When you only have 55 hours for an adventure, you want to spend as little of that time driving as possible! Try to limit your drive time to 4 hours or less to make the most of your adventure hours!

2. Sleep When You’re Dead

This is NOT the weekend for sleeping in, this is the weekend for doing as much as possible! We’re not advocating staying awake the entire weekend, that wouldn’t be smart! But we are suggesting that you not squander your precious hours on sleeping in and GET OUT THERE!

3. Do Not Miss the Sunrise

Not everyone is a morning person. We get it. But waking up for the sunrise is WORTH IT. You’ll probably miss the crowds and you’ll get to tune into the spectacular views of the earth doing it’s thing! Plus, you’ll be up and ready extra early to enjoy the day’s activities!

4. Food and Water

It can be super easy to pack in as much activity as possible into your weekend and you can wind up forgetting to take care of your basic needs. Like food. Wether it’s a quick protein bar or a full on gourmet camp meal, you gotta fuel your body for fun! So plan ahead! Find restaurants you might be interested in, plan out a full menu, or plan on a combo of both, but whatever you do, don’t forget to eat!

Same goes with water! In general, one gallon of water per person per day is recommended. Keep in mind the climate and temperatures of your location and how much water you’ll need to cook as well! Always pack extra when in doubt and double check your accommodations to see what is available there!

5. Navigation

When you’re working with limited time, you need to make sure you’re going the right way. GPS can work great in some places, but it’s totally useless in others. Sync your maps to your phone ahead of time or at the very least take screen shots. And ALWAYS take a paper map! Batteries die and phone signals fail. PAPER MAPS are key!

6. Lodging

There are more options than ever before when it comes to where you’ll lay your head. AirBnBs, Camping, Hotels, and even hostels are all fantastic options. Keep an open mind and focus on your priorities to see which one will align with your weekend goals!

7. Gear

Your gear can make or break a weekend trip and you can make sure nothing goes wrong by practicing beforehand. Got a new camp stove? Try it out in the backyard first! Make sure you have the propane connectors and the propane itself BEFORE you take off!

8. Creature Comforts

If you’re having a weekend adventure by car, you’ll have a little extra space. You’re doing a lot of driving to get there and back, so an extra pillow might be just the thing you need. Extra blankets, extra food, a camp table and chairs, maybe even a sink! You don’t have to go bare minimal on this kind of trip and those little extras might just help you relax even more.

9. Battery Packs

There are a million different kinds of backup power supplies and most of them are pretty great. Relatively inexpensive, these little chargers can save the day so you’re never without a camera or a means of communication. Charge it up before you leave the house and use it charge your phones, batteries, headphones, lanterns, and so much more. There are loads of options but the solar powered ones are a really rad choice!

10. Flexibility

It’s always great to plan ahead, but make sure to plan some flexibility into your schedule. You never know when you might run across a really cool rock shop on the side of the road or you might want to forgo the 5 star restaurant for a hot dog stand instead. Itineraries are just suggestions so roll with it! Don’t get so hung up on your plan that you make yourself (and everyone with you) miserable. Give into the magic of a weekend adventure and roll with whatever comes with it!

11. Pack it Out!

Don't count on trashcans everywhere you go! Loads of places have "pack it in, pack it out" rules. This means that whatever you bring in, you must take with you! Bring trash bags and don't forget to to leave room in your car for them!

12. Sustainability

Lessening your impact on weekend trips not only benefits the environment, but it's likely to save you some cash as well! Bring a mess kit instead of paper plates and bowls; bring reusable utensils. Bring extra trash bags and sort your recycling as you go. Keep your campsite clean! 

13. Unpack Fast 

Walk through the door and muster up the last bit of your energy reserves and KNOCK IT OUT! Start by bringing everything into the house from the car and sort it immediately. All clothes get put in the washing machine if possible. All dishes go into the sink or dishwasher. All gear goes into the closet. Make sure everything is clean and dry before it gets stored in it's proper place and you'll be ready to go next time! 

We hope these tips help get you started! Questions? Suggestions? Maybe we missed something? Let us know in the comments!