12 Essential Road Trip Tips
Who doesn’t love a road trip? There’s something about heading out to explore and find your own adventures that’s hard to resist. But is it as easy as just piling in the car and taking off? Sure, you can always wing it, but to make sure your road trip is one to remember (for all the right reasons), check out my 12 essential tips for an awesome road trip.
Plan your Route
Some of you may just want to start driving and see where the road takes you. If that’s your thing, go for it. But if you’re anything like me who loves to plan, a rough itinerary is a good way to ensure a successful trip. By asking yourself a few basic questions your road trip can start to take shape.
Where do you want to go? Do you have a destination in mind or do you just want to explore a particular region?
What do you want to see along the way? Are there particular sights, attractions or towns you want to visit during your trip?
How much time do you have? You will need to make sure your plans fit within your specific time frame.
How much money do you have? We’ll look at road trip budgets in a minute.
How many hours do you want to drive each day? The amount of ground you can cover on your road trip will depend on how far you are willing to drive each day. Google maps can be a great tool to estimate travel times between stops.
Enjoy the Journey
Road trips aren’t about getting from A to B as efficiently as possible. They’re about taking your time and exploring, so why stick to the boring highways? When planning your route try and mix things up between highway travel and the back roads to get the most out of your journey. Allow time in your day for unexpected stops, if you see an interesting sign go and check it out. Take a break and stretch your legs, you never know what treasures you might find.
Set a Budget
Before setting out it’s a good idea to set a budget for your road trip. It’s important that everyone agrees as this will set the tone for the trip. Will you be enjoying picnic sandwiches and basic meals or dining out at local restaurants and cafes? Do you plan to camp or stay in local motels or are fancy hotels on the agenda? Will you be visiting free local attractions and natural sites or booking expensive activities and taking guided tours? The choice is yours, just make sure your budget and your plans align to avoid any problems along the way.
Travel Companions
Some would argue this is the most important decision when planning your road trip. You and your car buddies will be spending a lot of time together in a confined space, so choose wisely. Try and find someone who enjoys exploring the same places you do and who likes to travel at the same pace as you. It can help to have complementary skills too, maybe you’re a good driver and they’re great with a map. It doesn’t hurt to have the same taste in music too, constant fights over the radio do not make for a good road trip.
Car Selection
Unless you’re travelling close to home you’ll need to hire a car for your road trip. When choosing the model try and find the best fit for your plans. You’ll need enough room for you and your travelling companions, and don’t forget your bags/supplies. Remember to consider the weather and terrain as well. Do you need 4WD? Will a convertible be practical? If you plan on travelling for an extended period perhaps buying a cheap second-hand car would be more cost-efficient. Just make sure it’s in good enough condition to make the journey before committing.
Music
Don’t underestimate the power of a great playlist on your road trip. Take some time to put together the music you enjoy and download it to your device before you leave. Podcasts and audiobooks can also be a good idea for long trips when you get sick of listening to music (it happens).
Don't Forget Snacks
Is it even a road trip if you don’t have snacks? Make sure to stock up on all of your favourites before hitting the road. It’s also a good idea to include some healthier options like fruit or muesli bars to combat the inevitable sugar slump. And don’t forget plenty of water.
Take an Esky / Cooler
This will come in handy especially in warmer climates. Keep your drinks icy cold and use it to refrigerate your snacks that are best kept cool. It’s also great when packing a picnic lunch or for storing delicious treats you might pick up along the way. You can buy ice at most petrol stations or supermarkets along your route.
Live Local
Half the fun of a road trip is the weird and wonderful places you discover along the way. The best travel stories come from the time you stayed in the quirky motel or ate at the unique local restaurant. Enjoy the things that make that location different, and don’t be afraid to ask locals for recommendations. Who better to know what the area has to offer?
Book Ahead
It’s great to be spontaneous and make decisions as you go when road tripping but if you’re travelling during peak times or know an attraction or certain accommodation is going to be in high demand I recommend booking ahead. You’ve probably travelled a long way to see/experience this site so why risk disappointment? You can always keep the rest of your plans open but to make sure you get that special ticket/room/tour, plan ahead and get it locked in before you begin your trip.
Be Prepared
Anything can and will happen when you travel and road trips are no exception. Make sure you’re prepared to handle anything that’s thrown your way. Having a few basic skills can come in very handy on the road. Learn how to change a tyre, how to check the oil, how to inflate your tyres and how to fill up your washer fluid. If you’re travelling domestically and want the added security, look into roadside assist programs you can join.
Be Safe
It’s always a good idea to let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. When travelling always use common sense and avoid situations that don’t feel right. If the deserted rest stop feels sketchy, listen to your gut and move on to the next one. Keep plenty of water on hand especially if travelling in warmer climates, and if travelling in remote areas some extra petrol can be a good idea too (keep only small amounts and store safely). Try and travel only in the daylight hours, especially in areas where wildlife are present. And always have a basic first aid kit on hand for any unexpected accidents or injuries.
Don't Forget
Sunglasses - protect your eyes and make driving in the sun a lot more comfortable
Blanket - keeps passengers cozy on cooler days and doubles as a picnic rug
Towels - who knows when you might come across a great swimming spot
Garbage Bags - keep some small plastic bags on hand to collect all the junk that accumulates as you travel.
Toilet Roll - for unplanned rest stops or the ones that have run out of paper
Hand Sanitizer - for the above and to keep your hands clean in general
Baby Wipes - for sticky hands, small messes and freshening up
Cables and Adaptors - depending on the type of car you’re driving you’ll need different connections to keep your technology hooked up and charged
Portable Charger - Most devices will charge in the car but a portable charger is a great backup to keep handy. Most of us will use our phones for navigating, research, music and for emergency calls so it’s important to make sure it’s always charged and available for use.
Now that we’ve covered all the essentials it’s time to start planning. Where will your next road trip take you? Who’s coming along for the ride? And most importantly who’s in charge of the snacks?!
