Samantha Brown's Clever DIY Tip For Making A Road Trip Gas Station Pit Stop Feel A Little Like Italy

If you've been on social media lately, it probably feels like everyone you know is in Italy. It's one of the most popular travel destinations, with an expected 27 million visitors in the summer of 2025. It's no surprise that a lot of us are feeling a bit of fomo about this beautiful country. While there is nothing like a real visit, you might be able to create a little Italian moment, even while you're on a domestic road trip and stopped at a gas station, thanks to travel pro Samantha Brown.

On her Instagram account, Brown tells us a great way to whisk yourself away to an Italian café while your kids are picking out Takis in their favorite flavors and arguing over who gets shotgun next. She says, "To make it fancy, you get a black cup of coffee just from the gas station, and an ice cream sandwich, and you dip it in, and you make the affogato in your mouth." You can check out the Instagram video below. 

Okay, it may not be a trip to the Eternal City of Rome or Florence, the home of Michelangelo's "Statue of David," but it's pretty darn yummy. If you're not familiar with the delicious Italian dessert, affogato is a combo of espresso and vanilla gelato. (No one is going to call the dessert police if you choose another ice cream flavor, but vanilla is traditional.) 

Whether you're using Brown's secrets to choose the perfect day trip destination near your home or traveling all over the country by car, she's always got great tips to keep everyone from getting hangry, like making sure to pack peanut butter (provided no one is allergic) to put off meals for a bit. Of course, the affogato trick will do more than that. You're getting a caffeine fix to help keep you awake for your drive. That can be especially helpful if you have trouble sleeping in hotels or motels. As an alternative, you could try what one 12-year-old commenter on Brown's Instagram post suggested, and dip the ice cream sandwich in lemon Fanta to recreate lemon gelato. (Brown replied, "Brilliant!")

Brown adds that you can get a real feel for the area you're in and taste some regional foods on road trips by stopping at regional gas stations and convenience stores, like Wawa on the East Coast. (Don't miss the Turkey Hill Ice Tea if you pass through Pennsylvania and/or Ohio at Turkey Hill convenience stores. It's out of this world.) If you're trying to eat healthy, or you just had one bag of Starburst too many, there are pretty good choices at many gas station stores. Most places have bananas or apples, which are a great go-to. You can pair that with individually-packaged cheese sticks, crackers, a bag of almonds, and some jerky for a rest stop charcuterie board. Finally, if you hit a particularly well-stocked gas station store, grab an extra flavored creamer and throw it in a small cooler so you can gussy up your motel coffee in the morning.