Road Trip tips

Last October, I hopped in the front seat of a campervan and set out to explore America's West.

AI can plan travel itineraries and Apple AirTags can track luggage — but tech and travel aren't always a foolproof combination when it comes to road trips.

Because I live in Connecticut, flying to Orlando usually makes the most sense when I visit Disney World.

When it comes to a family vacation, there is nothing I love more than cramming our SUV with various gear, driving away from our house in the middle of the city, pitching a tent, and sleeping on the ground next to my entire family. The sleep is often mediocre, we all end up smelling a bit ripe by the time we leave, but the time away together surpasses any other travel experience.

Road trips are the ultimate symbol of freedom, discovery, and the boundless beauty of the US. On many such trips with my family, it has not been just the destinations but also the journey that holds the magic; the open road itself becomes a vehicle for family memories and shared experiences.

As I packed up my campervan — aka the place I would call home for two weeks — I crossed my fingers and hoped I had everything I'd need.

In the weeks leading up to my first solo road trip, I called up a handful of experienced nomads and sought out their advice.

As I hopped in the driver's seat of the Ram ProMaster van I had rented for the next two weeks, reality set in that I was embarking on the longest road trip of my life.

Many travellers set off on a trip hoping it will be unique to them. Eager to be the first to discover hidden gems, away from the bustling crowds and overtouristed sights.

I propped open my apartment door and lugged in about eight bags.

Spanning 2,500 kilometres of green, luscious coastline from Donegal to West Cork, the Wild Atlantic Way is one of the world’s most legendary road trips. It’s also the best way to discover Ireland away from the crowds in Dublin.

Road trips are certainly a lot of fun — if you do them the right.

Traveling with my 9-month-old kitten, Reggie, became almost impossible when he started experiencing motion sickness earlier this year.

While traveling in Wisconsin with friends, some locals told us to check out the state's famous Mars Cheese Castle. We initially didn't plan on going, but after seeing the giant sign next to the highway, we decided to stop in. 

Planning a road trip this summer? For the sake of safety and peace of mind, your own and others’, add this to the pre-departure to-do list: a review of your driving habits. After all, while there’s nothing you can do to change other drivers’ bad habits, you are at least in control of your own.

Welcome to the first episode of The Boarding Pass Podcast, brought to you by SmarterTravel. In this episode, we’ll bring you expert tips on avoiding traffic at the airport, debate the controversy of reclining seats on planes, and travel far away to the islands of Sao Tome and Principe with Matt Phillips, the Lonely Planet Destination Editor to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Everyone’s had their GPS signal drop out in a tunnel, and the community-based traffic and navigation app, Waze, is finally doing something about it. Tunnels exist in almost every major city, but they also serve as a signal blocker for GPS and radio waves.

U.S. commuters wasted 8 billion hours sitting in traffic last year.

You order everything else on Amazon, so why not add a rental car into your shopping cart? If you use your Amazon log-in to rent a car with Avis, you’ll save up to 30 percent off of base rates, plus get up to 20 percent of the rental price back in the form of an Amazon gift card.

How, you ask? Apparently thieves figure that tourists typically are (1) likely to be carrying more valuable stuff in their cars than typical locals; (2) once parked, likely to leave their cars unattended for extended time periods; (3) less likely to know local “avoid” spots; (4) more likely to be conned into doing something stupid; and (5) likely to want to keep to their schedules and leave an area rather than stick around to file police reports, ID perps, or testify at hearings or trials. And a rental car is a high-probability sign of a tourist.

It’s that time of year again when winter is dragging on and most of the country isn’t quite warm enough to fully embrace outdoor adventures. After watching air and hotel prices and sales, I’ve come up with 10 affordable spring destinations in the U.S. and around the world for 2017. These prices won’t last, so get to it if you want to take advantage of big spring savings.