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22 Must-Know Rules for Traveling, No Matter Who Your Companions Are

By Arianna Davis

Traveling on your own can mean lots of peace, quiet, and introspection. But there's something special about having someone by your side—whether it's your best friend, your boyfriend, or your five-year-old—to ask, "OMG, did you see that?!" Merging travel styles, however, requires a little flexibility—and a lot of compromise. Here, two Glamour writers (and one reader) share their ultimate guides to hitting the road with anyone.

ARIANNA 'S RULES FOR TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS

Agree on a budget ahead of time.

Mo' money, mo' problems, right? If one person has a daily limit while the other can spend freely, things will get awkward when you're deciding, say, whether or not to book that pricey day trip. To save yourselves from uncomfortable conversations, set some financial ground rules, like: "We'll all stick within this range for daily activities," or "I can't afford to do anything outside of X amount, but I'm totally fine with the two of you doing it on your own!"

Give everyone an assignment.

Even if you're a natural planner, life will be much easier if you divide and conquer. One person can sort through flights and hotel deals, the group foodie can be in charge of picking restaurants, and a fashion-obsessive friend can research weather- and culture-appropriate options for your packing lists. Got a friend who's got a great sense of direction? She's in charge of guiding the group on the ground. Have another BFF who's a theater buff? She can find which shows are must-sees.

Before you arrive, talk about your vacay goals.

A getaway means something different for everyone. On a trip to Paris, one of you might want to shop while another will crave adventurous activities and another may just want to relax on the beach all day. So you might have to sacrifice a little: Instead of spending the whole day at the Louvre, go for a few hours, then be a good sport and accompany your friend who wants to peruse beauty products at Galeries Lafayette.

It will save you precious space. So maybe only one person needs to bring five bottles of mosquito repellent—not everyone. Sharing is also good karma: If you're lightheaded after hours in the sun, a travel companion could save the day by handing you her Kind bar. Return the favor when someone else needs water, a snack, or sunscreen.

Split the check at mealtime.

You've all just enjoyed a lovely dinner. And then: The bill comes, and you start arguing about who ate what and how to give one another exact change. Instead of spending the end of your evening doing intense math, decide in advance that—as long as nobody orders anything that's way more expensive than the rest of the group—splitting the check evenly will avoid a lot of headaches. Trust us: No one wants a delicious, wine-fueled Parisian meal by the Eiffel tower ruined by an argument over a couple of euros. Not very laissez-faire .

You are going to argue. Accept it.

You're outside of your comfort zone, possibly jet-lagged, and trying to please everyone. Disagreements will happen. But one little tiff doesn't have to ruin your trip. Even in your most irritated moments, remember that everyone has different moods; perhaps your BFF is just cranky because she hasn't eaten, or maybe your friend would rather gnaw his arm off than spend hours in a museum. No two people are alike, so keep in mind: This argument, too, shall pass, and odds are you'll be back to laughing and Snapchatting in no time.

Spend time apart.

That being said: You might need a little break every now and again. If you're in a big group, consider switching hotel or hostel roommates after a few nights. For a group trip to London, Paris, and Barcelona, you could switch roommates in each new city. You'll be able to bond individually—and make sure you don't have enough time with any one person to get annoyed by her rooming habits. If it's just the two of you, don't be afraid to venture out on your own to have a little me-time to breathe—just make sure you have a set meeting point to return to in case you don't have cell service or Wi-Fi to contact one another.

Always make sure one person is a little sober.

Of course, you go on a friends-only trip to have fun, so as a wise man named Lil' Jon once said: "Shots, shots, shot-shot-shot-shots." But you are in a foreign country, so even if everyone's drinking and no one's driving, it's helpful to make sure at least one person has their wits about them, just in case.

Set a bathroom schedule.

It might sound trivial, but This. Is. Important. If one person loves to take her time unwinding in the shower and another needs to wash, blow-dry, straighten, and curl her hair, things can get hairy. (Pun intended.) Maybe one traveler needs to head upstairs from the pool a little earlier so she can start the process, or the friend who prefers A.M. showers can slip in before breakfast. Verbally scheduling this will help you make the most of your days, instead of spending hours waiting in your hotel room for the shower to free up.

By Sophia Bush

By Nuala Phillips

JENNIFER'S RULES FOR TRAVELING WITH OTHER COUPLES

If you're renting a house or staying at the same hotel, think SPACING.

Obviously couples vacations are split into two parts—party/friend time, and alone/romantic time. For the latter, you definitely don't want to be sharing a wall, both for your sake or for theirs. If you're renting a house, ask if there's a floor plan available so you can see the layout of the bedrooms (and make sure you're not sharing a bathroom—also awkward). At a hotel it's easier: After or while you book, tell the hotel who is traveling in your party and request to be put on a different floor—or even down the hall. It's awkward but whatever—they'll get it.

Remember: It's not a competition.

Some couples seem to want to use the trip as a long PDA in front of their closest friends. One couple (not naming names) would literally would have sex, and then announce that they had just had sex to everybody else in the house. Presumably the other couples were also doing it { ahem }, but not making a group announcement. Chalk it up to their weird insecurities and don't let it affect your trip. You know that study that shows that couples who post the most gushy stuff on Facebook actually have the weakest relationships? We'd guess that the same rule applies.

Assign chores/tasks

This applies to house rentals. There is nothing more obnoxious than the couple that lets everyone else in the house do the grocery shopping, cook dinner, set the table, and then clean up the kitchen. To avoid becoming some other couple's maid/chef service for the week, write out a schedule on day one of who will be doing what each day, so that expectations are set.

Try to tone down the judgement

Couples fight. And if you happen to witness your friends in a bickering match, do the polite thing and walk away—and do your best to keep the vibe normal afterward. Don't amp up the drama by trying to play mediator, or rushing into one of their rooms after to talk it all out. They're adults, they'll figure it out. The less of a big deal you make of it, the quicker it will blow over.

Settle all payments before you leave

This is a big one: When you're on vacation in a group, it's almost unavoidable that not every check will get split, much less house fees, car rentals, and other expenditures. If you're feeling generous and want to grab dinner for the group one night, awesome, simply say so. Otherwise, keep tabs of the expenses you want to split and settle up before you all head back home. Don't have cash? No problem. That's what Venmo is for.

Plan one non-group outing a day

Hanging with your friends is fun, but you'll be bummed if you get home and realize you didn't max out some romantic time with your partner. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Even a walk on the beach at sunset, just the two of you, or getting up early to have a private breakfast together will do the trick. If your friends find out you left to go do something incredibly fun without them (ziplining through the jungle, for instance), they might be bummed. But they'll totally get it if you skip out on them for a more low-key, couples-vibe activity.

Resist the urge to complain

Nobody is despised more on a group trip than the person who cannot stop complaining about everything—the food, the weather, the hotel's service. Avoid being the bummer of the group and taking your partner down with you by resisting the urge to moan about the small things—and even some of the big ones. You're on vacation. Be in the moment. It's not that big of a deal that the water pressure sucks, since you're on a tropical island.

KIM 'S RULES FOR TRAVELING WITH OTHER FAMILIES

Don't feel like you have to play nanny.

You can't let another couple's children drown, of course, but you can ignore pretty much anything else they're doing unless you've agreed to supervise them. Four-year-old Lucy is naked in the pool again? Not your problem. Six-year-old Billy is getting grabby with a toddler? Same. If their parents aren't stepping up, you don't need to.

Agree ahead of time that everyone will go above and beyond to keep the common areas clean.

If there's anything worse than a dirty shared-house kitchen, it's a dirty shared-house kitchen with six hungry kids wandering around. Whoever makes a mess needs to clean up immediately, with grown-ups responsible for their kids' spilled milk. And toys. And wet bathing suits and towels. Assign each family a designated trash day, so someone's on top of all the common garbage cans for a single day.

Two words: Fresh Direct. Make that three: Amazon.

If you're sharing a house, have every family put in their order ahead of time for whatever you'll need for the week: milk, Cheerios, butter, enough beer for a few days. Plus, paper towels, citronella candles, disposable plates, napkins, and utensils—you get the idea. These will be communal and you need to agree ahead of time to split the bill evenly. (If one family wants a huge box of diapers or something that can't be shared, they can place a separate Amazon order.)

Schedule a kid-free date night for every couple.

Once the littles are asleep, let one couple a night go out for a late dinner.

Plan some just-for-us outings.

No matter how close you are with the other families, plan a couple afternoon activities that are just for your family. You'll have some time to enjoy each other without group noise—and having a few hours of "just us" time will help keep the peace when you return to the fray.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Everyone has different sleep schedules, so if you're in a shared house, do your best to keep it down (and remind your kids to do the same) if you're up early, up late, or if the littlest ones are napping. (Hotel vacations might have the advantage when kids are very young—especially if you have light sleepers.)

