We are in the midst of moving, so we've got a lot going on! But we recently were kind of forced to brave the madness of holiday traffic - yes, I'm talking about road tripping the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. And I can confirm - it was awful. I do not recommend traveling at peak times! And that's tip #1.
Don't Travel at Peak Times if You Can Help It! If you can leave on Tuesday before Thanksgiving and drive back Saturday or Monday, I HIGHLY recommend you do so. There will likely still be traffic, but not nearly as much. However, if you absolutely can't avoid it (like us this year!), I've still got some advice for you.
Leave Early. If you can sneak out from work a little early on Wednesday or leave at the crack of dawn on Sunday, you'll thank yourself later. Traffic will still likely be rough, but the sooner you get out the door, the lighter traffic will likely be. Don't get me wrong - it will still take forever, but it will be better than leaving late!
Leave Yourself Plenty of Travel Time. This tip is really important for the sake of your mental well being. For example, the road trip we took normally takes 6 hours or so and it took us 9 1/2 hours. If you go into your day expecting there to be traffic and for it to take hours longer than normal, you are setting yourself up for success. If you go in expecting to make good time, you will inevitably be frustrated when you are sitting in traffic watching your ETA creep later and later.
Keep an Open Mind. It's important to be flexible. If a highway is jammed up due to an accident, consider letting your GPS take you on the scenic route. Or maybe take a break for a long lunch and break up the drive. Try to make your drive as fun as possible - don't get frustrated! Listen to music, podcasts or even books on tape.
Take Turns Driving. You'll be on the road for hours surrounded by grumpy, tired drivers. It's important to be on your a-game! It can help you avoid a nasty accident. The reality of life is it's hard to be on red alert for 8 hours straight, so maybe consider trading off driving shifts. You'll find it really makes a big difference.
These tips can also be very helpful for the upcoming Christmas drive - though it typically won't be near as bad as Thanksgiving. That's mainly because people come and go at different times depending on their work schedules. Regardless, you'll find properly preparing for a holiday road trip can help cut back on some of that holiday stress.
Happy travels!
