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Entity reports on how a cross country road trip can help your confidence and lifestyle.

Here are five reasons every woman needs to road trip across the country at least once in her life – as told by a girl who has survived the journey twice!

1 YOU’LL BE CLOSER THAN EVER TO YOUR TRAVEL BUDDIES…LITERALLY.

Unless your vehicle of choice is an RV, personal space isn’t part of a road tripper’s vocabulary. In my case, it meant bumping elbows with my parents, younger sister, a dwarf hamster and a dog as we drove from California to Virginia (and back)! Especially during summer months, the lack of space can feel stifling … but it means you can’t escape bonding time!

Driving through Texas with nothing but cacti to look at? Play Twenty Questions. Stuck in traffic passing by Las Vegas? See who can spot the most license plates from the most different states; the winner controls the radio for the next hour. Especially if you and your friends are about to graduate college, accept full time jobs or move to different states, road trips can be the “last hurrah” to ensure that you really are best friends for life. And if you’re traveling with your parents, you never know what crazy new facts you’ll learn. If you ever wanted to know more about Mom or Dad but didn’t have the time to ask, here’s your chance.

2 THERAPY ON WHEELS.

Just broke up with your boyfriend? Have no idea what you’re doing with your life? Whatever the personal problem, riding off into the sunset (or sunrise) on a road trip might help. If you’ve never left your town or only traveled to a few cities or states, a road trip can prove that the world is bigger than you think – and way bigger than your own problems. As The Out Bound explains, road trips can also give you time to reflect. After all, when it’s 5:00 am and you’re driving through the desert for two hours, sometimes thinking is the only interesting activity.

3 (ALL NATURAL) EYE CANDY.

Sure, you might run into a couple hot tourists during your travels, but I’m talking about the landscape! When my family and I drove across the country, we stopped by Green River and Arches National Park in Utah and plenty of unnamed (but beautiful) valleys, mountains and forests along the way. You’ll have a greater appreciation for America’s size, scenery and each state’s cultural quirks.

Need some suggestions? The Matador Network encourages drivers to enjoy all kinds of national parks, from the South Dakota Badlands to Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon. It doesn’t hurt to check off some tourist bucket list locations either, like Niagara Falls or Mount Rushmore.

4 WILD STORIES GALORE.

Wherever your wheels end up turning, you’ll collect plenty of stories to share back home. One of my personal favorites? The time we drove through Utah and discovered a wooden watermelon the size of a semi-truck.

Part of the fun of going on a road trip is not knowing what will happen next. Maybe you’ll roll into town early and try the local bar – which turns out to serve primarily bikers! Maybe you’ll go to a random garage sale and find the vintage purse if your dreams. Or maybe you’ll get a flat tire and a handsome mechanic will offer a helping hand. With road trips, expect the unexpected – but expect a good story either way.

5 TWO WORDS: FOOD PORN.

Any other foodies out there? If so, a road trip might be the edible adventure you’ve been looking for. Like Jo Piazza from Yahoo News suggests, for the tastiest trip, ditch the fast food chains and go local.

Some of my favorites: Tex-Mex in El Paso, Beer brewed only a couple feet from our Utah restaurant, and an organic Panini cafe in Grand Junction, Colorado. And, of course, lots of burgers, pot pies, sandwiches and fries in local diners along the way. Those are just a few of the foods I’ve tasted while driving across the country, most of which aren’t offered back home.

Even better, as The Odyssey Online points out, the memories you make will last forever. You discover how to go with the flow, the benefits of unplugging from technology – and maybe even how to drive a stick shift.

Basically? Instead of just watching road trips on the big screen, you become one of the #WomenThatDo.

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