First things first, your road trip doesn’t have to go in a straight line to the end/turn-around point!
When I’m planning a road trip itinerary, I like to have some stops along the way and then have a bit more freedom in between—in case I come across a cool recommendation from locals or something that is just too good not to miss!
Here are six essential tips for taking a road trip!
Drive Time
How long is your road trip? How many days do you have set aside for driving? What is the distance between each destination from the other? These are just a few things to consider when planning your road trips. I have most definitely learn the hard way by either not giving myself enough time at each destination or being on the road more than exploring.
Be sure to consider when and where rush hour will occur.
Never forget to give yourself a little extra time for stops along the way. Whether it is potty breaks, fun detours, or stopping for food, you don't want to be in a rush and miss something amazing!
Where to Stay
Is this a road trip in a RV, are you camping, or staying in a hotel/Airbnb? These are questions to ask when budgeting and planning your stops. For most of my road trips, I either camped or stayed in an Airbnb — which I found less expensive.
Airbnb Stays
Check out all of my Airbnb stays that I absolutely loved!
Plan It Out
I am all for jumping in the car without a plan or a destination, however, for the most part I do plan things out.
Utilize those planning tools! I personally like RoadTrippers, and Wanderlog —both are great resources to find unique things in different places. You can use GasBuddy to help find the nearest gas station and also plan out roughly how much fuel you’ll be using.
What to Pack
Be sure to keep an eye out for weather changes along your trip and storms that might be passing by.
Pack comfy clothes
Easy snacks for the car (Trail mix is my choice)
Phone Chargers for the car
Music (if you don't have Bluetooth)
Trash bag for the car
Make sure you have all the proper documents gathered for the car (registration, license, insurance, etc.)
Have Music and Maps Downloaded Beforehand
Most of my destinations lately have had little to no cell service, so before my trip I map out on my phone all of my stops. I prefer to use Apple Maps or my car's GPS.
Another thing to consider is your music! I have a few playlists that I have created for long and short-distance road trips. I prefer to use Spotify because I can download my playlists beforehand so when I lose service I still have music.
Here are a few of my playlists!
Take Tons of Pictures
If there is one thing I have learned from traveling, it is to take the picture. Don't regret the moments you didn't capture and taking that extra 10 mins to stop and watch the sunrise. Life is short, so take in every moment like it could be your last!
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