Traveling in the winter can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Within the United States, some of the best sights can be observed during the winter months, whether Niagara Falls or the northern lights in Alaska. Either way, understanding and preparing for any unexpected weather is imperative.
Plan for Extra Time
When traveling in the winter, it is best to account for any mishaps or unexpected weather when scheduling your itinerary. Whether moving in winter like snowcats or traveling to visit your family for the holidays, leaving a day at the beginning or end of your vacation to account for weather is important. In addition, this extra planning should include leaving early in the day to get to your destination by the time night falls.
Preparing Your Car
The best way to prepare your car for long drives in the winter is replacing your tires with snow tires. Further, if you are driving in more rugged environments, you may want to investigate snow chains to place on your tires. Another way to prepare your car for a winter road trip is by packing extra food, water, and blankets just in case you get stranded during a snow storm or your car breaks down. While being stranded at any time is terrible, being stranded during the winter months can be deadly. Thus, being prepared with the most basic survival needs is important.
Another preparation for your car before leaving on your trip is getting any maintenance done. This may be replacing your oil, putting air in your tires, or fixing your windshield. Even if you do not have any scheduled maintenance to complete, it may be a good idea to bring your car in just to double check that everything is ready to go. For heat protection of your cars pipes, make sure to look into installing a Kompensator. Make sure to investigate and learn more about this technology before your trip.
Watch the Weather
Another important step during your travels during the winter months is watching the weather. While, of course, it is important to check your weather before you leave for your trip, it is also imperative to keep checking the weather reports to see if there are any changes. These changes can cause major discourse for your travels. Thus, take the time to check the weather constantly throughout traveling.
Make Pit Stops
When planning your winter escape, make sure to incorporate pit stops in small towns. While, in theory, one would do this anyways to enjoy all parts of their road trip, these stops will allow you to take a break from winter driving, double check everything is good with your car, and look at the rest of the forecasted weather for your drive. In addition, while you are in these little towns, make sure to "shop local" and check out the small businesses. These shops have suffered greatly from the pandemic's decrease in tourism and would love to see your face! While they do have insurance to cover small damages from the decline in tourism, the majority of their income will come from customer sales. If these businesses are in New York, they may actually have surety bonds for insurance to prevent from damages (see best surety bond ny).