Tips for Planning the Perfect Road Trip

What’s fun about a road trip is the possibility of a new adventure around every corner. You have the opportunity to explore an area at your own pace, and you don’t have to feel rushed by a tour bus leaving in an hour. Before you go, here are some tips and tricks that can make the drive smoother and more enjoyable.

1.   Pick your car. 

If you are renting a car, think about the type of car you want to drive on your road trip.

• Do you want a sports car that corners well on winding roads or one that you can easily fit your family?
• Depending on the time of year you are embarking on your road trip, do you want a convertible or perhaps a four-wheel drive is more appropriate.
• If you are planning to stop at parks and hiking trails along the way, does the car hide your luggage? You probably don’t want to leave your bags in plain sight when parking off the beaten path. We had this dilemma on a recent road trip. We opted for a sports car to drive the Pacific Coast Highway. While I love the sports car, I knew that we would probably have to skip a few sights on our drive because we could not hide our luggage in the trunk.

2.   How long is your trip?

Once you settled on the type of car you want to use for your drive, the next decision is to determine the length of your vacation.  A road trip can be a few days or an extended and relaxing holiday. If I had all the time in the world, I could spend weeks driving the California coast. But I, like most of you, did not have that luxury. So, I found a happy medium. Seven nights, round-trip from Half Moon Bay to Los Angeles provided enough time to see the coast without feeling rushed.

3.   What sites do you want to see along the way?  

Unless you are incredibly flexible, I recommend planning a few things before you leave for your vacation. You don’t want to miss a highlight because it sells out.   Do some research to determine your must-see highlights and book a few of these as early as possible. There are generally a couple of places you will want to stop and check out on your ride from point A to point B.

4.    Where do you want to stay overnight? 

If you are staying in large cities, you may be able to pick a place to stay when you arrive at your destination. However, choosing a place to stay can be stressful and take time away from sightseeing in the town you are visiting.  

If you are going on a road trip and staying in small cities, I recommend booking your hotels in advance.  You want a place to rest after a long day of driving and sightseeing. 

 Several years ago, my husband and I thought it would be fun to live in the moment and pick our destinations on the fly. Our decision did not work out so well for us. We set off from San Francisco and planned to stay in either Monterey or Carmel. Unfortunately, there was a large convention in Carmel, and we could not find a hotel (or motel) with availability until we reached San Simeon, 390 miles from San Francisco. 

Needless to stay, we missed many of the places we wanted to see, had to drive the 35 miles of hairpin turns on the edge of the Pacific Coast Highway at dusk, and the last room available in San Simeon was an old motel. To make matters worse, I woke up with hives the next morning. 

To avoid our mistake and a repeat of our nightmare stay in San Simeon, on our next road trip, we booked our hotels several months in advance.

5.   Plan your route. 

As part of your road trip, decide if you plan on driving one-way or round-trip. If you are driving one-way and renting a car, check with the car rental place to make sure you can return the car in another city or state. If you are driving round-trip, you should research whether there is a loop option that would allow you to see something different on every leg of your journey.

6.   Keep a map and directions handy.  

When you are on a road trip, it is helpful to have an actual map. I know these can be hard to come by in this online era, but you will not be sorry. I have had numerous experiences where internet service was weak, and I had to guess which way to turn at forks in the road because I didn’t have a map.  I know better now.  If you don’t have a map, the next best option is to print a copy of the directions for the day.

7.   Have a few roadside stops in mind, but not too many. 

With so many things to see and do, it is easy to fill your day. Try to resist the urge to plan each stop. Part of what makes road trips fun is being spontaneous. Who knows, you may wake up earlier than you thought and want to get a move on or find yourself unable to leave a gorgeous vista.  Instead of over-committing yourself to many activities, do your research and have ideas of things you may want to try or do along the way. Depending on where the day takes you, you may skip a few of the items on your list in favor of living in the moment.

Here are a few suggestions for your road trip:

• Find a few good restaurants or bakeries along the way for a quick stop,
• Do a quick internet search to find the “must-see” highlights on your route,
• Think about whether there are places that might have excellent views to get out and stretch your legs between your destinations.

8.   Pick your playlist. 

Depending on where you are driving and what country you are in, spotty radio and internet service can be a problem. Before you leave the house, sign up for streaming services like Spotify or Pandora and download music and podcasts to your phone to play in the car. There is nothing like a cool breeze in your hair listening to great music while taking in the sites. It would be a shame to miss that experience because you forgot to add music to your packing list.

9.   Take a few car snacks.

On long drives, there is a chance you will get hungry, and there might not be a convenient place to stop for a meal. I like to bring a few car snacks and a couple of bottles of water to keep me satisfied and prevent a hangry attack from setting in.

10.   Stop and smell the fresh air. 

Planning the trip can be fun, but living your vacation is even better. Remember, have fun and live in the moment!

Before you pack your bags, check out my posts on 17 Essential Items Every Traveler Needs and 15 Tips for Planning a Vacation.