I have two words for you: KWIK TRIP. I can’t even explain how excited I am to share this post in partnership with the most loved convenience store + gas station in Wisconsin! If you’re from the Midwest, I’m guessing you’re probably obsessed with them too. Because summer road trips + Kwik Trip go hand in hand, I created this post full of tips you can use to have the best road trip ever!
Since the state of the world hasn’t allowed me (or anyone else) to travel freely in a while, I’m excited to take more road trips this summer. All of my trips for the foreseeable future have been canceled, but that doesn’t mean I have to be stuck at home! If done right, a road trip can be just as fun and memorable as those big cross-country trips you had to cancel. Challenge yourself to take one or two spontaneous road trips this summer – some of my favorite memories with Nick are when we just got in the car and drove. Sometimes the unplanned adventures are the best ones!
With over 600 locations across Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, there’s probably a Kwik Trip on your road trip route. Kwik Trip is a hometown icon and a beacon of the midwest, and it’s been a big part of many of my past adventures! I remember always being so excited to walk into Kwik Trip with my parents when I was younger and we were on a road trip. Now as an adult, I get just as (if not more) excited!
When I’m traveling in different countries or different parts of the world, I actually miss the convenience and selection of Kwik Trip. Different gas stations and convenience stores are just not the same! Is it normal for me to be this excited about a convenience store? Who knows. What I do know is that Kwik Trip is one of the most important parts of any road trip!
Alright, we can’t just ignore the fact that not every road trip is enjoyable. You get hungry, your legs get cramped, you have to make a million different stops every time you need gas, snacks, groceries, a car wash… BUT, you no longer have to suffer through terrible road trips! Let’s get into the details of how to have the perfect summer road trip no matter where your final destination is.
[ #1 ] Pack smart + don’t forget the essentials.
This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget important things in the moment. Did you remember a phone cord? It’s a good idea to bring one phone cord for each person riding in the car. Everyone on the planet other than my dad uses their phone to navigate (he’s still team GPS); You won’t get very far if your phone is dead!
I got a really cool adapter from Amazon that lets you use regular wall outlets in your car, and until they make car chargers for Macbooks, it will be with me on every road trip. It has a few extra USB ports to plug everyone’s phone cords into, so it’s really nice to have.
It’s also vital to pack a Bluetooth speaker for pitstops and to use at your final destination, which leads me to my next tip…
[ #2 ] Make a killer playlist before you leave.
Nothing quite compares to a car jam session in the summer. Make a playlist of your favorite songs before you leave so you aren’t tempted to be on your phone when you’re driving. Add a variety of music to make sure everyone in the car can sing at the top of their lungs with you!
[ #3 ] You might be ready to go, but you need to make sure your car is too.
One of the worst outcomes of a road trip is, well, not getting to your destination because of car problems. I am no stranger to this, but I have learned that there are a few things you can do to better your chances of making it there without any issues.
Before any long car trip, my dad always checks my tire pressure and fills up my tires if they need it. He also checks my oil, and I make sure to get an oil change if I’m due for one before I leave. I always make sure my jumper cables make their way into my trunk and double-check that my insurance and registration are easily accessible, just in case.
Arguably the most vital step when preparing for a road trip is filling your car up with gas. While I’m there getting gas, I love running through Kwik Trip‘s Touch-Free Car Wash to make my car look clean and sparkly and to get all the nasty dried bugs off my windshield. I feel like I make my dad proud every time I wash my car because he’s constantly reminding me to do it. It’s also nice to vacuum out your car before you head out on a road trip, and you can do that right outside the Kwik Trip car wash!
My grandpa always says to follow the Boyscout motto, “Be prepared”, and I think it’s extra important to remember this when you’re going on a road trip. After the boring pre-trip legwork is done, it’s time to move on to the most important part of any adventure: the snacks.
[ #4 ] A road trip is not a road trip without good snacks.
Craving a quick, yummy snack? Coffee? Soup? Fresh, hot pizza? Warm, gooey breadsticks? Fountain soda? A brat straight off the grill? Kwik Trip can help with that. The very best part of any road trip is the snack selection; Kwik Trip is always my go-to place to stock up before (and during) a road trip.
Did you know that each Kwik Trip bakes around 25 different items every day? Did you know that the Kwik Trip brand produces most of the food they serve in-house and delivers it to your local store every day because they are that committed to quality?
