From making great memories to discovering new places to having an absolute ball, road trips are full of never-ending fun and adventure!
That ‘on the road’ kind of experience is truly unbeatable, and while flying in an airplane might sound like a more convenient thing to do, it surely doesn’t match the levels of fun and enjoyment that you experience on a road trip.
Imagine sitting in your car with a group of friends, traveling from one spot to the other, taking lots of pictures, annoying each other, stopping for food, laughing together, and making unforgettable memories – doesn’t that sound amazing?
However, to be able to enjoy the freedom and excitement of the open road to the fullest, you must plan the perfect road trip. Perfect doesn’t mean planning every little detail or creating a packed schedule. After all, you want to keep some things spontaneous as well! It simply means planning enough to ensure that you get to enjoy a comfortable ride as you drive from one place to another and getting the important details in check, such as necessary bookings, including hotels, rental car, and activities.
So, if you wish to make the most of your next road trip, be it with friends or family, you don’t want to miss out on these tips on how to plan the perfect road trip.
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Create Your Travel Itinerary
Your travel itinerary includes things like planning where to go, places and destinations that you wish to see, setting a budget, and the amount of time that you think is ideal for each destination. You definitely don’t want to have an hour-by-hour plan here to set a fixed budget for each stop, but you must have some idea in your head about these things to avoid last-minute issues and confusion.
Think of it like a loose itinerary that will give you an idea of where you will end up each day and estimate costs for each place.
Clean Your Car Before the Trip
No one likes going on a road trip in a dirty, smelly, or unkempt car because it doesn’t only take away all the fun but can also cause serious discomfort.
So, make sure to clean your car or get it cleaned from a car cleaning service properly a few days before your road trip. Even during the trip, try to keep the car clean and have a mini trash can or a bag for the road to dispose of all the napkins, food wrappers, and other such items.
Check Your Vehicle Before the Trip
When you get your vehicle cleaned, at the same time, check it for potential issues such as faulty brakes, flat tires or anything that can cause problems. Get your mechanic to do a full inspection of your vehicle at least a week in advance before you head out for the road trip to avoid last-minute disappointment.
Pack All the Essentials
One of the worst things that can happen during a fun-filled road trip is having a flat tire with no spare tire in the trunk of your car. You find yourself somewhere in the middle of the road with no shop or person in sight to help you.
So, to prevent such unforeseen circumstances from occurring, you must pack all the right essentials, and if possible, create a checklist so that you know exactly what you already have and what you need to purchase for your trip.
Other than your own personal items like clothes, shoes, toiletry bag, travel pillow, towel, camera, phone charger, etc., there are numerous other things that you must pack as well. These include:
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- Your vehicle’s manual
- License and registration
- Paper maps
- Spare money
- Notebook
- Pen/pencil
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Bug spray
- Spare tire
- Umbrella
- Snow shovel and ice scraper (if you happen to be traveling to cold locations)
- Garbage bags
The Best Road Trip Playlist
Nothing sets the mood right than a cool playlist with the best on the road kind of songs that you can sing along or even dance a little to. A solid playlist is indeed one of the most essential requirements to plan the perfect road trip.
You can either get a set playlist off the internet or you can create your own by including all your favorite songs.
Not only does music help people stay awake and fresh, but it also keeps the excitement levels intact for as long as possible!
The Right Travel Snacks
Other than music, one more thing that affects overall mood and pleasure levels is food! Imagine being in the middle of nowhere with no restaurant or convenience store in sight, and your hunger pangs are on the rise – what are you likely to do?
Since the standard eating rules actually go out of the window when you are on a road trip, pack some travel-friendly foods and snacks that you can easily consume while being on the go.
Some great ideas include protein bars, peanut butter sandwiches, beef jerky, dry fruits, chips, biscuits, cookies, baked chickpeas, no-bake protein balls, crackers, pretzels, chocolates, cereal, trail mix, muffins, donuts, bagels and cream cheese, and so much more!
Download an Offline Map
GPS is your best friend for road trips, but it’s possible to lose signal along the way. For such instances, it is best to download an offline map as a backup on your phone so that you have the right directions even if you do lose signal for some time.
Find Fun Things to Do En-Route
What makes a road trip even more enjoyable is a little spontaneity where you can be flexible about where you go. When going on road trips, a lot of people often tend to focus on the major attractions and big cities, for instance, during the route planning process. However, the ultimate enjoyment lies in stopping at fun places or spots en route.
As in the words of famous author Emma Chase, “Because the greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.”
Enjoy Your Next Road Trip to The Fullest!
Road trips are super fun, adventurous, and pleasurable, but lack of planning can easily transform it into a dull, lousy, and fun-less trip.
Keep the above-mentioned tips in mind to plan the perfect road trip because there’s definitely no enjoyment without a killer playlist and the necessary bookings that determine where you’ll stay or what cool activities you will during the trip.
