The Road Trip Giveaway (+ a gift from me)
And tips on surviving long road trips.
In the summer of 2000, my family and I embarked on a three-week long road trip across the United States. We loaded up our tan Nissan Quest (RIP), pushed down the middle two rows, and made our own fort where my brother and I spent the bulk of our time while on the road.
I vividly remember singing along to Mambo No. 5, writing down the license plates we passed that day, and even my brother getting food poisoning after eating McDonalds (I couldn’t have a McFlurry for years after that). We stopped in nearly a dozen cities, making pit stops at the Grand Canyon, Colorado Springs, Las Vegas, all over the California coast, and more. It’s a core memory I have to this day, and where I believe my love of travel truly began.
Since then, I’ve embarked on countless road trips—my best friend and I roadtripped through the south back in 2014, hitting New Orleans, Birmingham, Memphis, and Nashville over the span of ten days. (I really thought I cooked in the caption above with the hashtag #SouthernFriedTour2014. Those were the days.)
When my husband and I moved cross-country, we took our dog Rosie on a 3,000-mile trip from New Jersey to California; when we moved to Atlanta, Rosie thrived once again, smiling in the backseat over four days, except during the midwestern thunderstorms. I’ve rented cars to drive through Croatia, Spain, Italy, and South Africa…the list goes on.
Seeing the world at a bird’s eye view on a plane—while beautiful and efficient—doesn’t often compare to the immersive experience of driving on local roads and taking in the sights at a worm’s eye view.
And of course, there’s something so liberating about driving with the windows down on an empty highway, screaming throwback songs at the top of your lungs. I fear a flight crew would throw me off if I attempted that on a plane…I have the voice of a screeching cat. Plus, you get to see the truest version of a place—meeting people with vastly different lived experiences, exploring national parks or historic landmarks, and navigating various climates and regions. You get to choose your own pace, your own pit stops, and your own entertainment—can’t get that on a squished airplane seat, I’ll tell ya that much!
So, as we near Memorial Day weekend aka the start of travel season this year, I wanted to dedicate this issue to the road trip. Which brings me to…
🏆 The Road Trip Giveaway: Departure x Brass Monkey
To honor my very own tradition of playing games and #enjoyingtheride, I’m hosting a little giveaway with Brass Monkey, a small business bringing together “vintage-inspired smartassery” for its fun and personality-filled products.
Three (3) lucky winners will each win a little road trip bundle, consisting of:
As an added bonus from me, I’ll send you a $25 gift card to the retailer of your choice (gas, hotels, anything road trip-themed!)
All you have to do is:
1) be subscribed to this newsletter (you probably are if you’re reading this!)
2) like this post
3) enter to win here
It’s my little way of saying thank you for being here, and here’s to the power of a good road trip. 🚗 Winners to be announced next week!
*No purchase necessary. Giveaway closes on 04/29/2025 at 11:59 PM PST. Must be 18+ to enter. Must be located in the contiguous US. Three winners will be randomly selected and contacted via email by an official Galison email address for next steps, please be aware of spam accounts. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed/administered by, or associated with social media. Winners must contact me directly to redeem their $25 gift card.
Finally, Some Tips for Your Road Trips
🛞 The most important: Get a multi-point inspection including AC/coolant, tires, and wiper fluid checks (and repairs, if necessary) before you go. Make sure it’s in decent working condition, even if you’re only planning to drive a few hours.
🔋 Always carry a portable battery jump starter, which usually comes with wires. Get familiar with how to jump your car or change a flat tire too, if need be.
🩹 I always stock a first aid kit, blanket, some snacks, and water in the trunk just in case. Case in point: One time, our car battery died overnight in the middle of winter, and we had to sit in the cold for an hour waiting for AAA to arrive—the blanket came in handy. (Side note: AAA’s Roadside Assistance was free through our car insurance, so check yours!)
🪙 Have a plan for tolls, whether you plan to pay in cash/coins or use something like EZ Pass. You don’t want to be caught off-guard as you’ll then get fined.
❄️ Plan out your route based on the weather. For example, the first time we moved cross-country in the winter, we avoided states we knew would have ice storms. We drove a bit more south, and while it was technically longer, it paid off.
☕️ Take plenty of breaks and make sure to walk, rehydrate, and stretch. We like to stop every 3–4 hours, and for each break we take, we proactively add 30 minutes to our plan for the day. So if we originally wanted to drive 6 hours, we’ll say it’ll be closer to 7–7.5.
🎶 Prep a playlist, podcast list, or audio book ahead of time—it keeps energy high.
📲 Keep your phone and other electronics charged, especially if you’ll be in an area with less-than-stellar service—you might need it for the emergency settings.
These tips might make a road trip sound daunting, but I promise if you’re prepared, you’ll have the time of your life. Plus, you might even have some new games to enjoy the road with (assuming you’re not the one driving!).
❤️ Cities leading the way for inclusivity and accessibility for travelers. (AFAR)
🇵🇫 Air Tahiti Nui’s latest sale allows kids to fly free to Tahiti—one of my favorite destinations in the world and very family-friendly. (Dollar Flight Club)
📕 It’s a good time to be an avid reader—look at this lineup! (Bookshop)
🥹 Saving Ireland’s thatched cottages, using skills passed down from generation to generation. (BBC)
💄 The GOAT of simple makeup routines that I take everywhere. Foundation 🤝 concealer.
I’m currently back home in NJ for a wedding and flying back this weekend, just in time for Frequent Flyer Day next Thursday. And to get the celebration going, I’m hosting a little event right here on Substack with one of the best travel companies in the game—we’ll be answering all your questions live! More to come, but save the date for now.
And as always, if you have questions in mind whether about points travel, booking trips this year, or the best destinations for a road trip, drop them in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer them then. Have a wonderful rest of your week. ✨
—Henah xx
