Playing Pokemon Go on the Road

I typically play Pokemon Go in a pretty rural area – there’s only one Pokestop within a reasonable walking distance, and zero Pokemon that spawn near me. There’s also almost no reception, so 9 times out of 10, I can’t even get the game to load near that stop, or to hatch eggs. Needless to say, I was excited to hit the road and play PoGo on a road trip!

Here are a few tips I picked up while playing Pokemon Go on the road. I’ll be adding more as I think of them! 🙂

Always Be Charging

Obviously, you will want to have your phone on a charger at every possible opportunity, as this game is insanely battery intense. The “battery saver mode” still seems to be causing more problems than it’s worth, so what’s the alternative? Portable chargers!

I love solar options, since most of the time, I’m playing PoGo in nice weather. I actually have a solar charger that I clip to the top of my backpack (I’m so cool) to keep my phone charging while it’s in use. It’s super helpful for those times when I’m really in the groove, and don’t want to miss out to go charge my phone back up!

Check Your Coverage

Pokemon Go is a game that definitely requires good cell phone coverage. To avoid headaches and annoyances, check your stops against a cell phone coverage map to be sure you’ll actually be able to play the game when you get out of the car. I’m not saying you should work your trip around cell service for playing Pokemon Go, but I’m also not saying you shouldn’t…

Take Advantage of Hotels

If you’re staying at a hotel with Wi-fi, plug your phone in and keep PoGo running through your stay. I noticed that hotels often see a much higher spawn rate than the world in general. If you’re lucky, the hotel will also have a restaurant or bar that is a poke stop, and will have a lure set up!

Find Poke Stops With Ease

The data for Pokemon Go originally came from Niantic’s first AR game, Ingress. While it’s not a perfect reference, the intel map that shows Ingress hotspots often corresponds to where Poke Stops and gyms are located.

Of course, Niantic has since removed many Poke Stops from locations deemed unsafe, or by request of the property owner, but this map is a good starting point if you’re unfamiliar with an area and want to know the general course to take!