Over the past few years I’ve done my fair share of road trips, mostly going back and forth between California and Texas. After taking so many cross-country trips, I’ve learned a lot about what makes a good road trip and I thought I’d share those tips.
1. Get your car checked out
Before you embark on a long cross-country road trip, make sure that your tires are in good shape (tread and pressure), oil is changed, etc. If your car is old then this should be a primary concern. Remember, it’s realllly easy to take your car for granted when everything is running just fine.
2. Find a tolerable road trip partner
I’ve done long road trips by myself and having a road trip partner is by far the way to go. In a perfect world, you’d get to travel every long distance with your BFF, but it doesn’t always happen like that. So just try to find someone you’re compatible with. Someone who can enjoy the same kind of music and who knows when to talk and when it’s time to be quiet and just enjoy the ride.
On the flip-side, if for some reason you’re going to be stuck with someone in a car for a long time and you are dreading it, know that sometimes being stuck with someone like that can actually turn out to be a worthwhile experience. You might be surprised about how all those hours you spent with that person changed your outlook on them. And if it doesn’t, well… at least you won’t be left with any doubts about your feelings of said person.
3. Get your money and hotel situation figured out from the get-go
Right off the bat be realistic about how much you have to spend. Overestimate when it comes to gas and hotels. And be honest with yourself. Are you really okay with sleeping in your vehicle or staying in the crappiest motel in town? Also, if you are traveling with others try to figure out the gas situation before you leave so you can avoid recurring “who’s gonna pay?” awkward moments at every pump. Maybe alternate who pays for each fill-up to make it easy.
Quick tip: If you’re going to be camping or car-camping, some hotels will allow you to use their showers in the morning if you ask. So if you’re going to be camping or car-camping at a National Park then maybe call ahead and ask the hotels if they have that option.
4. Make a ridiculously long playlist
You know all that music you’re always afraid other people are going to find out that you listen to? Well, when it comes to music on a road trip, anything goes. Kelly Clarkson next on the playlist? Turn that s*** up! A good idea is to make a long playlist of some genre you haven’t listened to lately (e.g., 90s music). It will make the trip a lot more fun and you won’t get sick and tired of the same ole jams. Plus, nothing’s better than taking a trip down memory lane. I highly recommend Spotify for making playlists (just make sure the playlist is accessible offline).
5. Plan… and don’t plan
The perfect road trip walks a fine balance between planning and not planning. My rule of thumb is to have your primary destinations (where you’ll end up sleeping that night) set and then maybe allocate a couple of hours during the drive to stops where you’ll come across cool stuff to check out like viewpoints and local markets. Keep in mind you’ll likely come across road closures and other issues that will divert your routes so always be open to different possibilities. And if your plans start to unravel due to unforeseen circumstances, embrace it. Try to find humor in the fact that it’s taking you 3 hours to get through a city because you just happened to stroll through in the middle of their annual city marathon. That’s what road trips are all about.
6. Quality over quantity
Whether your destinations are cities or national parks think about the quality vs quantity balance. While it’s cool to say you hit up four national parks in two days, wouldn’t you rather have the memory of doing a memorable hike at one or two parks? The same thing goes for cities. If you’re heading through a city you’ve never been to before why not stop there and explore for a while?
Sometimes time only permits a quick-stop somewhere but if the trip may be the only time in your life to see a place like Yellowstone, then think about how to best utilize your time.
7. Energy Drinks
Some people crash out or get jittery on energy drinks and probably would not benefit from them on a long road trip. I need massive quantities of caffeine just to keep me in stable condition. I always stockpile a stash of energy drinks for long rides. Lately, I’ve used the these energy packs to get my fix (way cheaper than canned energy drinks). Also, in the past I’ve even resorted to using my pre-work out supplements to get me that extra kick I need on a long trip.
8. Bring essentials
Here is my list of some essential for planning a perfect road trip:
- Towels
- Hand Sanitizer
- Adapter Outlet and chargers
- Pillow
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Flip flops
Also having a cooler in the car is always nice, especially to keep your drinks from boiling point when traveling through the Southwest during the summer. Obviously there are more things to consider but think about bringing those things.
9. Driving up and down mountain roads
Here are some rules that will help you save wear and tear on your vehicle as well as gas when traveling through mountainous and hilly terrain.
- When driving uphill in mountain roads lay off the throttle.
- When driving down mountains lay off the brakes and consider shifting your gears down (e.g., 1, 2).
- Consider turning your overdrive off while driving in long mountainous terrain.
- Consider turning off your cruise control when rolling through slightly hilly terrain; the automated acceleration of cruise control will often burn more gas as you roll over hilly areas.
10. Fill up on gas in suburban areas and fill up frequently
Suburban areas usually have cheaper gas than city areas and isolated towns. If you can, try to hit them up to fill up. Also, I always try to fill up when I’m at 1/4 a tank or approaching it. I’ve had one too many close calls where I passed on a gas station at just under a quarter of a tank only to arrive at a gas station after traveling close to 10 miles on “0 miles to empty.” Try to avoid that.
