Why You Should Take a Road Trip with Your Husband + Seven Fun Tips!

There’s just something about a road trip that sparks the adventurer in most people. The open road, good music, and the possibility that anything can happen brings out the romantic in many of us. And who better to share this experience with than your spouse? Today, let’s learn why you should take a road trip with your husband.

My husband and I have gone on a few road trips since we got married. Most of them were part of a larger vacation (i.e. we took a long road trip to get to our final destination instead of flying there). We’ve always had a great time, and I firmly believe every wife should take a road trip with her husband.

Our favorite road trip

Our favorite road trip is actually two separate trips with the same destination. For two years in a row, we drove from Albuquerque, NM, to San Antonio, TX, to celebrate our anniversary. We liked it so much the first year, we just had to do it again. Granted, both these trips occured before we became parents (I was pregnant with Little Man on the second one!), but I still think this applies to couples with kids (for the purposes of this post, we are discussing just couples trips, no kids allowed!).

The trip from Albuquerque to San Antonio is just under eleven hours if you don’t make too many stops. And we chose to do it all in one day, versus stopping somewhere overnight. So that made for a long, day but we had a ton of fun!

Why you should take a road trip with your husband

Aside from the obvious reason (getting away together), there are several reasons to take a road trip with your husband.

First, you have time to talk

I don’t know about you, but as parent, I feel like I don’t often have a lot of time to just talk to my hubby without interruption. It seems like there’s always something or someone demanding our attention, and by the time we fall into bed at night, we’re both so exhausted that we just want to sleep.

But when you go on a road trip with your husband, you have hours of uninterrupted time together! It’s a great time to catch up on all those things you’ve been needing to talk about but haven’t had the time. One word of caution, this is probably not the best time to start a confrontation. Remember you’re confined in a car for a long time, so get your issues worked out before you go so it’s actually enjoyable.

Second, you have time to sit in silence

Okay, when do you ever have time to do this? For us, every moment we aren’t sleeping is filled with noise of some sort. Whether it’s a baby crying or cooing, a toddler babbling, young kids and teens shouting (or just talking loud! Why is this a thing???), the parent life is pretty noisy.

When you take a road trip with your husband, you have the opportunity to just sit in comfortable silence. We usually get a lot of talking done the first few hours, and then switch between comfortable silence and easy conversation thereafter.

Third, you get to work together

I said “get to work together,” but for many couples (including us sometimes), it should actually say “have to work together.” Anytime you leave your home for an extended period of time (for us, even going to the grocery store counts), there are a lot of things to think about and plan.

When you take a road trip with your husband, you have to work together for it to go smoothly. This means planning, communicating (and doing it well; no yelling!), and patience. There’s nothing like a road trip to see how well you work as a team.

Fourth, you get some quality time

We all know it’s important to spend quality time with our husbands, and a road trip is the perfect opportunity! You have next to zero interruptions (but please don’t ignore the road!), and tons of time. So play some silly games, listen to music, and of course, talk with each other.

Finally, you experience new things together

This is one of my favorite reasons to take a road trip with your husband. I love new things, and a cross-country (or just state) drive is the perfect opportunity to experience things together. Whether it’s an unfamiliar climate or terrain, or a quirky diner or tourist spot, those new things are best experienced with the one you love most.

Tips to make your road trip fun

Now that I convinced you to take a road trip with your husband (*wink, wink*), here are some tips to make it easier and less stressful.

1. Plan, plan, plan!

There’s something to be said for spontaneity and discovery, but I believe the better-planned a road trip is, the more fun and less stressful it will be. I’m not saying you need to micromanage every single hour or minute, but a good plan goes a long way. So, to avoid getting lost, plan your route in advance. We have so much information at our fingertips these days, that you can pretty much see every attraction along your route in advance. The Roadtrippers app is absolutely amazing for this! You can select which destinations you are interested in (hotels, attractions, parks, restaurants, etc.), and the app pulls all the results along your pre-selected route.

