Tips for the Perfect Road Trip
Unfortunately due to the current situation with the pandemic, it’s probably not the best time to fly anywhere for a summer vacation. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t plan an amazing summer vacation – it’s time to plan a road trip! No matter what state you live in, a road trip is always a great way to see the country! Here are our top tips for planning an awesome road trip this summer.
1. Make Sure Your Car is in Condition to Handle a Road Trip.
If you have a check engine light on, definitely get that checked out before you go. You don’t want to be in the middle of nowhere if your car happens to break down. Not only can it turn a lovely vacation super stressful, but it can also be a huge hit on your wallet. Make sure you have jumper cables and extra wiper fluid in your trunk too.
2. Clean Your Car Before You Go
I usually do a complete clean-out of my car before heading on a road trip. Clean out all the garbage, do some light vacuuming, add Kleenex, wet wipes, and a garbage bag and you are good to go!
3. Loosely Plan it Out
Just like with flying, doing a road trip will have an adjusting schedule. That’s why it’s best to create a list of things you DEFINITELY want to see/do and create a plan loosely around them. Once you get closer to your trip, you can solidify your plan and begin to book your accommodations.
4. Make Sure You Have All Your Documents
Make sure you have your drivers license, insurance paperwork, car registration, and a phone number in case of emergency to call if your car breaks down somewhere.
5. Consider renting an RV
I’ve never done this, but have always wanted to! I’ve seen them on the road when I’m doing road trips in my car. CruiseAmerica is the largest and most well-known company that rents RVs of different sizes. Their largest RV fits up to 7 people and their smallest is a truck camper rental. All of their fleet comes with air conditioning, fresh water toilet, gas cooktop, refrigerator, microwave, and shower.
6. Plan Carefully for Food & Bathroom Breaks
I recently did a road trip in California and one thing that I didn’t think of before going was how hard it was going to be to find a restroom. Due to COVID-19, many restrooms are closed off to the public, so I suggest that anytime you see an available restroom, you go. For food, try and pre-plan and have meals ready in case you can’t find a place to get food.
7. Create a Packing List
Create a packing list to make sure you don’t forget anything. Here is a good list from MakeTimetoSeetheWorld.com, and of course add these COVID-19 items: hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial spray or wipes, and face masks.
8. Download Some Entertainment on Your Phone
You’ll likely find yourself in many low-signal areas where your internet won’t work, so I suggest downloading any music or podcasts that you like and you’ll have them on your phone to keep you entertained if you lose signal.
9. Book Your Accommodations
Usually on a road trip, I actually recommend booking hotel rooms over Airbnb. The main reason is because Airbnb’s usually have a pretty strict cancellation or change policy, whereas most hotels allow you to shift your dates fairly easily. I would recommend checking out Marriott for your stays. They have properties for many different prices ranges whether you are looking to splurge or for something more economical. They also have a very flexible cancellation policy.
