Planning a road trip can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A lot of people don’t realize that the best time to plan is before they actually start driving. This beginner’s guide will show you how to map out your route, find hotels and restaurants along the way, and more!
Related Read: Best Road Trips in Australia
Planning the Drive
By driving, you are able to see so much more than if you were flying. For one, the scenery is beautiful! There’s no better way to take in the planet’s natural beauty other than by road. Also, without all of the time constraints that come with being on a plane or train, you have hours upon hours to just explore.
Planning the Route
When planning your route, don’t be afraid to stray from the highways. It is often more fun and interesting to find small towns along state highways or even smaller dirt road paths that are still accessible by car. Remember, you want this trip to be enjoyable! Sometimes getting lost can turn into a great story later on. Just ensure that you have local professionals you can contact such as Enji in case you run into any car troubles.
Google Maps has an option to view driving directions with public transportation for those who prefer alternative methods of travel. The same rules apply when using this feature as they do if you were driving yourself. However, be careful not to take any illegal shortcuts and be sure that all passports are up-to-date so there aren’t any issues if you need to cross border checkpoints. You never know what could happen! If you’re still not feeling confident about driving, check out out guide for more road safety tips.
Alternatives to Driving Yourself
If you are not comfortable with the idea of driving for hours on end, there are other options. Carpooling or taking a bus is always an option. It’s also possible to find someone who lives near your destination and ask them if they wouldn’t mind helping out by being a designated driver so that you can enjoy yourself without worrying about drinking too much before getting back in the car.
Finding Accommodations Along Your Route
The easiest way to find accommodations along your route is through accommodation sites like bookings.com. Not only do they allow users access to hundreds of thousands of places all over the world, but it allows people like me (those obsessed with finding great deals) coupon codes at checkout! This makes a huge difference if you are on a budget or just want to save as much money as possible.
Finding Restaurants Along Your Route
If your trip is going to be more than one day, you have even more options! One of the best things about being on vacation away from home is trying out new types of food. However, this can get expensive quickly if you aren’t careful. Luckily there are websites like Yelp that allow users to search for restaurants by location and type (i.e., ‘steak’ or ‘seafood’).
What Not To Bring On A Road Trip
Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, one thing that has to be left at home is pets. It’s never safe for animals to travel like this; they should always remain in the comfort of their own homes.
Make sure other valuables are kept locked up securely when not needed during stops – especially if there will be kids along on the trip as well. The last thing anyone wants after an exhausting day of exploring is coming back to find something missing from inside the car!
Bringing The Right Gear On Your Trip
Something helpful when driving across the country is having all the essentials close at hand in case anything happens while driving; here’s what we recommend:
- Paper Map (in case your phone runs out of battery)
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Umbrella in case it rains
- Spare tyre
- Powerbank to keep your phone charged
- Headphones
Finally, it is important not to forget the fun stuff when planning an epic road trip! Bring games, things for everyone (especially the kids!) to do during stops, and more importantly enjoy yourself!
