One huge recommendation I have for anyone taking a road trip is to bring an atlas.

Here in the digital age you may think a bulky paperback atlas is an unnecessary extra, but the truth is GPS and maps serve different purposes.

A GPS is good for finding specific places, avoiding traffic, and navigating cities.

An Atlas is good for locating yourself in the greater area, which allows you to recognize scenic byways and discover nearby attractions to detour through.

With an atlas you can highlight your exact route and jot down all of those easily forgettable details that make road trips so fun to reflect back on. I personally like to write the date where I spend each night, and if I'm feeling it, I write down the names of people I met or what music I was listening to - anything that will jog my memory and send me back to a fun time and place.

Record your stories with an atlas