Hit the Road Travel

29/01/2021

Have you ever taken a road trip in the snow? ❄️

While it's definitely not as easy as summer driving, it can be done with proper planning! Here's a few tips to get you to your destination safely:

🌨 Check weather reports and road closures ahead of time in case you need detours and extra stops.

🧤 Pack extra blankets, gloves and coats, even for short trips!

🐈 If you don't have chains, kitty litter can help get stuck tires out of the snow - keep a bag in your trunk.

⛽️ Don't let your tank get less than half full in case you get stranded on the side of the road and need to keep your engine running.

⏰ Plot shorter distances in between stops, as you will need to drive slower than usual and won't be able to cover as many miles.

27/01/2021

Do you have a soul city? ✨

You know, one of those places that you feel deep down in your bones that you belong, even if you’ve never stepped foot there before? One of those places that just completely match your vibe? One of those places where people you don’t even know are familiar and you fit right in? 👯‍♀️

New Orleans is one of those places for me! It’s weird and magical and gritty and dark and full of creativity and joy for life and I feel right at home. 🔮

I drove thirteen hours non-stop from Chicago til I reached my little Airbnb, The Hola Nola. (Their IG is amazing!! )

Located in the Mid-City neighborhood it was a quick 10 min ride to the French Quarter and only a 10 min walk to beautiful Esplanade Ave, where Mother Mary drips from the trees and music fills the air. 🎶

One of the things that I love about NOLA is the way they embrace death as a part of life. St. Louis Cemetery #3 was about 20 minutes from my place, and I spent hours just wandering through and admiring the plants bursting through every tombstone crack and crevice. It was peaceful and beautiful and amazing to see how graves dating back to the 1700s still had families putting flowers on their plots. 🥀

I also stopped by Faulkner House Books, a teeny tiny bookstore off of Pirates Alley. With shelves up to the ceiling filled with classics and local NOLA lit, I was in a little slice of heaven. 📚

Ruby Slipper Cafe gave me the best breakfast of my life...eggs Benedict topped with cochon (similar to pot roast) and creole shrimp. 🦐

On my last day I paid a visit to the Marie Laveau House of Voodoo and sat in Jackson Square for hours soaking in the art, the music and the life that swirls around the city. It was an amazing end to an amazing trip. ✨

23/09/2020

13/08/2020

If you’re thinking about exploring a few of America’s national parks in the next year, get you one of these ASAP!!

For $80 you get access to 2,000+ national parks and sites for the year.

Pssst 🗣🗣🗣 the pass is FREE for active military and their dependents, people with permanent disabilities, park volunteers AND kids in 4th grade!

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, covering entrance, standard amenity, and day-use fees.

02/08/2020

Give me a back road over the interstate any day.

25/07/2020

How cool is this? My old friend Arthur Driessen has been roadtripping for the last two years in a Tesla and documenting his experience of an emission-free journey. 🌱

Not only is he traveling the supercharger network to see how far you can push an electric vehicle (which is surprisingly far), he’s educating communities on the benefits and impacts of its technology. Spreading the future of road travel, one town at a time. 🧑‍🚀

He’s been to a TON of places off the beaten path and is an excellent photographer to boot, so if you need some road trip inspiration check out his blog Maiden Voyage: A Voyage Without Carbon! 🚗

https://voyagewithoutcarbon.com

A voyage without carbon

17/07/2020

How many of you are familiar with the Indiana Dunes? There’s a state and national park right next to each other on Lake Michigan, and each has towering dunes as high as 200 feet! Only 40 minutes from south Chicago, I used to come here every summer when I was a kid but hadn’t been in awhile so decided to make a day trip. 🚗

We were at Indiana Dunes State Park - that dune you see in the photo is much larger in person (about 185 ft.) Once you climb to the top there is a sand forest up there with trails, it’s a killer to get to the top but it’s SO worth it! Not only is it like 10 degrees cooler it’s fun to run all the way down and straight into the lake. One of the trails leads you past some “tree graveyards” - trees that were buried by the dunes and then uncovered by the wind. Didn’t make it to those this time since I had a four year old on my back. 😅 She made it it to the top though!

There’s also a cool old 1930ish historical building that has the bath house, a little camp store and some food. I was happy to see it closed for renovation (well, that and COVID!) and can’t wait to see the upgrades. They had little food stands set up in the parking lot so you can still get some bites. By the way, the campsite is a stones throw away from the beach. ⛺️

A disclaimer:

It’s Indiana. This part of the park is near industrial areas so you can see factories to the left and the right. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But if you look straight on a clear day you can see the skyline of Chicago, which I always thought was cool. You might not get it unless you’re from here but the smokestacks kind of contribute to the character of the place. The national park has pristine views in every direction so travel another 20 min down the road if that would bother you.

Pro tips:

🏊🏼‍♀️ Lake Michigan has strong currents and they do not play about safety. No swimming before 11 am (when the lifeguards are on duty) and no floating devices allowed.

☀️ This area has a short summer so the beach can get PACKED. Though they have an annual fireworks show I wouldn’t recommend going 4th of July weekend. Try going on a random weekday and get there about 10:30 to snag a good spot.