__For more on friends and travel, watch Your Friend Who's Back From Traveling. __

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10 Rules for Planning a Great Group Trip

Planning a group trip can be a bit like herding cats. But no matter what role you play in your group vacay, our 10 tips help make the planning — and traveling — process run that much more smoothly.

Here’s how to be confident you’re planning a great group trip.

1. Do start early. As soon as you and your friends decide to take a trip together — start planning. Don’t let the idea linger, or you may end up booking everything last-minute and miss out on great deals for flights and accommodations (using our Price Alerts tool can help avoid this). Plus, the longer you wait, the easier it is for things to “come up” and for friends to bail.

2. Do set up a budget pool. Once you know what your friends can spend, consider pooling money by collecting a set amount (say $500) from everyone before your trip. The group’s planner can use this money to pay for accommodations, meals, transportation, drinks and more while you’re on vacation. If there’s money left at the end, split it up or go wild one last night. PS: If you have a few friends on a tight budget, check out these wallet-friendly international and domestic destinations .

3. Do be democratic . Unless you’re planning a bachelor(ette) or birthday getaway (where the person of honor should have the most say), everyone in the group should have equal voice in this trip. That means, everyone gets one vote on the destination, dates and accommodations (good thing we built a tool for that). When choosing rooms, elect to draw straws to keep things fair (and so that no one gets left out).

4. Do have everyone book their own flight. No matter how nice it might be to have everyone land at the same time — it should be each individual’s responsibility to book their own flight. This helps avoid the dreaded “Can you spot me — I get paid next Friday” conversation as well as minimizes room for expensive booking errors (“I thought your birthday was August 19th!”).

5. Do make dinner reservations. While plans for breakfast and lunch can be made on the fly, if you’ve got a large group make your dinner reservations in advance. That way you’re sure you can be accommodated and don’t do the dreaded “7pm wander” around the city because every hot restaurant has a 2+-hour wait.

6. Do decide how you’ll get around. First, are you renting a car ? If yes, who’s getting the international license if you’re traveling abroad. If not — make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to taking public transportation or rideshares. Some might not want to shell out for surge pricing while others aren’t comfortable going underground. That way you can figure out if its more economical to hire a driver or to rely on local transport options.

7. Don’t use your phones at the table. Make a pact with your group that while you’re eating together, phones will remain out of sight. Use this trip as time for bonding and getting to know each other on a deeper level, not for raking up fake internet points. You might even want to make a rule: at dinner, phones go in the middle of the table. The first to reach for theirs has to buy a round.

8. Don’t overpack. This is especially true if you’re destination-hopping. Packing light will help save you transit time (no baggage claims), fees (thanks, Basic Economy) and stress. No lugging multiple suitcases to your vacation rental, no ordering separate taxis just to accommodate all your stuff. Keep it easy.

9. Don’t ditch the group (without a meet-up plan). Listen we get it. Fun happens. But remember why you’re on this trip: to spend time with the group. If you’re one to wander, apps like Glympse and Google’s Trusted Contacts will let you share your location with the group so they can keep track of you.

10. Don’t forget to thank your planner. Your one friend that took charge of coordinating this trip? Thank them. Show your appreciation for their effort by buying them a fancy cocktail, pitching in for a special souvenir or just sending a card .

The person planning your group trip has a tough job to do — help make it easier for them. Check out how to celebrate the planner in your life for a chance to with $5,000 towards your next group trip.

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The Code of the Road: 21 Rules of Road Tripping

Who controls the music? When is it okay for the co-pilot to sleep? And where the hell should you stop for lunch? These and other questions answered, in our essential guide to road trip etiquette.

No two road trips are alike — except that they all involve long distances, rushed meals, and groups of tired, bored, grumpy humans sharing the same cramped quarters for hours on end. To keep everyone happy, peaceful, and safe, we recommend that all road trips be bound by the same set of rules, which we present here, in no particular order.

1. First and foremost, everyone must use the bathroom before the vehicle hits the road.

2. The driver chooses the music: Whoever is at the wheel is also in control of the stereo, unless he decides to hand that power to someone else. However, he reserves the right to take it back at any time. Should a radio station play two or more songs in a row by Styx, Warrant, or Limp Bizkit, an obscure maritime law dictates that the person in control of the radio at the time must ride in the trunk until the next gas stop.

3. At all times, the co-pilot—meaning, whoever's riding shotgun—must remain awake and available to dish out directions, adjust tunes as ordered, feed the driver french fries, and continually assure him that his former love interest is, in fact, a big loser. Passengers in the back seat are free to sleep, with the understanding that once asleep their skin is considered a blank canvas for any budding tattoo artists to, "work their magic," while alert passengers hack the sleeper's cell phone to send bogus text messages to his or her significant other.

4. All gas stops should be as efficient as possible. Avoid gas stations lacking minimarts and those that aren't visible from the highway. If a member of the entourage keeps the party waiting for more than five minutes, the driver shall move the car behind the station, giving the tardy member the impression that he or she has been left behind.

5. To be specific, "gas stops" are: fuel, windshield, bathroom, snacks. Everybody participates, unless they're sleeping.

6. Whenever possible, restaurants should also be in view of the exit, and meals should be eaten quickly, with emphasis on getting back on the road and "making good time."

7. That said, if time permits, never waste a meal at a chain restaurant. Find out where the locals eat, and go there.

8. Acceptable snack foods don't smell, aren't messy, and shouldn't require napkins. That narrows your options down to basically nothing, which is good because there are no acceptable road foods—all food is disgusting when eaten in tight proximity to others.

9. But always keep extra napkins in the glove box, just in case. Baby wipes, too.

10. Never trust a motel that costs less than $75. In fact, be skeptical of anything under $100.

11. When you pass a speed trap, it's nice to flash your lights at oncoming cars to warn them of what lies ahead.

12. But if you do get pulled over, be polite and hand over your documents. Whining and/or crying, even to save license points, is shameful.

13. Stay out of the left lane unless passing, or moving faster than the rest of traffic. Don't speed up when someone attempts to pass you. Admit defeat and move on.

14. Personal cars and rental cars are very different animals. The former should be treated like an extension of the owner's home; the latter, well...it's a rental.

16 . Rest stop bathrooms are almost always nicer than gas station bathrooms, so if the option exists, choose the former. Old pros will note, however, that nothing beats the cool, clean, comfort of the bathrooms in a public library or museum—free wifi too!

17. Empty two-liter bottles may serve as mobile restrooms only in the case of emergencies. The risk-benefit calculus here for regular use is not favorable. One instance of spillage can ruin the entire rest of the trip.

18. Resist the urge to make gesticulations at other drivers, no matter how inept their driving. You never know what might set someone off.

19. Similarly, the horn is to be used only as a warning device, not as alternate form of personal expression.

20 . Time always passes more slowly on flat, straight sections of road. It's just science. Try to schedule your driving stints and naps accordingly; for instance, a good time for passengers to nap is the section between Pennsylvania and Colorado.

21. No alcohol for anyone, even in states where it's permissible for passengers to drink. It's not fair to the driver, you never know when you might have to take a shift, and drunk people are incredibly annoying.

* This article is part of The Code, an editorial partnership between Road & Track and Ford F-150

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10 Road Trip Rules to Drive By

Road trip – yeah or nay.

What is a road trip by definition? = An extended trip in a motor vehicle or automobile

The phrase “Road Trip” is either met with glee or horror. I often reminisce about the Chevy Chase movie National Lampoons Vacation and believe that as long as none of those events happens during my trip, it’s a success. If you ask me, I’d much prefer the car to the plane, bus or train. The car embodies an element of spirituality and catharsis, which is seldom found in the last three. 

This is the reason why I enjoy road tripping now and then. When else can you have some quality time with loved ones in an enclosed environment? Granted, taking a road trip is only memorable if your fellow travellers are of your liking. Otherwise, it’ll be a different kind of memorable. Not the kind that you want.

My husband and I documented a road trip driving from Toronto, Canada (one of the best countries for road trips, if you ask me) down the east coast to Fort Lauderdale Florida to board a weeklong cruise holiday. We decided to go on this road trip because we found it much cheaper to drive than to fly. Also, our favourite experiences on any road trip is seeing the varied rural and urban landscape outside as it passes by our car window.

We spent 22 hours on the open road. Like I said, your fellow crewmates have to be of your liking. If not, this adds up to 22 hours of hell in a moving box.

Check this article with some road trip tips for couples.

If you find yourself cruising along the highway, fuelled by a deep-rooted drive for nomadic salvation, here are my personal set of travel tips to follow when you’re on the road.

