Summer is finally here and now is the time to plan your trip for the summer break. Travel has so many benefits! Personally, one of the biggest rewards of getting out there and traveling is the empowerment you feel by taking your freedom into your own hands. Traveling gives you perspective, time away from your home environment and it gives you time to explore yourself, too. You can discover so much about yourself when you immerse yourself in the wanderlust you’ve been feeling and when you choose to go on a road trip, you are choosing to be in control of the trip you take.

Traveling gives you the chance to be in places and experience cultures you may have only ever seen in the pictures. Dropping your responsibilities and chucking a pop up canopy, a sleeping bag, and some snacks in the car? Even for someone who isn’t much. of a “camper” that can be pretty fulfilling.

I remember when I was in the 4th or 5th grade my family and I took a two-week road trip all throughout the United States. I think that was where my love for traveling kicked off. We saw Mt. Rushmore, drove through the fields of Kansas, and saw a ton of family along the way. Still to this day, one of the more epic roadtrips I’ve ever been on.

If you’re ready to get moving, here are some of the reasons you absolutely should make your summer shindig a road trip to remember.

The chance to reflect.

Being out on the open road, sleeping under the stars, and dipping your feet in the water are all going to give you the freedom to reflect on how your year is shaping up so far. You can rediscover parts of yourself that have been lost in the busyness of life. You can get in the car, crank up the music, and head for that horizon while feeling free; it’s very much something that can clear the mind of all the junk!

The chance to find inspiration.

Nature is filled with wonders that you don’t get to see in your daily life of being in an office or doing the same commute and the same laundry. You may be used to all-inclusive hotels and bust city streets when you go away, but going on a road trip on your own terms is entirely different. To travel is a means of personal growth, and to do it in nature without outside distractions and technology? That’s what you need; it is a good soul reset.

You can meet other people like you.

Are you trying to escape the rat race? You’re not alone! With a Dummer road trip you can meet like-minded souls that will be out there on the road with you. You’ll find others that share a love of adventure and you can really get in the spirit of the adventure when you meet others who love it, too. I love meeting other travelers or locals in the area. Human connection is a powerful thing and there is plenty of it along the roads.

I’m not talking like hitch hikers… maybe leave them out of this but in a safe communal area, thats where the magic is.

The chance to try something new.

If a road trip is something new for you, then this is going to be fun. You can get out and hike, enjoy trails and you can even bungee jump if the opportunity takes you there. Coming from a planner, this is the time to unplan. You don’t have reservations and schedules you have to stick to. You have you and your next destination and you get there when you get there. The point is that your trip is going to give you the chance to do and see new things, and you can do whatever you want! 

The chance to feel grateful.

There haven’t been very many opportunities to travel these days, not with COVID around. If you are able to jump into your car and get out there into the world for your Summer road trip, you should. You can feel grateful for being a part of the world again, away from the locked-down areas of the city and in a place you can gain a little perspective.

Spending time with friends.

You can’t go on a road trip without your friends with you to sing in the car, to laugh at old stories, and make some new memories together. You get to spend time with the people that you love and that means taking the time to plan your trip so that everyone can enjoy it. It doesn’t matter whether you spend time with your best friends or your family, you’re going to get to spend time on the road with people you want to grow with.

The chance to recharge.

Is there any better reason to go on a road trip than to take the chance to refresh and recharge yourself? You can take a trip to give your mind and body a chance to let go of the stress. Being out there in the world away from your screen and your everyday stressors will give you a chance to just breathe and let your shoulders come down from your ears. Yes, setting up a tent can be stressful, but you get the chance to relax and be away from all of the hard stuff. You need to feel your best, and this is going to happen for you when you have the chance to recharge at last.

The chance to discover something new.

The chance to be in the wild and discover things that you haven’t experienced before is not the sort of opportunity that you can pass up. You need to plan this trip to hit some of the locations that you wish you had explored before, and you can discover so much about yourself as much as you can about the wildlife, the types of trees and even new foods if you go to a whole new area. Your trip is going to take you to places you didn’t expect, and you can discover the unexpected when you let go and allow yourself to enjoy the world around you.

You don’t have to wait anymore. Enjoying your next adventure and taking time to plan on a road trip is important. You deserve to have fun on this trip and you should start planning right now.