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Top Tips for Planning a Road Trip
A road trip is a great adventure to plan. It allows you to miss the hustle and bustle of the airport, spend more time taking in the sites on your route, and have a little more freedom. With a road trip, you are not tied to any limitations or relying on anyone else’s timetable. You can take a long road trip to your destination, or you can take multiple trips on your way and enjoy more places. Regardless, you can enjoy more travelling for your money, and see more of the country you are driving through.
If you are thinking of taking a road trip but you are not sure where or how to get started, here are some top tips to help you make a plan.
What budget do you have?
The first thing you should consider is your budget. This should be decided before you plan anything, so it can dictate all of your travelling decisions. The last thing you want to do is plan a road trip and realise you cannot afford it. Review your finances and consider what budget you feel comfortable with. This will help when it comes to finding a location and planning your food, petrol and activities.
Where do you want to go?
The most exciting part of planning a road trip is deciding where you would like to go. If you don’t already have a place in mind, you should look online and get inspired. Take a look at Instagram and Pinterest, which are social media platforms filled with inspiring photos. If there is more than one holiday destination that appeals to you, then you can do a few days in each place.
Once you have a couple of options, you should check the average cost of that location, to ensure it fits within your budget. This includes looking at your accommodation options, as well as the cost of petrol to get you there.
When you have chosen a suitable location that fits your budget, you should plan your route in an app on your phone, for example, Google Maps. This will tell you how long it will take to get there and suggest to you the best routes to take.
How long do you want to go for?
You should decide the length of time you wish to spend on the road and in each location. This will typically be dictated by how much free time you have away from work, and how long you can stretch your budget. If you want to go for longer, then you may choose budget-friendly accommodation options, such as camping.
Do you have a suitable vehicle?
If you are going to be on the road for a while, then you want to make sure you have a safe, and comfortable vehicle to drive in. Prepare your vehicle with everything you need on the road, especially safety items such as a torch, high visibility jacket, and insurance details. You should also conduct a safety check on your car before you go. If you wish to travel long term, you may prefer to look for a cheap caravan for sale, which will carry all your belongings and provide you with a place to stay.
Pack the essentials
Consider where you are going, how long you are going for, and what activities you are going to do. Make a list of all the essential items that are necessary for you, as what you need will be unique to your trip.
Planning a road trip can be easy if you follow these tips. Are you planning are road trip any time soon? Drop me a line or two as always.
I would also add that you should make sure that any hotel you book has parking, and preferably doesn’t charge extra for parking! Generally that means that staying on the edge of cities or out in the countryside works best on road trips. Then you can take public transportation into the city for sightseeing.
Sounds like a brilliant tip and worth considering.