Wheels Not Wings: Ways to Pass the Time During Long Road Trips

Road trips give you a different experience than flying, including the length of time it takes to arrive at your destination, but that’s all part of the charm. Traveling via car allows you to watch the landscape change and evolve, and it provides the chance to stop to experience different (and often-times random) attractions along the way. Being in close quarters with friends or family can lead to deeper conversations and epic car-aoke performances. That being said, it wouldn’t be a true road trip without the occasional bout of stir-craziness from being stuck in a car for hours on end. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite ways to seamlessly pass the time while taking to the open road.

Dive deep into an adventure by listening to an audiobook. Touching the Void by mountaineer Joe Simpson is a gripping tale about his near-death experience climbing 21,000-foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. In a Sunburned Country is a memoir by travel writer Bill Bryson about his adventures in Australia, while Classic Krakauer by Jon Krakauer is a collection of 10 of the author’s epic adventure essays, which range in subject from avalanches on Mount Everest to the last days of surf legend Mark Foo’s life.

The hours will fly by if you’re laughing the whole way. Listen to comedy albums like Jerry Seinfeld’s “Jerry Seinfeld on Comedy” for a PG-yet-hilarious stand-up, or Richard Pryor’s “Is It Something I Said? if you’re in the mood for something a but more raw. And comedian-slash-podcast host Joe Rogan’s “Rocky Mountain High” album promises to be a crowd-pleaser.

Break up the trip and stretch your legs, all while exploring the great outdoors by purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass, which gives you access to National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands, including more than 2,000 epic spots from the The Grand Canyon to Yosemite National Park. Talk about making memories that will last.

Document your car driving through the most scenic sections of your trip with the DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo, a travel-sized drone. Make sure to protect it from harsh (and potentially costly) take-offs and landings with this Landing Pad.

Get to know your travel partner even better via the Deeper Talk Deck, which include 150 ice-breaking prompts that dig deep. Or, opt for TableTopics to GO Road Trip pack for family-friendly questions.

Strengthen your cognitive skills with the New York Times Games on the New York Times App. The Crossword is a must, but Spelling Bee is both addictive and great for your vocabulary.

For everything you need for your next road trip or whatever adventure you have on the horizon, check out AETHER’s travel-ready collections for men and women.