I found a handy little calculator that will help us plan the cost of a summer road trip across Idaho or beyond.  It's gonna be cheaper than I thought it would be.

Some of the best road trips are the semi-spontaneous ones when we just hop in the car and wing it, and plan the route while we're on the route.  But sometimes a girl wants to know how much gas money to bring, and that's where this handy Cost 2 Drive calculator comes in to play.

Just for fun, I punched in the info to drive from Lufkin to New Orleans, and at a total distance of 341 miles, it's going to cost $41.31 to get there.  First thought is, "cool, we're gettin' off cheap."  That's immediately followed by thoughts about snacks and meals, smokin' hot new sunglasses for the ride, and maybe a hotel room if the yawns start to set in.  All of that adds extra.

The calculator takes into account gas and that's about it, but at least it knows current prices and can factor in regional differences.  It says my annual trip to see my parents in rural Nebraska will cost $109.  Still not bad, but that trip requires more pistachios, bottled water, and gluten free chips to get there, which jacks up the price.

If you want to see how much your own road trip will cost click HERE.

It's the perfect time of year for a road trip.  We know this because we see a lot more luggage bags on the tops of SUVs on Highway 59 this time of year, and sometimes the cars are so crammed full of clothes, kids, and snacks that the driver can't even see out the back window.  But as long as the mascara and M&Ms are not in the bag on the roof fighting with the sun, and as long as the radio is on and up, road trips are pretty awesome.  Have fun.

More From K-Fox 95.5