Planning a road trip? You’re in the right place.
With the current travel limitation for many, this year seems to be the year of road trips. You get to travel, explore but most of all minimize and somewhat control the amount of person-to-person contact you’ll have along the way. Road trips allow for a little more freedom and flexibility on your journey from one place to another. You can plan your trip entirely or choose to note a few key points and plan as you go. One of the best parts of road trips is the ability to take detours or add last minutes places whenever you want. If you’ve always wanted to take a road trip but just haven’t yet or don’t know where to start I want to let you know this is the guide for you.
Though recently my main mode of travel has been air over the years I’ve traveled by train, boat, and of course car. If you ask some of my closest friends you’ll learn I’m no stranger to road trips short or long solo or with a friend or two, driving for me is like clearing my mind. During these drives, I’ve learned a lot and been able to put together a complete list of tips and tools that have helped me on any road trip be it my routine drives to Philly or New York or my extended trips to Florida, Illinois, or beyond. This is your ultimate guide of everything you need to know to plan, execute, and safely enjoy the best road trip.
How long are you road-tripping?
Determining how long you want to travel is the first step to planning a road trip. Are you interested in a weekender? A week-long? Two weeks? A month? Indefinitely? This is truly the foundation of not just a road trip but any trip. Knowing how long you want your road trip sets the bases for how far you can drive and what you can do and the budget needed.
Decide your Start & End Points
Knowing where you are starting and where you want to end is the next step to successful planning a road trip. Are you starting from home or are you meeting with friends in another state? Are you flying first and road-tripping back home or vice versa?
Note Your Highlights
This is where I may differ from most because I like to highlight my top 3 priority stops so I can plan my trip around them. Doing this allows me to focus my road trip around those must-see sights, eats, or things to do.
Map Your Route
Now that you know how long you want to be on the road and you know your start and endpoints and your priority sites you can start planning your route. Using the priority points you can start to determine which order and routes are the most efficient along with additional places you may want to visit along the way. If you’re taking an extended road trip it’s during route planning that you’re able to map hotels, rest stops, tolls and drive times. Using apps like Roadtrippers or Google Maps allow you to plan and see the best possible routes for your trip while also discovering new spots along the way.
Make Reservations
After planning your routes and pinpointing the main spots on your road trip it may be time to make some reservations. Check to see if some spots recommend reservations and book them! Especially if they are major tourist attractions. Have a restaurant that’s on your must-eat list during the road trip? Find out if the restaurant takes reservations by calling or using an app like Open Table. Book your hotel, campsites, or RV parking stays ahead of time to ensure you’ll have a room when you’re ready to stop for the night. And if pre-booking rooms just isn’t your thing check out apps like Hotel Tonight for last-minute bookings.
Prep the Car
Whether you’ll be on the road for 2 hours or 15 hours you want to make sure that your car is prepped and well equipped with all the important things. First, on the list, determine if you’re driving your car or getting a rental. If you’re getting a rental, be sure to book that car reservation early and double-check it several days before pick up. Thoroughly review the car rental agreement regarding long-distance traveling and crossing state lines. Be sure not to forget car rental insurance you may have through credit cards or memberships.
If you’re driving your vehicle it’s important to make sure that your car is in top shape. Schedule a complete full-service appointment with the works from brakes, to filters, lights, and more to ensure everything is working properly. This includes stocking your car with emergency and safety necessities like a paper map, secondary chargers, spare car key, spare tire and jack, roadside assistance kit, first aid kit, and a multifunctional car escape kit which is good to have in-car at any time. If you’re driving in winter conditions be sure to pack proper items for snow and ice. Last on the car prep, having all your car documents in order. Make sure that you have up-to-date hard and digital copies of your license, registration, insurance cards, and emergency contacts.
Download Your Essentials
With being on the road you never know when you may or may not come across wifi or have cell reception — meaning you could be without GPS, alerts, and music to name a few. The best way to handle this is by downloading all your essentials before you hit the road or any time you’re able to connect. At the very minimum be sure to download any maps you may need especially if you forgot to pack a paper map. Apps like Maps.Me makes it a little easier to travel offline. Additional downloadable essentials may include playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, or games all of which can make your drive a little better.
Grab Snacks
If you’re anything like me, you hate making unneeded stops along your journey. Don’t get me wrong, foodie here, I’d stop for new restaurants, the hidden gem, local cuisine, and roadside snacks any time. But outside of foodie stops try packing quick car approved snacks with a mix of healthy and junk that won’t dirty the car or spoil. My go-to faves range from fruit to chips to candy, anything that’s easy to grab. Don’t forget to grab your refillable water bottle or cooler of water as well. Plus, packing snacks help to reduce costs on miscellaneous food.
Money Matters
While traveling I’ve always tried to mind your money. Making a budget if needed by noting gas, food, activities, stay, and any additional things you may need to track. Including setting aside quarters, dollars, and fives for toll money. Also, keep in mind while driving and visiting street vendors, smaller gas stations, parks, or emergencies I may need both cash and card in case one or the other isn’t accepted.
Be Safe
Traveling is amazing and I’m sure you want it to stay that way. One way to stay safe is by checking any regulations for each area you’re visiting. Another is to make sure you’re always being safe both for yourself and those around you. Adhere to all health and safety regulations at all times and take the necessary precautions. Pack any medication you need, use a backseat organizer to keep sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, within hand reach, and don’t forget a trash can, and wearing masks where required.
