This Long Weekends, Take Your EV on a Road Trip Powered by SM Charging Stops

Two long weekends are coming up this August, and if you've been trying to figure out where to head out of town, here's an idea worth bookmarking: skip the usual staycation and take your EV out for a proper road trip instead.

The good news for electric vehicle owners is that getting there is no longer the hard part. With EV charging SM mall stations popping up across the metro and beyond, you can build your charging stops right into your route instead of stressing over battery percentage. Think of it as an excuse to go all out on your long weekend, minus the range anxiety.

Before you leave the city, though, make SM your first stop for more reasons than one.

Start With a Sustainable Send-Off
If you've been holding on to a bag of empty PET bottles because you don't know where to properly dispose of them, bring them along instead of leaving them behind. 

First stop before the road trip: SM's Green Recycling Machine. Insert, confirm, recycle, then head out for the long weekend.

SM Supermalls' Green Recycling Machines, available at SM Megamall, The Podium, SM City North EDSA, and several other branches, make it simple to recycle before you hit the road, so you can start your trip having already done something good for the environment.

Once that's sorted and your car is charged up, it's time to pick your adventure.

Road Trip #1: A Quick Escape East
Manila → Rizal

With a 3-day long weekend, a short drive east to Rizal is enough for a change of scenery without eating up your whole weekend.

Spend the day wandering through Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, hopping between the area's cafés, or continuing on to Tanay for some of the best viewpoints near the city. Feeling more adventurous? Mount Daraitan and Tinipak River are worth the extra drive for anyone craving the outdoors.

For EV drivers, this route works especially well because charging stops double as rest stops. Start off at SM Center Pasig, where a coffee at But First, Coffee or a seafood meal at Kitchentable makes for an easy first break. Coming from SM City East Ortigas instead? Du Hsiao Yueh serves up Taiwanese comfort food, while Nanyang is a solid pick for Asian favorites. Passing through SM City Marikina, sizzle up a plate at Pepper Lunch or go for hearty Filipino fare at Kuya J.

Clockwise: Coffee at But First, dumplings at Du Hsiao Yueh, sizzling pepper rice at Pepper Lunch, or Hainanese chicken rice at Nanyang—good eats make every charging stop worth it.

Further along, SM City Taytay and SM Center Angono give you more options to top up before heading deeper into Rizal. Grab Classic Savory's well-loved roasted chicken at either branch before continuing on.

Rather than watching the battery gauge drop, treat charging like part of the plan: plug in, grab a meal, browse the shopping mall stores, or just stretch your legs before getting back on the road.

Road Trip #2: Take the Long Way North
Manila → La Union → Laoag

If your long weekend actually feels long this time, go all the way and turn the drive itself into the destination.

First stop, La Union. Surf at Urbiztondo Beach in San Juan, explore the coastal towns, or take a short inland detour to Tangadan Falls in San Gabriel. When it's time to charge, SM City La Union in San Fernando has you covered. While your car powers up, grab a Filipino meal at Manam or Gerry's Grill. Afterwards, settle in for coffee and dessert at Conti's Bakeshop & Restaurant, or cool off with a drink from The Matcha Tokyo.

From there, continue north to Ilocos Norte and set up base in Laoag. This is where the sightseeing gets bigger: Paoay Church, the Paoay Sand Dunes, the Bangui Windmills, Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, and Pagudpud are all within reach.

Clockwise: Manam favorites, Conti's ube custard, Gerry's Grill’s crispy pata, and The Matcha Tokyo's matcha coconut cloud provide the best reasons to linger a little longer in SM City La Union.

Back in Laoag, SM City Laoag becomes your next recharge-and-refuel stop. Go for Japanese comfort food at Botejyu, or a coffee break at Amian Coffee. Traveling with a bigger group? Vikings Luxury Buffet at SM City Laoag is a solid pick for everyone to eat their fill.

Clockwise: Spicy pork miso tonkotsu ramen at Botejyu, a sea salt latte from Amian Cafe, and a spread of lechon pork belly and sushi at Vikings. SM City Laoag makes recharging feel like its own reward.

More Reasons to Make SM Part of the Trip

Charging stops aren't just for your car. While you wait, it's worth checking what else the mall has to offer, from mall deals and sale promos to quick errands you'd otherwise put off. Traveling with family? The same stop can turn into its own mini activity: let the kids run around Kids Paradise if you're charging up at SM City Taytay, or Kidzoona if you're stopping by SM Center Angono, then head to the SM foodcourt for a meal everyone can agree on. It's one of the better family day ideas SM has for a long weekend, no extra planning required.

And if you're an SM Advantage Card holder, don't forget to tap your card at every purchase along the way. SMAC card benefits add up fast on a trip like this, especially with multiple stops for meals, coffee, and shopping between charges.

Make Charging Part of the Journey

An EV road trip doesn't have to revolve around finding your next plug. With a bit of route planning, charging simply becomes another stop on the itinerary: a meal here, a coffee run there, maybe a bit of shopping in between.

And if you start your trip at one of SM's Green Recycling Machine locations, you can make sustainability part of the journey from the very first mile.

So charge up, buckle in, and take this long weekend to the max. Whether you're taking the short route east or driving all the way to La Union and Laoag, SM Supermalls helps you keep moving, one convenient charging stop at a time.

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