Me, blabbing and gesticulating, about travel and road trip tips for this summer’s asphalt adventure.
Thinking about taking a road trip this summer? Well before you hit the open road, here are a few fuel saving tips and tricks to keep in mind.
Gas Myths
Myth: Premium octane is better. Reality: Premium gas doesn’t effect fuel efficiency, there are no special detergents that better service your engine. So unless you have a fancy sports car or a vehicle that requires Premium, stick with regular and save a bit of dough.
Myth: Turn off the AC to save on gas. Reality: Actually, AC causes less drag on the engine than driving with the windows down.
Don’t know where to go?
www.roadtripamerica.com is a great resource with suggested road trip itineraries by state. You could do a lighthouses driving tour of North Carolina’s Outer Banks or go classic Americana along Route 1 in California
-Visit a ski resort in the summer. I just got back from Vail Colorado and there’s hiking, biking, kayaking and plenty of other outdoor activities. Since it’s off season it tends to be inexpensive, so there’s great value on hotels.
-Hit some of America’s weird wacky roadside attractions. Check out the world’s largest ball of twine in Kansas or the cockroach museum in Texas, where roaches are dressed up as celebs. RoadSideAmerica.com has more than 7,000 offbeat sites in the U.S. and Canada.
Where to stay?
If you’re looking for last minute accommodations, here are three great websites to check out!
www.airbnb.com – rent out peoples homes or apartments. More space and more amenities than a hotel.
www.Hotelstonight.com – Last minute, same day hotel bookings released daily after noon.
Priceline “Name your own price” feature lets you bid and often get up to 50% hotel, car rental rates.
Tripswithpets.com – hotel finder to help with where to stay.
General Tips:
-Don’t get too ambitious with your itinerary. Don’t want to be pulling 10 hour drive days. Make plenty of stops—at least one every two hours—to stretch your legs, use the restroom and get some fresh air. Be flexible with your driving plans so you can enjoy the journey.
-Pack light = means better mileage
-Don’t put stuff on your roof. It creates a drag and zaps your mileage
-Using cruise control maintain that speed and its easier on gas.
-Fill up your gas midweek (often less expensive than weekends and holidays)