10 Rules for a Safe and Successful Road Trip.

Table of contents, 1. whoever is driving chooses the music., 2. two drivers are better than one., 3. the navigator is as important as the driver, 4. no silent stink bombs., 5. no messy, stinky, sticky foods and snacks., 6. eat light on the road., 7. no unscheduled pit stops., 8. stay on schedule and on time., 9. don’t hog the motel bathroom., 10. be honest, take care of yourself and stay safe., 11. bonus tip: pack essential items..

Who controls the radio on a road trip? The driver, of course. The point of music is mainly to keep the driver alert and happy. Don’t want to drive? Bring your own tunes. Either that or start singing along. Someone else will want to drive REAL soon.

What’s the best music for road trips?  Anything that keeps you awake!

If driving at night, one person must stay awake alongside the driver to help keep the driver alert and occupied. Either that or change drivers now and then. It’s very strenuous to drive when dark. We like to listen to audiobooks at night. It’s as if there is another person in the car telling you a story and because you are busy concentrating on the story, you won’t feel compelled to talk continuously. Do make sure that the story is a worthwhile one.

R oad Trip Games are also a great way for the driver and passenger to stay alert but make sure it isn’t a distraction. If you’re on a road trip with the family, make sure one of the rules is that nobody distracts the driver.

It’s not only difficult, but it’s entirely unsafe for the driver to be looking out for cars, pedestrians, other obstacles etc., and have to worry about the map at the same time. It’s the road trip responsibility of the navigator to track the current location, look out for the next turn and give the correct instructions. In this case, a “back-seat driver” is a good thing!

(A fundamental road trip car rule) Give your fellow travel companions ample warning to open a window. I’m talking BEFORE not AFTER!!

A road trip is not the time to pack salmon or egg or any sandwich with lots of onions or a drippy saucy meatball sub. You’ll smell it for hours afterwards, and you’ll make a mess in the car.

Gas station bathrooms don’t normally win the clean bathroom award. In fact, my worst nightmares involve a gas station bathroom of sorts. It’s best to get in and out of there as fast as you can.

PRO TRAVEL TIP : Read these articles about bleach wipes , and baby wipes .

If you’re stopping at a gas station, use the facilities even if you don’t have to go. You don’t know when the next rest stop will be and whether it might be unsanitary. Trust me; you don’t want to be desperately looking for a gas station or be the one person who delays the trip for everyone else. This rule especially applies if you are travelling with kids!

No one is looking forward to the 3 am wake-up call either, and it’s not fair for your travelling companions who woke up early to be on time to wait for you.

If you are stopping to sleep on the road and share a motel room, let your travelling companions hit the shower first if you plan on taking a long hot bath.

If you feel tired and can’t drive anymore, say so. A road trip is not the time to try to be a lionheart and push it when driving. I personally commiserate with that advice as I’m well-aware of the horror of being asleep and being awoken by the sound of the rumble strips under the tires as we were starting to veer off the road. Fortunately, no harm was caused. 

The things you bring can make the difference between a joyful, scintillating experience and a strenuous and regretful one. If you’re of a restless personality, then bring a book or an MP3 player. If you’re going camping, then make sure to bring extra batteries and a first aid kit. One of the worst feelings in the world is when you ruin a road trip for others and yourself because you didn’t bring what was required. Only bring what’s necessary, though. Don’t clutter your already packed car.

Listen up, people! Rules for any road trip are not made to be broken!

Follow these rules to a “T”, and you are sure to avoid being in the next National Lampoon road trip movie!

Do you have any more rules for a successful road trip to add? Join the discussion!

Check out these related articles:

• Advice on Road Trips
• Road Trip to Florida: Is Driving the Affordable Way?
• Travel Protection – Health, Safety, and Security

Mary Chong is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A food and travel writer, and founder of Calculated Traveller, when not working as a freelance graphic designer, Mary is either travelling with her husband Ray or planning the next big adventure.

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Our 17 Rules For Road Tripping

By The Bon Appétit Staff

It was December 2019 when we first conceived of a big print package dedicated to road trips for our May issue. “Summer! Travel! Hooray!” was the vibe, and a list of staff-sourced rules for making the most of a food-driven car journey was the format. Our biggest challenge was how to shoot an ice cream cone in a snowy parking lot and make it look warm outside. Little did we know…well, you know.  Of course, your best bet for staying COVID-free is staying home, but experts say if you need to travel, driving a car is the safest method. So after consulting some epidemiologists, we decided to bring our big print package to life online. We revised our rules accordingly, added important safety measures (Wear a mask anytime you leave your vehicle! Stay six-plus feet away from everyone outside your pod! Stock up on hand sanitizer!), and removed any restaurants that don't offer takeout. The result is an imperfect but hopefully useful guide to road trips—even if you're just daydreaming about all the places you'll go next year. —Hilary Cadigan and Elyse Inamine

Brake for Smash Burgers

After the eight-hour journey from New York City to Richmond, Virginia, all I want is a burger and a beer. Thankfully, I-64’s Boulevard Burger & Brew has both (and available for online order ahead of time!). The pitch-perfect smash burger is an ode to Kelly’s, the local burger chain that used to sit here. And with the original 1950s drive-in style building and red-and-white-checked paper under the fries, it doesn’t get more classic American than this. —Bryan Fountain, senior designer

But Don’t Forget Your Veggies

Man cannot survive on Fritos and Popeyes alone. Enter the car-ready crudités: slivers of crunchy raw carrot, jicama, and radish paired with a ranch-esque blend of punchy herbs, pistachios, and nutritional yeast. Pack them in jars that fit into your cup holders (no mess!), then pluck, dunk, and repeat. —Sohla El-Waylly, associate food editor

Make Safety a Priority

As essential as a road trip might feel right now, COVID-19 continues to cause very real and lasting damage. So before hitting the road, heed these expert-backed tips for staying as safe as possible while traveling, stopping, staying, and eating your way across the country. —Ali Francis, contributing writer

Queue the Tunes, and the Cheetos

The driver may be in charge of keeping both hands on the wheel, but you, the passenger, are in charge of keeping the music flowing, the directions current, the crowded spaces avoided, and the mood on point. Anticipate needs—like a sneaky outdoor bathroom stop—before they happen, even if that means hand-delivering individual Cheetos into said driver’s mouth. Otherwise you’re demoted to the back. —Sasha Levine, bonappetit.com editor

Plot Your Route Around Food

Whoever said it’s more about the journey than the destination was almost definitely referring to this lobster-and-pizza-and-milkshake-studded odyssey along New England’s picture-perfect coastline. —Amanda Shapiro, acting deputy editor

Long stretch of freeway? Slate’s Slow Burn goes deep on American history, from Watergate to Tupac. Fighting over DJ duties? Radiotopia’s Song Exploder asks artists to break down their most popular songs—with an archive so big there’s something for everybody. Bored out of your mind? Gimlet’s Every Little Thing will entertain and teach you something, like how the Cha Cha Slide became a wedding go-to. Lull in the conversation? WBUR’s Modern Love has a heart-bursting essay just for you. Driving alone? Gimlet’s Reply All feels like hanging with fun friends who happen to be tech experts. —Emma Wartzman, assistant editorial producer

Pack Your Cooler Like Brad Leone

Of course our resident outdoorsman is also an expert at cooler Jenga. Here’s how he keeps things chill on the road.

A. Delicate items—maybe some ham sandos or a bag of frozen grapes—go on top with items you’ll want quick access to, like that bottle of homemade ’booch.

B. Add smaller ice packs to keep the cold consistent. Whatever you’ve got in the freezer will do. The key is to fill your cooler completely because empty air heats faster.

C. Heavy stuff like cans of soda should be carefully arranged on the bottom of the cooler where they can support lighter stuff without squishing anything.

D. Forget the big bag of melting ice. Instead, line the bottom of your cooler with reusable ice packs—just make sure they’re the hard plastic type that doesn’t rip!

E. Keep it clean! Nothing worse than a nasty cooler. Soap and water should do the trick, but you can scrub out the interior with a little bleach if things get real bad.

*Good gear is key. I’m a Yeti guy. They make the best coolers, like this indestructible Roadie 24 Hard Cooler ($200; yeti.com ), which fits in the front seat but holds plenty of fuel for the trip. —Brad Leone, Test Kitchen video host

Empanadas Are Worth the U-Turn

One day, returning from a very quaint apple-picking trip with my in-laws in Newburgh, New York, I spotted a gleaming trailer off Route 9W with a tie-dye sign that proclaimed: Empanada Nirvana . “PULL OVER!” I screamed at my husband. There, surrounded by psychedelic pop art (Marilyn Monroe! Snoop Dogg! A skeleton in a patio chair!), was a man named Nelson Pantoja selling what just may be the most excellent empanadas I have ever tasted. We picked a lot of apples that day, but those perfect little half-moons—exteriors golden and crackly, insides bursting with oh-so-tender pernil, spicy komodo dragon sausage, or oozy cream cheese and guava—are all we ever talk about from that trip. —H.C.

