Whether you are traveling alone, with a friend, or with family members, road trips can be quite stressful and boring. In order to have a successful road trip that is worry free make sure to plan and advance and remember certain things to bring along. If you follow the following suggestions your road trip can turn out smooth and even fun!
Road Trips usually involve a large amount of driving and most likely to places you have never been. Therefore, it is essential to have proper appliances to help you on your way. If your car has a built in GPS definitely use that, but if not try to put your smartphone into your speakers. This way you will be able to easily here what your next move is. Smartphones even can sometimes help navigate better than regular GPS systems. This is so because they have apps like Waze, which help you discover the quickest route possible. If you think that perhaps using your smartphone is too distracting, then consider investing in a Garmin. They have superb GPS products that are high quality.
Besides knowing your way on a trip, know yourself and your passengers. If you are driving do you easily tire? How many stops will you need to take? Will your other passengers be bored? Do you need to make a playlist? Take these questions and others into consideration. If you and your passengers are not comfortable you could be in for a very long ride. If you have a rather longer amount of travel, I recommend planning your hotel stays in advanced. Sometimes motels and hotels fill up pretty quickly during popular travel times, so stay ahead of the game. Use booking websites like kayak or priceline so you can compare rates and get the best price. When it comes to snacks always buy those in advance as well. The more snacks the merrier and if you buy in bulk you will save more! It might be a good idea to bring a small cooler with you to keep beverages cold since they tend to warm up in the car.
If before all this you realize that perhaps your car is not in tip top travel shape, then maybe you should buy a new car or a used car. The last thing you want is your car breaking down in the middle of your trip. That would ruin the trip! Instead check your vehicle and make sure it is doing well. If it is not then check out some other options. If you do not have time to go to a dealer then look at cars.com. They have a wide variety of new and used cars for sale by owners and dealers. You can easily enter in your zip code and find many cars by you without ever leaving your couch. Plus if you want to sell your current vehicle you can do that too. Simply click the “sell & trade” tab and choose between two selling options. One is to make a classified ad for the sight and the other is sell directly to a dealers. Whichever option you choose, they will be sure to help with any questions or concerns you have!
After you make sure you navigation system is working, your car is ready to go, and your plans are in line, then you can make sure to pack up what you need. No one wants to sit in a jammed car, so try to but all the bags in the trunk if possible. Plus over stuffing the trunk can impair your sight when driving, so avoid that as well. Although packing can be boring it is essential for a comfy ride. Plus do not forget to pack the small things. People tend to get a bit car sick on longer rides, so stock up on some dramamine or other motion sickness medications. It is all about making sure everything goes smoothly!
In conclusion road trips are meant to be fun activities that will turn into memories. They are not an activity that should be stress inducing and filled with chaos. They can actually be quite calming if planned correctly. Instead of waiting to the last minute to plan your trip, plan in advance and make sure you have all your affairs in order. You and your passengers will thank you in the end. Good luck planning, drive safely, and enjoy your next road trip!
