Planning a road trip? This step-by-step road trip planner is here to help as you get ready to embark.
Whether you’re hitting the road with your family or going for a solo adventure, road trips are an iconic summer experience. Planning a road trip, however, can be a bit daunting, and many people have trouble figuring out all of the details that will guarantee a successful vacation. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate guide to planning a road trip. From picking the best destination to budgeting accordingly, here’s everything you need to know to hit the road.
Here’s your ultimate guide to planning the perfect road trip.
Step One: Outline your trip.
This might be the easiest – or hardest – decision to make. While you should have a destination in mind, it’s important to remember that the road trip is not about the destination. A road trip is about the experience of travelling, the joy of the open road, and the stops you make along the way. It can be helpful to pick a theme for your road trip. You may want to hit a bunch of national parks to see the views and enjoy the hikes, or go on a food tour of a certain area. Once you figure out what you want your road trip to entail, you will be able to focus more on the actual route and map.
Ask yourself the following questions to define your trip:
How long do you have?
Are you planning on a three day road trip or a month long road trip? This will greatly affect what options are available to you.
Is your car in good shape?
Another important consideration is the car you plan on using. Is your car able to handle a road trip that is a significant distance, or should you keep your trip a bit closer to home?
How long can you drive in one stretch?
If you are driving alone, it’s important to remember that you cannot drive 24 hours a day. Consider how much time you truly feel comfortable driving before taking a break. Can you go three hours? Five hours? Eight hours? If you have another driver in the car you can trade off driving, but make sure you have a clear understanding of what each other’s limits are when it comes to sitting behind the wheel. And remember–road trips are about enjoying the whole trip, not just getting from point A to point B as fast as possible.
Where’s your final destination?
Once you know your road trip theme and the amount of time you have you will be able to determine your final destination. From there, you can map out an alternate route home so that you can hit different stops on your way home.
Step Two: Determine your budget.
Like everything in life, your road trip plan will depend heavily on your budget. Are you trying to do this for as little money as possible, or are you willing to spend some cash to enjoy all the trip has to offer? While driving is usually cheaper than flying (especially when there are multiple people involved) there are still several expenses to consider. Gas, accommodations, food, attractions – everything comes with a price tag that needs to be considered.
Gas: Look at the average gas prices along the way to get a rough idea of how much money you will spend on gas.
Accommodations: Think about where you want to sleep for the duration of your road trip. Are you sleeping in your RV or resting at a campground overnight? Would you prefer to stay at a motel or hotel instead? Factor in the cost per night that you will need to budget.
Food: Eating out at restaurants adds up very quickly, especially if you are doing it three times per day. Consider how often you’d like to eat out and what other options you may have along the way. Are you able to cook at any of your accommodations? What snacks and quick meals can you bring along with you? Look at each day of your trip and determine how much you will spend per day on food.
Attractions: There are bound to be attractions along the way that will have entrance fees and other miscellaneous costs. Consider this as you map out your route, knowing that all of the attractions may not fit into your budget.
Step Three: Map it all out.
Once you have the bones of your trip figured out (the timeline, the final destination, the theme, and the budget) you can get down to the real heart of the road trip – the map.
There are several ways to create the perfect road trip map for yourself. Of course, you can go old school and plan your map with a paper and pen, looking at a map and figuring out what towns and sights you’d like to see. But if you want to make your life a little easier, there are several apps such as Roadtrippers and Wanderlog that can help you create the perfect road trip. You can even create a road trip map on Google Maps, which may be more intuitive for some travelers.
All of these apps can help you plan what attractions, accommodations, and routes you should use. And when you use them during your trip, they can provide live traffic updates and help keep your trip on schedule.
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Step Four: Get organized and make your reservations.
While road trips can provide some much-needed spontaneity, it is important to have your ducks in a row as much as possible. Imagine planning a route out only to find that the hotel you were planning on using is sold out for the night. Making a timeline for each day and booking your reservations ahead of time will help ensure your road trip stays on track for your timeline and your budget.
Step Five: Prepare your car.
It’s not every day that we ask our car to endure such a trip, so it’s important to make sure your car is up to the task. Be sure to check the following before heading out (or take your car to be inspected by a professional):
Check that all fluids are topped off. This includes transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, and wiper fluid.
Change your oil and oil filter.
Inspect your tires. Do they maintain proper pressure and have good tread?
Check that the brakes are working well. Inspect the brake pads and rotators and replace as needed.
Inspect the lights and ensure that they are all working properly.
Change the wiper blades if they are not working perfectly.
It’s also a good idea to start with a car that is clean inside and out. It will help keep you organized during the long drive and create a more peaceful environment. Give your car a good wash and vacuum and have a plan for collecting garbage while on the road. Our recommendation? Keeping a small garbage bag in the car is always a good idea!
Step Six: Pack everything up.
One of the many advantages of road tripping is that you can take anything and everything you might need – as long as it fits in your car. Since you’ll be on the road for so long, there are some unique things that you should consider bringing along, especially if you’re traveling with kids. In addition to the regular packing you’d do for a trip (clothes, toiletries, etc), consider packing up the following:
Road trip essentials for you
Driver’s license, insurance, and registration
Extra key for the car
Car manual
Emergency cash
First aid kit
Antibacterial wipes
Road map (in case you are unable to use your phone for some reason)
Snacks – loads and loads of snacks!
Reusable water bottle
Cell phone mount
Cell phone charger
Hand sanitizer
Gallon of water, soap, and paper towels (for when you really need to wash your hands)
Sunglasses
Umbrella
Extra blankets
Cooler
Folding camp chairs
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Pen, pencil, and a notebook
Trash bags for the car
Road trip essentials for kids
Snacks (yes, even more snacks)
Travel games
Headphones
Tablet
Coloring books
Books
Toys, such as sticker books, Water Wow Books, travel play mats, and fidget toys (note: avoid packing a ton of toys – instead, try to select two or three to rotate through)
Road trip essentials for the car
Spare tire
Car jack
Jumper cables
Tire pressure gauge
Flares
Tool kit
Wiper fluid
Gloves
Flashlight
Tire patch kit
If in doubt, check out our guide to putting together an emergency kit for your car.
Step Seven: Enjoy the ride!
When your car is packed and your map is loaded up and ready to go, you can finally enjoy your trip. Drive safely and be sure to take breaks when you feel tired or distracted. Engage in conversation or games if you have passengers, or crank up the music if you are driving solo. Whatever you do, enjoy the drive as well as the destination.
That’s everything you need to know to plan a road trip.
A successful road trip needs a good route, a thoughtful packing list, and a budget that can make your dream trip a reality.
And if your budget has you feeling stuck at home, Auto Approve may be able to help. Discover how much you can save by refinancing your car loan with Auto Approve today!