Alla Peng

Road trips are fun! Nobody will argue that. Yes, it may bring thoughts of wild college years and windowless vans filled with beer, but let's be honest, that's not the whole road trip story... The idea behind the road trip is quite simple: let's go somewhere, see a lot of stuff along the way, and save money on airfare... in a nutshell. Now, thinking about a road trip and having one are two very different things. Preparing for a road trip is a daunting task. Road trips can become 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 you avoid any potential potholes.


A good road trip is all about preparation. Obviously, you are going to plan your 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 on your trip. MapQuest and GPS systems are great, but you might find yourself in areas without signals, 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, and mishaps along the way. Another good idea is to use a trip planning software like Microsoft Streets & Trips to, plan your route and your alternate route and print the maps.

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. Do some research and see if you can find any vacation rentals along the way too. They may be cheaper... 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. Be sure to take into consideration the climate changes will driving - bring appropriate clothing for the trip.

A couple of days before leaving get your vehicle serviced and all the fluid levels checked. Give yourself a little time to drive the car around town after the servicing, to make sure everything is working properly. Check the wear on the tires, to make sure they are good for the trip. If at all possible, bring a spare tire. Be sure to have jumper cables and emergency flares, as well.

Last, but not least, you should consider having a service that provide emergency assistance on the road, just in case something out of the ordinary happens. Usually your car insurance provides such services, or you can get your own from triple-A or a similar agency.

Following these steps will help prepare you for your road trip, and let you focus on driving and enjoying the scenery.