11. Be open-minded about destinations to stop at
No matter where you are headed in the country there are always interesting points to stop at. I once stopped while in Arizona when I saw a sign reading “London Bridge next exit.” Turned out the original London Bridge was in some random area of Arizona. Try to keep things interesting and always have an open mind about finding a spot to stop at. Sometimes just stopping at random little towns can be fun and you never know what kinds of things you’ll come across.
If you’re like me, it’s easy to get locked into arriving at your primary destination so try to fight that urge to never stop. Maybe you can even develop a “thing” to stop at like local cafes or pizza joints. One thing I try to do is capture interesting angles of state signs when I pass them.
If you’re looking for a good resource to help you plan your road trip and find interesting places to stop at then you need to checkout this app.
12. Stop at local restaurants
Don’t take the easy way out and settle for fast-food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Utilize apps like UrbanSpoon and Yelp to find cheap eats around the area. Or better yet, ask locals at your hotel or other places for recommendations. You may end up hating or loving the food, but at least you have that experience to look back on.
Also, I’ve read some articles that recommend eating healthy on road trips by packing things like celery…. I think that sounds like a terrible idea. While I do agree avoiding boring fast-food joints is the way to go, I encourage you to devour all the fried food and home cookin’ you come across on your trip and to love yourself for doing so.
13. Bring huge packs of water bottles
A lot of people will buy a couple of bottles of water or Gatorade before setting out on a long road trip. My advice is to just go to Wal-Mart and buy a bulk pack of about 24 bottles. This is really important for traveling through the Southwest where temperatures can soar above 100 and you could be stuck for hours in sweltering heat if your car breaks down. Plus, it’s always nice just to stay hydrated.
14. Try to knockout long distances early in the morning
If you’ve got a seven hour drive to the next destination, try to head out as early as possible. You’ll catch an awesome sunrise, beat the morning rush hour, and likely arrive before the afternoon rush hour as well. Also, I always find it easier to get that “second wind” when I’ve arrived at a new destination around 1 or 2 pm instead of later in the evening. This has the added bonus of not forcing your car to work all day in the heat if you’re driving through the desert.
On that same note, try to find a good breakfast place in town as you depart. When you hit the highway your options are going to be limited and skittles and beef jerky isn’t going to get you refreshed for another long day on the road like a nice big breakfast.
15. Keep it organized (and sanitary) in the car
My car got pretty disgusting during my first road trip. To make it worse, I started losing things and misplacing everything. Try to compartmentalize everything. Have a bag for things like your anti-acids and Advil, another to stuff your dirty clothes in, and so forth. It’s easy for a car to get out of control dirty on an extended road trip. One easy way to keep it clean is to throw things out at every pit stop. Remember to clean your windshield, too.
16. Don’t always trust Google Maps
Most people have probably picked up on this fact: “the Google” doesn’t always give you the best route. In fact, sometimes the route it puts together is actually pretty horrible. So don’t always follow the first route Google or Apple maps give you. If something looks off about the route then it probably is off but do still look into it because the longer route could be due to a road closure.
Also, you want a hard copy map in case you lose all reception. And if you are going way off the beaten path then you want to have a GPS or a an updated map with you at the very least. You can find cheap maps at just about any gas station.
17. Venture off the interstate
The interstate is great for time but all the interesting stuff is off the interstate. Unless you are in a hurry for time, try to venture off the interstate as much as possible. There are some maps out there that will actually tell you about a scenic highway up ahead. You can also just zoom in on the map on your phone and if the road is windy and surrounded by lakes and rivers, odds are it’s going to be scenic and worth your time.
18. Know when to take a rest
I once drove from San Francisco to Flagstaff then to the Grand Canyon and then out to the city of Kingman, all solo and without any breaks. It was one of the most miserable road trips I’ve ever taken and probably also one of the dumbest things I’ve done to date. Don’t try to “beast mode” through a road trip. Know when to call it a night and take a rest. Also, depending on the length of your trip try to plan a rest day where you’re not on the road and devote that day to relaxing and exploring a city or town.
19. Notify family and friends of your whereabouts
Assuming you have friends and/or family to notify, It’s always a good idea to check in with your folks or your friends when heading out to desolate locations or through backroads. Let them know where you’re headed and when about to hear back from you. They will appreciate it.
20. Take time to soak it all in
If you’re embarking on a cross-country road trip remember that a lot of people don’t ever get a chance to see the places you’re going to be seeing. Also, you may never pass by that point again in your lifetime. So take time to relax and take in your surroundings. Road trips are a time to feel liberated, not rushed. Give your soul some time to grow and try not to get caught up in crossing the next destination off your list.
If you’ve got your own tips let me know and I’ll add them to the list!
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