Bake Ahead—and Thank Yourself Later

Yes, we’re telling you to bake before your big trip. But we’re telling you to bake these cookies, inspired by a trusted human energy source (trail mix) and crammed with enough toasted nuts, dried fruit, hearty oats, and chocolate to keep everyone in the car sated, away from potentially germy rest stops, and in shockingly good spirits. —S.E.W.

And Always Say Yes to More Pastries

My mom may never forgive me for blowing up her favorite spot, but Mr. Bread , a family-owned Macanese bakery off Route 1 in San Francisco, serves the breakfast of road trip champions. Before you barrel down America’s prettiest highway, call ahead and order a bright pink pastry box filled with char siu baos, curry beef baos, and the nonnegotiable: eggy Portuguese custard tarts with an extra-flaky crust. Because when you’re on a road trip, there’s no such thing as too many baked goods. Cash only! —MacKenzie Fegan, contributing writer

Keep It Clean

My 13-year-old Yaris sedan doesn’t have many things. Automatic locks? Stellar side-impact ratings? Nope. But you know what it does have? A ridiculous amount of napkins in the glove compartment. (And these days, some masks and hand-sanitizing wipes.) As my friends and I drove up and down California during college summers, I greedily snatched half-inch-thick napkin stacks from In-N-Outs, Jamba Juices, and random banh mi shops. I used to be embarrassed when my mom did this. “You never know when you’ll need it!” she’d say with fists stuffed full. But now—after years of exploding sodas and countless emergency bathroom breaks—I know. —Elyse Inamine, digital restaurant editor

Stop for Seafood on the Savannah Highway

Cruising along the steamy tree-lined Gullah Geechee Corridor just outside Charleston, South Carolina, I keep my eyes peeled for a squat roadside building painted with fishing scenes in the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town of Ravenel. Why? Because there are few road snacks more satisfying than Ravenel Seafood ’s Gullah-style garlic crabs swimming in butter—best enjoyed at one of the outdoor picnic tables, if it’s quiet, or in your parked car. Worth the greasy steering wheel afterwards, I promise. —H.C.

The Kids Are Alright

First, double-check: Do you really need to bring the kids? Are you sure? Well, okay. Here are some strategies for road tripping with small people.

Bring enough snacks to last twice the distance. And your car is a blank canvas, so opt for things that crumble (crackers) rather than ooze (peanut butter). Pro move: Pack a snack and pretend it isn’t for them. Road trips are the only times I get my kids to eat BjornQorn . There are no nutritional-yeast atheists in foxholes.

Keep their ears occupied. I bring volume-limiting headphones and a kid-friendly podcast (try But Why from Vermont Public Radio) or the audio from their favorite movies. We don’t let them watch the screen since that will make them puke.

Whatever you bring for one kid, bring for the other. In regular life my seven-year-old and four-year-old make a sport of liking different things. In the car it’s the opposite. A bag of M&M’s is your Alamo.

Pack surprises. Actually, pack a lot of things. Playgrounds and random Airbnb toys are no-gos right now, so you’ll need a backup plan (or five). Lengths of twine. Rubber bands. Take-out chopsticks. Two identical boxes full of the exact same pieces of Legos…

Gamify good hygiene. It’s hard enough for the adults in the car to remember to wash our hands, wear masks, and sanitize frequently—let alone the kids. Making up songs and offering low-key bribes (remember the M&M’s?) are great ways to make safety FUN.

Do not dignify “Are we there yet?” with an answer. If you’re using GPS, keep it to yourself. Unless you have one minute or less of travel time remaining, your kids just don’t need to know. —Chris Morocco, food director

Embrace the Uncertainty

Combining a cross-country move with a road trip to Burning Man (sorry) in the midst of an existential crisis is not exactly advisable, but once, in my mid-20s, I did just that. Here is my tale. —H.C.

Stock Up on the Best Snacks, Before You Go

The fruits of the snack aisle are any traveler’s best bud. But these days it’s best to skip the crowds and pack (or cook) ahead. Here are our not-at-all-subjective suggestions.

White Label Yerba Mate Soda, $2 at Mercato : Aliza Abarbanel stocks the car with this fizzy Brooklyn-made yerba mate, which is good for a “gentle-boost” without the jitters.

Regenerative Organic Chile Mango, $5 at Patagonia Provisions : We dub this tropical snack “the car pleaser.” “It’s a favorite that even my kids love but is interesting enough with the chile to hold my interest,” Chris Morocco says. 

Homemade Trail Mix : Amanda Shapiro dumps all the nuts, coconut flakes, and raisins or dates in her pantry into a bag, shakes them up with flaky salt, a dash of cinnamon, and “chocolate chips if I'm really going for it,” she adds.

Charms Super Blow Pop, $19 at Amazon : They’re interactive! Long lasting! FUN! Miriam Ross loves these lollipop-gum hybrids for staying awake “on drives lasting more than 45 minutes.” 

Oven-Roasted Chickpeas : Emma Wartzman goes—ahem—the extra mile and crisps her own legumes to satiate the “satisfying salty bite” she craves after hours on end in the car.

Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzels, $8 at nuts.com : A true feat of food engineering, according to Sarah Jampel: “The pretzels are hollow , the peanut butter is dehydrated into these delightful chalky pellets, and I identify on an emotional level with their hard outer shell and soft middles,” she says.

Vanilla Granola Butter, $13 at Kween : Ali Francis expects whoever’s riding shotgun to smear this maple-laced, ’nola-inspired spread on a robust cracker for her . “When I am done chewing, I yell, ‘BUTTER UP!’ to let my passenger know I’d like another,” she says.

Dang Thai Rice Chips, $9 at Amazon : These crunchy coconut spheres fill the salty-sweet hole in Alex Pastron’s heart “and don't leave too much chip residue on your fingers, which is an essential car snack qualification.”

When a used car recently came into my life, so did a lingering smell of, uhhh, sock. The odor had nuance and depth, like a fine French perfume. I needed an odorizer that could counter it with as much distinction. I don't care if you've been traumatized by a Yankee Candle before; air fresheners are necessary in a sock situation, and have come a long way since the cardboard tree. My favorite is the Febreze One A/C vent clip air freshener in bamboo . It’s a subtle and neutral clean scent (because what does bamboo even smell like, nothing??); plus you can unclip it when the sock has dissipated. — Alex Beggs, senior staff writer

Pull Up For Peaches

You can’t drive through ye olde Peach State without stopping by (and masking up) at a farmer’s market, and Jaemor Farms & Market , a massive roadside iteration on Old Cornelia Highway, is the perfect pit (heh heh) stop between Atlanta and Asheville. Set on the edge of a 100-year-old farm in the wee town of Alto, this place sells just about every down-home Southern delight you could imagine: fresh Georgia peaches, yes, but also dreamy ice cream, homemade pastries, very good pimento cheese, local honey, and boiled p-nuts, the undisputed king of southern road trip snacks. Trust. —H.C.

clock This article was published more than  3 years ago

2021 may be the Year of the Road Trip. This is how to plan a good one.

From covid safety to scoping out where to stay, these are the new rules of the road.

Road trips were different in 2020. Last year our advice focused on getting where you were going fast and spending as little time as possible in public spaces, like bathrooms to avoid so-called coronavirus toilet plumes (sorry to bring that up again).

Some of those tips will hold over into 2021. As more people are planning trips again and getting vaccines to do so safely, “normal” travel may resume later this year. But travel industry insiders are still predicting road trips to be popular , and not just for their utility. People are looking forward to the Great American Road Trip, even as the masses return to flying .

You’ll still need to keep the pandemic and typical road trip concerns top of mind. You’ve heard not to let your gas tank get past a quarter of a tank; now you need to remember to pack extra face masks, too. These are the new rules for road tripping in 2021.

We could be traveling again by summer. This is what to consider before you plan.

Covid safety should still be on your radar

Of course, until the pandemic is fully over, coronavirus will still be a factor in how you travel.

With states lifting restrictions and mandates, you will still have to pay attention to local guidelines on quarantines, mask ordinances, curfews and dining restrictions. Your best resources are the government websites of wherever you are headed, or you can use AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map .

Your experience will vary depending on the law of the land, so be prepared to encounter the return of unmasked partying in Florida or, on the other side of the spectrum, bring proof of a negative coronavirus test or quarantine for 10 days if you want to go to Maine .

While you don’t have to be hypervigilant about sanitizing every surface you come across, Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist with the COVID Tracking Project , recommends focusing on maintaining good hand hygiene, opting for contactless check-in and check-out at hotels when possible, wearing a mask and keeping a healthy distance when around others in public, even if you’re vaccinated .

“Right now, not enough people are fully vaccinated for you to do things like take your mask off or not physically distance,” she says.

