However, to have an unforgettable time, you need to plan your journey perfectly. To ensure you’re 100% prepared, read this informative guide to planning an awesome road trip.
Pick the Perfect Car
Many people often choose to rent a car when heading off on a road trip; however, this can restrict your time and journey, as you’ll have to return the car at a destination on a specific day.
Instead, it might be better to take your own vehicle on the road with you, so you will have the flexibility to extend your road trip or cut it short. Of course, securing a car is easier said than done for some, especially if you have a poor financial history. If this is the case, consider bad credit auto loans at Crediful. It’s also wise to choose a vehicle that offers great gas mileage, so your money will go further throughout the journey.
Check Your Car Before You Travel
Before you put your luggage in a car and turn on the ignition, you should take the vehicle to a mechanic to check for any potential problems. You might also need to change your oil, review your lights, and refill your windshield wiper fluid. If you don’t, you’ll increase the likelihood of you being stranded by the roadside during your road trip.
Discuss How You’ll Divide the Driving
The last thing you’ll want to do is argue with your road trip buddies, which is why you must discuss how you’ll divide the driving between you. For instance, will you each drive for a few hours at a time or will one of you sit behind the wheel for the day until someone feels tired? Talking before an adventure will ensure you each know what’s expected of you before you step into a car, which can prevent conflict from occurring.
Book Hostels and Hotels in Advance
While you might want to see where the open road takes you during a road trip, it’s a sensible idea to book a hostel or hotel in advance. This will ensure you all have a safe place to sleep each night, so you’ll wake feeling refreshed and ready to get back onto the road the next morning. Plus, booking accommodation in advance could potentially reduce your expenditure, so you’ll have more money to spend throughout the adventure.
Pack Entertainment
Keep boredom at bay when driving down a dull highway by packing plenty of entertainment. For example, create a fun soundtrack you can all sing along to when driving from A to B. While the driver will need to pay attention to the road, passengers should also stock up on a portable DVD player, books, magazines, and crossword puzzles.
Bring a Real Map
While a GPS can accurately help you travel to your destination, a paper map will never lose power or break. It will, therefore, serve as a handy backup should your GPS fail on you. So, it will provide you with some peace of mind that you can safely make your way back home.
Leave Room for Spontaneity
While you might already have an idea of the destinations you want to visit during a road trip, you should leave a little room in your itinerary for spontaneity. Restricting yourself to a fixed schedule could result in you and your road trip buddies missing out on fun experiences, such as roadside attractions or exciting activities.
Avoid Troubled Spots
If you are driving for many hours during a road trip, you will not want to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, few things are more stressful than crossing the Hudson River during rush hour traffic. Ensure you have a smooth, hassle-free road trip by steering clear of traffic jams as much as possible.
Split Road Trip Tasks
Rather than one person handling all the road trip tasks, you could always split the duties up between you and your road trip buddies. For example, while some might be good at driving and navigating, others might prefer to plan meals or pack entertainment. Identify who does what well to effectively divvy up tasks and prevent one person from organizing everything.