How to plan a perfect road trip
If you haven’t had time to plan a proper vacation, taking a road trip is the perfect option for you. As you are in charge of transportation, you can choose the destinations that interest you the most, design an itinerary and find the best accommodation to take a break after a whole day of exploring. Read these tips on how to plan a perfect road trip and prepare yourself for an unforgettable getaway!
First thing’s first, what exactly is a road trip? This way of traveling is basically moving from a destination to another on the road, normally by car. It involves spending many hours driving and normally includes more than one stop, as you create an itinerary. It is one of the best ways to discover your own country.
Designing an itinerary can be really fun: you get to discover places you hadn’t thought of before and put together the interests of all the people you are traveling with. However, you should take into consideration different factors. First of all, check the time and distance from one place to another: it is easy to get carried away with the excitement and overfill your schedule. Decide if you want to travel many hours every day or if you prefer to spend some days entirely in a particular destination. Remember, the more you move the less you will feel like you are on holidays, so be wise.
Another important point is to calculate the time you will spend in each place. You should agree with your travel buddies on this: maybe you think 2 hours on a beach is enough but your friends want to spend a whole day there. To avoid misunderstandings that might affect your car trip, make sure that everyone knows the plan and is happy with it.
A good tip to follow is to be practical with your time: don’t include a 5-hour-drive, visiting a big city and hitting the beach on the very same day! It is better to be realistic than to overplan, even if you want to “do everything”. Be down-to-earth to avoid getting frustrated or stressed on your getaway.
Accommodation will be key on your road trip, and you should book it as soon as you have decided an itinerary. After a long day of driving and exploring, you don’t want to go from one hotel to another asking if there are any rooms available. Booking ahead gives you the security that you’ll have a place to stay and will probably save you money as well.
One tip is to choose your accommodation depending on what you are doing the day after. If you will be walking around it is worth looking for a place where you can leave the car for some hours and forget about the road for a while. If you are driving off instead, you don’t need to look for a place near the city center; you can simply stay on your way!
The things you take on a road journey depends, as with any trip, on the weather and the plans you have. Remember to wear comfortable clothes during the time you spend in the car, as you will be sitting for a long time. One of the best things to pack on a road trip is a neck pillow so you can rest comfortably, along with a blanket and even an eye mask. This way you can sleep easier before or after driving and you will get to your destination feeling refreshed.
More travel essentials are toiletries such as wipes, tissues and garbage bags: you never know when (or if!) you’ll find a bin on the way, and you don’t want to be surrounded by litter. You should also remember sunscreen: even if you are not sunbathing, you can get a bad sunburn in the car!
Finally, don’t forget to bring water with you. A good idea is to get a reusable water bottle that can be refilled later. Oh, and don’t forget your road trip snacks: you might get hungry on the road, and you don’t want to wait until the next stop to have a bite!
One of the things few people think about when planning a road trip is what they will do during the long driving time. To avoid getting bored, you should think about entertaining things you can do on the road.
For example, you should create a playlist that includes all the kinds of music that you and your travel companions enjoy listening to. One of the easiest ways to do so is by creating a collaborative playlist on Spotify: here’s how.
Another fun thing to do on a road trip is to take photos on your way to new places. You can even have a competition: the best sleeping pose, the coolest window view, the best hairdo... It is a great way for passengers to have fun and entertain themselves.
Lastly, you could use your extra time to plan your next trip together! Even if you don’t want to use your phones, you can just discuss the best destination, brainstorm things to do there and write down which dates would work best for everyone. You’ll finish your trip thinking about your next one.
One of the best tips for a road journey is to be flexible. You might plan to drive through a road that is closed for renovation, or get to an attraction you were looking forward to and find it completely crowded. In these situations you should take it easy and considerate the best alternative plans. There are always different ways to get to the same place, and lesser known landmarks that are worth a visit. Keep an open mind and have fun!
Follow these tips to have an unforgettable trip. If you want to plan what to do on one of your stops, check out FREETOUR.com and see if you can book activities there. From free walking tours to pub crawls & a variety of experiences, you can surely add some excitement to your trip.
