Have you been considering making the legendary Route 66 road trip? How about a visit to family you haven’t seen in years? If you’re considering going on a road trip, but can’t seem to commit because you don’t think you have the time or it’s too stressful, you might want to reconsider.

With Covid-19 bringing life to a halt, this might be the perfect time to jump in the car and go. Chevrolet recently did a study to find out if road trips are actually as great as Hollywood makes them out to be, and the results were surprising.

And the Chevy survey says …

It’s been a busy summer for a lot of people. With so many people out of work, more people than ever have hit the roads, and it looks like they had a great time.

According to the study by Chevrolet, 20% of the people who went on a road trip visited a National Park for the first time. Of those who decided to get out of the house, more than 1 in 10 camped for the first time in their life. Forty-one percent of the people surveyed went on a road trip to someplace they’ve never been before. Others spent time in the great outdoors visiting the beach, fishing, hiking, and visiting national parks.

Chevy reports, “Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed said they value road trips more than they did before the pandemic, and 80 percent of road trippers said going on a road trip has been “one of their happiest moments” since March.”

What type of vehicles are good for road trips?

If you’re eager to get out of your home and see what the world looks like, there’s tons of places to go. Not all cars make for suitable road trip vehicles, however, especially if you’re going over roads that have seen better days.

If you’re looking for an SUV, the Kia Telluride is a great pick. It’s large, comfy, and has tons of tech to keep you connected to home while you’re away. 

The Telluride isn’t that great of an off-road vehicle, however, so if you plan on hitting some trails, the Jeep Wrangler might be a better option. Not only can you go places other people might have a hard time getting to, but your Wrangler can be equipped with a lot of specialty gear like tents, fridge freezers, hammocks, and even air compressors. This will allow you to camp wherever you park.

Speaking of camping wherever you park, campers and RVs are great for road trips. You have everything you need right there in your home away from home, so you don’t have to worry about getting a hotel room each night. If you want to really put your personality into it, you could always convert a school bus into an RV.

If you’re not interested in bringing your family along, or just need a solo trip to find yourself, then try taking a motorcycle. It’ll be a great way to get out of your home, and the memories will be priceless.

What should you take?

Before you pack an overnight bag, and rush out the door, make sure you have what you’ll need. Realizing you forgot to bring your glasses 600 miles from home is no way to start a road trip. That would be a minor annoyance, however. There are some things that will not only ruin your trip, but could also be dangerous if overlooked. 

Before you jump in the car and drive off into the sunset, make sure you have your vehicle serviced. Things as simple as rotating the tires and changing the oil can save you a lot of headaches later on down the road. 

You should also have some emergency items in your vehicle. Things like a first aid kit, good flashlight, fresh batteries, cable jumpers, and a tire iron may not seem like that big of a deal at the moment, but it could make the difference between a minor annoyance and a major emergency.

Also, take a little extra time to make sure you’re going to stay comfortable. That way you can focus on having a good time away from home, and making some incredible memories.