Washington Road Trip Tips: What to Know Before You Hit the Road This Spring  

Before you hit the road this spring in Washington, you should make sure that your vehicle is in good shape by checking tires, brakes, and fluids, AND you should also have a plan for problematic weather (that is, rain) and problems along the way like flat tires. In this guide from your friends at Vern Fonk, you’ll learn more about how you can get ready for your PNW adventure. Before you head out, also make sure that you have the right affordable auto insurance policy in Washington! 

Prep Your Vehicle for a Washington Road Trip 

It’s time to go full road warrior. BUT WAIT! You need to do some basic checks on your vehicle. You might have an old car, or maybe a newer model, but what you don’t know is if your tires, brakes, and fluids are in good shape before you head out. The last thing you want is needing to get a passerby to jump you if your battery gives out in the parking lot of a Taco Time. 

Check Tires, Brakes & Fluids 

Start literally where the rubber meets the road. How old are your tires? How much tread is left? Give them the old Vern Fonk “Abe Lincoln” penny test. Insert a copper penny into the rib, or valley, of the tread. The esteemed former president’s face should be upside down in the tread and facing you. Is at least part of the president’s head hidden from view? If you can see his entire head, the tread is dangerously low. 

On the topic of brakes and fluids: There is no corresponding Abe Lincoln test, unfortunately. It’s a bit more complicated. Checking your oil (assuming you’re not rocking an EV) is always a good idea. You should also check your brake fluid and windshield washer fluid. But don’t worry about blinker fluid.

Schedule a Pre-Trip Inspection 

It’s also a good idea to have your brakes checked, especially if your trip includes mountain passes, steep hills, or plenty of stop-and-go traffic. Really, this is part of a bigger pre-trip inspection. Before you head out, schedule an appointment with a mechanic you trust and let them know you’re getting ready for a road trip. They’ll know what to inspect, what might need attention, and whether your car is actually ready for the miles ahead. It’s a lot better to handle that in the shop before your trip than on the side of the road halfway to somewhere scenic. If you’re looking for a good Washington mechanic, check out this list here. 

Pack an Emergency Car Kit 

The big items to include in your emergency kit (you have one, right?) are things that can help you if there’s bad weather or something goes wrong with your car. The basics: Bring spare phone chargers and battery banks, a flashlight, a first aid kit with medications you might need to take, jumper cables, water, snacks, and maybe a blanket. In your trunk, throw a spare tire and a jack. For those of us up here in the PNW, it’s also good to have rain gear and a paper map, especially if you’re headed into the mountains. 

Plan Your Route — Or Embrace the Scenic Detour 

Up here in Washington, a bit of planning goes a long way when it comes to avoiding ferry delays. There’s also a lot of construction during the spring, which Google Maps and other map apps can help you avoid. Before heading out, it makes sense to plan out where you’re headed, with an emphasis on some of the more scenic places in this beautiful state. That said, not every detour is a disaster. So yes, have a plan. Just leave a little room for improvisation, too. The goal is to arrive with a good story, not to run your vacation like a military operation. 

Booking Lodging in Popular Washington Destinations 

Planning to check out Leavenworth, the San Juan Islands, or one of Washington’s delightful coastal towns? Don’t think that you can just roll in and grab a good room with a view. Vacancies are few and far between, especially during the peak season. The best approach is to plan your lodging ahead of time, including using big hotel sites like Airbnb and Booking.com. 

National Parks & Seasonal Access Considerations 

Washington’s national parks are gorgeous, but they are not places where you should just show up and assume every scenic road is ready for you. There are some seasonal things you need to think about when you’re planning your trip. This is what to keep in mind, by park: 

• At Mount Rainier, for example, the Nisqually Entrance to Longmire and the road from Longmire to Paradise are open, but Paradise is still gate-controlled in winter, and major routes like Sunrise Road, Stevens Canyon Road, Chinook Pass, and Cayuse Pass are closed for the season. The park has also announced that it will not require timed-entry reservations anywhere in 2026, so access is more about road conditions and parking than reservation windows. 

• Olympic National Park has its own version of this chaos. Hurricane Ridge is on a weather-dependent Friday-through-Sunday winter schedule, Sol Duc closes seasonally, and Upper Hoh Road is open now but is expected to have alternating one-way traffic and delays of up to 20 minutes from late May through August. 