Malaty Rivera also says travelers should consider getting coronavirus tests if passing through high-risk situations. Keep companies like Curative , which has more than 10,000 testing sites, and Sameday Health (with services in 15 states) in mind for cross-country testing needs. You can also visit a destination’s health department website for regional options.

There are some rules that always stand, such as making sure you have enough gas and water. Jasmin Shah , a photographer who has driven 15,000 miles since August, suggests downloading your maps offline, particularly as you travel through remote parts of the country.

“There are some lonely roads that you really have to pay attention to signs that say ‘no services for the next 150 miles’ because they really mean no services and no cellphone service,” Shah says.

Linda Jelencovich, a Travel Leaders Network advisor with Super Travel of Palm Beach , recommends people get travel insurance for worst-case scenarios, from trip cancellation to health emergencies. “I always recommend that people take travel protection no matter what, because you never know,” she says. “They could get sick, or something happens and they have to get medevaced back.”

A definitive ranking of the 16 best road trip snacks of all time

Have a destination in mind, but leave room for improvising

You can wander with points of interest in mind, relying on your map app of choice, or choose a tried-and-tested route. AAA has guides you can follow for peace of mind.

Road-trip veterans encourage travelers to have an outline of a trip, or a final destination in mind, as they plan the journey. Know where you’ll sleep each night, but avoid planning each day with a rigid schedule to make space for fun or necessary detours.

“Part of what makes getting out on the road fun is that there are some unplanned pieces about it,” says Jon Gray, the chief executive operator of RVshare, an RV rental and listing company. “I think leaving some flexibility in the itinerary makes a lot of sense.”

Throughout the pandemic, travel blogger Sarah Fay has turned to road trips in lieu of international travel. Choosing outdoorsy routes and destinations — with time for detours found on the Roadtrippers app — have been beneficial for her mental health during a year where we were inside more than ever.

“A lot of things can change during covid,” Fay says. “I like the flexibility of having my car to be able to go anywhere and have my own space.”

The dos and don’ts of camping alone

Plan longer stays ASAP

Gray’s advice for having trip flexibility changes if you’re planning on staying in one place for a while. His tip is to book those longer stops ahead of time. As with last year, camping, RV rentals and national park visits are going to be on the minds of cooped-up Americans opting for outdoor-focused trips.

That’s particularly true if you’re planning to stay in trending places this summer, Jelencovich says.

Think major national parks (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon), coveted camping destinations (lock them in at rec.gov or Hipcamp.co ), the Pacific Coast Highway, the Hamptons, Florida and Cape Cod.

How to pack road trip essentials, according to two overlanding experts

Pack with intention

You’ve decided on your road trip; now you need to pack. Where you’re staying will change your packing situation immensely.

When the pandemic hit, Haley Hamblin , photo editor for By The Way, and her fiance left their D.C. apartment behind and spent the last year road-tripping around the country, logging 27,000 miles on their Subaru. The couple has camped, stayed in Airbnbs, budget hotels, at friends and family’s homes.

Instead of sticking to suitcases, they use plastic bins to keep life organized. Some hold clothes, camping gear, kitchen equipment (like a cast-iron skillet and a pot for camp cooking) and dry goods. Their cooler is another stackable container that stores perishables.

“It’s easier if everything’s rectangular,” Hamblin says. “Then we do have some stuff that nicely squeezes in between.”

Hamblin says if you’re going to be doing a lot of camping or working on the road, essentials like collapsible five-gallon water cubes, good camping chairs and a Jackery portable power station with solar panels to keep electronics charged are all game changers.

Is entirely contactless travel possible? I planned a trip to find out.

Make sure your vehicle is ready for the trip

If you haven’t been making a regular commute, or your car has been sitting around for a while, consider getting it checked out before you take off.

Richard Counihan, CEO of DigniFi , a site that offers personal auto repair loans, says commonly overlooked car parts are batteries, tires, fluids, belts and sensors. All of these items should “be checked before hitting the road, particularly if you’re going on a relatively long road trip,” he says. “Those are the things that wear out of the vehicle and do need to be checked.”

Cars sitting for a month or more can result in flat spots where the tire meets the pavement, which may impact your car’s stability and control at higher speeds, Counihan says.

Also consider outfitting your car with gear for the trip to make your journey more pleasant. Counihan says campers may enjoy extras like car awnings or roof racks to store bikes and extra storage space.

Read more on travel during the pandemic:

Tips: Advice column | Coronavirus testing | Vaccinations | Spring Break | Vaccine passports | Sanitizing your hotel | Updating documents | Summer trips | Travel vouchers | Ask us your travel questions

Flying: Pandemic packing | Airport risks | Staying healthy on planes | Fly or drive? | Layovers

Road trips: Tips | Rental cars | Best snacks | Long-haul trains | Rest stops | Cross-country drive

Destinations: Hawaii | Private islands | Australia | Mexico | Alaska | Puerto Rico

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12 Rules for a Successful Family Road Trip

From going big on snacks to active pit stops, here's everything you need to know before taking a long road trip with the whole family

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Among the many difficult realities exposed by the 2020 pandemic is just how freaking far most of us are separated from our families. Mobility is one of   America’s most treasured rights, so it’s become normal to live a thousand miles from mom and dad. Until this year, it also seemed normal to simply hop on a flight a few times annually to bridge the distance.

That all changed with COVID-19 . There were the airport shutdowns. The shelter-in-place orders. The troubling second wave of infections and morphing rules around interstate travel. Anyone missing family has been faced with a tough choice: (a) skip seeing your parents or grandparents this year, (b) take a health risk and hop on a packed flight, or (c) pack your kids in the car for a multi-day drive. The clear choice for most families, including mine, has been that last option. But let’s not call it an easy choice. Stuffing yourself, your spouse, and multiple kids in one car for 20 hours is to risk existential questions about the purpose of even having a family. If you’re not careful, you’ll be Googling “How do I make my children wards of the state?” before you reach your parents driveway. But with a little planning, you don’t necessarily have to suffer. Here’s what I learned on our recent 40-hour, 2,494-mile round-trip drive from Santa Fe to Whitefish, Montana, to visit my mother-in-law.

Train Like a Marathoner

Running 26.2 miles off the couch is possible , but you won’t enjoy it. The same goes for marathon car rides. If you’re planning something ambitious—anything exceeding, say, eight hours in a single day—the journey will be infinitely more tolerable if you take a few easier, progressively longer shakedown trips to develop some road-trip fitness. Which kid is fine going hours without stimulus? Which podcasts entertain the whole family? Who needs bathroom breaks every hour? How many hours can a family-size bag of potato chips last? You don’t want to be asking these kinds of questions for the first time with 800 miles remaining. Before we left for Montana, our family of five took several summer road trips of four to eight hours.

Plan Your Route

If getting there in the shortest amount of time possible is your only goal, by all means, go with the recommended route on Google maps. But if you’re willing to add a few hours, consider the alternate options, especially ones that take you off the mind-numbing interstate and maximize sightseeing on smaller highways. Twenty-two hours in the car on scenic roads is more enjoyable than 20 hours on a high-speed expressway battling armies of 18-wheelers.

Let ’Em Watch “ Diary of a Wimpy Kid”

Becoming a parent means subjecting yourself to years of hand-wringing and unsolicited opinions about screen time . But here’s the thing: streaming movies is an amazingly effective tool for keeping the peace on long travel days. So while we’re strict about screens at home, we mostly throw out the rules—and the guilt—on travel days. We pack one laptop and a set of good headphones, download a couple of requested shows or movies for each child, and have them take turns. This method keeps everyone happy and avoids a much bigger sin of parental neglect, which is dragging your kids a thousand miles down the spine of the Rocky Mountains without them seeing any of it.

Don’t Overlook Audio

Our three kids range from age 2 to 12, so it’s nearly impossible to find a podcast or book on tape suitable for everyone. (Though here is one shameless plug: on winter car rides to the mountain, my oldest kids love the Outside  podcast, especially episodes in the Science of Survival series.) Music can be complicated for the same reason, but we’ve settled on a revolving-DJ approach that often keeps our clan engaged for two-hour stretches. Using a phone with Spotify, we all get a turn to pick a song. The result is a pretty bizarre mix, but I’m willing to endure repeated plays of Rafi’s “Wheels on the Bus,” or Steve Miller’s “Jungle Love” (my son’s latest favorite), if it means exposing my kids to Neil Young deep cuts. Bonus: your kids’ picks will occasionally surprise you. My nine-year-old once queued up “London Calling” by the Clash, and I nearly teared up with pride.

Go Big on Snacks

As with screen time, my wife and I toss out some of the at-home rules of healthy eating on big travel days. We pack lots of fresh fruit but also let the kids pick out some normally forbidden junk foods, like Doritos and candy, and dole them out liberally. The laid-back approach helps make road trips seem more like a fun novelty to your kids than something to dread.