This is not to say you can’t be flexible (stop at that interesting tourist trap along the way!), but having a plan will ensure you stay safe.

Additionally, plan for a place to stay if the trip will last more than a day. Look at the route and do some research on hotels or RV parks to find one that’s safe and comfortable.

2. Know your gas!

No, I don’t mean being mindful of that bean burrito you ate for breakfast (though that’s probably a good idea, too). Be aware of how much gas is in your tank at all times, and know where the next gas station is located (see planning your route above!). There is nothing worse than getting stranded in the middle of nowhere because you ran out of gas. Many newer model cars give you an estimate of how many miles you have until empty, so use your map and GPS to plan accordingly. But remember, that mileage thing is just an estimate; always err on the side of caution.

3. Get your car serviced

Continuing with the vehicle subject, make sure to service your car before you leave. This means an oil change, fluids check and top-off, and even tire check and rotation. Again, the last thing you want is to get stranded somewhere!

4. Leave early

This is purely personal preference, but we like to leave early in the morning for our road trips. I’m talking 4 or 5 am, especially in the summer. Running your car AC takes a lot of fuel, so we choose to start early before it’s really hot. We like to grab a light snack and coffee first thing, and then enjoy breakfast a couple hours later at an acceptable hour.

5. Pack a cooler

Speaking of food, I found packing a cooler is an absolute must when taking a road trip with your husband. I stock our cooler with bottled water and other refreshing drinks so we stay hydrated. Powdered drink mixes like Crystal Light® are great because you just mix them in a bottle of water, and you get a lot of flavors to choose from.

Next in my cooler of surprises is breakfast burritos. Make a bunch of them in advance and wrap them individually. Even cold, they taste amazing (I use egg, bacon, hash browns, cheese, and chile).

I also pack sandwich fixings (don’t forget the utensils, like a plastic knife for spreading). These lunch items are perfect for when you don’t want to stop. I don’t make these in advance, though, because the bread might get soggy.

Lastly, don’t forget to pack lots of snacks! Go for a nice 90/10 ratio in the health department. Grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, carrot and celery sticks, peanut butter, almonds and other tree nuts, and trail mix are all great snacks. And, because it wouldn’t be a road trip without a little junk food, go ahead and pack that bag of chips or candy!

6. Plan some activities

What’s a road trip with your husband without some car ride activities? Since radio stations vary across different states (but it’s sometimes fun to hear what the locals listen to), pack some CDs, make a playlist, or cue up your favorite radio app. If you use a radio app, remember that it will use your mobile data, and service may not be available everywhere.

Need a break from the music? Listen to a sermon or podcast. My hubby and I love to listen to marriage teaching series from our pastor and other pastors across the country that we learn a lot from. It’s nice to listen and have time to talk about what we heard.

Check out some interesting audiobooks from your local library, or download some from Audible. My hubby and I get super into audio books, and it makes the time pass very quickly.

7. Enjoy the drive

Unless it will cause dissention on your road trip with your hubby, take turns driving. For us, I hate driving, and my hubby prefers it, so he does the majority of the driving. I’ve learned (let’s be real, it’s a work in progress) to not backseat drive.

Be patient with each other. This is supposed to be a fun time; don’t make it stressful by bickering. When you feel yourself getting frustrated, take a deep breath and relax before you speak. There’s nothing worse than getting in an argument with someone you have to spend the next eight hours with in a closed car.

Stop often if you can! There are so many interesting things to see, so take advantage of it! Stop and take pictures or enjoy a romantic picnic in a pretty field. Enjoy the view from a mountain pass, or sample some fresh fruit from that roadside fruit stand.

It’s time to hit the road, mama! Take a road trip with your husband and see how much fun you have and how much closer you become. Follow the tips we discussed, especially the ones that will decrease the stress levels, and you will have a blast together!

Have you taken a road trip with your husband or do you plan to soon? Tell us about your plans or experiences in the comments!