BOULEVARD

We are at the one month mark people! One month on the road: listening to the GPS robot lady, missing exits, sleeping in hotels, meeting fascination people, visiting extraordinary places…oh, the glamour life.

Right now, I am in the southernmost part of the U.S.: Key West. Make sure to follow me on Twitter (@JovanaArnaut) and continue reading Travel Citizen to find out why this destination is the quirkiest place I have been to.

Now, as I mentioned in the first few blogs, being on the road is giving me the opportunity to spend some time with my thoughts and throughout the trip I will share some of my experiences with you.

Below is a continuation from the first few posts:

11) You need a car for the South: Several weeks ago, I said that you don’t need a car to get around Boston or New York, well, that is not the case for the southern U.S. Most of the attractions down here are spread out, so, I recommend using your car instead of public transportation – it will be a time saver.

12) The toll roads: You may ask, ‘if I need my car this much for the drive down South, should I get a SunPass*?’ My advice is…no. Getting the pass through the car rental company will cost about $13 a day, but, you won’t be driving through toll roads every day and most of the ones you will hit cost around $3. The most expensive one I’ve paid was $12.50. So, it’s cheaper to pay with cash, and if you avoid high traffic times, the toll service centers move very quickly.

*A SunPass is an electronic toll collection system that allows you to pass through the tolls without stopping

13) Don’t drive for more than six hours: I suggest that your destinations are no longer than six hours apart. I find that my body starts to cramp up and I get really restless if I drive for a long time. That being said, also make sure that you rest every two hours. Go for a walk, do some stretches, go to McDonald’s – there’s a McDonald’s off of every exit ramp and there are rest areas throughout the highway as well.

14) Don’t drive at night: You don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn but driving during the day makes everything a lot easier: you can see exit signs clearly and the cop cars. Also, it’s a lot safer to drive during the day just in case your car breaks down or if you need to make a rest stop.

15) Booking through Priceline: I have to admit that Priceline has saved my butt several times. A few of my accommodation arrangements fell through at the last minute, so, instead of sleeping in my car – or in a park – I turned to Priceline. Not only does the website offer hotel bookings at reasonable prices, but I also reserved the rental car through them as well as my flights. You can bid or get the express deal which offers products at 45 per cent off the original price.