There’s nothing like getting in your car and going where the wind takes you. Road trips are iconic pathways to adventures and new experiences that leave us with wonderful memories. They’re also tough to plan out. Being spontaneous is great, but going on a road trip without preparing is a recipe for boredom or disaster. If you want to head out on a road trip, you have to keep some things in mind.
1. Plan a rough route
When you’re going on a road trip, you don’t want to have a clear path. It’s the spontaneity and adventure that draws you in, so you want to go where the car takes you. However, you shouldn’t go into the trip completely blind, as it could lead to some boring or bothersome situations. You need to have a rough plan of where you’re heading so you can find something to do along the way.
Look at a map and figure out which cities and towns you want to visit. Aim for places that have lots of interesting festivities, so that you can stay occupied wherever you decide to stay. The internet can come in handy when it comes to finding places that will suit your road trip tastes.
2. Get a map for the trip
The phones in our pockets are able to pinpoint our exact location anywhere on the planet. You can find the nearest example of anything you need with the click of a button. It’s an unparalleled luxury for any road trip enthusiast, but it doesn’t have that certain je ne sais quoi of a physical map.
If you want to add to the charm of your road trip, get a physical map at a library or map store and mark out your destinations. You can still use your phone for important things you need to find on short notice. Using a physical map can be a great way to bond with your fellow travelers, and you get to keep a nice and memorable souvenir from your trip.
Read more: Should you choose Australia West or East Coast for a family road trip
3. Prepare your car
As your main mode of transportation during the road trip, your car should be your top priority. It’s crucial that you keep it road-ready and well-maintained before you head out on the road. The main thing to watch out for is any repairs that the car might need.
People don’t normally take their cars out for road trips, which means any problems that it has won’t be exacerbated during a normal commute to work. If the car breaks down in the city, you won’t have a problem getting it to a shop. If this happens during a road trip, you’re out of luck. Where will you find a car repair service in the middle of nowhere?
If your car requires auto repair and service, make sure you deal with this before you head out on the road. It’s going to save you lots of headaches during your road trip. You can rest easy knowing that your car will function just fine even during a long voyage.
4. Know where to eat
Food is something that doesn’t get emphasized enough during road trip planning. You think you’ll be able to wing it, but it’s not as easy as you might think. You need three square meals throughout your day, and not all of them can be fast food. This means you need to get creative.
Either you bring a portable stove with you for cooking, or you decide to get busy with planning your eating destinations ahead. The portable stove can be great if you plan on bringing some ingredients with you. You can bring canned food and relatively dry foodstuffs for convenient transport and cooking. If the idea of cooking during the road trip feels bothersome, you could always check online for places to eat along the way.
Read more: Tips for Roadtripping with Children
Conclusion
Preparing for a road trip isn’t easy, but it’s something everyone can do. With a little planning and some internet browsing beforehand, you can easily prep for your dream road trip. Keep your car in good condition and keep a map by your side and you’ll find that this might just be the adventure you always needed.
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Using a map certainly does have a charm to it. The internet can also short out without notice, which kills GPS. And, to be practical, data rates!
I love the idea of using a map. I remember going on trips as a kid and I was “in charge” of the map with my mom. What a sweet sentiment.
My husband and I love taking road trips especially during summer time. This is great info!
road tripping is best when planned just enough and not enough, but having your car ready is so important
I love going on road trips, I actually go once every 2 weeks or so. It’s important to always make sure that your car is in good shape. Tires and oil should always be checked before a longer trip.
I haven’t been on a road trip since I was a kid when my parents took us around the US in a car. They just piled blankets, snacks, and toys in the back to keep us entertained. It was fun.
I am blessed to be born in India because there are so many road trips to go on.
We have to look into this as my son is planning to go to college several states away! It’s been a while since we took a long family car trip! Thanks for the reminder!
One important thing on road trip is to make your car in good condition. I love reading this.
Preparing the car is the essential step and taking a map along is a must to avoid any mishaps during the road trip.
Great planning can lead to a successful trip. Road trips are my favourite.
These are great tips. We just went on a road trip. We planned our route, but we kept it kind of loose in case we decided to visit places that didn’t make it on our list.
Road trips are always fun! I love them!
This is a very informative article for road trips. Thank you for sharing these tips!
Wow, such a detailed guide. One can definitely use this article as a checklist prior taking up a road trip!!
Thanks so much for this great detailed sharing about road trip preparation, have saved this post for my reference or a checklist before my next road trip departure
cheers,
siennylovesdrawing
Such an extensive guide for road trips. Next time I am going on a road trip I will use this.