Road trips can be such amazing adventures! Whether you’re embarking on a weekend getaway or travelling for months on end, planning is essential for getting the most out of your road trip. A good planning session will help maximise your budget, avoid confusion and make sure you arrive at your destination happy, healthy and safe!
Let’s take a look at how to plan your road trip.
Prepare
Ensure your car is ready to go by checking the water, oil and fuel and giving the interior a clean-out. Road trips are a great excuse to get the car looking nice and shiny again. If you’re going on a longer road trip or you’re anticipating extreme driving conditions (very cold, very hot, very wet, etc.), we recommend getting a service before you go. The last thing you need is to blow a tyre, have your car overheat, or have an engine coil die.
Next, print a map of your travel route or get the GPS set up with your location to calculate driving distance. Did you know that most GPS systems let you save a destination prior to travelling? A great time-saver is to enter in the destination a few days before you go.
Once you know how you’re getting there, organise your pit stops. If you’re driving long distances, chances are you’ll need to stop for fuel, and there’s nothing worse than worrying about running out (well, except for actually running out of course!). For those doing lots of highway driving, keep driver fatigue in mind – a quick fifteen-minute stop can be a lifesaver. Consider whether you’ll stop for food, or pack lunch in the car to eat on the way – you could start the holiday early by stopping for lunch at a nice park or beach.
Pack Smart
How much luggage you need to pack depends on the length of your trip and your holiday plans. Whether you’re leaving for two days or two months, here are some savvy packing tips to help you save space and time.
Only take the essentials for the trip and pack a bag/suitcase that matches the amount of luggage you’re taking – you’d be surprised how much can fit into an ‘overnight’ bag if you pack smart!
Transfer big bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash into smaller bottles that can be placed into a Ziplock bag – no mess and less to pack. Socks can be packed inside your shoes, and small items can go inside a handbag/toiletry bag that would otherwise be empty and taking up space.
Travelling with children?
Road trips can be a lot of fun for the little ones – they get to see lots of different places and play car games as you drive along. That said, it’s still important to organise the essentials to ensure everyone has a great holiday.
Use the packing tips above and make packing fun for the kids; you can incorporate games during packing and unpacking to get them more involved.
Prepare travel-size snacks and water, and pack them in colourful bags or boxes to make snack time fun on the trip.
Decide which toys, gaming stations or DVDs to bring as an antidote to the inevitable “Are we there yet?” routine. Just remember, the more toys they bring, the more you have to carry around during the holiday, so ask them to pick a couple of their favourites.
Research
Before you go, it’s always a great time-saver to research what activities you and your family might be interested in. Check out:
Fun
Theme parks, zoos, aquariums, farms – the possibilities are endless! Deciding what you’d like to do on your trip is a great way to further plan your holiday, and one less thing to worry about when you get there. You might even receive discounts for booking in advance – win-win!
Culture
In a foreign country or a region with a unique background? Chances are there’ll be lots of cool places to visit, like temples, museums, churches and historic sites. Although these are great for adults, those with kids might want to combine them with more active adventures.
Eat
Becoming familiar with restaurants, cafés, bars, supermarkets, and even the local shops near your Resort is a great way to plan ahead and takes the guesswork out of dinner!
Roads
Check out the back roads which might add valuable holiday time to your trip; this is great during busy time periods such as school holidays and Christmas time when the main roads can get quite busy.
Planning is a great way to save time and to ensure everything is en pointe for your road trip. A car-based holiday is exciting, and the journey to your destination can be just as fun as the holiday itself!
