There is so much to consider when planning a road trip. That’s where a quick lesson in road trip 101 can come in handy. Taking into account the destination, logistics, food, gas stops, activities for the ride and, of course, the drive itself can be overwhelming. However, road trips can be a great way to travel to some of your favorite destinations as well as new ones. And, planning a great road trip doesn’t have to be stressful. With a few basics, you’ll have road tripping down. Soon enough you will be making a getaway on your own schedule easy to achieve anytime. Here are some things you need to consider when planning a road trip:
Who Goes There?
Think about who you will be traveling with on your road trip. Unless traveling alone, road trips don’t allow you much time to escape, so make sure you enjoy spending time with your selected road trip buddies. Road tripping with the wrong people can make your getaway head for disaster pretty quickly.
Destination
There are tons of reasons to take a road trip but one of the biggest factors is the destination. There are so many great places to visit and traveling by car can really add to your experience. Road trips aren’t always as much about the destination as they are the journey. If you are in search of a great destination to visit, consider somewhere you haven’t been to before, any appealing sites or experiences that you could enjoy along the way and the available activities that interest you at a potential destination. Making your way through the Ozark Mountains to get to Eureka Springs is a great drive. Along the way you can also find caves, tree houses and wonderful museums. Just some added bonuses that you may have otherwise missed.
Activities
You will want to plan for activities to keep you entertained. Put together a playlist of your favorite music, come up with road trip games to help pass the time. If you are traveling with kids, you’ll want to have things readily available to keep entertained throughout the journey. Coloring books, movies, and snacks are always a good choice. If you’ll be able to be a passenger for a bit and let someone else drive, make sure you have something that will keep you from getting too bored causing the hours to drag.
Packing
Of course you may not have the same stringent restrictions that you would if traveling by airplane, but it does pay to pack lightly. Don’t over pack and stuff the car full of things that you could probably have done without. Overpacking on a road trip can make for a long and uncomfortable trip that makes you overly eager to get out of the car. Know what is available to you once you get to your destination. Like if traveling by air, you only really need to bring the necessities. You can ditch most of the extras that you probably wouldn’t get around to using anyway. Pack efficiently for your destination and for your trunk size.
Food for Thought
Take some time before you embark on your trip to plan out places for meals along the way. Depending on the length of the trip, you’ll likely need to make some stops for food. Check out the options ahead of time so you know if there are places available for a bite to eat or if you will need to grab some snacks from the gas station when you refuel. Or take along a small cooler with sandwiches and snacks that are easily accessible from the road. Being hungry on a road trip with minimal food options can make for a miserable time.
Take the Long Way Home
Who says you have to go back the way you came? If you take a different route back home, you’ll be able to really maximize your travel experience. This is especially true if you are heading somewhere you haven’t visited before. Taking a different route home will allow you to experience all of the wonderful things that line that route maybe giving you a completely different experience than your original route. It’s almost like two vacations in one. A road trip can be a wonderful way to get more travel into your life.
