What is better than going on a road trip with your family or friends? You oversee your departure and arrival, and there are no bounds to where exactly you will stop. As spontaneous as a road trip can be, it can be a bit hard to keep up with discipline and time constraints. Going on a road trip sounds very easy. You must pack your bag and be on the road within an hour. Trust me, it takes years to make such spontaneous road trips successful. There is a lot of planning to make it the perfect road trip.
11 steps on how to plan the perfect road trip.
You are going on a road trip with your friends and want to make the most of it, but you have never been great at planning it. You have picked the destination but need help figuring out what to do further. If so, follow these easy steps to plan the perfect road trip. This trip will be the best one of your lives.
1. Make a road trip budget
Your roads might be limitless, but your finances might not be! So, it's better to set up a defined budget beforehand. Consider all the factors, including your accommodation, food, road tolls, gas, and money for daily activities. Once you have a defined budget, it is easier to plan according to that.
2. Be realistic with time constraints
Your road trip is a vacation because you can unwind and have fun with your loved ones. You must make it on time. It's better than you know how much time you have and the number of days you are travelling for. Plan according to that and try to fit only a few activities into a time. You won't even get to enjoy even one of them. Also, remember that when travelling, you must be realistic with time constraints, and only some things go around the clock.
3. Figure out miles you can cover in one go
Driving for ten to twelve hours in one day can be very tiring. It can be a challenge to everyone else and unsuitable for the driver's health. So, try to cover small stretches in one go and decide on the mileage for each day or one-way trip to your destination. If you plan to drive more than eight hours in one day, we suggest having two persons drive the car and alternate between them.
4. See if you can add side trips to your itinerary
The best thing about road trips is that you can reach your destination in one go. You can add side trips to your itinerary as well. These can be any popular tourist spots that come your way. Just make sure to plan your itinerary before the actual road trip because spur-of-the-moment sojourns during the trip can ruin your whole plan.
5. Plan the road trip route
So now that you have set your itinerary and planned the destinations, the next step is to plan the road trip route. It would help if you planned it before you set off. The best way to figure out the route is through Google Maps. You can see the many routes and which route is the easiest. If you are still getting familiar with the route, we suggest you take the most common route and don't take any shortcuts or unknown detours because you might end up stranded.
6. Decide on regular pit stops
Pit stops include all the food stops, fuel stops and bathroom breaks. If you have time, you can also plan a pit stop at some fun place, but all these must be scheduled. You can't miss on necessary fuel and bathroom stops to save time for some activity you have planned on the go. Regular pit stops are also needed to keep you fresh throughout the trip.
7. Allocate time for travel
If you have four days for your road trip, you can't spend two just travelling. Plan your travel hours because as fun as the road trip can be, constantly travelling, even with breaks, can be tiring.
8. Book accommodations for a night stay
Many people think you can wing it when you reach your destination and book a hotel room. But sometimes, this can be risky. So, booking your accommodations before you go is essential if you go to one destination and have planned a night stay somewhere between your routes.
9. Choose your vehicle for a road trip
The hero of your road trip is the vehicle you will take. You should not leave it to the last minute and take any vehicle available. The car you are taking with you needs to be comfortable and reliable. Tune the car before you get on the road. See your mechanic for oil changes or other tune-ups before going on a long route. See if you can take an SUV, depending on the type of route you are taking.
10. Pack essentials for the road trip
Now that you have planned your whole trip, the next step is packing your luggage. You must have these essentials with you on your road trip besides your luggage. The main things include your driver's license, vehicle documents, spare tire, spare key, car's toolbox, jumper cables, motor oil, roadside emergency kit, car chargers, paper towels, trash bags, first aid kit, water bottles, and snacks.
11. Bring entertainment
It's unnecessary, but you need to have arrangements for your entertainment to keep your road trip fun. The best forms of road trip entertainment are podcasts or your favorited playlist, which you can jam with your friends.
Bottom Line
Planning is one thing but ensuring that your plan goes to proper execution is the main thing. In this guide on planning the perfect road trip, we have tried our best to ensure that it is foolproof road trip planning. All you must do is follow these steps, and the rest will fall into place. So, get planning because the perfect road trip getaway awaits you!
