Preparing for a road trip is a daunting task. Road trips can be nightmare experiences if not properly planned out. However, with just a little preparation, you can make your road trip truly enjoyable. Here are a few tips you can follow to ensure your road trip is smooth, and help you avoid any potential potholes.
A good road trip is all about preparation. Most people plan a trip's route ahead of time, but it’s actually a good idea to plan at least one alternate route, in case you run into road closures or major construction. Make sure you have a good atlas or road guide covering the area of your trip, like Rand McNally maps and atlases. Mapquest and GPS systems are great, but you might find yourself in an area without a signal, or your GPS system might fail. Give yourself plenty of time, calculate how long the trip will take doing the speed limit, then add an additional hour for every four hours needed. That way you will have plenty of time for rest stops or mishaps along the way.
If possible, make reservations at hotels along the way. You never want to be stuck in the only town for 50 miles with no rooms available. Don’t plan on driving for more than 12 hours in a day--you want to be refreshed when you arrive at your destination. Bring plenty of drinking water for emergency situations, along with some non-perishable snacks. If you have children, be sure to bring a variety of activities that are safe to do while riding in the car. The monotony of the drive will lead to restlessness, and the children will want to switch activities frequently. Take into consideration the climate changes you might encounter during the drive, so you can be sure to bring appropriate clothing for the trip.
A couple of days before leaving, get your vehicle serviced, and have all the fluid levels checked. Give yourself a little time to drive the car around town after the servicing so you can make sure everything is working properly. Check the wear on your tires to make sure they are in good shape for the trip. If at all possible, bring a spare tire. Be sure to have jumper cables and emergency flares as well. Following these steps will help prepare you for your road trip, and let you focus on driving and enjoying the scenery!
