Are you hitting the highway for a winter road trip? We’ve compiled tips below for a safe and successful trip in winter.

Anyone who’s driven through a winter storm knows the experience can be stressful and scary; it makes you want to stay home between the first flake falling and the last sad snow pile melting.

But winter travel can also be a lot of fun. There are winter recreation activities like sledding and ice fishing and winter sports like hockey and basketball that make a trip in the winter worthwhile.

With a little bit of planning, your winter road trip can be a lot of fun and very little fright.

Be flexible

If you’re planning a winter trip, try to be flexible. If you want to take a trip to Aberdeen to see the Wings play, identify at least two weekends that could work.

Some of the best deals on lodging come in the form of non-refundable bookings; either make sure your reservation is flexible or wait to book a place to stay until you know what the weather’s going to be like.

Watch the weather

In Aberdeen, in your hometown and everywhere in between. Know what’s forecasted and compare with what you’re comfortable driving in.

Use tools like weather maps that show you the weather throughout your trip and road condition maps produced by state departments of transportation.

Make sure to watch not only your arrival trip, but your departure as well.

Know how to drive in winter

There are some days in winter you can set the cruise at 80 on the interstate and be perfectly safe, others where a more cautious approach is necessary.

When driving in winter it’s important to:

• Have an up-to-date winter survival kit.
• Have a full set of winter gear for everyone in the car — coat, hat, gloves, scarves, boots and possibly snow pants. No need to wear it the whole time, just make sure it’s accessible.
• A full tank of gas. It’s just as easy to keep the top half full as it is to keep the bottom half full. Once the tank falls below the halfway mark, it’s time to plan the next fuel stop.
• Make sure there’s at least one phone charger for every type of phone in the car.

A plan to have fun

Winter can be just as much fun, if not more, than summer!

Expect to have fun on your winter road trip to Aberdeen.