Wrestling Travel Tips: Parents’ Guide to Tournament Sanity
In this post, I’m going to discuss the best travel tips for wrestling.
If you’re a parent, you understand how traveling to wrestling tournaments can improve your wrestler. Also, traveling provides for some excellent family time.
However, you also understand the time and money involved with traveling out-of-town.
A Short Guide of Travel Tips for Wrestling Parents
We have created a short travel guide for wrestling parents. Over the last 13 years, I have attended many wrestling tournaments.
I’ve made plenty of traveling mistakes like running out of money, forgetting my son’s wrestling bags, and finding out I didn’t have a hotel when it’s time to check in.
I’ve learned that the key to traveling is planning. A little planning can go a long way towards helping you keep your sanity and be better prepared.
Traveling to out-of-town wrestling tournaments is expensive and stressful. Let’s explore the best travel tips to help you better prepare for out-of-town wrestling tournaments.
Planning is Essential.
Travel Tips for Wrestling: Choosing the Right Mode of Transport
Local Tournaments: Driving is the Obvious Choice
For new wrestling parents attending local tournaments, driving is the practical and straightforward option. It allows flexibility and control over your schedule.
Long-Distance Competitions: Weighing the Options
As your wrestler advances and seeks tougher competition in distant tournaments, the decision between driving and flying becomes crucial. Consider factors like gas expenses, drive time, and boarding costs.
Cost-Effective Decisions: Fly or Drive?
Evaluating Expenses
When faced with the dilemma of flying versus driving, assess the overall expenses involved. Gas, accommodation, and travel time are critical factors.
Resourceful Decision-Making
Refer to resources like “Should You Fly or Drive? How to Make the Most Cost-Effective Decisions” by Creative Savings for insights and travel tips. This guide can aid in making informed decisions tailored to your situation.
Family Travel Dynamics
Traveling with Family: The Car Advantage
If you’re traveling with your family, opting for a car journey is often more economical. It allows for bonding time and flexibility in managing logistics.
Solo Parent Travel: Consider Flying
For solo parents, flying may be a more efficient choice. Evaluate the costs and benefits, factoring in convenience and time savings.
By carefully weighing these travel tips and considering your unique circumstances, you can streamline your travel plans and ensure a smooth experience while supporting your wrestler in their competitions.
Here is an excellent video of the pros and cons of driving versus flying.
Fuel Up for Victory, Not Breakdowns: Vehicle Prep Checklist
Hitting the road to watch your wrestler face off for glory? While the excitement is high, so are the chances of breakdowns dampening the mood. Let’s avoid that! Is your car ready for the road? Here’s a pre-travel checklist to ensure your car screams champion, not clunker:
Battery: If it’s nearing retirement, invest in a new one. Corrosion? Grab the wrench and clean those pesky post goblins!
Oil Change: Don’t gamble with an overdue oil change. Fresh oil keeps your engine purring like a champion.
Belt Up (Literally): Check those belts and hoses for signs of wear. Replacing them now saves you a roadside pit stop later.
Tread Tough: Worn tires are dangerous. Inspect them, and remember, new rubber beats highway drama. Don’t forget to check air pressure!
Fluids in the Spotlight: Brake, power steering, washer, and radiator fluids all need a peek. Top them off and avoid unexpected thirst traps.
Bonus Travel Tips: Pack an emergency kit, check weather conditions, and plan your route (avoiding construction zones like a wrestler dodges takedowns!).
With this checklist, your car will be road-ready to cheer on your wrestling champ! Now, let’s conquer the rest of your travel preparations and turn this tournament into a family victory lap!
Essential Travel Tips: Be Prepared with an Emergency Kit
Importance of an Emergency Kit
Many of us overlook the importance of having an emergency kit in our vehicles until an unexpected situation arises. Even if you’ve followed all the recommended travel tips, there’s no guarantee that your car won’t break down. To enhance your preparedness, consider assembling the following items:
Basic Fluids and Tools
- Extra oil, brake fluid, radiator fluid, rags, and a funnel
- Jumper cables
- Duct Tape for temporary fixes to belts and hoses
- Flashlight, screwdrivers, and pliers
- Functioning jack and roadside reflectors
Navigating with Confidence: GPS and Route Planning
Pitfalls of Solely Relying on GPS
While GPS is a valuable tool, it’s not foolproof. One common mistake is relying solely on GPS navigation without proper route planning. A seemingly straightforward trip can turn into a prolonged excursion, as I learned the hard way.
Learn from Mistakes
Last year, I didn’t plan my route and solely relied on my GPS. What should have been a two-hour journey turned into a frustrating four-hour expedition. To avoid such pitfalls, learn from my mistake and incorporate these travel tips into your plans.
