Have you ever taken a road trip alone? And if you haven't why won't you go alone?

Question

Have any of you ever drove across the country on a road trip by yourself? Would you do it again? How old were you? And how far did you go and what amount of time? And if you haven't why won't you go alone?

Thank you all for the very informative and sharing details. I am also 24 and will be taking a trip to see some friends at Christmas my husband can't go due to work but I am hoping to enjoy being alone. I have never done anything alone or lived by myself so this is kinda like a right of passage.

Answer 1

Take road trips all the time - I live mostly in California but also have a place in Bellingham, Washington State which is very north west - 15 mins from the Canadian border.

I'm a female and over 40 - takes about 16 hrs cause I stop at the rest stops to stretch, etc and then on again. Spend the night in Oregon and drive into Bellingham the next day.

Listening to books on tape really passes the time and I love it. Always have plenty of snacks, flashlight, cell phone, books on tape, good music, paper towels, water, etc.

Just be aware of your surroundings, be smart, always have no less than a half tank of gas (in case there's a long stretch between gas stations) stay the speed limit and have a great time! :)

Answer 2

The have taken tons of road trips. The best ones have always been the ones I have taken alone. I lived in California and would get a wild hair every now and then. I would just take off and drive where ever I pleased. My trips were sometimes just for the weekend and occassionally for as long as a week. I took a lot of trips like that when I was in my 20's. Especially after a break-up or if I was in a relationship with someone I was not getting along with...it was very free-ing to be independent and make all my choices for myself.

Answer 3

Yes, in 1993 I was 24 and took a road trip from Chicago to Canada and all over the East Coast, driving over 6000 miles in a rental car. It was definitely one of the best things I've ever done in my life.

I was out of college and didn't really have a real job yet. I rented a car and just had a general idea of the areas I wanted to visit. I didn't have any definite plans. I drove to Canada, went to Montreal, Quebec City, up to the Gaspe pinensula, down through New Brunswick to the top of Maine, down Maine, through all of New England and all the Eastern states down to Washington DC. I stayed in campgrounds for a few nights and at inexpensive hotels the rest of the nights. I had friends and relatives in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, so it wasn't completely lonely.

But the experience of just driving around for three weeks without any plan, going to see whatever I wanted to see that day, going wherever I wanted to go was incredible. I went on a similar trip the next summer in 1994, but since then I've never had the same freedom.

Now I have a family, a mortgage, debts, and a job that barely gives me any vacation time. I'll never have the same freedom that I had when I was 24 with no school, no work, and no commitments. It was definitely at least in the top 3 best things I've ever done. I recommend it for anyone at a similar stage of freedom in their lives.

Answer 4

I've taken a road trip where I was the only driver, but it was just a few states away, not cross-country. That was hard enough on me. I had my two teenagers with me to keep me company, and it was quite an adventure!

I don't think I'd want to go alone. It would be too lonely and boring. I'd have nobody but myself to talk to. And if I got into trouble, like an accident or other emergency, I'd have to wait all alone. Just...not a pleasant thought is all.

When I was younger, I did a bicycle trip through Ireland by myself. Does that count? I was much more adventurous then!

Answer 5

I've done many long road trips alone. Just be sensible and careful. Make sure someone knows your day to day travel plans and check in with someone regularly. The longest I've done are across Canada and from St. John's, Newfoundland to Key West, Florida, through Niagara Falls, Ontario. Have fun!

Answer 6

I have done this twice. The first time was my second year of college (about 20 yrs old), and I drove from College Park, MD to Vail for a days worth of skiing. It was nuts, but I am happy that I did it. The second time was last year. I picked up a new car in Beverly Hills, CA and drove it to McLean, VA. It was a blast. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Being alone in a car and not stuck in traffic is therapeutic. I often found myself so engrossed in thought that I forgot that I was driving. I recommend a solo trip for everyone, and it does not have to be behind the wheel.

Answer 7

Not further than the 5 hrs it takes me to get between home and school a few times a year. A road trip is something that you can only fully enjoy, to me, with others to experience it with you. It wouldn't be the same going alone-who can you sing with in the car, or form inside jokes with about the sketchy toothless man at rest stop 99999 on your journey? I would also never go alone because I wouldn't feel safe, and I wouldn't be enjoying myself it I felt insecure the whole time.

Answer 8

I would be afraid of getting lost (I'm horrible with directions.) While driving by yourself can be good for thinking, I would want to share my experience with someone. I think that if I was with someone I would be more likely to do everything possible and not limit myself. I mean, if I had a friend with me that wanted to see the off-beat tourist stuff and I wanted to see antique shops or museums, then we would end up doing both and that would expand my trip. Plus I think I would get lonely by myself

Answer 9

I haven't and the only thing thats holding me back is because I'm afraid that I'll get off at the wrong exit in the middle of the night (to get gas or a hotel or something) in a bad area and get lost and not know how to get back to the freeway.

Answer 10

I drove from Washington state to Georgia. I was 40, it took me 5 days.