7 Travel Tips for a Fun Adventure

Traveling, whether as a way of life or simply for enjoyment, can present its challenges. Factors like other drivers, animals, and road or weather conditions can interfere with your good time. Over the years, I have developed some travel habits that help keep me safe while ensuring that my experiences remain enjoyable. Here are my top seven travel tips to make your next adventure a pleasurable experience.

1. Know and Maintain your Vehicle

Breakdowns are both inconvenient and can be expensive. If you break down in the wrong place, it could also be dangerous.

Maintaining your vehicle speaks for itself. Oil changes are much like a shower. Sure feels good and keeps your vehicle healthy. Regular oil changes can also allow you to keep an eye on what is going on inside your engine. The colour and the texture of the oil all tell a story. Finding reliable and cost efficient oil change on the road can be difficult. One of the best places while I am on the road for a great oil change is Jiffy Lube. The garages are usually big enough for my Roadtrek, and I have never had a bad service experience.

What do I mean by “knowing” your vehicle? Pay attention to the engine when it starts, idles, and accelerates. Listen to how it sounds when everything is working properly. Often, you can detect a problem by sound before you notice any visible issues. For example, I discovered a significant oil leak because I heard a bad noise: a small ticking sound at startup made me question, “What is that?”

Brakes are another area where sound can indicate an issue before it becomes expensive. Once you start hearing them squeak, it’s time to take a closer look.

How does the van feel when pulling away, stopping, changinging gears or climbing hills? Sometimes a hesitation with tell you of a fuel flow issue.

Learn to regularly check your fluids and keep extra on hand. There are always those issues that give you no warning but most of the time if you are paying attention, you can detect it before it becomes a serious issue. 

2. Travelling after Dark

The decision really depends on the type of roads I am driving on. If I am on a six-lane highway in a city, it doesn’t matter whether it’s dark or light outside. However, when I’m travelling on two-lane country roads or gravel roads, I always aim to park by dusk and wait until after dawn to leave.

The main consideration for this is the animals. I have been hit by four deer! Yes, they hit me. I did not drive into the field and hit them. They did a lot of damage. I have seen the damage a moose can inflict. Additionally, there are also road demographics to consider. Winding country roads, dips, and turns make it difficult to see far enough ahead in the dark. Backroads are always a daytime drive as you never know if you are going to come upon a road that is washed-out or soft dirt that you should have walked first. Getting stuck is not a fun addition to your adventure.

3. Where to Park for the Night

I prefer to boondock, but no matter if I’m staying at a campsite, a Walmart, or at the end of a dead-end road, I always make sure to arrive before dark or have a clear idea of where I’m going before nightfall. How do I decide where to park?

I use apps like Ioverlander and Free Campsites, and I also search for Walmarts on Google Maps. With Google Satellite, I can discover small parking lots or dead-end streets. Sometimes, I find a quiet dead-end street or a parking lot near a park or conservation area. I then use Street View to check for any “No Overnight Parking” signs.

When I travel, I usually decide in advance how long I plan to drive and choose a destination accordingly. However, that doesn’t always go as planned. I often find myself getting behind the wheel and driving right past my intended stop, or I end up making too many stops to check out the sights, which makes it get late. During those times, I just wing it! Sometimes, that’s when you discover the best spots.

Regardless of how it ends, I always try to park by dark. I prefer to enter a place with some light so I can see what is around me! This brings me to number 4!

4. Know your Surroundings

Whether you are driving or parked, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. While I’m driving, I always pay attention to my mirrors to stay informed about what’s coming up behind or beside me. This habit has saved me many times when making a lane change or turn. I’ve noticed drivers approaching much more quickly than they should. When I stop at traffic lights and it turns green, I always check to ensure oncoming traffic is going to stop. I’ve been honked at a few times, but I like to think it’s because I’m so beautiful! (Lol!) There have been instances where someone ran a red light, but fortunately, I noticed and was able to avoid any trouble.

When pulling into a parking spot, whether for the night or just for a few hours, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. I often stop at a park to have dinner before heading to my accommodation for the night. However, it can sometimes be challenging to stay alert, especially when I’m absorbed in activities like writing. Despite this, I find that my other senses kick in—I remain aware while still deeply engaged in what I’m doing!

For instance, high winds and tall trees can create an unsettling atmosphere. I become attuned to sounds like cars entering the parking lot or pulling up close to my van, and the conversations of nearby people. Above all, I pay attention to the feelings I experience as I sit and observe my environment.

I am a big believer in intuition, if it does not feel right then don’t stay! Start the engine!!! Lol! One time I was parked in a park that I frequently go to when I am in the area. A truck came into the parking lot. Drove slowly by a couple of times with the guy intently looking at me then parked and just kept watching me. Ohhhh that gives me shivers! Time to go! I closed my doors, started my engine and left. Maybe he had no intent for anything but why take the chance? If it does not feel right! MOVE!

5. Drive and Park According to the Weather

This one is simple, but a lot of people do not follow it! If your hands are on the steering wheel and white knuckles because of a snowstorm, heavy rainfall, or thick fog, pull over and park! Driving an RV everywhere, I take full advantage of that. All I need is a parking lot or a pull-off, and I park, turn the furnace on and make a coffee!

If you can drive and the conditions are bad slow down. I know you’re saying, well of course……but man, I am pretty sure people are not thinking that. How many times has someone passed you in bad weather, and you have seen them in the ditch later? Not enough for me Lol! We all know sooner or later, it’s about to happen! Just as long as they do not take me out with them!!

6. Explore with Caution

I encourage everyone to explore. Go down that backroad, go down that street that you always wanted to go down. You find the most amazing things that way but do it carefully. Breaking something, or getting stuck is no fun. With no phone service, it’s doubly not fun!
I love exploring but have I learned not every road is meant to be travelled on. Like when it turns to goat path be prepared to back up. If it turns to a rocky goat path and backing up becomes not an option, look for a turnaround point!

One of the things I have learned about exploring is that always make sure you have an escape plan. Make sure you can get down that road. As you have read in my other blogs I am used to backing up. But if I do not have to that’s better! Lol! Walk the road if it is soft. Make sure you are not going to sink. This goes back to knowing your vehicle. How heavy is she? Can the ground hold her? I do not like sinking! Lol!

Know the area you are exploring! If you plan on getting out of your vehicle and hiking or walking, which I do quite often, know the plants and animals that may hurt you. An example is poison ivy or poison oak. I am not susceptible to these but I know people who are and it is an itchy pain. Know the animals you will be sharing the path with. Are there bears in the area, wolves, or sasquatches? I have bear bells for bears, I wonder if they work on sasquatches as well??? Hmmmm!

7. Enjoy the Ride

However you like to travel do it in a way you enjoy, If you only want to travel for an hour and you get tired then only travel for an hour. If you are a get on the highway and drive kind of person do that. Stop to look at that plaque or drive down that side road to see where it goes. That is the nice thing about travelling in an RV, the options are endless.

However you do it do it safely because you never know what is around the next corner!

Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure! I hope you can use some of my tips to make your journey a little safer!

See you next week

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