We receive many questions relating to driving trips within the U.S. and Canada. Often our AAA experts recommend using certain features of AAA’s mapping and trip planning resource, the TripTik Travel Planner on AAA.com. Here are some recent blog questions that highlight features such as the ability to find hotels en route (or at a destination) and listing details including user reviews, Diamond Ratings, and pet-friendliness.

I will be driving from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to either Washington DC or Wayne, NJ. How can I find pet-friendly places to stay?
To find pet-friendly AAA-approved lodgings, you can use AAA’s mapping and trip planning resource, TripTik Travel Planner. We’ve routed your trip from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Washington D.C., which you can view by clicking here. (You can change your destination to Wayne, N.J., by changing the end point in the directions provided.) You may need to zoom in to see the blue lodging icons on the map. You can view individual lodgings and click the “Details” tab in the hotel information box to see if the lodging allows pets. The example to the left shows that pets are accepted - it also show the AAA Diamond Rating, the blue save icon indicating that AAA members receive a discount, and much more.

You can also find additional information about pet-friendly lodgings in Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook, which provides additional property details as well as checklists and helpful information to best prepare to take your furry companions on the road. Copies of this publication may be purchased at bn.com and bookstores nationwide, or through your local AAA club office (availability varies). For travel tips and other articles about traveling with your pet, you can also visit AAA.com/PetBook.



My daughter is traveling to Minnesota from North Carolina by car and is considering staying at hotel. She is concerned about getting a room because she is only 20 years old and has been turned away at a national chain previously because she was not 21. Is there a chain that you would recommend staying at?

Since many properties are independently owned and operated, hotel stay age restrictions will vary from place to place. We suggest that you call ahead to confirm a property’s policy. We have created, using AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner, a map so that you can identify AAA Approved hotels along the route your daughter is planning to take. View maps at zoom level six or lower to show the blue hotel icons. Scroll over or click on those icons to view details including property telephone numbers and the most recent TripAdvisor reviews, which may also be helpful in deciding where to stay.

Maps showing the location of hotels, property details and telephone numbers are also provided in AAA’s free TripTik Mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.  The app, which also shows gas station locations with updated fuel price information, is very helpful to have on the road. Additional information is available at AAA.com/mobile.

I'm driving from Orlando, FL to Key West, are there any known delays, construction, etc.?
To find out about construction and road delays, use AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner. Once you have your route under "Show" make sure there is a check mark against Construction Info.

As you can see from the image there is construction around the Miami area. To see travel advisories and areas where, historically, there has been traffic congestion, such as rush-hour traffic, click “Print TripTik” and look for yellow Advisory icons and red Construction icons like these:






Can you recommend lower price hotels/motels near the University of Toronto?
You can use AAA’s mapping and trip planning resource, TripTik Travel Planner, for a specific destination including universities. Click here for a map of the University of Toronto, which we have created for you. You may need to zoom in to see the blue lodging icons on the map which show nearby AAA Approved lodgings. From there, you can look at the pricing information, recent reviews from TripAdvisor and other details for individual lodgings. Most of these lodgings offer discounts to AAA members.

The green icons on the map represent attractions. Click “Show” in the top navigation bar and select options such restaurants, events and member discounts - these will then appear on the map.

Need help using TTP?
For step-by-step instructions on how to use TripTik Travel Planner click “View Demo” located in the top right corner: