Taking the Road Less Traveled – Why We Choose to Bypass the Interstates When Traveling by Car

This year we have spent a considerable amount of time traveling by car. In the past, we usually hopped on the interstate, fought the traffic and drove mile after mile with nothing to see but vehicles and billboards. This year, however, we are choosing to take a different approach. We are taking the roads less traveled.

By avoiding the interstates and choosing highways and backroads instead, we can see America’s hidden beauty. We’ve stumbled across beautiful scenery, historic homes, disappearing towns, and surprises galore. The pictures in this post give you a sample of the interesting sights we found on a recent trip throught the backroads of Florida and Georgia.

We’ve discovered it’s not just about the destination but also the journey. Whereas we used to dread the driving portion of our trip, we now enjoy it. And instead of arriving at our destination exhausted from the travel, we arrive relaxed, usually with an interesting story or two to tell. We can stop and enjoy places along the way, even if it’s just for a few minutes. We find that sometimes it takes longer to get where we are going, but not always. Sometimes it takes less time since we miss traffic jams and congested areas.

We can easily stop on the side of the road and take a picture of something that catches our eye. There’s so many more interesting things to see along the way. We even look up historical markers along the way and read about the areas we are passing through. Did you know you can find the historical markers listed on the internet? Just search “Historical Markers” and the state in which you are traveling.

If you plan to take the road less traveled, here are a few tips that will make the trip even more enjoyable:

• Use a good mapping app on your phone. I personally like Google Maps. It seems to work best in rural areas.
• Bring an atlas in case cell reception is terrible. If you are traveling in rural areas, you may lose cell reception. Having an atlas for these times comes in handy. And phone apps aren’t perfect. It’s nice to have the old fashioned map to double check where you are.
• Decide where you will fill your gas tank and take bathroom breaks. There are fewer get gas stations and rest stops on backroads than on the interstate. Plan ahead of time by checking your phone’s map for suggestions. It’s better to purchase gas when your tank is half-filled than to be on empty looking for a gas station. The same applies to bathroom breaks.
• Plan your meals ahead of time. Depending on the area you are traveling, restaurants and fast food options may be limited. For that reason, It’s best to choose where you will eat in advance or take your food with you.  We usually do a combination of both. Here is how we eat healthy on road trips.

The next time you travel, consider taking the backroads. Allow extra time and make it a part of your vacation. Sure getting to your vacation destination is fun, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the journey to get there.

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