Forget the “stay-cation.”
Sure, gas is over $4 a gallon. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your summer road trip. I’m clocking nearly 4,000 miles a month on a 3-year, 100,000-mile working road trip through the Western Hemisphere. It’s also my celebration of one of America’s greatest travel traditions—and I’m not about to let horrifyingly high fuel prices stop me.
Sure, I think twice (or even three times) before turning my truck down an intriguing-looking side road, just to “see where it goes.” And when I decided to hitch up a trailer, the additional fuel needed to tow it was a big consideration. But I’m still out there. And part of the reason is that I’ve picked up essential tips on how to get more mileage out of even a large vehicle.
These days, having a Rolodex of gas-saving tips could save your vacation. Almost 40 percent of those surveyed in a January, 2008 Nielsen Company study said they’re staying home more often because gas is so expensive. And according to the Department of Transportation, Americans drove 30 billion fewer miles between November, 2007 and April, 2008 than they did during the same period the year before—the sharpest drop since the gas shortages of 1979 and 1980.
Because the mileage declines are greatest on rural roads, experts believe the bulk of the cutback is due to abandoned road trips, “People are clearly driving less,” says Automobile Association of America (AAA) spokesman Geoff Sundstrom, “and, in particular, they’re curtailing their leisure driving.”
But not everyone has thrown in the car keys. According to the Travel Industry Association, 59 percent of Americans currently planning a road trip this summer say they won’t change their travel plans—even if gas prices continue to climb. (Among the rest, however, 36 percent say they’d cancel their trip altogether.)
Still, incentivizing drivers to hit the road can’t hurt, which is why hundreds of hotels across the country are offering gas rebates. These include the luxurious new Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont, and Broughton Hospitality Group’s boutique inns in California, both of which are offering a $25 credit. B&Bs are getting into the act, too; more than 4,000 of them are serving up special gas promotions.
But $25 only gets you so far. Ultimately, how you drive can make a big difference in where you drive. Sure, we all know that going 75 mph burns fuel faster than going 55 mph. But what also matters is how you push the gas pedal, how you pack your car, and how you handle the A/C (no, you don’t have to go without). And did you ever consider using two GPS devices? They can give you vastly different routes, especially if you’re not the type to stick to the highway.
So whether you’re headed to a hotel or just want to take a drive this summer, here’s our list of essential gas-saving tips to help you maximize your miles and leave the “stay-cations” back home.
