Holiday Travel Tips – 8 Ways to Find Peace at the Parking Lot
Holiday travel is a joyous time, whether you’re jetting off to visit loved ones or vacationing in a magical Christmas town. But navigating the airports, roads, and trains this time of year can also be stressful.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make this holiday season as stress-free as possible. From planning to being kind, these holiday travel tips will help you find peace in the parking lot.
1. Plan ahead
Holiday travel can be a stressful time of year, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re jetting off to see family or checking out a magical Christmas town, the holidays are an amazing time to visit new places and spend time with loved ones.
Planning is one of the most effective ways to avoid holiday travel stress. This includes booking your flight early to avoid last-minute surges and reserving your hotel or rental car in advance so that you don’t end up with a crowded room or a faulty rental.
Another great tip is to avoid traveling on the busiest days: Thanksgiving and Christmas. These are often the heaviest travel days of the year, and they can be difficult to navigate in busy airports and on the road.
If you can’t resist a trip to a popular destination during the holidays, try going somewhere slightly less traveled to enjoy fewer crowds and more affordable options. Lastly, remember to leave plenty of extra time for weather, delays, and traffic.
2. Be kind
During the holiday shopping season, tens of thousands of crashes happen in parking lots and garages. It’s a time when people are distracted by grabbing Black Friday deals, checking gift lists, or hurrying to the next store.
The combination of cars circling the lot, drivers backing out, and shoppers on foot can create a highly dangerous environment. Fortunately, a few things can help keep you safe during your holiday shopping trip.
It’s always a good idea to be kind during the holidays and not be rude to other people. This includes courtesy to other drivers when you are in a crowded parking lot or when you’re walking to the store from your car.
Be cautious of pedestrians in crosswalks, especially small children who may be overly excited this time of year and could break free from an adult’s grip.
Staying in touch with whoever supports you during this time of year is also important, whether it’s your parents, friends, found family, or peers. Send a text, make a call, or video call to show appreciation for all they do for you during the holidays.
3. Take a break
If you’re traveling alone, take a moment to look around and be aware of the surroundings, If you’re unsure where you parked the car, don’t walk around looking lost or confused – instead, return to the store or mall and ask for help.
If your plans include shopping, make sure to check out holiday hours – many businesses will have condensed hours or closed days during the holidays so their employees can spend time with their families. Also, if you’re visiting a restaurant, make reservations as soon as they open, so you have a guaranteed seat.
Whether you’re taking a holiday vacation or enjoying some much-needed time off, the key is to stay happy and healthy. That means eating healthy and making time to exercise! With these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle the holiday season. Enjoy! You’ll be surprised by how much you can accomplish when you prioritize the important things. You’ll be ready to tackle the next challenge with a smile! When you take car valet services, you’ll leave the parking lot with a little bit more peace in your soul.
4. Take a walk
Whether you’re looking for a little extra motivation to power your way through the parking lot or just a break from the grind, a good playlist will make all the difference. According to a recent study, music with the right beats and lyrics can help your body and mind perform better while you’re walking. The best part is you don’t have to buy a specialized device or spend any extra money to get the benefits of music while you’re out and about.
While runners typically go for the most hyped-up music, walkers should stick with something a bit more subtle. Any music genre and style will work, but you may want to consider keeping one or two “energy” songs in reserve for the right time. Taking the time to listen to your favorite tunes while you walk can help you get in the zone, that coveted state of focus where the world fades away, and your mind is at ease.
5. Listen to music
Music can soothe you, help you think more clearly, and increase productivity. Studies show that people who listen to music feel less anxiety and more calm than those who don’t. Research shows that listening to music can reduce your body’s release of the stress hormone cortisol.
Listening to music can also help you learn better. One study found that students who listened to classical music performed faster when performing tasks that involved memorizing short lists of words and numbers. Another study showed that students who listened to Mozart performed faster when performing simple processing tasks like matching geometric shapes to numbers.
If you’re looking for a little quiet time during your travel, consider listening to podcasts or music. This is an easy and free way to relax while you’re on the go. To start, download a podcast app on your mobile device. For iPhones and iPads, you’ll want to use the Podcasts app that comes preinstalled on most recent devices.
6. Take a nap
When it comes to taking a good nap, it is not always possible to find the perfect spot. For the best chance of success, try finding a shady or well-lit spot that’s out of the way from any traffic. You can also check out some of the larger shopping and grocery stores like Target, Walmart, or even your local Meijer to see if they have a designated napping area.
Sleeping in your car is not for the faint of heart, so if you’re thinking of taking your sweet snooze in your vehicle, make sure to crack the windows ever so slightly to allow some fresh air into your cabin. A sunroof or windshield blocker is a must too, but the real icing on the cake is the ability to close and lock the doors. While there are a few notable exceptions, most vehicles cannot legally park on the side of a road or in a parking garage with a meter, so be sure to obey the law while you sleep.
7. Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular for their ability to deliver engaging audio stories that uplift and educate while still allowing you to complete the mundane tasks you might need to do in the car. From long-form news reporting to serialized fiction, you will surely find something inspiring and informing your journey.
You can listen to podcasts on your computer, mobile device, or smart speakers like the Amazon Echo or Google Home. However, you’ll need a device to download podcasts and connect to your wireless network or Bluetooth.
Read Also: 10 Ways to Find Parking During Weekend Traffic
Once you’ve selected a podcast, you can listen by clicking the “play” button. You can also subscribe to a podcast if you like it so that new episodes will automatically download to your device.
The podcast you choose will normally be themed around one particular topic – for example, a triathlon race or dog training. Each episode will feature the host or hosts talking about that topic, with outside guests often making guest appearances.
8. Enjoy the ride
A parking lot is an area of land where people leave their vehicles. They can range from large multi-story parking structures in downtown areas to small periphery lots that handle several cars.
A well-designed and organized parking lot with the help of LAX Curbside Express can make your commute a breeze. Whether heading out for a shopping spree or visiting family, the right lot can mean the difference between being stuck in traffic and hitting the mall on time.
Conclusion
One of the most important tips to remember when navigating a parking lot is to pay attention to what’s around you. Look for pedestrians, other cars, and traffic patterns in your path to avoid catching up in a fender bender or a rear-end collision.
The best parking lot trick of all is to remember that you have to leave a little room for everyone else to get in and out. Thankfully, most parking lots have clear signage to help guide you in and out of spaces.
FAQs
Is it Cheaper to Book Airport Parking in Advance?
Just as you can often save money on flights by booking well in advance, it’s also worth looking out for discount codes for airport parking ahead of time.
What is the Safest Part of Parking?
Parking lots and garages can be dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. This is because the environment is busy and full of distractions.
Using the same safety rules you use on the road is crucial to staying safe.
What Are the Risk in a Car Parking Area?
Tens of thousands of accidents occur yearly in parking lots and garages.
Pedestrians in car parking areas are more likely to be hurt than those on streets and highways. This is due to various factors such as inadequate pavement striping, potholes or cracks, lack of signage, debris, poor lighting, and puddles.
What is the Best Time to Book Airport Parking?
Just as your hotel and flight are often cheaper if you book them in advance, so too is parking at the airport.
The simplest and easiest way to save money on airport parking is to pre-book it as far in advance as possible. This will often give you a better deal than trying to park on the day, although it’s worth considering that drive-up prices can be sky-high.