Road Trip Vacation Planning

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page.” St. Augustine.

Remember the movie ‘Wild Hogs’, in which a group of suburban, middle-aged friends decide to hit the road with a freewheeling motorcycle trip. When this mis-matched, couch-potato foursome set out for that once-in-a-lifetime experience, they encounter an unexpected world. This movie truly shows how adventurous and exciting a road trip can be when the company is good and the mood jovial. Going on a road trip will leave you with a storehouse of memories making the trips unforgettable. Your road trip can be unlimited fun with a little planning before you hit the road. There are a lot of things that must to be looked into before you plan a road trip, like, the budget, as you should not be forced to sell your car on the other side of the town, and hitchhike back to your house. But then too many rules and plans can spoil the fun of the trip. The rule of the trip should be ‘have fun in every new adventure’. Find some tips on making your road trip a truly fun-filled one here.

 

Budget
Be sure about the finance, as running short of money can be really worrisome, that too in a strange land. There will be places where cards wouldn’t be accepted, so, you should have enough cash in reserve. 

Decide The Destination
Though it is always fun to pack your bags, and hit the road without knowing where to go; it will be a safe option to decide your destination before you plan your trip. You can collect a good number of road maps on the different routes to reach the place. This will add more adventure and thrill to it. You can also come across various other places en route to the destination. 

Select A Route Map
You don’t want to end your road trip in a dense jungle with beasts and apes as your companions, so, it is better to pick a safe route. Select the route that offers you other interesting places to see on the way. Get an up to date map that has the latest information of highways and roads. You can also mark the interesting places in between, and if necessary, you can try different routes to reach the destination. 

Check Your Vehicle
Before preparing yourself, prepare your car or whichever vehicle that you are planning to make the trip in. Check for any maintenance work or any kind of repair in your car. It will be appropriate to take your vehicle to the best mechanic for a tune-up so as to eliminate any chances of it breaking down in an unknown place. 

Hotel Reservations
Do the necessary reservations at the hotels on your route beforehand as rest is a must in between such trips. By making hotel reservations you can start the next day afresh after a good night’s sleep.

Rent A DVD
For the rest of the travelers you can rent or buy a mobile DVD player if your car isn’t fixed with one. Get a good collection of movies so that it keeps them away from the boredom while travelling for long hours. 

Be Prepared
It is better to be safe now than to be sorry later. Every vehicle should have an emergency kit that should carry the standard first-aid items. You should have bandages, antiseptic solutions, pain relievers, and medications for possible ill health conditions during travel, such as diarrhea. If anyone from the group has a long-term illness, be sure that enough medication is brought, and that the family doctor permits the traveling. Also, consider medications for allergies and arthritis if elders are accompanying you. You should be well equipped to face the rough patches that you may find along your way. Be sure of packing extra non-perishable food, jumber cables for your vehicles, bottled water etc. You should also carry extra supplies for your car like oil, antifreeze, and transmission fluid. 

Stop Frequently
It is true that anyone who loves driving wouldn’t like to take their hands off the steering wheel but don’t forget that you are not alone in the car. It will be always better to have frequent stops as you can. This can also help you stretch your legs after hours of sitting in the car, and take some rest for a while.