How to Prepare for a Road Trip

Going on a road trip is one of the awesomest things you can do to relax and enjoy. Yes, I am aware “awesomest” isn’t a word, but then again – how do you describe something as thrilling as a road trip with simple adjectives. Impossible.

It doesn’t really matter who you are going with – your best friends, your partner or your family – the time you spend driving through wonderful spaces and places will forever remain imprinted in your memory and you’ll forever remember that experience with a huge smile on your face. Still, for the road trip to go smoothly with no hiccups or unexpected problems, you need to be smart and plan it well. With proper planning, there’s nothing that can go wrong.

Here is some advice I believe you’ll find useful:

Bring road trip essentials

I know you are excited about going on a road trip and you want to start planning everything this very second. I totally get you – it’s time you think of fun stuff to do on the road! After all, what’s a road trip without interesting fun and games!

Pack:

Image by Justin Crotty (CC)

Cool music – depending on who you are traveling with, pick music that everybody in the car is going to love. There is no point in brining music only one person is going to love. Even if all of you have different tastes in music, make a compromise and agree on something everyone will enjoy.

Food, drinks and snacks – road trips are such a fun and exciting experience – you are on an open road and never know where you are going to end up. This is why you need to pack food, snacks and drinks that will keep you upbeat for the time on the road. Pack light and dry food that won’t get spoiled. Same goes for snacks. Bring a lot of water and avoid sugary drinks.

Emergency medication kit – If you’ve got allergies make sure you bring your medicine just in case. Also, have some basic meds with you, like aspirin, bandages and such.

Money – Have your credit cards with you at all times but don’t go on a road trip without cash.

A map – Having a map close is understood. You don’t need to have a printed version as long your phone Map app is working properly. Still, it’s maybe better to go for a hard copy, you never know what might happen to your internet connection while on the road

Passports/documents – One of the great things about road trips is that they are unpredictable – you can end up God knows where! So, have your most important documents with you, like your passport, ID, driving license and your medical insurance certificate.

Car check

Now that you’ve made sure you’ve packed all essentials, it’s only understood you’ll make sure your car is in flawless condition and you’ve taken care of all preventive measures.

Before embarking on your adventure, have your car checked at your mechanics. No matter how new your car is or that you had it checked couple of weeks ago – you need to be sure that it doesn’t need any repairs, or if it does – to have them sorted out while you’re still in town. Once your car is ready, you’re half way there.

Image by MartinStr (CC)

Spare equipment

We all know trouble comes announced no matter how cautious we are. To prevent it from happening, we need to be a few steps ahead. After having visited your mechanic and got your car back, you should pack car essentials just in case – a spare tire, enough gas (some extra fuses and at least a quart of motor oil) and an emergency tool kit. This is all just to circumvent foreseeable troubles. Your kit should contain jumper a flashlight, cables, a multipurpose tool, a knife, tire sealant, and duct tape. If you don’t already have them, buy tyres in cases it’s needed, that is if your mechanic suggested you have all four spare.

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Road trips aren’t just a way to see parts of the country you have never thought of visiting but they are also an amazing way to bond with the people you started the journey with and make memories of your life! This is the time to enjoy and oh, and yes – don’t forget to bring your camera and capture all the amazing things you are about to experience!

Author bio:

Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to home improvement, DIY and traveling.