If you’re traveling in the age of COVID-19, it’s also best to bring all your meals to avoid restaurants and other gathering spots. For that, I highly recommend shelling out for the Yeti Hopper ($200) as a travel cooler. There’s plenty of room inside for perishable food and cold drinks, and the soft-sided construction makes it easy to pack in the back seat and access your goodies without stopping.

Don’t Schedule Pit Stops

You’ll be tempted to study the route and choose designated stopping spots in advance. Don’t do this. You’re not a train conductor charged with keeping to a rigid schedule, you’re the lead guide on a Mount Everest expedition with an array of clients and unpredictable conditions to navigate. Your role is to take charge of the group’s pace by keeping tabs on your team in regular intervals, assessing the collective mood, and recognizing the signs of flagging morale before it’s too late. (Sibling bickering is usually a code-red indicator.) Only stop when necessary. Taking this approach, we’ve endured six-hour stretches without a break, something I never would’ve thought possible.

Find a Park

Gas-station stops are a necessity, but no one feels revived after wandering around a fuel-scented acre of concrete. Highway rest areas ,  with few exceptions, are equally limiting. Instead, seek out parks—almost every town has one. Whenever the mood in our car signals that we need a half-hour of freedom— stat!— my wife or I pull out the phone and search “parks near me.” Most recently, this approach led us to a massive playground on the Animas River in Durango, Colorado, and a shady statue garden with a crystal-clear stream for wading a stone’s throw from the capitol building in Salt Lake City. I also threw in spontaneous quick workout challenges during stops—from push-ups to jogging in place—challenging the whole family to get their blood pumping after hours sitting.

Leave Early

As in before sunrise. This approach has many advantages.

1.The first couple of hours go by faster at 5:30 A.M. than at 8:30 A.M. (Don’t question this; it’s just a fact.)

2. You’ll catch the golden hour, where even dull interstate highways seem majestic.

3. You’ll relieve the pressure on making it to your destination on time and build in room for spontaneous park visits.

4. Kids actually love a 5 A.M. wake-up call. It signals adventure.

Respect Personal Space

If your car has optional third-row seating, utilize it—even if you only have two kids. Everyone is happier being master of their own domain.

Embrace Games

We don’t play a lot of these, but they’re a good option, especially in the manic final two hours of an all-day drive. Our go-tos are 20 Questions and Would You Rather. You’ll have to set some rules around the latter, or things will turn gross and go off the rails in a matter of seconds. My kids respond well when this game is firmly planted in the ethical realm. This recent question had them really thinking and debating: Would you rather be one of the popular kids, with lots of friends, but have to pick on other kids to remain in the clique, or be picked on every day but not have to be mean to anyone? It also prompted the following gold nugget of wisdom from my son: “What would my family be like? If my parents and siblings were nice, I could handle being picked on every day.”

Go Long on Day One

If your destination is multiple days away, make your first day the longest, and aim to go more than halfway if possible. After that, day two feels like it’s all downhill. For our 20-hour drive to Whitefish, we drove 12 hours the first day and eight on the second. That also meant there was still daylight left to run around when we finally arrived in town.

Always Choose to Drive

This really only applies if you and your partner have a child under age three. Otherwise, riding shotgun is the prime position. But with a toddler, you can forget about dozing off or reading a book while in the passenger seat. Instead you’ll spend most of your time as an unpaid, immobile flight attendant, craning your neck to mop up spills, dole out snacks, and read books to your mostly bored and helpless two-year-old. My wife thinks I’m a hero for taking the bulk of the driving load, but I’m really just selfish and lazy.

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The road trip. Love it. Hate it. Play I spy. Eat snacks. Pick a fight.

The entire TVR team is packing up, piling into a R.V. and hitting the highway. We laid down some house rules for the 8 hour ride. Call them Rules of the Road Trip if you will. From packing lightly (we are camping, after all) to BYOPC (bring your own phone charger), these guidelines are the law. Violators will be sent to the back of the R.V.

We’ll be strictly enforcing sharing of the snacks, music and car games. We’re also sharing our Rules of the Road Trip with you for your next cross country drive so you too can arrive to your destination in one piece and never know boredom.

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Field Trip Rules

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Field trip days are often the best days of the entire school year . Most students look forward to this day for weeks or months! That's why it is important that you mind some basic rules to keep the trip safe and enjoyable.

• Don't get reckless on the bus. You don't want your day to end early, do you? Misbehavior on the bus can get you into trouble and ruin your day. You could end up sitting on the bus while the others enjoy the destination.
• Don't wander off. Listen carefully when the teacher gives instructions about sticking with the group or sticking with an assigned partner even when going to the restroom. Don't ever wander off on your own, or your trip could end badly. If you break this rule, you could end up with the teacher as your partner!
• Respect the chaperones. You should respect any chaperones and listen to them as you would your own teacher or parents. Chaperones have a big responsibility, watching after so many students at one time. They can't afford to give too much attention to one "squeaky wheel," so they will probably be intolerant to distractions. Don't be disruptive.
• Respect nature. Some field trips will take you into contact with animals or plants. For your own safety, be mindful of potential dangers and don't assume you can tug, pull, tease, or touch things safely.
• Don't roughhouse. You may visit a factory containing equipment with moving parts, or a museum with rooms full of pottery and glass, or a riverside with fast-running water. Kids don't always think about the dangers that come with certain places, so think about the potential hazards before you go, and remember not to push or pull on friends.
• Keep an eye on the clock. If you are supposed to meet your group for lunch or for loading onto the bus, you should keep an eye on the time. You don't want to miss lunch, and you surely don't want to be left behind.
• Arrive in plenty of time to get on the bus. You don't want to miss the fun day because you ran into heavy traffic. Plan ahead and leave early.
• Eat and drink in designated places. Don't assume you can buy a soda from a machine and drink it anywhere. Your destination site might have strict limitations when it comes to drinking or eating on site.
• Dress for hot and cold. If it's a warm day, it could be really cold inside a building. If it's cold outside, it could be steamy inside! Try to dress in layers so you can add and subtract as necessary.
• Don't litter. You can be banned from some locations for this. Don't be sent back to the bus!
• Bring comfort items for the ride. If you are facing a long bus ride, ask if you can bring a pillow or small cover for comfort.
• Bring along a small recording device or a notebook  because you know there will be a follow-up assignment or quiz.
• Pay attention to any speakers. If your teacher has arranged a speaker, and if a speaker takes time out of his/her day to share wisdom with you, don't ignore it! This trip is for your education. Oh — and there probably will be a quiz.
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Fam Etiquette Guide Lines

• Fam Trip (or known in our industry as “FAM”) is a reduced rate trip for travel professionals to familiarize agents with the destination, service and product.
• FamTrips.travel and our suppliers work hard to offer agents the most educational and exciting tours possible at substantially reduced rates. These trips take months of planning and a lot of hard work. Please be respectful of your hosts and tour conductors.
• If you have complaints about a tour or property, do not complain while on your trip to local staff. After your FAM you may provide us your honest opinion of the FAM at that time.
• Come prepared. Pack appropriate shoes and clothes for the climate and destination. Most FAMs include lots of walking during the day and some kind of reception or meal function in the evenings. Many of the restaurants have dress codes so be sure to bring more formal or business attire clothes if suggested. During the tour portion of the trip short-shorts and revealing clothes are not allowed. If you are unsure of what to pack, please ask FamTrips.travel.
• Showing up to events obviously drunk or intoxicated in some way is forbidden.
• Be on time! Many of our tours require a strict schedule. Make sure that you are on time for all scheduled events. Being late for any tour or scheduled event causes problems for tour guides and ground operations.
• Do not discuss with other guests what you paid for your stay.
• Do not solicit guests to book with your travel business.
• Do not interrupt, talk, walk away or ‘do your own thing’ while your guide is talking.
• Be Neat. While participating in on-site inspections; never sit on the beds, and be sure never to leave anything behind. This includes leaving trash in the trash cans or toilets. These rooms or cabins have already been cleaned for the next guests checking in and should be left the way you found them.
• Do not act entitled! We cannot stress this enough. One of the main complaints we receive from tour suppliers is that so many travel agents feel entitled. It is not only rude but portrays a poor image for your group and our industry.
• Tipping- Unless notated, gratuities are not included. Please be generous with your tips.
• Please communicate your desire to make changes to your tour leader or host. Changing your flight arrangements, room or cabin number during your FAM and not telling them, causes many problems.
• Remember you are on a FAM Trip and not a personal vacation. Most land FAMS are fast paced and intended to show you as much as possible for the time allotted.
• Take notes and lots of photos. Sure you want to experience the destination and the delicious meals but more importantly, you want to remember details so that you can tell your clients all about the destination or product.
• Enjoy your FAM experience and please take note of our FAM Etiquette guide lines. Good FAM Etiquette will allow you to be invited on future FAMS and helps to insure you stay off industry ‘Black Lists’.

