3 Fall Festival Travel Tips
After a long, hot, and humid summer, fall is a welcome friend for most people. In addition to the cooler temperatures, this season also sees the return of sweaters, boots, vivid colored leaves, apple picking, and pumpkin everything. Fall festivals are the perfect places to celebrate everything that’s fabulous about autumn. If you’re planning a road trip to some festivals this fall, make sure your car is ready for the drive.
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Stock up on essentials
Hayrides and apple-picking at a local farm include a lot of walking and time outside, so you need to make sure your car’s emergency kit is well-stocked with first-aid items, such as anti-bacterial cream and band-aids to soothe blisters, cuts, or other ailments. An extra cell phone charger will come in handy, too. And don’t forget the sunscreen! The weather might be cooler, but the sun can still be strong and cause skin damage.
Clean out your car
To make room for pumpkins, apples, and other festival purchases, clear out your car’s trunk before you go. Get rid of anything you don’t need in the vehicle, such as random clothing that you forgot you had in there or that bag of trash you keep meaning to throw away.
Although people associate spring with cleaning and organizing the house and car, the start of fall is a great time to go through your vehicle and make sure you have only what you need in there. You don’t want to buy a gigantic pumpkin only to find that you can’t fit it in your car because you forgot to take the camping chairs or your kid’s bike out of the trunk.
A trunk organizer is a great way to make sure you have the essentials stored while leaving room for your fall festival goodies.
Pack extra clothes and snacks
Before you leave the house, check the weather forecast. It might feel warm outside now, but if you’re staying out late at a haunted hayride or bonfire you’ll need to pack layers in your car to keep you warm. Bring plenty of warmer items like jackets, hats, and gloves. It’s also a good idea to pack a spare pair of shoes in case yours get muddy at the festival. A few spare plastic bags in the car can help prevent that mud from getting onto the carpets and upholstery.
Although fall festivals offer a bevy of delicious eats and treats, you might also want to stock your car with some snacks such as granola bars and trail mix for the car ride, as well as a couple of bottles of water or juice.
Catherine Hiles (she/her) is a native Brit living and working in Dayton, Ohio. Cat has written about a variety of subjects, including finance, cars, and parenting. She is a frequent contributor to Dayton Mom Collective, The Penny Hoarder, and WDW Magazine.
Cat lives with her husband, their two kids, and their energetic pitbull mix. She counts running, lifting weights, walking, and reading among her hobbies. See more articles by Cat.