did and pack ONLY PB+J! You'll want to have a few choices - some salty things, some savory things, some bland things. If you eat meat, salami or jerky is great because it lasts a pretty long time without going bad. Tortilla chips and bean dip is a good bet, too - or even just grab a few cans of black or refried beans, they don't need to be heated. Trail mix is great - get a BIG bag! Bring some Emergen-C or vitamin C chewables, being on the road that long can be kind of rough on your immune system.

2. I've always slept in Wal-Mart parking lots. They feel pretty safe - a lot of them have security guards patrolling the lot, so there's that. Also, you can use the bathrooms to freshen up in the morning. Be careful about sleeping in your car on public streets, it's illegal in a lot of places.

3. I have no idea about planning your gas stops - I never have, although it would be smart to be mindful of where gas stations are along your route. Maybe get a gas can?

4. I think it's good to stop to stretch your legs whenever you stop for gas or to use the bathroom. Definetely, if one of you feels tired or loopy from driving, take a break. It's better to be safe.

5. Mad Libs! I don't know if they even make those anymore, but they're great because you can both participate. If you have a way to play music from your phone and unlimited data, I would highly reccomend spotify, because you'll never run out of music. Podcasts are great too, download a bunch of them before you leave. Take photos. Play the ABC game.

I hope you have a great trip!

I'm planning to move from Kentucky to Washington with my fiance sometime (hopefully sooner rather than later but we'll see how it all works out), so I'm definitely going to be using some of the tips from this thread as advice for myself as well!

The longest road trip I've been on to date is from Kentucky to Texas, which was about an 8 hour trip, and I was only a passenger the whole time, never the driver. The Washington trip is going to be a completely different ball game and I'm nervous about it all tbh. I haven't even thought about things like keeping myself entertained on the trip because I've been too worried about everything else involved in the moving process.