If you are interested in planning the ultimate antiquing road trip, there are plenty of things you need to consider before hitting the road.
Finding the best places to hunt for one-of-a-kind antiques is only part of the equation. You need to know the items to pack, when to go, how much you are able to spend, and lots of other essential details.
Vintage hunting is a fun way to travel and take a road trip with your friends and family. Here is what you need to know to plan the perfect antique shopping trip!
Tips for planning an antiquing road trip
Know where you want to visit ahead of time
The first thing you need to do is know where you want to go. Is there a particular market you want to check out, or are you more interested in a region or state? Do you want to hop around to different towns or would you rather stay in the same vicinity for most of your trip?
Before you can plan anything else, you need to know where you want to go! If you need some inspiration, check out some great antiquing road trip destinations near the bottom of this post.
Map your route
After you know where you want to go, you should put together a rough driving route. You don’t have to stick to it exactly, but if you are moving from town to town, you’ll want to have a plan in place so you are able to continue planning your antiquing road trip.
I personally love using Google Maps to decide what routes to consider and also see how long it’s going to take to get there, as well as what places you can stop along the way for gas, food, and lodging.
Basically, as long as you have a general idea of the places you’re going to see (aka the antiquing locations), how many hours you’ll be traveling daily, and where you are lodging each night, you’ll be in good shape to continue on to the next step, which is…
Make a budget
In the case of an antiquing road trip, you’ll need two budgets: one for how much you plan to spend on antiques and one for the road trip overall.
As a general rule, a road trip budget should include the following:
- Lodging
- Food
- Gas/tolls
- Car rental (if applicable)
- Attractions
- Miscellaneous (laundry, souvenirs, parking, etc)
Knowing how much you plan to spend – and then keeping track of it and sticking to it – is one of the golden rules of having a successful road trip. You don’t want to spend more than you can afford and then later regret your trip.
Check out this post for even more tips and tricks on saving money on a road trip.
Book your accommodations in advance
While not everyone plans trips months in advance, as soon as you map your route and make your budget, you should book your lodging.
Hotels in popular locations can sometimes sell out over the summer months and during local events. If the city you are visiting is a popular antiquing destination, you might have trouble finding a place to stay at the last minute.
I recommend Hotels.com to look for hotel accommodations and VRBO for homestays and apartment rentals.
Warmer months will offer more options
When you decide to take your antiquing road trip is also going to determine what options you’ll have for places to go shopping.
As a general rule, summer is going to have the most options for you. Yard sales, certain flea markets, and auctions usually take place more frequently when the weather is warm.
If you can’t or don’t want to travel during the summer, spring and fall are also good choices. In fact, accommodations will often be cheaper during these “shoulder” seasons, and you probably won’t have the crowds that you might have in the summer.
Winter can still have some options, like thrift and antique stores, but travel can sometimes be iffy in locations where snow is common, and you might have delays and other issues that can be frustrating.
Just keep all these things in mind when planning the time of year you want to travel.
Have the right vehicle
If you have your sights set on some larger pieces of furniture or home decor, you might need a larger vehicle to transport your goods home. Or maybe you need something a little more reliable than what you already own.
If renting a vehicle is part of your budget and plan, use Discover Cars to find the best deal. They search all the large rental companies as well as the smaller local options to find you the best deal. You’ll always get free cancellation if your plans change, and they have 24/7 customer service for any questions or issues that come up.
Check out rental car prices on Discover Cars here!
Look up storage facilities ahead of time
Maybe you are planning on bringing home some larger items or want to stay longer than just a few days in a particular area. It might be a good idea to look into local storage facilities so you know what your options are before you even leave on your vacation.
Not only will this make your trip easier, but you can plan for the storage in your budget and you can also confirm that there WILL be a place to keep your finds until the end of your road trip.
