How to plan a road trip

Apr 24, 2012 2:00 PM by Karen Miner

Posted in Living / Travel / Road Trips & Air Travel

Depending on how you envision your trip, planning ahead can be key. If you’re the type who likes to fly by the seat of your pants, you might choose to just get in the car and drive. But if you want a more structured itinerary and reservations, think about these tips before you turn the key in the ignition.

Book early

Popular areas fill up months in advance, so as soon as you firm up your plans, make those hotel reservations. With so many travel sites online, you can shop around and find the best deal.

Kayak allows you to compare hotels on several popular travel booking sites at once.
Priceline lets you "name your own price" for a hotel room. You choose the hotel star-level and make your bid, although you won’t know the exact hotel until after you make your purchase.

Can’t decide where to go? Check out these 20 must-see US destinations >>

Map it out

Once you’ve got a destination in mind, do your research. Map out each day’s drive to see how far you’ll get and where you want to stop along the way. There are likely many points of interest on your route and you can find attractions and sights by plugging your starting and ending points into the Road Trip America Map Wizard. Local attractions will populate on a map and you can click on each point for detailed information.

Check out these road trip games to keep the kids occupied between stops >>

Be prepared

One good thing about traveling by car is that you don’t have luggage restrictions. Although you don’t need to literally bring the kitchen sink, it is a good idea to be prepared for unforeseen weather, emergencies or a change in plans. Even if you’re expecting sunshine the whole trip, pack a jacket and a poncho. A first aid kit could be really useful if you get hurt out in the middle of nowhere. Keep extra water and snacks in the trunk in case you get stranded. While you shouldn’t spend the trip worrying that something will happen, at least you’ll be ready if it does.

Print out this road trip checklist so you don’t forget a thing >>

Car maintenance

Before hitting the road, not only do you need a full tank of gas, but you also need to ensure that your car is in good working order. A few basic maintenance items will give you peace of mind for the drive. Check and change the oil and other fluids, inflate the tires and replace windshield wipers, as needed.

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Tags: destinations road trip travel adventures

Comments

Comments on "How to plan a road trip"

Road trip is exciting planning ahead is very important. Thanks for useful tips.

Thanks for the tips! I'm in the process of planning a road trip right now for my husband and daughter. This article was perfect and really hit the main points. Road trips are a lot of fun but you have to be very prepared, especially when traveling with children.

I think A road trip plan dependent on the distance. We can clear the distance and then we can make enjoyable trip and travel. if distance is better for the method for road trip.