New Year's Road Trip Resolutions

Forget those boring New Year's resolutions like "lose weight" or "save more", add FUN to your year by pledging to use your Road Trip Planner at least once a month to explore your world near and far.

Before you object by declaring, "There's no way I can afford a monthly road trip!", bear in mind that many itineraries can be filled with free activities. A road trip can be for as little as one day; whether you're packing the car with a picnic basket, a backpack or a 5-piece luggage set, if you're hitting the road, you're on a road trip!

Your 12 road trip itineraries might look something like this:

JANUARY & MARCH: Imagine a perfect day trip within two hours of your home to an area you've always wanted to explore more thoroughly but usually just pass by it to and from your "real" vacations. Sometimes it's simply that city across the bay or in a neighboring county. If you live on the West Coast, you could experience Day Tripping in Seattle or Exploring La Jolla Cove. If you're in the East, then consider By Car, Cape Cod or Touring nature's green spaces, Niagara Falls - New York. And for those you living in between, try the Scenic tour from Dinosaur Ridge to Red Rocks Park, Denver or Walking Tour of Downtown, Memphis. Even though the weather might be chilly, as long as you dress accordingly, the fun factor's equal to the task. Walking along the beach in the winter is invigorating! Grabbing the kids for some ice-skating is a blast! Just do a bit of road trip planning so you'll have the addresses and directions on hand then fill your itinerary with some activities in the area. Add in a restaurant and some shops and you've successfully gotten yourself out from under the pile of household chores and into an all-day adventure, definitely more fun in anyone's book.

FEBRUARY & APRIL: An overnight stay is just enough time to give you a taste of escape. Here, your road trip planner might include an overnight stay in an 1860 Antebellum mansion B & B in New Orleans (especially around Valentine's Day). Strolling along a park under an umbrella big enough for two is romantic. Finding your gal a filigree necklace in an antique shop earns you major points. Or you might find yourself in the Tioga State Forest in Pennsylvania, staying Black Bear Log Cabin with your kids just to get everyone outside and hiking along the trails.

MAY & JUNE: Now the weather's warming up and you're digging in the closet for your t-shirts and shorts. This might be where you go on a couple of 3-Day Weekend Getaways as teaser vacations. Now your road trip planner might easily include 200 driving miles before reaching your destination but when you have 3 or 4 days set aside, 4 hours driving time isn't bad at all, especially if your route is scenic.

JULY & AUGUST: This is the Prime Time of vacations if you're north of the equator. This is where you do your best road trip planning because you've got a 7-10 day itinerary to fill. Choose a National Park for an outdoor vacation in July and then a cultural city like Boston or San Francisco for August. At some point during this vacation, you come to the realization that while you may have to work for a living, the living's easy when you're on vacation.

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER: You can still enjoy some Dog Days of Summer in September but for October, it's recommended to pack some extra clothes to allow for weather changes. Dress in layers and make sure you have that extra jacket or sweater in the trunk of the car, maybe an extra pair of shoes. Your road trip planner might include checking out the Fall Colors in the East, the desert in the mid-west, or the warm waters surrounding the Florida Keys. Stretch your vacation out as wide as you can because the remaining two months will most likely be filled with holiday travel. Campground choices range family oriented ones like Martha's Vineyard Family Campground to luxury cabins in the Smoky Mountains in Gaitlinburg, Tennessee.

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER: Try grabbing an overnight getaway before mid-November. Once the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays grab a hold of your time, it won't let go until January. So sneak away to a lodge with a fireplace, or get away for a golf and spa weekend.

There you have it...a year's worth of adventure to keep any road trip planner humming along the highways and byways. Enjoy the rides!