The US has to be the ultimate country in the world for road tripping in. It’s big, exciting, interesting, friendly, and its roads are just made for enjoying. So if you’ve decided that a big road trip adventure is for you, what should you do in preparation for it? Proper planning is essential if you’re going to have the time of your life.
Choose A Car
Perhaps the most important element of any road trip is the vehicle you pick to do it in. Comfort is a major factor – you’re going to be behind the wheel for hours at a time. Fuel efficiency and cost are other things to consider. To have the ultimate road trip, however, you’ll probably want to look at cool, classic cars, which can be researched at this website dedicated to old cars. They are so drivable that you’ll be able to go much further than if you pick a more modern but much less comfortable vehicle. Once you’ve bought your car, make sure that it’s ready to go by giving it a thorough overhaul, or taking it to a mechanic who can help you out.
Choose A Route
Although half the fun of a road trip is not knowing exactly where you’re going, you will need to have at least some idea of an end destination. Without somewhere to head for, you can easily get lost, and you can waste hours driving along the wrong roads, missing out on the attractions and sights you thought you’d be able to see. So although we’re not saying you have to plan everything exactly, it is good to have a vague idea of where you want to end up. This will also help you to plan where you’re going to spend each night. Again, you could just stop at a nice looking hotel or motel, but you don’t know what you’re going to be paying, and it could be over the odds. Picking out some hotels before you leave home – perhaps even booking a room in advance – could save you a lot of money, and it will also mean that you will know exactly where you’re sleeping each night.
Travel Light
One of the best things about going on a road trip is that you don’t have to take much with you. A few changes of clothes, perhaps, some toiletries, your money and ID, a camera, and a smartphone – not a lot else is required. If you’re really up for it, and if you’ve got the funds, you could even pack an empty suitcase and buy what you need as you go along. Now that’s exciting; that’s an adventure, and adventure is what a road trip is really all about.
Try To Visit National Parks
We’re lucky in the USA to have so many beautiful national parks and state parks to enjoy, so it’s well worth trying to fit at least one (more is better!) into your itinerary.
Don’t Research Too Much
Having too many advance plans can be as bad as not having any at all. Expectation is a crippler when it comes to road trips – entering a city without (much) prior knowledge of what will be found has definite benefits. You can discover hidden gems or see the most talked about attractions, and you’ll have a great time either way. Also, don’t look back – once you’ve left a city, move onto the next and what it has to offer. Don’t look back and see what you missed or you’ll start to have regrets, and that’s never a fun thing when you’re meant to be on vacation. A great way to enjoy the really weird and wonderful is to follow those billboards that look so intriguing. If a sign points you towards the biggest egg in the US, or the deepest well, or the best chocolate rabbit then go for it – see what it’s all about.
Buy An Actual Map
Having a satellite navigation system, or using Google Maps or a similar site has its place – but not so much on a road trip. Get a Sharpie and trace the route along the map as you go. You can then get it framed and hung up on your wall where you can enjoy your road trip over and over again!
Work Out A Playlist
Today’s technology means that we can have music with us wherever we go. Make a great road trip playlist so that you can enjoy your very favorite music at any point – or during the whole trip. If you’re traveling with someone else, make sure that you create your playlist together – or have one each. No one wants to argue with their BFF about the music that’s playing when you’re going to be together for such a long time, in such close proximity.
Keep In Touch
Make sure that you have plenty of chances to stop and charge your cellphone, and that you’ve got enough credit on it before you leave. You’ll need to keep your friends and family up to date with where you are so that they don’t worry about you, and you can enjoy your trip without worrying about them. Using social media and keeping that updated (Facebook, for example, or Instagram) is a great way to keep everyone informed at once, rather than making a dozen different phone calls which will eat into your time and budget.
Have Room For Souvenirs
We don’t mean souvenirs as in large, bulky items that you have to tote around with you for weeks and then have nowhere to put them when you get back home. We mean souvenirs such as flyers, ticket stubs, napkins and the like. Things that you can stick in a scrapbook to look through at your leisure in weeks, months, and years to come. You can show your kids and grandkids, letting them know what you did and the adventures you had. These are the kinds of souvenirs that really mean something, and will make you happy when you get them out and look through them in the future.