So, are road trips worth it?

Are road trips worth it? I say definitely! Since leaving my native island and moving to mainland Europe, I discovered a new love of travelling across borders on a road trip.

We’re in the age of easy and affordable travel and with more people than ever darting from country to country on a budget airline, it’s hard to see why you’d travel any other way. I’m here to try and persuade you why road tripping is not out of fashion and why old-school is the way to go. Of course, if you’re looking to travel to a completely different continent, this may not be for you. But if you’re looking to explore a continent by itself, maybe you should consider a road trip by car.

So, if you have a car (which is still in one piece) or you’re prepared to rent a car AND you have a driving license, then read on!

1. You See the WHOLE Place, Not Just the Airport and the City Centres

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had conversations with people about a certain place I either haven’t liked, or I haven’t been overly keen on and they couldn’t understand why. Never judge a place based only on what tourists see. Of course, flying doesn’t mean you can’t explore outside of the key areas, but if you’re short on time it’s very time-consuming. Also, cars take you places that other forms of transport can not. I’ve stopped in places in the middle of nowhere on route to my destination which have been breathtaking and you wouldn’t have ever come across them without a car.

This is bittersweet in some cases. I’ve gone to some places and thought the city was absolutely stunning – we’ve gone just outside of it and you get the real story. It clouds your mind over the place as a whole. However, it does make you more acutely aware of these things and that’s not a bad thing. It makes people question why all the money is going to one place, yet in another, the local people have a complete lack of opportunities.

Are road trips worth it? With views like these – of course!

2. It’s a More Environmentally Friendly Way to Travel

Travelling as a whole is not environmentally friendly full-stop (unless you walk or cycle the whole way). But if you still want to explore and want to reduce your carbon footprint, then this is one way to do it. Whether that be a car or a coach, most things are better than jumping on a plane. If you’re flying from city to city, this is even more relevant. So if you want to do a little bit of guilt-free (but not 100%) travel, then this is one way to do it. Getting a coach if you can handle the long journey is even better.

If your journey isn’t too far, don’t just hop on that flight, look at alternatives.

3. You Have the Freedom to Do What You Want, When You Want and for as Long as You Want

When you travel on a plane (or another form of transport), you’re restricted by a schedule. Of course, road trips should never be schedule-less, but they can be more flexible, as you are the one who decides when you leave. You’ll find that when you’re travelling, you may have left not enough time or even too much time in one place. Travelling on the road gives you the flexibility to cut-short or extend your stay.

Some places I’ve been to, I’ve managed to finish what I’ve wanted to do within a mere few hours, other places I could really have done with a few days there. Bear this in mind when it comes to moving around. This is why road trips are the best way to travel in these circumstances. 😉

Are road trips worth it? If you love mountain drives, then 100%

4. If Things Don’t Go to Plan, You Have Somewhere to Go

I mean this in more than one sense. I’ve actually been left stranded with nowhere to sleep in Prague before. The hotel I booked with messed up my reservation and considering it was like 2-3am, I had nowhere to go and other places wouldn’t let me check in. I ended up having to sleep in the car with my partner and thank god we had that option. That’s not the first time we’ve slept in the car either – so they’re secret lifesavers and safe spaces. This is also great if you run low on money.

In another sense, if plans mess up, you have your car, you can just go somewhere else. It won’t be the end of the world. You likely won’t lose out on money either. If you miss your flight it could be game over or a lotta money down the drain.

5. You Have No Luggage Allowance

Ahhhh, I absolutely love this about road trips! Okay, so you can’t go too overboard, but it’s absolutely blissful to be able to throw everything shoddily in your case the night before your trip. Then when you’re travelling from country to country you can essentially buy what you want without restrictions. I always buy a cheap bottle of wine from each country and then when I get home I have around 10 different wines to try. Presents is another. I’d actually completed my shopping by the end of October as I’d bought presents from different countries throughout summer and into October when I got home. It’s just having that freedom to take and bring back whatever you want. It’s blissful to a girl who wants to take everything with her (and bring the world back too).

I could probably honestly write about 20 more points on why I love road trips so much. However, I don’t want to bore you to tears. I’m going to try my own interrailing experience (where I plan and organise it myself) in January. So we’ll see how that goes – maybe then I’ll be a convert. 😉

Check my previous article for more!

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