No one wants to cart around a dresser or wardrobe on the top of their vehicle while they are out and about at other auctions or stores. By keeping your large or very fragile items in a storage unit, you’ll be able to keep them safe until you are either ready to load them up and take them home, or until you have arranged to ship them to where they need to go.
Pack appropriately
While you should definitely have a general packing list for your car journey, there are certain additional items you’ll want to bring specifically for your antiquing road trip.
- Bring clothing that can get dirty. There’s a good chance you’ll get lots of dirt, dust, grime, and grease on you while you’re rummaging through items.
- Pack along some good rain gear so no matter what the weather’s doing, your plans won’t be ruined.
- Bring good, solid shoes that won’t make your feet sore and have good support.
- Have sunscreen with you and don’t forget to apply it! Nothing can make a trip miserable like sunburn.
- Make sure you have lots of water and food with you throughout the day. Pack a lunch, have some non-perishable snacks to munch on, and keep yourself hydrated.
- Pack the right tools and car accessories. Here are a few items that will make antiquing much easier:
- Gloves to protect your hands from rusty or sharp objects
- Hand wipes, paper towels, and sanitizer
- Tape measure to make sure items will fit in the vehicle and in your home
- Screwdrivers (Phillips and flathead) to take apart furniture
- Items for padding: blankets, bubble wrap, newspaper, tape, tarps, tie-down straps
Top off the tank
Fill up your gas tank whenever you can – rural locations may not have many options and you don’t want to get stuck somewhere because you ran out of gas.
Have lots of cash on hand
There are still many places, especially smaller establishments, that are cash-only. Even if you can pay with a card, you may also get a better price if you pay with cash because the store won’t have to eat the credit card fees.
Put on your haggling hat
While this isn’t always the case, many places are willing to negotiate prices, especially if you plan to purchase multiple pieces. Give it a shot and see!
However, if the price listed is firm, don’t harass anyone to try and save a few dollars. Decide if the price is fair to you, and if not, be considerate and just walk away.
Places to visit on an antiquing road trip
While there are so many kinds of stores that sell antiques, these are the top six types of places to look for when planning your antiquing road trip.
1. Flea markets
Flea markets are prime locations for discovering local relics and good deals. While not every one is going to have great finds, a fantastic website to find the best options is Fleamapket. You’ll be able to search and find the prime flea markets not just in the United States, but all over the world!
2. Antique malls
Antique malls are another great choice for finding the perfect piece for your home. These tend to be open year-round, which makes them a good option for any time of the year.
Antique Store Finder is a great website to check out and discover all the stores in your desired location. You can also find fairs, flea markets, and auctions here too.
3. Thrift stores
While more of a gamble than some other options, you can occasionally find some hidden gems at a local thrift store.
The Thrift Shopper is a good resource for finding Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and other secondhand shops around the US.
4. Yard sales
It doesn’t hurt to check the local papers and merchandisers of the area you’ll be visiting and see what yard sales are happening while you are there. Again, like thrift stores, it’s pretty hit or miss on finding good stuff, but if you do, you are likely to get the items for a steal!
5. Antique boutiques
While these are similar to antique malls, boutiques tend to be smaller, one-owner businesses rather than a collection of booths run by various individuals in one location.
6. Auctions
Auctions can be fantastic places to find one-of-a-kind items. It’s a great idea to do some research on what auctions will be occurring during your visit and carve out some time to see what’s being sold.
10 antiquing road trip destinations
While this list is in no way exhaustive, here are 10 great destinations to consider for your next antiquing road trip:
- Adamstown, Pennsylvania
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Galena, Illinois
- Walnut, Iowa
- Middleburg, Virginia
- Millerton, New York
- Stillwater, Minnesota
- Hazel, Kentucky
- Clinton, Tennessee
- Charleston, South Carolina
Conclusion: Planning an antiquing road trip
With a little bit of planning, you can have a fantastic and successful antiquing road trip!
Your turn: where would you like to go on your next antique road trip? Let me know in the comments!
