Years ago, I would take them them where they were going, drop them off, and then try to figure out - each time - where I would wait this time, sometimes thinking while driving. At first I thought the variety was fun, but as time went on, I found it was more comfortable to have a specific place in any given area that I would stop by default. Sometimes I might go somewhere else, but I always know that one place is available and will work for me.
The other day I realized that, in more than a dozen towns, I have what I now call a Home Base...somewhere I can stop and wait for someone or even just take a break: use the restroom, get a cold drink (or sometimes a hot drink), perhaps walk around a bit. I used to think it was a carrot, enticing me to go; but now I think it's more of a safety stop that keeps me healthy and driving safely.
I'm sharing this in case you do local travel, too, because I stumbled onto this concept quite by accident through years of driving around town. Now, I've even come to realize that the rare towns that I think I don't like are usually towns where I haven't yet found a Home Base. So now, if I realize that, I actively look for one.
Most of my Home Bases are grocery stores or discount department stores, and one thing I like about them is that if I don't need a snack that day, just to stretch my legs, there is usually some little thing I can buy that I already need at home or will need soon. I also have a couple of Barnes and Nobles on my list, as well as a library and a Royal Farms convenience store.
Have you ever established a good place for taking a break while driving around, depending on what area you are in?