Planning a trip and need a car but not your own? Discovercar.com is a dependable partner that will offer you a car according to your preferences and budget, ensuring your comfort throughout your journey.
Georgina Blasco
First thing’s first, what exactly is a road trip? This way of traveling is basically moving from a destination to another on the road, normally by car. It involves spending many hours driving and normally includes more than one stop, as you create an itinerary. It is one of the best ways to discover your own country.
How to design your itinerary
Designing an itinerary can be really fun: you get to discover places you hadn’t thought of before and put together the interests of all the people you are traveling with. However, you should take into consideration different factors. First of all, check the time and distance from one place to another: it is easy to get carried away with the excitement and overfill your schedule. Decide if you want to travel many hours every day or if you prefer to spend some days entirely in a particular destination. Remember, the more you move the less you will feel like you are on holidays, so be wise.
Another important point is to calculate the time you will spend in each place. You should agree with your travel buddies on this: maybe you think 2 hours on a beach is enough but your friends want to spend a whole day there. To avoid misunderstandings that might affect your car trip, make sure that everyone knows the plan and is happy with it.
A good tip to follow is to be practical with your time: don’t include a 5-hour-drive, visiting a big city and hitting the beach on the very same day! It is better to be realistic than to overplan, even if you want to “do everything”. Be down-to-earth to avoid getting frustrated or stressed on your getaway.
Where to stay during a road trip
Accommodation will be key on your road trip, and you should book it as soon as you have decided an itinerary. After a long day of driving and exploring, you don’t want to go from one hotel to another asking if there are any rooms available. Booking ahead gives you the security that you’ll have a place to stay and will probably save you money as well.
One tip is to choose your accommodation depending on what you are doing the day after. If you will be walking around it is worth looking for a place where you can leave the car for some hours and forget about the road for a while. If you are driving off instead, you don’t need to look for a place near the city center; you can simply stay on your way!
What to pack on a road trip
The things you take on a road journey depends, as with any trip, on the weather and the plans you have. Remember to wear comfortable clothes during the time you spend in the car, as you will be sitting for a long time. One of the best things to pack on a road trip is a neck pillow so you can rest comfortably, along with a blanket and even an eye mask. This way you can sleep easier before or after driving and you will get to your destination feeling refreshed.
More travel essentials are toiletries such as wipes, tissues and garbage bags: you never know when (or if!) you’ll find a bin on the way, and you don’t want to be surrounded by litter. You should also remember sunscreen: even if you are not sunbathing, you can get a bad sunburn in the car!
Finally, don’t forget to bring water with you. A good idea is to get a reusable water bottle that can be refilled later. Oh, and don’t forget your road trip snacks: you might get hungry on the road, and you don’t want to wait until the next stop to have a bite!
Things to do on a road trip
One of the things few people think about when planning a road trip is what they will do during the long driving time. To avoid getting bored, you should think about entertaining things you can do on the road.
For example, you should create a playlist that includes all the kinds of music that you and your travel companions enjoy listening to. One of the easiest ways to do so is by creating a collaborative playlist on Spotify: here’s how.
Another fun thing to do on a road trip is to take photos on your way to new places. You can even have a competition: the best sleeping pose, the coolest window view, the best hairdo... It is a great way for passengers to have fun and entertain themselves.
Lastly, you could use your extra time to plan your next trip together! Even if you don’t want to use your phones, you can just discuss the best destination, brainstorm things to do there and write down which dates would work best for everyone. You’ll finish your trip thinking about your next one.
How to enjoy a road trip
One of the best tips for a road journey is to be flexible. You might plan to drive through a road that is closed for renovation, or get to an attraction you were looking forward to and find it completely crowded. In these situations you should take it easy and considerate the best alternative plans. There are always different ways to get to the same place, and lesser known landmarks that are worth a visit. Keep an open mind and have fun!
Follow these tips to have an unforgettable trip. If you want to plan what to do on one of your stops, check out FREETOUR.com and see if you can book activities there. From free walking tours to pub crawls & a variety of experiences, you can surely add some excitement to your trip.
Planning a trip and need a car but not your own? Discovercar.com is a dependable partner that will offer you a car according to your preferences and budget, ensuring your comfort throughout your journey.
Georgina Blasco
