Disappointing photos show what taking a road trip is like in real life
- With the coronavirus pandemic putting all types of travel at risk, more people are expected to take road trips this year.
- While road-tripping can be a fun way to see the country, there are things you should be prepared for.
- Always keep an eye on your gas tank — some stretches of highway are completely empty of everything, including gas stations.
Road trips are definitely better than they once were — no more dealing with maps, making cassettes or CDs in advance, or having to pack food strategically.
But, they're still not all they're cracked up to be.
From boredom to questionable rest stops, there are a lot of things that can turn your next open road adventure into a nightmare.
Taking a road trip always sounds like a great idea at first, especially the thought of hitting the open road and seeing some beautiful scenery.
There's definitely not a shortage of beautiful drives to take — the US alone has many.
But depending on where you're going, your highway might look a little more like this.
For every stretch of open road, there are highways that are essentially at a standstill.
While you might expect some stunning roadside scenery ...
Every state has incredible attractions that you can see from the comfort of your car.
... in reality, there probably won't be a whole lot to see.
The US has a lot of cornfields.
Gas stations are a nice way to break up long drives.
Gas station snacks aren't too shabby either.
... but you shouldn't take them for granted.
While it might be fun to try and wait until the last minute to fill your tank — don't take gas stations for granted. There are certain stretches of highway where they're not as frequent as you'd think.
And while you may expect some cool roadside attractions to help pass the time ...
There are some that are worth the stop, but definitely not all of them are.
... they don't always live up to the hype.
More often than not, roadside attractions are disappointing.
Your car might start out looking like this ...
It won't stay clean for long.
... but after days of driving and eating at drive-thrus, it will probably start looking a lot more like this.
Your car will turn into an episode of "Hoarders."
Choosing the right music is a big part of any road trip ...
Maybe start with these 100 songs everyone should listen to in their lifetime.
... but if you're traveling with kids, it might be more like listening to the "Frozen" soundtrack on repeat for hours.
Listening to "Let It Go" for hours on end is enough to make any parent pull their hair out.
Everyone loves a good road trip game, like "I Spy" or "License Plate Bingo."
Check out these road trip games for more inspiration.
But there are only so many rounds of "20 Questions" you can play.
Once the allure of those games wears off, you'll still have hours to kill.
At a minimum, road trips are a good time to time catch up with friends and family.
A captive audience, if you will.
Unless you discover that you suffer from car sickness, which is definitely never fun.
Just pray that the Dramamine kicks in.
Long hours of driving require staying awake. Energy drinks are a great way to keep your eyes open ...
Though you might want to think twice about chugging energy drinks — they seriously increase your blood pressure and can cause dramatic spikes of norepinephrine, a stress hormone.
But you'll eventually have to pee. And rest stops aren't the cleanest places on the planet.
You can't avoid them forever.
And good luck to you if your pet is coming along for the ride.
Flying with pets is difficult, but driving can be just as tedious. In addition to all your human pee breaks, you have to take your furry friend into consideration as well.
Walking along a highway isn't fun for either of you.
Walking a dog along the highway is loud and dangerous.
- Read more:
- 17 stunning roads in the US you should drive before you die
- 10 ways road trips have changed over the years — and they're all for the better
- 22 vintage photos show Americans embarking on cross-country road trips in the 1960s
- I've lived out of my car for 4 years — see the incredible photos from my life on the road
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