10 Tips How to Plan the Perfect Road Trip

Planning a Road Trip? More Like Planning an Adventure

Planning a road trip may differ from person to person. Some prefer to go with the flow and be spontaneous all throughout the trip while others enjoy creating timetables and scheduled itineraries. Both types of planning would need to look for good places to go to, what day you will visit, and how to get there.

#1

Planning a road trip like a professional also means planning certain logistics. If you want to come across as an experienced veteran, you must consider things like food and accommodation, transportation and other necessary details when scheduling your trip. Successful trips are usually a result of proper planning beforehand while leaving sometime in the schedule to be for spontaneity. Here is a guide to planning your trip.

#2

There is always a reason why you want to go on an adventure. Whether it’s because you want to visit a friend or see new places and sceneries or taking a break from work or other priorities, it’s important to keep things in perspective when deciding on having a trip. Trips that take more days off from work may need more planning in order to maximize your time and money.

#3

In deciding on which places to go to, time is of the essence. You would have to consider travel time and distances between the tourist spots you want to go to since you do not really have many days to spare. Using a map may be beneficial to look for the best route to follow for the rest of the trip. There are also apps that can assist in planning a road trip and websites that can help you chart it out.

#4

A road trip’s duration depends on your preference. It may be a day, a week, a month, or if you are adventurous, it may even last a year. The longer time you allot for travel, the longer time you give up in doing other priorities such as work or school. When planning a road trip, it is best to schedule one during vacation periods. This works especially well when you do not have any heavy obligations in your commitments.

#5

Weather and seasons play an important role when one wants to go on a road trip. Some places may have more difficulty to travel to when it’s that time of the year when the weather is not in favor for traveling. This is important to keep in mind when planning a road trip. Storms, heat waves, and snow are some weather conditions you have to consider when planning your trip. Check the weather before finalizing a trip to avoid these.

#6

It is always better to have a road trip with other people with you. Coordinate your plans with your travel companions and compare your preferred routes so that you can have the best optimal itinerary for your trip. Everyone should agree with the schedule and will be comfortable with it for the rest of the trip. Poorly planned trips may lead to arguments and damaged friendships.

#7

With everything and everyone is already in the same mindset for your trip, you must now start in planning the logistics. Since this is a road trip, gas is very important and you and your road trip friends must have an agreement on how to divide the cost of the gas. Also, find out where are the gas stations located in your desired destination. You can also bring extra liters just in case.

#8

If you plan to have a long road trip, make sure that the car that you will use is in good working condition. Read more about that on our previous blog about the pre-road trip checklist. It is even better if the car is updated with its insurance and other necessary documentation. Bring repair tools in case that something goes wrong along the way. Has your car checked by a trusted professional mechanic to prepare it for the road trip?

#9

Planning out your meals is also an important part of the trip. If you are on a budget, prepare meals beforehand so you save more time and energy for traveling and enjoying the road trip. Consider healthy, easy to prepare meals so that it gives the nutrients that you need to keep you going. You can also have meal times where you eat out but plan it out considering the budget.

#10

Long road trips may end up being boring so might as well bring along any entertainment that you will need. iPods, games, and other entertainment will occupy your time when everyone is not in the mood to talk with one another. If you have children along, bring a book or a sketchpad so that they do not get bored inside the car.

Bonus Tip

When driving into another country, it is important to have your passport with you and visa if a certain country requires a traveler to have one. Licenses, registration and other important documents may also be needed upon entry. You could also have a map and a copy of your itinerary so that you don’t have to waste time looking for the places you are going to.