20 Little-Known Public Transit Etiquette Rules

Posted: April 26, 2024 | Last updated: April 27, 2024

There are a few rules when it comes to the etiquette of public transportation. Amazingly, rules that some may think are simple and common sense are completely lost on others.

Rules such as giving up a seat to those in need or not leaving trash behind are two of many rules people should follow while taking any form of public transportation. Read on to learn more etiquette rules that make taking public transit more enjoyable for everyone.

Don't Argue With Other Passengers, Even Rude Ones

Arguing with unruly passengers or rude people doesn't really get a person anywhere. Instead, it can make a situation escalate even further and might even result in a physical altercation.

If someone begins yelling or saying rude comments, it is better to alert one of the staff members, have it be a ticket taker on a train or even a bus driver.

Pay The Fare Or Risk A Ticket

Paying for a ticket might seem like an obvious rule, but some people take a leap of faith, thinking they won't get caught. The thing is, those who do get caught are slapped with a hefty fine that is way pricier than the ticket itself.

Just follow the law and pay for a ticket.

An Orderly Queue

Train stations and bus stops can get unruly. So, a general rule everyone should follow is to queue up in an orderly fashion.

This way, people are able to exit the vehicle safely, and people aren't pushing and shoving, something that can result in an accident, such as someone falling down.

Do Not Block Or Lean On The Doors

When traveling on a train or even on a bus, it is important passengers do not block or lean on the doors. Not only is it a hazard, in case people have to exit quickly but say the doors weren't properly secured.

The last thing a passenger wants is to fall out of a moving vehicle. Stay safe and don't block or lean on doors.

Keep Your Music At A Low Volume

While traveling on a train or bus, many people enjoy popping in their earphones to listen to music. It makes the trip go a bit faster. That being said, it is important to be courteous and keep the volume low.

The passenger might want to listen to their music, but no one else does.

Wear Deodorant...Please

Public transportation can be smelly, to begin with. And with so many people packed into a small space, such as a car on a train, it is important to remember to wear deodorant.

People in New York will tell people that in the summertime, nothing is worse than a smelly person on a subway.

Keep Luggage To A Minimum

There is limited space on public transportation vehicles, so passengers should keep in mind that less is more -- aka, less luggage means more space.

People should not be toting several large suitcases onto a bus or a train. It's annoying to other passengers and takes up way too much room in an already cramped space.

Sneezing And Coughing: Cover Your Mouth

For everyone's personal health, it is important for people to remember to always cover their mouth and nose when they either cough or sneeze.

Public transportation vehicles are already riddled with germs. There is no need to add more to the vehicles because someone didn't want to cover their face when sneezing.

Allow People Out Of The Vehicle Before Getting In

To avoid congestion and to make the passenger transition as smooth as possible, it is important for people to wait their turn and allow people to get off the train, bus, or subway before entering.

If they don't, there is a possibility of tripping, getting pushed, or even starting a fight because someone fell to the ground and got hurt.

Hold The Handrails While Standing! They're There For A Reason

The poles and handrails that hang from the ceiling of buses and skyways are there for a reason! It is important for passengers who are standing to hold on tight.

If they don't, there is a very good possibility they will fall to the ground and hurt themselves or fall into another passenger.

Do Not Vandalize The Inside Or Outside Of Public Transportation

Public transportation is a way for people to get around their community. And people of a community tend to like things in their city to look nice without graffiti or smashed windows.

Passengers should do themselves a favor and not vandalize the inside of vehicles or the stations. Not only does it diminish the look of the community, but it is also against the law.

Give Up Your Seat To Those In Need

Something important to keep in mind is staying aware of the surrounding passengers. If there is a disabled, elderly, or pregnant passenger onboard and no seats available, it is a very kind gesture to offer up a seat.

While this isn't necessarily a rule on all public transportation, it is good karma, and the other person will be very thankful.

Stand On The Right So People Can Pass On The Left

As the rules of the road, it is important for people walking through public transportation stations to remember to move to the right-hand side so those in a hurry can pass by on the left.

This not only goes for walking but also on escalators and even in the vehicles themselves.

Don't Leave Garbage Behind

Like most public places, it is in bad taste to litter and leave trash anywhere but in a garbage or recycling can. People don't want to walk onto any form of public transportation and find an empty cup or wrapper in their selected seat.

On top of that, people tend to get fined for littering.

Be Respectful To Staff

Passengers might get annoyed or angry at various aspects of public transportation, such as missing their train or bus. The thing is, being rude to staff due to a mistake they made is not the way to go about things.

Always be respectful to staff, and they will be more willing to help out.

Remove Your Backpack So It Doesn't Take Up Space

One thing passengers can be certain of when taking public transportation is the lack of space. Because of the cramped area, it is a good idea for passengers to remove a backpack and place it underneath a seat, in an overhead storage bin, or even on their lap.

Doing so will open up space for other people to move.

Don't Try To Open Doors While The Vehicle Is Still Moving

This rule might seem fairly obvious, but don't open the doors to a train or bus while it is still moving. Not only is it highly dangerous, but in doing so, the driver or conductor might think something is very wrong and alert the authorities.

Do everyone a favor, and wait until the vehicle comes to a complete stop and the driver opens the doors.

There is no public transportation system that allows passengers to smoke inside the vehicle. It is disruptive and disrespectful to other passengers and will cause the cars to smell of tobacco.

Not only that, but it is illegal to do so, and anyone caught smoking will be slapped with a hefty fine.

Don't Loiter

Loitering not only makes people uncomfortable but will also bring unwanted attention from security officers if they see anyone standing around without any purpose.

Public transportation stations tend to already be crowded, so loitering does nothing more than bring in more bodies to cause more congestion. If someone finds themselves at a station, it should be for a specific reason.

Move To The Back Of A Bus Or Train

To help ensure a steady flow of passengers, people should remember that when they walk onto a bus, it is best to move to the back.

This way, people won't take up time getting situated in the front, making people wait either on the street or behind them to find a seat of their own.

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IRS Tax Tip 2023-15, February 7, 2023

Whether someone travels for work once a year or once a month, figuring out travel expense tax write-offs might seem confusing. The IRS has information to help all business travelers properly claim these valuable deductions.

Here are some tax details all business travelers should know

Business travel deductions are available when employees must travel away from their  tax home  or  main place of work  for business reasons. A taxpayer is traveling away from home if they are away for longer than an ordinary day's work and they need to sleep to meet the demands of their work while away.

Travel expenses  must be ordinary and necessary. They can't be lavish, extravagant or for personal purposes.

Employers can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred during a  temporary work assignment  if the assignment length does not exceed one year.

Travel expenses for  conventions  are deductible if attendance benefits the business. There are special rules for conventions held  outside North America .

Deductible travel expenses include:

• Travel by airplane, train, bus or car between your home and your business destination.
• Fares for taxis or other types of transportation between an airport or train station and a hotel, or from a hotel to a work location.
• Shipping of baggage and sample or display material between regular and temporary work locations.
• Using a personally owned car for business.
• Lodging and  meals .
• Dry cleaning and laundry.
• Business calls and communication.
• Tips paid for services related to any of these expenses.
• Other similar ordinary and necessary expenses related to the business travel.

Self-employed individuals or farmers with travel deductions

• Those who are self-employed can deduct travel expenses on  Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship) .
• Farmers can use  Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming .

Travel deductions for the National Guard or military reserves

National Guard or military reserve servicemembers can claim a deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses paid during the  performance of their duty .

Recordkeeping

Well-organized records  make it easier to prepare a tax return. Keep records such as receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support a deduction.

Subscribe to IRS Tax Tips

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Congestion Pricing Will Start on June 30 in New York City, M.T.A. Says

Transit officials announced the start of the program, which they have said will ease some of the nation’s worst traffic.

By Ana Ley and Winnie Hu

The first comprehensive congestion-pricing program in a major U.S. city will begin in New York on June 30, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Friday.

The plan remains contentious, however, and with months to go before its scheduled rollout, legal and political clashes could still dilute or stop it altogether. A growing number of opponents — including Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey, influential unions and some elected New York officials — recently ratcheted up their effort to block it.

The program is meant to ease some of the worst traffic in the nation, improve the city’s air quality, increase mass transit ridership and raise money to modernize the city’s subway, bus and commuter rail system. Congestion-pricing tolls are expected to generate $1 billion a year, with the revenue earmarked by law for capital projects, not operating costs.

The authority, which operates the mass transit system, also said on Friday that it had opened a portal for applicants seeking the program’s coveted discounts and exemptions. A website will guide drivers on who qualifies and how to apply.