Let me just preface this by saying that I am not a “gas station food” kind of person at all. But, Kwik Trip food is NOT regular “gas station food”; it’s the kind of food you actually want to eat.
My favorite more-of-a-meal-than-a-snack foods from Kwik Trip are Mac and Cheese soup, cheesy potato bites, brats, and corndogs. Nick is obsessed with their cheesy breadsticks, pizza, and cheeseburgers. Sometimes he even ditches my lovingly-prepared lunch to get Kwik Trip instead, and their food is so good that I can’t even be mad!
I have a big sweet tooth, so I can never leave Kwik Trip without a treat (or two)! This is where the hard decisions come in… choosing between glazers, cookies, or my favorite candy, lemon drops! Sometimes when I can’t decide, I just get them all.
We’re all busy in the summer, so having a convenient place to get quality snacks and quick meals is a must. Kwik Trip is the best place to stop and pick up whatever you need while you’re out making amazing summer memories. I love that Kwik Trip not only has a ton of different yummy food options, but they also offer fresh, healthy snacks and meals. My personal favorite snacks when I’m trying to be a little healthier are their fresh fruit, cheese sticks, and Fresh Blend smoothies!
[ #5 ] Must. Have. Caffeine.
Since a caffeine drip is not an option, I have to settle for the next best thing – the huge selection of coffee at Kwik Trip. I usually gravitate toward some kind of coffee drink immediately after I enter a Kwik Trip. Sometimes I grab one of the bottled Starbucks Frappuccinos out of the drink cooler; if I’m in the mood to mix it up, I use one of the Karuba machines to make a custom drink. You can get pretty wild here because you can customize lots of different drinks: lattes, mochas, americanos, hot chocolates, teas, and more!
One simply cannot enter a Kwik Trip and leave without a Big Buddy. Anyone who doesn’t agree that fountain soda tastes wayyyyy better than bottled or canned soda is, well, wrong. My sister is a Pepsi lover and I prefer Coke, and we both love that we can get our favorite fountain soda at Kwik Trip. Grab a coffee, soda, or your caffeinated drink of choice to help you power through a long drive!
[ #6 ] Plan time for a picnic pitstop!
When your road trip doesn’t have strict time constraints, it can be really fun to break up the time with a picnic. Fun, yes, and also sometimes necessary to stretch your legs. Find a park or picnic area on your route and make a quick stop – you won’t regret it! Nick and I love doing this when we’re road tripping. It feels soooo good to get out of the car and stretch while getting some fresh air and snacking on our Kwik Trip favorites. My car always ends up being a lot cleaner by the end of the trip if I don’t eat all my snacks in it!
Also, if you’re planning a road trip picnic, it’s a good idea to bring a blanket in case there are no picnic tables.
[ #7 ] Download the Kwik Trip app + join the loyalty program!
I have loved Kwik Trip for as long as I can remember, but they really stepped up the experience in 2018 with the release of the Kwik Trip loyalty program. Apparently, everyone else loves their rewards program too, because the same year it was released, over 1 million people joined!
Rewards programs are my jam; I literally have 20 different apps on my phone for different restaurants and stores that help me earn rewards when I shop. The Kwik Trip loyalty program is my favorite rewards program because it’s so easy and quick to earn great rewards!
You can use the app or your card every time you visit Kwik Trip, whether you’re stopping inside to grab a snack or just getting gas at the pump. Most people don’t know that you can actually enter your phone number at the pump before you get gas, and the rewards will be added to your account after the transaction goes through! The program was designed to reward loyal guests, which is why you can redeem a reward after only 15 visits. The app also gives you access to exclusive coupons, deals, fuel discounts, and digital punchcards!
So you may have had one or two not-so-great road trips in the past; I’m guessing the element you were missing to make it great was Kwik Trip. I don’t know what I would do without Kwik Trip; they always have my back when I’m road tripping across the state or at home needing a gallon of milk.
Whether you’re headed up north for the weekend or spending a week exploring the midwest, make sure Kwik Trip is one of your stops along the way. I’m constantly on the go during these warmer months, and the convenience and excitement of Kwik Trip never gets old.
I hope this post inspired you to plan (or spontaneously take) a fun road-trip adventure this summer! Kwik Trip has everything you need to fill your summer with adventure and amazing memories. Leave a comment and let me know: what are your Kwik Trip favorites that you’ll be taking on your summer road trips?!
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Be sure to check out my other posts with Kwik Trip ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
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