Travel Tips to Plan Your Route Effectively
Preparing Your Route in Advance
Don’t leave your route to chance. Before hitting the road, use resources like Google Maps or MapQuest to plan your journey. While GPS is helpful, it’s advisable to cross-reference it with your pre-planned route to ensure consistency.
Avoiding the Weigh-In Dilemma
Neglecting route planning may lead to severe consequences, such as missing weigh-ins at wrestling tournaments. Imagine driving for 12 hours only to miss a crucial event. I witnessed it happen at Tulsa Nationals, where a father missed the weigh-in due to taking the wrong route, causing his kid to miss the opportunity to wrestle.
GPS Options for Smoother Travels
Consider a Dedicated GPS System
While phones offer GPS capabilities, having a dedicated GPS system in your car can be more reliable. Invest in devices like the Garmin nüvi 55LM, which offers free map updates for life, ensuring you stay on the right path.
By incorporating these travel tips into your preparations, you can enhance your travel experience, ensuring you’re well-equipped for emergencies and navigating confidently to your destination.
Conquer Concessions: Pack Smart for Tournament Fueling
Bringing your food to a tournament is critical to a proper wrestling diet.
Food fights are no fun, especially on the road to a wrestling tournament. Concessions scream “wallet buster,” while relying on coaches for nutrition can leave your wrestler feeling like a wilted sunflower. Here’s how to pack a game-changer cooler that delivers savings, satisfaction, and championship-worthy fuel:
Pack nutrient-dense foods to replenish your wrestler’s energy.
Pack Like a Champion:
- Cooler Power: Grab your trusty cooler and pack it with simple, delicious winners like sliced turkey, cheese, fruits, and veggies.
- Hydration Heroes: Pack water, Gatorade, and electrolyte mixes – they’re the MVPs of hydration battles.
- Snack Attack: Don’t let hunger win! Throw in granola bars, nuts, yogurt, and other healthy nibblers for quick energy boosts.
Cutting Weight Champs:
- Fuel for the Fight: If your wrestler’s on a weight-cutting mission, don’t leave their nutrition to chance. Pack nutrient-dense snacks like protein bars, hard-boiled eggs, and low-carb veggies to keep them fueled and focused.
- Two-Day Tourney Titans: Think ahead for longer tournaments. Pack easy-to-eat meals like chicken salad sandwiches, tuna wraps, and protein smoothies to keep your wrestler strong and satisfied throughout the competition.
Bonus Travel Tips:
- Pack plenty of ice! A lukewarm Gatorade is nobody’s champion.
- Label your food – nobody wants a mystery meat encounter.
- Check tournament rules on coolers and outside food (some venues have restrictions).
- Plan your meals and snacks in advance – winging it can lead to unhealthy (and expensive) choices.
By packing a smart cooler, you’ll become the ultimate tournament pit crew, keeping your wrestler fueled, focused, and ready to dominate the mat. Remember, champions are made in the kitchen (and the cooler)!
Smart Hotel Booking: Utilizing Online Resources
The Convenience of Online Booking
Booking hotels for wrestling tournaments has been revolutionized by the internet. Various websites, such as Orbitz, Priceline, and Booking.com, offer a plethora of options, making the process much simpler.
Seeking the Best Prices
Navigate through these online platforms to find the most competitive prices. As part of essential travel tips, prioritize three-star hotels in close proximity to the wrestling tournament while ensuring they offer an excellent price.
Contacting Hotels Directly: A Strategic Approach
After Identifying Prices
Once you’ve identified potential hotels and their prices, take the extra step of contacting them directly. This personal touch can often result in securing a better deal, with success rates hovering around 50%. The effectiveness depends on the person you speak to, and you might even need to request to speak with a manager.
Leveraging Google for Deals
Google proves to be a valuable tool in your hotel booking arsenal. For instance, by visiting google.com and typing “hotels in Fargo, ND,” you can efficiently filter results by date, hotel ratings, and choose accommodation ranging from 3 to 5 stars.
Proactive Tips for Successful Booking
Prioritize Proximity and Quality
When booking, prioritize proximity to the wrestling tournament venue and the overall quality of the hotel. This ensures a convenient and comfortable stay during the tournament.
Negotiating Tactics
Don’t hesitate to negotiate when calling hotels directly. Polite inquiries about potential discounts or additional amenities can lead to favorable outcomes, enhancing your overall experience.
Utilizing Filters for Precision
Whether on dedicated hotel booking websites or search engines like Google, make the most of filtering options. Specify your requirements based on dates, ratings, and preferred hotel classes for a more tailored selection.
By incorporating these travel tips into your hotel booking strategy, you can maximize convenience, affordability, and the overall quality of your accommodation during wrestling tournaments.
