With all those midterms and busy weeks before spring break, finding the time to plan a decent trip can get tough. The key to a creative last minute spring break trip could be taking it to the road.
Many students prefer road trips because being on the road and having a car makes it easier to access hard-to-find, unique places. It can also be a great vacation without hurting the pocketbook.
“Well, it’s cost effective and you can stop at various places along the way,” said Shivonne Haniff, a senior mechanical engineering major.
Road trips can be an easy way to see beautiful sites and cities. With a few friends in the car, splitting gas prices makes it less expensive.
“The good thing about having a lot of people is splitting gas money. That always makes it a lot cheaper,” said Haniff.
Before embarking on this cruise-control adventure, you must make sure your car up for the ride.
“With a long trip over 3,000 miles, make sure to get an oil change,” said Travis Rabii, assistant manager at Jiffy Lube.
According to Rabii, it’s good to make sure to change the oil in a car every 3,000 miles to prevent it from overheating. Should a car overheat while on the road, make sure to pull over and let it cool down.
“You’re better off to pull over and let your car cool down. If it continues to overheat, find a mechanic,” Rabii said.
Having the oil checked is not the only task to check off the list. Make sure the tires are checked and the alignment is good.
“Make sure your car is efficient and that it can withstand a long road trip,” said Bacia Dyer, a travel advisor for STA.
Even if it’s a last minute thing, it takes no more than 45 minutes to get everything checked up. Go somewhere like Jiffy Lube where an oil check is $36.99 and that includes the car getting checked up as well.
Also, it can come in handy to know how to change a tire. Anything can happen on the road and knowing how to change a tire can be a great skill to have. Before you leave, make sure to have a good spare tire that is properly inflated.
Having company while on the road is great because having another person that can take over the wheel is safer on long trips.
“Make sure to take turns driving for safety precautions,” said Rosana Diaz, a member specialist for AAA.
If it’s going to be a solo road trip, be sure to give yourself some time for resting and sleeping.
“Take five hour increments if you’re going to be on the road by yourself. Stop on the side of the road or at a rest station,” Diaz said.
Be sure to have plenty to eat and lots of water. It may be miles before another town or station appears so have plenty to eat and drink. Having some form of entertainment may help as well.
“For a good road trip I would need my best girl friends, plenty of Gold Fish, and my i-pod. I don’t think I could survive a road trip without some music,” said Jennifer Cline, a senior microbiology major.
Sometimes, the appeal of a road trip is going somewhere bold and different.
Some great places to go to for the outdoors could be Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone.
“Mount Rushmore looks just like in National Treasure 2. It’s a great beautiful place and you might as well stop by Yellowstone since it’s along the way,” Diaz said.
If a beachy atmosphere is more appealing, Southern California is a great place to venture to.
“If you want a great beach scene, California is the place to go. It has warm weather and fun stuff to do,” Dyer said.
Last Minute Tips:
Be sure to have plenty of maps and know some extra routes. There is always the possibility of a road closing down.
Make sure to have enough money because you never know what can happen to you or your car.
Have lots of water and plenty of snacks.
Make sure to have a camera to document the trip.
Also check out these websites for further assistance:
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Amanda Bernaudo at amanda.bernaudo@colorado.edu.