💧Bring water if you climb the dunes! (And bring the bottle back down with you, there are trash cans on the beach)

🌾 Head to Trail 10 to see the tree graveyards. Trail 9 takes you by a “living” dune, which is one that is slowly being blown inland and burying the forest as it goes.

10/07/2020

After being cooped up for months many people are turning to the great outdoors for their travel fix. Remember to so you can stay healthy, protect our lands, and maintain access to our parks!

🌲🌴💚 www.recreateresponsibly.org

07/07/2020

Starved Rock State Park is perfect for a local road trip! Located only 90 minutes west of Chicago the park is four hours or less from Indy, St. Louis, Cedar Rapids and Milwaukee.

📗Learn about the history of the Illinois, Kaskaskia, Iroquois and Ottawa tribes that originally inhabited the area, as well as the French who arrived in the late 1600s.

💧There are waterfalls! They’re at their best in the spring or within a few days of a rain.

🚶🏻‍♀️Wear tennis shoes! Trails are available for all levels, from short, paved loops to challenging 5 mile hikes.

❄️ Don’t forget fall and winter trips! This park has a variety of accommodations, including a cozy wooden lodge, so it’s great for a weekend trip any time of year. They book fast so plan ahead!

🦅 Located off the Illinois River, there are spectacular views from the bluff! If you’re lucky you may even see a bald eagle.

💰 Entrance and parking is absolutely free!

15/06/2020

Just got back from a week long camping trip at Fort DeSoto State Park in Florida! 🌴☀️

🚙 It was part of a road trip that included camping in Memphis and Georgia! (See our map in the pics!)

🦎 There were lizards everywhere! A few names bestowed upon them by our kids: Lizzie, Papa G and Slinky.

🦝 Racoons run the joint! They are very smart and bold and come out at all times of the day and night to steal your food. We caught one red handed in our cooler!

🌊 Fort DeSoto Beach is less than a ten minute drive away, and the parking pass is included in your campground fee. It was absolutely beautiful! (But VERY hot - invest in an umbrella, it will save your skin!) BONUS: St. Pete’s Beach is only 20 minutes away!

🚣🏻‍♀️ You can fish and rent kayaks and paddle boats at the campground to use in the bay. Lots of campsites are directly on the water! (No swimming, though)

⛺️ For $30/night we got an interior campsite with water and electric hookup, a grill and the daily beach pass. It was $5/day extra to rent the fire ring.

🧼 Due to COVID the game room was closed but thank goodness because it was right behind our tent!

😷 I liked that the campground store had strict social distancing policies. Only ONE person allowed inside at a time, 15 minute shopping limit, must wear a mask. They wore masks as well and diligently cleaned the pens, counter and cash register after each customer.

🏖 Despite the campground being sold out it felt quiet and secluded. The beach was also pretty empty so we felt like we had the place to ourselves! We can’t wait to get back.

Interested in seeing our itinerary? Send me a message!

08/06/2020

As I begin my journey as a business owner in the travel industry I can’t help but reflect on the expression “freedom of the open road,” a phrase I’ve already written several times in my marketing materials and on my website.

Lately those words have felt really hollow.

The stark reality is that people of color in this country - and especially African-Americans - encounter grave danger and even death on our highways and streets. When innocent lives are taken by the hands of police officers sworn to serve and protect, the road is NOT free or open.

It’s an unfortunate reality that people of color have to take extra precautions when driving in America. My own family recently took a road trip and there were several times in Alabama and Georgia we stayed in the car and kept driving because of the way people were looking at us and we didn’t feel safe.

Even in places where Confederate flags aren’t waving, the racism in this country has no bounds and is in every state and community. It needs to be constantly challenged until it is eradicated. We cannot be complacent.

I stand as a strong supporter of in my work, in my home, and in my life. I am committed to doing my part, because we ALL deserve to feel the freedom of the open road. 🖤

23/05/2020

Even Barbie was tired of being in the house!

We took her and her friend on a road trip around the block, stopping to admire Sewer Cap Mound and Broken Sidewalk Hills. Her favorite part was the Tulip Forest in front of the neighbor’s house. 🌷😂

Where are you dreaming of road tripping this summer?

13/05/2020

✨ Time + Energy + Interest ✨

How much are these things worth to you?

Maybe you are working and homeschooling full-time, trying your damndest to keep on top of your to-dos and just don’t have the hours to spend on researching and planning a trip (even though a trip would give you a much needed pause). 🕓

Maybe you have been in sloth-mode and, despite having time and really wanting to go somewhere, just don’t have the energy to plan a trip (even though it would rejuvenate you). 😴

Maybe you’re interested in traveling but just don’t like digging into nitty gritty details and get overwhelmed at all the information and options (even though a trip would definitely keep your attention). 🤓

If any of these feel like you, check out our Services page to get an idea of all the things you DON’T have to worry about on your next road trip! 💃🏻🚗

From weekend explorations to epic month-long adventures, there are options for all styles of road travel.

12/05/2020

Welcome to Hit the Road Travel.

Whether it's a local weekend getaway or an epic cross-country adventure, I've got you covered so you can sit back and enjoy the ride! 🚙🧡

www.hittheroadtravel.com

From weekend explorations to epic month-long adventures, there are options for all styles of road travel.

04/05/2020

04/05/2020