Updated on May 31, 2024
Driving across the country for a move is more than just a logistical endeavor - it can be a grand adventure! Whether you're pursuing a new job, seeking a change of scenery, moving closer to family, or embracing your wanderlust, the cross-country drive will blend challenges, discoveries, and unforgettable moments. How do you make a cross-country move and drive more fun and manageable?
Buckle up and use the below moving cross-country tips to make your upcoming long-distance move memorable!
Tips for Moving Across the Country
Whether the drive to your new home will take days or weeks, doing some prep work is crucial for a safe and secure trip. Here are some cross-country moving tips you can use to make the journey more fun and less stressful.
- Ensure a smooth trip by getting a tune-up for your vehicle. The last thing you need during your cross-country move is car troubles dampening your plans. While staying on top of regular car maintenance throughout the year is essential, we highly recommend scheduling a tune-up before hitting the long road.
- Take the necessary precautions by checking essentials such as oil, fluids, tire pressure, tread, wiper blades, and lights.
- Additionally, ensure your vehicle's registration and insurance are current, and keep the required documents handy. Familiarize yourself with the process of filing a claim, just in case the need arises.
- If you are moving during the summer, make sure to service the air conditioning in your car. The absence of air conditioning in a car on a scorching summer day can impact everyone, but it poses a severe risk to individuals with poor health or heat sensitivity, including children and older adults. Optimize your car's air conditioning performance to safeguard their well-being and yours before hitting the road.
- If you intend to transport personal or valuable belongings and important documents in the car, it's essential to pack them smartly and strategically. Overloading your vehicle poses a danger not only to yourself but also to others on the road. Ensure your view remains unobstructed from the back and side windows. Securely fasten any items that could potentially cause harm in the event of an accident.
- Practice safe driving. Remember to buckle up everyone in the vehicle, refrain from speeding, and be aware of potential distractions while on the road. Did you know that driving while drowsy is a significant factor in numerous accidents yearly? When needed, switch driving responsibilities with another adult and get a good night's sleep before embarking on your trip.
- Keep an emergency kit in your car to prepare for unforeseen circumstances during your road trip. Pack it with essential items like a portable cell phone charger, a well-stocked first aid kit, a reliable flashlight, flares for visibility, jumper cables, matches and candles, basic repair tools, duct tape for quick fixes, blankets to keep warm, a selection of non-perishable food items, and extra water for hydration.
- If your car insurer provides road assistance services, have their number handy if needed. Otherwise, services like AAA are a good investment for cross-country road trips, even for just a month. It's better to have that lifeline and not need it than be stuck on the road due to an unforeseen issue!
Seek Cross-Country Adventures!
Part of the fun of any travel is being spontaneous, so build some flexibility in your schedule. Of course, you will want to plan your final destination and overnight stops, but you should also leave time for spontaneity, which is part of the fun of driving cross-country!
If a weird sign or billboard piques your interest, why not see where it leads? While driving through various cities, make it a point to seek out exciting attractions. Embrace the local food, explore natural landmarks, and visit iconic entertainment spots. The anticipation of exploring hidden gems will fill your journey with excitement and offer a refreshing break from driving. We highly recommend stopping if you travel by any of the hot spots below!
- Hershey Park - When moving to or from the Northeast, Pennsylvania is likely a state that you pass through. Hershey Theme Park will surely get you excited about the trip and have you talking about the fun for the rest of the drive.
- Rocky Mountain National Park - If you are traveling through the Midwest, Colorado offers a beautiful national park that provides many adventures, including hiking, rafting, and horseback riding.
- Legoland Florida - For those traveling with children, check out Legoland on your journey through the Southeast. This theme park will create a sense of anticipation during the drive for your children, as it offers rides, shows, shopping, a waterpark, and a botanical garden.
- World's Biggest Beagle - In Cottonwood, Idaho, the world's largest beagle stands 27 feet tall! Interestingly enough, the dog is actually a single-room bed and breakfast.
- Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk - Indulge in some Star Trek fun by visiting the marker that the town of Riverside, Iowa, has made to celebrate Captain Kirk's future birth in 2228.
- World's Biggest Ball of Paint - If you happen to be passing through Alexandria, Indiana, stop by and check out the world's biggest ball of paint. After 40 years and 24,350 coats of paint, a simple baseball was turned into a 4,200-pound ball of paint.
Make Memories With Friends and Family During the Drive
Make it a habit to document everything by taking lots of photos: From state line signs to quirky roadside taco stands and even unexpected scenic pull-off views, each photo will help you relive your journey's unforgettable moments. Road trips can be unpredictable, so don't forget to laugh and take pictures, even during messy moments.
Visit friends: As the years pass, friends inevitably move to different cities. Use your drive as an opportunity to visit them along the way. This will break up your drive and maybe even provide you with a free place to stay for the night.
Listen to a podcast or an audiobook: This is the perfect way for everyone in the car to stay entertained in a group activity, even the driver! If it is an exceptionally long trip, have everyone in the car download a podcast or audiobook that they want to share before leaving. Listening to what your family members pick out will be fun and eye-opening. Don't forget to have a group discussion about the content after you finish; that's the best part!
Have some sporty entertainment handy: Bring a frisbee, hacky sack, football, or soccer ball to burn off some energy as you make pit stops. Use an app like iExit or Playground Buddy to make the most out of your stops.
Have a road trip picnic: The temptation to grab a snack or a bag of candy at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or pick up fast food, can add to the cost of your trip. It can also add to your waistline! So load up on snacks, drinks, and even pre-made portable meals before you leave. Find a rest stop or scenic pull-off to stop at and eat along the way. The Roadtrippers app can help you find the perfect spot.
Relax and Make Your Cross-Country Move Simple
Are you making your move soon? Leave the driving and storage of your stuff to us and leave the stress and logistics of the moving process behind. You have more important things to attend to during your move, and your actual moving day shouldn't be an extremely stressful event. When you book your cross-country move with a professional moving company like 1-800-PACK-RAT, you can leave everything to us to handle.
We'll drop off however many all-steel and weatherproof portable storage containers you need at your home. You then pack at your pace, and when ready, give us a call, and we will pick up your containers and deliver them to your new home or store them in one of our 65+ locations across the continental United States. We handle the stressful part so you can focus on more important things!
Using portable moving containers means you don't have to drive a large and uncomfortable moving truck long distances. It gives you and your family the flexibility to have an enjoyable cross-country move and drive while having the peace of mind that your moving service provider is handling all the other details.
Relax and make precious memories, knowing that the rest of your belongings are in good hands with 1-800-PACK-RAT. Sit back and enjoy the relief of convenient, hassle-free moving!