How To Prepare for a Road Trip

Take a scenic drive for your next vacation to spend quality time with your loved ones and make priceless memories. Before you leave, prepare yourself and your vehicle to stay safe while you’re on the road. Review these tips to maximize fun during your road trip and reach your destination safely and on time.

PERFORM CAR MAINTENANCE

Perform maintenance on the vehicle you’re planning to use for your road trip to make sure it works properly. Start the routine by cleaning the inside of the car, which can create room for your passengers to sit comfortably and store their belongings and visit the car wash to clean the outside. Make sure that the tires have plenty of air and stash a spare tire and car toolkit in your trunk or storage area in case of an emergency. You can also check your glove compartment to review documentation for your vehicle, including registration and updated proof of insurance.

Take the vehicle to the mechanic to get a professional opinion on how it operates. You can find out if the car needs an oil change, for example, a replacement air filter or new pair of windshield wipers. Inquire if your chosen transportation is suitable for traveling to and from a faraway destination, and ask the mechanic to look at the engine, belts, hoses, and battery. 

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

Once you have your destination in mind, figure out how to get there by vehicle. Planning your route ahead of time can help you find the safest and fastest or most scenic paths, and you can avoid getting lost. You can also calculate the costs of the gas, food, and accommodations that will span the length of your road trip. Using your GPS, enter your departing city and the city that you’re planning to visit, and identify the number of hours you need to drive there and return.

Pay attention to the highways and interstates that the route includes. If you’d like an alternate route to what the GPS provided, then research more information and make notes to reference while you drive, including if there are any toll roads that you will have to use. If your trip is spanning several states, then contemplate the weather or climate differences you may encounter throughout your trip. For example, if you live in a southern region and are traveling north during the winter, there may be snow and ice in the forecast that can affect your journey. Contemplate a backup route if extenuating circumstances, such as a closed highway, impact your original plans.

It may be helpful to study your route and write it down on paper so you can access it at all times. For instance, the strength of the cellular service may fluctuate in different areas, affecting the clarity of the GPS. With a paper map, you can stay informed about where you are and what direction to travel toward if the GPS or other applications malfunction. To maximize fun on your trip, you can also research monuments and scenery you might see.

CREATE AN ITINERARY

After strategizing your route, create an itinerary for your road trip. Identify when you want to leave home and when you’d like to arrive at your destination. Your agenda can also include the number of stops you’re planning to make throughout the trip. For example, if it’s going to take 18 hours to travel, then you may plan to drive nine hours in one day, spend the night at a hotel or motel, and drive the second half of the route the following day. 

Reserve your accommodations ahead of time and estimate when you’ll be able to check into your room. You can decide when you want to leave the hotel to continue the trip. Consider the number of miles you can travel on one tank of gas and when you’ll need to find a gas station to refuel. It’s also beneficial to think about where you’ll go to get food. If you and your companions have unique dietary preferences, look up restaurants in the cities you’re traveling near and to so that you can find options that suit your needs.

DELEGATE TASKS

Ask for input from your travel companions as you coordinate your itinerary for your road trip. You can delegate tasks to each person to fulfill preparation more quickly and create a productive plan that ensures your vacation is successful. Once you identify the length of your road trip, find out if you’re going to divide driving responsibilities among your group. For instance, if the trip is 20 hours and you have five people in your party, then every person may be responsible for driving for four consecutive hours.

Consider assigning one person to fill the tank when you stop at gas stations. Another passenger can deliver directions to the driver when necessary and track traveling progress to determine if you’re on schedule. Task delegation can also help you and your companions calculate shared costs.

DOWNLOAD ENTERTAINMENT

Road trips often span several hours, so it’s important to think about how you can occupy yourself during that time, especially if you’re a passenger. Load entertainment on your mobile device, including your smartphone and tablet, to watch or listen to while you travel. For example, you can download a movie or an episode of your favorite TV show from a streaming service so that the content is available offline. Don’t forget to bring a pair of headphones, which can allow you to tune into the entertainment without disturbing other passengers in the vehicle.

If you’re planning to be behind the wheel, compile tracks into a music playlist that you can sing along to as you drive. Another option is to download episodes of a podcast to your phone and play them through the sound system in your car. You can also download a book. Before you embark on your trip, make sure you save multiple forms of digital content to your device while you still have consistent access to the internet. Think about the length of your trip when contemplating how much entertainment you need to avoid boredom.

As you prepare for your next highway adventure, consult expert tips from Seminole Chevrolet Buick GMC so that you and your companions are ready for wherever the road takes you. You can also visit our dealership for more car maintenance advice and assistance as you pick the perfect vehicle for traveling long distances. Don’t hesitate to contact us when you’re ready for a transportation upgrade.

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