Road Trip Preparation Tips

Pack your bags and go!

It sounds easy when you think about it. But it is common knowledge, tried and tested by all travelers, the worst thing about going on a trip is packing. If there was only some way to fast forward through it?

Start packing before you start packing

There are more than enough reasons to add some organized method to your packing skills. Otherwise, you’d just start the job a few hours before the trip, and both over pack, and leave necessities at home. Naturally, you can avoid this chaos if you follow some simple rules. The essential rule is to start packing ahead. Even if you are not putting actual things in an actual bag, you are jump starting the process mentally. All this is thinking about what you want to pack in the bag and where you stored it. If you know where your things are, you will not lose time in a treasure hunt back home, and you are one nervous breakdown closer to your destination.

Pamper the car

Cars are made for long distance transport, but longer trips are a serious strain for your used-to-the-city car, so be responsible with your annual checkups. Make sure the vehicle is in top condition and ready for highways of questionable quality, or else make sure your AA membership is current. From oil to tires, everything must be functioning. This might seem like a no-brainer, but do not even leave the house without your license, insurance card and contact numbers for roadside assistance. An emergency toolkit in the car is a legal obligation, but some drivers choose to live on the edge – do not live on the edge, especially if you are planning a long road trip. Also, if you can, have spare keys – heavens forbid you should lock yourself out of your car two states away from home?

Travel games for kids and adults

If you’re traveling with your children, make sure to bring a Frisbee or another toy they could play outside with when you pull over for a breather. An in-car source of entertainment could be based off of those popular DIY fun kits, but parents on the go could simply bring along a laptop or audiobooks to help them pass the time while your eyes are on the road. Just make sure to have something to charge batteries with, such as an electricity power inverter.

If this is an “adults only” sort of trip, it gets easier. Ward off boredom with road trip games. Also, it’s not a trip without a camera, and phones today come not only with great cameras, but also fun montage tools, so make the most of your trip, visually.

Keep Close at All Times

Bring enough comfortable clothes, depending on the length of your trip. Don’t over pack however, clothes can easily take over your entire trunk. Instead, think about bringing just a couple of versatile clothing pieces that you can rotate around into several outfits. Of course, blankets, and pillows are your only hope against cold nights and a sore neck. Tactically place toiletries such as paper towels and hand sanitizer around the car, and keep your first aid kit within reach. Hopefully you will never need it.

As for food, you can’t guarantee you will run into rest stops as often as you need them. Other than that, consider how much more expensive food bought at rest stops is. You’d be throwing a lot of money away. Instead, make sure to pack plenty of snacks and food which you can easily prepare on the spot. Consider fruits and raw vegetables as refreshment, as well as enough bottled water for every member of the company.

The Tune of the Trip

We grew up watching road trips on TV, to the sound of ZZ Top, and now we have particular expectations out of the road. Create a road trip music playlist, and have it available on either Spotify, iPod or a CD, depending on the format your car audio system works with. Pack some classical tunes that work with everybody in the car in order to make sure no one’s down during the trip.

Finally, if you’re really into gadgets and apps, download some travel application on your phone or tablet, and create a custom maps for your journey, full of sights you should stop by. You’re now ready.

Pack your bags and go!