• North Cascades is even more of a seasonal gamble. As of March 18, State Route 20 was still closed at milepost 130 near Colonial Creek, and the park says the highway usually does not reopen until late April or early May, depending on snow and avalanche conditions. 

Weather Planning in the Pacific Northwest 

The National Weather Service is your friend here. If you’re going up into the mountains, like Snoqualmie Pass or Hurricane Ridge, you’ll want to see what the snow levels are. WSDOT also keeps real-time mountain pass reports and webcams because things can change fast up there. For spring specifically, and especially as we head into summer, smoke conditions become more problematic, so be sure to pack some N95 masks in addition to rain gear. 

Make Car Travel as Fun as Possible for the Kids 

Extra preparation can make the difference between the kids totally crashing out in the backseat or enjoying the ride along the way! While you’re up front having a fun, spontaneous drive, it’s going to feel like a 100-year prison sentence in the back (you probably remember your own childhood road trips, don’t you?). So make sure you bring some things to break up the monotony! 

Bring books, music, movies, and small distractions to break up the drive before morale collapses. A few simple road games, like spotting license plates or doing a scavenger hunt, can also help keep everyone entertained while the miles pass. 

Review Your Auto Insurance Policy 

Reading your policy documents probably isn’t the most fun thing to do, but it’s a good idea anyway! And these days, AI can help you quickly go over what some limitations and gaps might be. Before your trip, take a minute to review your policy or call your insurance agent and make sure your coverage can handle more than the bare minimum legal requirement. Liability coverage helps if you damage someone else’s car, but it does not do much for your own sad little situation if your vehicle gets wrecked. And while you’re at it, ask about roadside assistance, because needing a tow on some random Washington highway is a bad time to discover you declined help for the price of two coffees. 

What Happens If You Have an Accident on a Road Trip? 

Things do happen on road trips, unfortunately. First things first — make sure everyone is OK. Next, call 911 if anyone has major injuries or there’s a hit-and-run. Also, take photos and get witness information, including phone numbers. Obviously, you should also exchange insurance info with the other driver(s). 

Then call your insurance company as soon as possible and let them know what happened. If your car is not drivable, this is where roadside assistance starts looking like one of the smartest decisions you’ve ever made. Even a minor crash can get expensive fast when you’re far from home, dealing with towing, repairs, or a rental car in an unfamiliar place. It’s not a fun part of the trip, obviously, but having the right coverage can turn a full-blown disaster into a very annoying story you tell later. 

Get Road-Trip-Ready Coverage With Vern Fonk Insurance 

Your independent Vern Fonk Insurance agent can help you find or upgrade a car insurance policy that fits your travel needs. Call us before you hit the road at (800) 455-8276, or go online for a quick quote. You can also find a Vern Fonk office in Washington near you. 

FAQs 

Does My Washington Car Insurance Cover Me in Other States? 

For the most part, yes. Your policy will follow you around no matter where your road trip takes you. You don’t need to, for example, buy a new policy if you’re headed to Oregon, Idaho, etc. One thing to keep in mind is that state minimums vary, so it’s always a good idea to top off your liability if needed. 

AND if you decide to head up to Vancouver, you can rest easy knowing that you can pretty much drive safely in Canada with your policy, thanks to reciprocal laws between the countries. 

Do I Need Roadside Assistance for a Road Trip? 

Do you need an umbrella if you’re stuck in the rain? Same thing here. You don’t need it, but you’ll want it. And Vern Fonk can hook you up with roadside assistance along with your affordable policy. 

Does Car Insurance Cover Rental Cars on a Road Trip? 

Check your policy to be sure, or ask your agent if you need an expert to take a look. Many personal auto policies extend your existing liability coverage to a rental. But you’ll want to read the fine print to make sure that you’re not confusing “rental car coverage” with “rental reimbursement,” which is an add-on that pays for a rental while your main car is in the shop. 

Is Minimum Liability Coverage Enough for a Road Trip? 

Maybe, maybe not. Can you pay for the extra liability your policy doesn’t cover out of your own bank account? If not, the answer is “no,” whether you’re on a road trip or not. You and your agent should look carefully at your financial situation to see what the right amount of liability is for you.