Game On, Gear Up: Essential Travel Tips for Wrestling Tournament Champs
Forget chaotic car searches and scrambling for missing singlets. Mastering a wrestling tournament starts long before the first takedown, with strategic packing and savvy travel tips. So, grab your pen and unleash your inner champion with this ultimate gear guide:
Essentials:
- Medications & Insurance: Don’t leave health to chance. Pack meds, cards, and a copy of your wrestler’s medical history.
- Wrestling Gear: Dress for victory! Pack your best wrestling shoes, singlet, headgear, knee pads, warm-ups, and competition attire.
- Tournament Logistics: Navigation is key. Pack your USA Wrestling card, payment proof (if online), address/hotel info, schedule, a map, and your phone with tournament contacts.
- Wrestlers’ Wellness: Stay prepared for bumps and bruises. Pack a first-aid kit, healthy snacks, and water bottles. For two-day tourneys, pack workout gear for weight management.
- Tech & Entertainment: Capture the glory! Pack a video camera, tablet with wrestling news, chargers, and maybe even earplugs for those pre-match jitters.
- Bonus Travel Tip: Pack an extra set of car keys, swimsuits for hotel pool time, and yes, even toilet paper (because you never know!).
Packing Pro Tips:
- Double-check your list before every pack, then pack again. Redundancy is your friend.
- Utilize organizers and separate bags. Group gear by function (wrestling, snacks, tech) for easy access.
- Label everything! Mystery meat sandwiches are nobody’s favorite pre-match fuel.
- Check tournament rules for banned items. Be a packing-etiquette champion!
Travel Smarts, Tournament Triumphs:
Remember, a smooth tournament run hinges on smart packing and savvy travel tips. So, channel your inner strategist, conquer your checklist, and watch your wrestler dominate the mat!
Budget Like a Champion: Conquer Wrestling Tournament Costs
Wrestling tournaments are epic battles, not financial ones. Yet, with excitement mounting, budgets can get tossed, leaving parents wrestling with unexpected expenses. Avoid that knockout and unleash your inner financial champion with these smart budgeting tips:
Pre-Match Planning:
- Map Out Your Costs: Consider this mini-vacation’s key expenses: tournament admission (factor in family size!), travel (gas, flights, or rental car costs), hotel stay, meals, souvenirs (wrestling shirts!), and even entertainment.
- Budget Blueprint: Use budgeting apps or a trusty spreadsheet to set spending limits for each category. Remember, admission can be a real game-changer, especially with families.
At the Tournament Strategies:
- Pack the Pantry: Avoid overpriced tournament food by packing healthy snacks and water bottles. This win-win saves money and fuels your wrestler’s performance.
- Home-Field Advantage: Skip pricey hotel breakfasts. Pack quick-fix breakfast items and utilize hotel fridges for lunches and snacks.
- Entertainment Hacks: Explore free local attractions instead of expensive amusement parks. Look for family-friendly activities near the venue, like parks or museums.
Post-Match Victory Lap:
- Track Your Spending: Keep receipts and jot down daily expenses. Analyzing your actual spending helps you refine your budget for future tournaments.
- Share the Wisdom: Discuss budgeting with your family, especially older kids. Open communication fosters financial responsibility and empowers everyone to be part of the team.
Bonus Travel Tips:
- Research tournament discounts for families or early registration deals.
- Consider carpooling with other wrestling families to share fuel costs.
- Take advantage of hotel loyalty programs or look for budget-friendly options.
Remember, a champion’s victory extends beyond the mat. By planning your budget and making smart choices, you can create lasting memories while ensuring a financially victorious tournament experience for the whole family.
Travel Tips for Entertaining Wrestlers on the Road
Long road trips and tournament downtime can turn even the most enthusiastic grappler into a grumpy gremlin. But fear not, wrestling parents! Here are some travel tips to unleash your inner entertainment champion and keep the family giggling all the way:
Downloadable Delights:
- Pre-Match Prep: Before hitting the road, download movies, TV shows, or audiobooks (think wrestling biographies!) to your laptop or smartphone. This saves data and creates offline entertainment oases.
- Family Fun Zone: Choose classics the whole family loves or introduce exciting new releases. Sharing a cinematic journey (except for the driver, of course) fosters bonding and creates lasting memories.
- Quiet Champions: Bonus points for downloaded content! Watching movies offline means fewer squabbles over data limits and guaranteed “quiet kid” periods for the driver.
Streaming Savvy:
- Free Trials FTW: Platforms like Amazon Prime offer trials and let you download movies for offline viewing. Dive into documentaries, comedies, or even motivational sports flicks to keep the energy high.
- Bonus Tip: Don’t forget headphones! Individual entertainment options let everyone unwind in their own way while minimizing sibling rivalries (and ear-splitting arguments).
Beyond the Screen:
- Game On!: Pack cards, travel-sized board games, or even magnetic drawing boards for analog fun. Remember, family bonding doesn’t need a battery.
- Sing-Along Sessions: Unleash your inner rock stars! Create tournament-themed playlists or belt out classic road trip anthems.
