Spring is here, sort of.
And that means one thing — snow … I mean road trips. Oh yeah, everything, trees and such, is in bloom, let’s not forget.
When the weather turns pleasurable, I find myself turning to the roads, planning out weekend getaways and spontaneous drives. And this year, it turns out I might not be alone on the road.
A new poll — released this week by Travelers Advantage — shows a “definite” increase in the number of people who are planning leisurely travel.
“We forecast leisure, travel will increase from 2003 levels, Travelers Advantage Vice President Julia Ryan says.
The online poll, which was conducted between November 2003 and March 2004, found that two-thirds of respondents are planning to vacation more in 2004. Only 5 percent say they will travel less, and 27 percent anticipate traveling the same as in 2003.
Looking ahead to this summer, 28 percent of poll respondents saw beach time as their top priority,” Ryan says. “Some 21 percent of those answering this question identified road trips or Caribbean vacations as their choice for a great summer vacation in 2004. Caribbean vacations and Orlando were the top two family destinations identified.”
Maybe I’ll … drive to the Caribbean?
While that’s not likely to happen, the outlook of frequent road trips for me this summer looks pretty good. Perhaps it’s the long daylight hours as much as it is the weather, but spring and summer, even more so, are the ideal times for road trips. And the trips don’t even have to be exotic ones; it’s really more about the journey, not only the destination.
But I also use my affinity for road trips as an excuse for quick getaways and a chance to visit my close friends. Often, we’ll pick a neutral place somewhere in between and meet for the weekend or maybe just dinner.
I’ve been known to drive hours just for lunch or dinner.
What’s nice about a road trip is a chance to see some new and unique scenery.
Road trips shouldn’t always be about traveling from Point A to Point B in the quickest route possible. To spice any road trip up a little, pull out a map and look for a unique route through small towns. And when you pass through, find the local greasy spoon and grab some lunch.
With that said, I better get a move on ASAP; I want to beat the traffic.