Happy National Road Trip Day! The Friday before Memorial Day is declared today and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season.
Today, millions of Americans hit the road each year over the long weekend, visiting friends and family while paying tribute to our American heroes.
Two-thirds of American drivers (54%)* report an increase in the number of trips they plan to take this summer and more than half (53%) of people plan to take a road trip.
And we may see a new trend on the rise, with 52% of respondents reporting that the pandemic has made them more likely to take an outdoors-focused trip.
It’s clear that the open road calls when long weekends and Fridays roll around. We pack up, fuel up, stock up, and then crank up the tunes.
In fact, 63%** of road trippers say that having good music, audiobooks, and/or podcasts to listen to are the most important parts of a successful road trip.
Additionally, three in five road trippers (59%) say that having good snacks and drinks for the road, finding great places to eat on the way, and finding clean bathrooms to use while traveling are their most important parts of a successful road trip.
Whether we’re seeking adventure, visiting family and friends, or making a business connection, road trips are often a rite of passage.
Sometimes we endure them, often hearing, “Are we there yet?” And other times we never want them to end; sometimes getting lost can be even more fun than the original plan.
Road trips that begin and end with happy passengers are always the best. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
There are two kinds of people who take road trips. If you’re going together, you might want to discuss a compromise before hitting the road!
The tourist takes their time getting there and doesn’t mind taking backroads to see long-forgotten ghost towns.
On the other hand, the pilot enjoys seeing the country from the car, sets a course, and frowns upon unscheduled stops or side trips.
No matter the destination, road trips include an element of expectation, and they rarely disappoint.
The best road trips bring us closer to people over a stick of beef jerky and car karaoke. They connect us to places through memories, a postcard, and the kindness of strangers.
National Day Calendar® and Pilot Flying J® are encouraging Americans to celebrate National Road Trip Day virtually this year.
On May 18, 2020, the brand is launching the Road Trip Reimagined campaign on social media, where followers will be asked to submit images or stories of their favorite road trip memories, alternate types of road trips or future places to visit.
Participants will be entered to win a daily prize of a $500 Pilot Flying J® gift card to fuel their next adventure, through May 22.
Follow @PilotFlyingJ on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share your National Road Trip Day plans with the hashtags #NationalRoadTripDay and #RoadTripReimagined to enter to win.
In 2019, Pilot Flying J®, the largest travel center operator in North America, founded National Road Trip Day, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, to officially kick off the unofficial first day of the summer travel season.
Pilot Flying J® prepares all spring for the summer travel season and helps provide guests with the fuel, food, drinks, and travel necessities needed to make it from point A to point B as easily and conveniently as possible.
With seven hundred and fifty travel center locations in North America, Pilot Flying J® is a convenient, one-stop-shop for travelers, offering clean bathrooms and a large assortment of snacks, beverages and food options.
To learn more about National Road Trip Day, visit the website below:
In 2019, the Registrar at National Day Calendar® proclaimed the first National Road Trip Day and to be observed annually on the Friday before Memorial Day.
*According to OnePoll study; May 18, 2020
**According to Zeno Group Research & Insights study; May 13, 2019
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