- Storytelling Smackdowns: Get creative! Take turns weaving epic tales, adding wrestling-themed twists to keep everyone engaged.
Remember: Entertainment is not just about distraction, it’s about connection. Use these travel tips to turn your journey into a shared adventure, filled with laughter, memories, and maybe even a few post-match victory dances.
Amazon Prime has unlimited streaming and allows you to download movies to watch later.
Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
Wi-Fi Warriors: Conquer Data Drains on Your Wrestling Tournament Journey
Hitting the road for a wrestling tournament? Be prepared for epic takedowns…not your data plan! Roaming charges and limited connections can quickly turn your phone into a brick. But fear not, data-savvy parents! Here are some travel tips to transform you into Wi-Fi warriors and keep your communication game strong:
Hunt for Hidden Hotspots:
- Restaurant Refuge: McDonald’s, Starbucks, and many other establishments offer free Wi-Fi for customers. Fuel your family and your devices in one convenient stop!
- Hotel Havens: Most hotels nowadays provide free Wi-Fi access. Take advantage of it – research tournament information, post victory pics, or even catch up on your favorite shows to unwind after a long day.
- Tournament Treasures: Check if the tournament venue itself offers Wi-Fi (and don’t forget to ask about password restrictions!). It could be your data-saving oasis between matches.
Highway Heroes:
- Interstate Connections: On long road trips, many interstate highways now offer Wi-Fi connections for drivers. Take advantage of these pit stops to check emails, send updates, or even stream some pre-match hype music.
- Download Delights: Before leaving home, download essential tournament information, maps, or even offline entertainment options (movies, audiobooks) to your devices. This way, you’re not reliant on data for basic needs.
Bonus Travel Tips:
- Limit data-hungry apps: Turn off background data usage on social media and other apps while traveling. Every megabyte saved is a victory!
- Invest in a portable Wi-Fi hotspot: Consider purchasing a portable Wi-Fi hotspot if your data plan is limited or network access is scarce. This can be a lifesaver during longer tournaments or remote travel.
Remember, being a Wi-Fi warrior is about staying connected without breaking the bank. By following these travel tips, you can ensure smooth communication, social media bragging rights, and maybe even some online entertainment wins during your wrestling tournament adventure.
Travel Tips Hack: Making Tournament Travels a Family Fun-Fest
Sure, wrestling tournaments mean early mornings, packed car trunks, and maybe a slight case of bleacher fatigue. But amidst the hustle, remember the real prize: quality time with your little grappler and the chance to create epic family memories! Here’s how to transform tournament travels from mere transportation to a full-blown fun-fest:
Embrace the Adventure:
- Road Trip Rockstars: Crank up the tunes, sing along to silly songs, and tell embarrassing (but hilarious) family stories. Turn the car into a mobile party zone!
- Tournament Treasure Hunts: Turn exploration into a game! Let your kid “discover” tournament landmarks like the concessions stand (a treasure trove of sugary treats!), the warm-up area (a pre-match training ground!), or the coach’s corner (a mythical beast!).
- Victory Pic Party: Pack crazy hats, props, and face paint! Capture silly victory pics after each win, creating a hilarious visual tournament diary.
Bonding Beyond the Mat:
- Game On!: Pack travel-sized board games, card decks, or even magnetic drawing boards for downtime fun. Remember, laughter is the ultimate championship belt!
- Snack Stadium Treats: Ditch boring road trip snacks! Create themed food challenges: gummy bear takedowns, pretzel pinwheels, or fruit kabobs for champions.
- Stargazing Champions: If your tournament coincides with clear skies, spread out a blanket and have a family stargazing session. Share stories about constellations and imaginary wrestling matches amongst the stars.
Remember: The journey is just as important as the destination. By infusing travel with playfulness, connection, and a dash of silliness, you can turn tournament trips into unforgettable adventures that strengthen your bond and create memories that last a lifetime. So, buckle up, crank up the fun, and get ready to conquer the road and the mat, together!
Stay Updated
I hope you enjoyed the article on travel tips. I hope I provided some useful information to make traveling to tournaments less stressful.
Do you have a story or tips you would like to share? We would love to hear from you. Post a comment and let us know what you think.
What’s Next?
If you like the article, subscribe to our blog to receive our newest articles right in your inbox.
How to Support Us
Each of our articles has dozens of hours (if not hundreds) of work. We love what we do and try to provide value to the wrestling community.
You can support our work by simply reading our articles and using our affiliate links to buy products. If you buy something from a link we have on our site, we make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Here is an explanation of what we do and how to support our continued work.
Tell Your Friends
If you enjoyed the article, be sure and share the article on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks for reading!
And lastly, if you felt this article was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!
Great information shared.. really enjoyed reading this post thank you author for sharing this post .. appreciated