A huge part of the perfect road trip is curating the perfect road trip playlist. The open road can get monotonous, but armed with the perfect road trip playlist, you can sing along or dance to the beat or feel even more in sync with your journey. While the perfect road trip playlist differs for everyone, these tips will help you to curate the perfect road trip playlist.
Every good movie or book starts with a strong beginning – why should it be any different for your road trip playlist? Imagine the excitement you feel getting into your car for the first time, about to head on an adventure. What type of emotions do you want to convey with those first few notes? What type of lyrics do you want to hear that capture the moment? Pick a song that sets the tone for your road trip adventure, whether it be booming with high energy or more relaxed and peaceful, or a mix of both.
As you embark on your journey, certain scenes and times of day will set the pace, while the songs on your perfect road trip playlist will set the mood. Before your adventure, map out each of your landmark destinations and plot out the ‘scenes’ that will serve as the backdrop as you ride. For instance, if you’re traveling to the mountains, you’ll see towering trees and highway curves as you travel upwards during a sunrise. These views may require some folk or blues rock songs. Conversely, if you’re traveling through beach towns and have scenes of the ocean, more serene, indie rock could be more fitting.
Many musical artists draw inspiration from their hometowns. As you route your destinations, source music, old and new, that draws from their local backgrounds. Big music cities like Nashville, Austin, Seattle, and New Orleans, have plenty of musical artists that hail from there. Small towns in the Midwest or Appalachian region also have songs that mix in that local feel. This can set the tone for your road trip and the perfect road trip playlist.
No matter what genre of music you pledge your loyalty to, it is always fun to ‘mix it up’. Since the theme is the ‘perfect road trip playlist’, get creative with different decades and genres. Playing classic rock before a modern pop song, or ‘90’s hip hop followed by EDM, can help you shake up not only the playlist but the car ride. If there are multiple passengers in the car, make sure to collect songs from everyone. Don’t forget to include all your favorite sing-along songs as your ride the road, wild and free.
Road trips can be tiring and it’s more than okay to take breaks with a podcast, silence, or kitschy roadside attractions. Most importantly, long road trips require rest so you can be rejuvenated the next day. Book your stay at any of our Best Western® Hotels & Resorts properties – wherever you go Best Western is there.