Under the program, most passenger cars will be charged $15 a day to enter a so-called congestion zone below 60th Street in Manhattan. Trucks would pay $24 or $36, depending on their size. Taxi fares would increase by $1.25, and Uber and Lyft fares would rise by $2.50.

The program is widely unpopular by many measures. A survey of about 800 New Yorkers conducted this month by Siena College found that 63 percent opposed it. Still, out of more than 25,000 public comments about congestion pricing submitted to the transportation authority from late December to mid-March, roughly 60 percent expressed support, the authority said.

M.T.A. and federal transportation officials are defending it against six lawsuits in federal courts in New York and New Jersey that seek to halt the plan. The courts, which are expected to rule before the program starts, could possibly delay or block it.

“They are proceeding at their own risk in arrogant disregard of pending court cases,” said Jack L. Lester, a lawyer for a group of city residents who filed one of the suits.

This month, a federal judge in Newark heard arguments in a suit brought by New Jersey officials who argue that the congestion-pricing plan would shift traffic and pollution to some communities in the state as drivers try to avoid the tolls.

“We are awaiting a court ruling as early as next month on whether the M.T.A.’s unprecedented congestion-pricing scheme can go forward,” said Randy Mastro, a lawyer for the state of New Jersey, adding that “the jury is still out on this hugely flawed plan.”

The tolling rates, which the authority’s board approved last month , are still being reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration, which has already signed off on an exhaustive study of the program and is expected to approve the tolls.

Congestion pricing is expected to lower the number of vehicles coming into the zone by about 17 percent, according to a November report by an authority advisory committee. The report also said the program would reduce the total number of miles driven by motorists in 28 counties in the metropolitan region.

The fees are also supposed to discourage drivers from jamming roads and idling in gridlock, which contributes to soot and other harmful air pollutants. But some of the program’s harshest critics have pointed to evidence that certain neighborhoods could end up with dirtier air as a result of the traffic that is diverted. In response, the authority has vowed to work to diminish such potential harm .

Other cities that have adopted congestion-pricing programs, such as London, Singapore and Stockholm , have reported sharp drops in traffic and congestion.

David I. Weprin, a Democratic state assemblyman from Queens and a longtime congestion-pricing opponent, said of the plan that the authority was “trying to aggressively ram it down the public’s throat.”

“I don’t think the public wants it and I think it’s really unfair for people who have to drive and have no choice,” Mr. Weprin said. He has joined a lawsuit filed by Vito Fossella, a Republican and Staten Island’s borough president, and the United Federation of Teachers that seeks to keep the tolling plan from proceeding.

Danny Pearlstein, a spokesman for the Riders Alliance, an advocacy group, said in a statement that the start of the program “cannot happen soon enough.”

Congestion pricing, he said, “will be a win-win-win for all New Yorkers, commuters and visitors and will bring better public transit, cleaner air, and freer moving traffic.”

Ana Ley is a Times reporter covering New York City’s mass transit system and the millions of passengers who use it. More about Ana Ley

Winnie Hu is a Times reporter covering the people and neighborhoods of New York City. More about Winnie Hu

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The pandemic exposed staff shortages at nursing homes. A new White House push aims for a remedy

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 7, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Big Bend, Wis. Harris plans to return to Wisconsin next week for her third visit to the battleground state this year. President Joe Biden’s campaign announced Thursday, April 18, that Harris plans to campaign in La Crosse on Monday at an event focused on abortion rights (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday said the first rule to set minimum staffing levels at federally funded nursing homes and require that a certain portion of the taxpayer dollars they receive go toward wages for care workers is a long-overdue “milestone” that recognizes their value to society.

Harris announced the rules in Washington before she flew to LaCrosse, Wisconsin to meet with nursing home care employees. In the battleground state, the Democratic vice president also held a campaign event focused on abortion rights.

“It is about time that we start to recognize your value and pay you accordingly and give you the structure and support that you deserve,” Harris told a small group of care workers.

The federal government is for the first time requiring nursing homes to have minimum staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed grim realities in poorly staffed facilities . The change will mean more staff at these facilities, fewer emergency room visits for residents and peace of mind for caregivers, who will be able to spend more time with their patients, Harris said.

The vice president said that Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for lower-income people, pays $125 billion annually to home health care companies, which were not required to report on how they were spending the money. A second rule being finalized Monday will require that 80% of that money be used to pay workers, instead of administrative or overhead costs, Harris said.

“This is about dignity, and it’s about dignity that we as a society owe to those in particular who care for the least of these,” she said.

President Joe Biden first announced his plan to set nursing home staffing levels in his 2022 State of the Union address. Current law only requires that nursing homes have “sufficient” staffing, leaving it up to states for interpretation.

AP AUDIO: Vice President Harris announces final rules mandating minimum standards for nursing home staffing.

AP correspondent Donna Warder reports on new rules for U.S. nursing homes.

The new rules implement a minimum number of hours that staff members spend with residents. They also require a registered nurse to be available around the clock at federally funded facilities, which are home to about 1.2 million people.

Allies of older adults have sought the regulation for decades, but the rules drew pushback from the nursing home industry.

Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association, which lobbies for care facilities, said Monday in a statement that the organization was disappointed and troubled that the federal government was moving forward with what he said was an “unfunded mandate.”

“It is unconscionable that the administration is finalizing this rule given our nation’s changing demographics and growing caregiver shortage,” Parkinson said. “Issuing a final rule that demands hundreds of thousands of additional caregivers when there’s a nationwide shortfall of nurses just creates an impossible task for providers.”

Wisconsin Republicans echoed the staffing concerns, noting shortages particularly in rural parts of the state. In Elroy, Wisconsin, for instance, an 80-bed nursing home would be required to hire six additional nurses, but “we simply don’t have the bodies,” said Wisconsin state Rep. Tony Kurtz.

Noting the added costs and requirements, Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson bluntly insisted to reporters on a conference call that the rule “might sound good. It won’t work.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the change is about setting a standard for quality of care.

“We believe, that with more and more Americans going to nursing homes, it’s time to make sure that quality is the standard that everyone strives for,” Becerra said in an interview.

He said the administration listened to feedback from the nursing home industry and is allowing the rule to be phased in with longer timeframes for nursing homes in rural communities and temporary hardship exemptions in places where it’s hard to find staff.

The care event marked Harris’ third visit to the battleground state this year and is part of Biden’s push to earn the support of union workers in his bid for reelection. Republican presidential challenger Donald Trump made inroads with blue-collar workers in his 2016 victory. Biden regularly calls himself the “most pro-union” president in history and has received endorsements from leading labor groups such as the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Lisa Gordon, a certified nursing assistant who told Harris, “I’ve been doing this job for 29 years,” said she was grateful that Biden and the vice president were “finally getting something done.”

“I entered this field because I care about taking care of our elderly,” Gordon said during a talk with other care providers, Chiquita Brooks-Lasure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and April Verrett, secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union.

“Being short-staffed is not taking care of them like they should be,” Gordon said. “They didn’t ask to be there. Your residents are your family. They’re your loved ones. We need these changes.”

The coronavirus pandemic, which claimed more than 167,000 nursing home residents in the U.S., exposed the poor staffing levels at the facilities and led many workers to leave the industry. Advocates for the elderly and disabled reported residents who were neglected, going without meals and water or kept in soiled diapers for too long. Experts said staffing levels are the most important marker for quality of care.

The new rules call for staffing equivalent to 3.48 hours per resident per day, just over half an hour of it coming from registered nurses. The government said that means a facility with 100 residents would need two or three registered nurses and 10 or 11 nurse aides as well as two additional nurse staff per shift to meet the new standards.

The average U.S. nursing home already has overall caregiver staffing of about 3.6 hours per resident per day, including RN staffing just above the half-hour mark, but the government said a majority of the country’s roughly 15,000 nursing homes would have to add staff under the new regulation.

The new thresholds are still lower than those that had long been eyed by advocates after a landmark 2001 study funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommended an average of 4.1 hours of nursing care per resident daily.

Associated Press writer Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.

James hosts a brunch at SUR with former frenemy Jax that stirs up trouble when he neglects to get permission from Lisa Vanderpump. Scheana and Brock confide in their friends about their marriage woes. Schwartz and Katie take another step forward in their post-divorce relationship. Ariana invites her boyfriend, Dan, on the group’s upcoming trip to San Francisco. Katie is accused of spreading cheating rumors about Jax. Scheana’s attempt to apologize to Sandoval goes south when he throws a past indiscretion in her face.

Season 11 - Episodes

Notes on a Scandal

The Ultimate Betrayal

You’re Not the Queen of the Group

Dog Days of Summer

Lake It or Break It

Saw It on the Graham

Written in the Stars

Peaks and Valleys

Kiss Kiss, Revenge Bang

Line in the Sand

May the Best Woman Win

How’d You Like Them Apples?

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