Road trips are one of the best ways to bond with family and friends. Not only does it allow you to spend more time with the people you love, but it allows you to create memorable experiences that you can look back on in the future. In fact, road trips are a popular way to travel during these uncertain times.
Despite some people dreading spending long hours in the car, you can easily make trips more fun if you know how to plan well and get creative. Doing this can help make your trip more memorable by letting you experience new sights, food, people, and even culture. Don’t let your next road trip be a snooze fest, and transform your simple trip into an exciting adventure with these helpful travel tips.
Plan Ahead
Like with any activity you do, planning is one of the most important steps. Not only does it help you keep track of everything you need to bring and do on your trip, but it also helps avoid confusion and fights caused by inefficient planning. Since you’ll be spending most if not all your time with a group of people in an enclosed space, a big fight is the last thing you want during the trip. If even one person isn’t on the same page with everyone else, it can create a recipe for disaster that can last until the end of the trip, turning even the closest friends into enemies.
Whether you plan to go on a week-long road trip or are just spending a couple of nights in a new place, make sure that everyone involved in the trip agrees with the plan from what time you’re leaving for your destination, all the way to what time you’ll be going back home.
It also helps to plan out your budget for the trip in terms of food, tourist spots, accommodation, and even gas. It’s important to let everyone know what to expect upfront so that you can avoid any big disagreements and fights during the trip.
In addition to this, it’s important to plan out rest stops that allow everyone to take a short stretch break and helps the driver from getting tired. If it’s possible, try to assign different people to take turns with the designated driver.
Curate the Perfect Playlist for Your Trip
Fumbling with your phone to switch between songs during the trip can not only distract the driver but also ruin the mood. Get everyone involved in the trip together to decide the songs they want to hear in the car beforehand. Once everyone has had their say, add all the songs to make your trip into a mini-party.
It’s also important to remember that you’re likely to come across areas without any reception, which can lead to awkward silences if your playlists aren’t saved to your phone. Music apps like Spotify allow you to save music for offline listening and will help you avoid any awkward silences.
Bring a Snack (or Three)
While you’re out on the road, you or your companies are likely to end up hungry. If you’re still a ways away from a truck stop, however, this can be a problem. To avoid hunger-induced arguments, bring snacks that everyone can munch on while making your way to the next truck stop.
You can also encourage everyone to bring their own snacks to avoid sharing.
Go Food Hopping
One of the best things about visiting a new place is trying out the different food spots. Each state and city tends to have its specialty dish, and whether you’re looking for a restaurant that serves pizza or a shop that sells specially curated drinks, the best way to find popular food joints and hidden gems is by asking the locals. They know the best places to go, eat, and have fun and are more reliable than any review you can find online.
Stick to Your Schedule, but Be Prepared for Surprises
Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, it’s important to stick to a schedule so you can experience as much as you can despite the short amount of time. However, don’t be so strict with the schedule that it makes you miss out on attractions and experiences that you’ll regret not visiting later on.
Go Off the Beaten Path
Visiting the top-rated tourist spots is a must for those visiting a new city, state, or country for the first time, but the real adventure starts when you try something new. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants, roadside attractions, and out-of-the-box activities will surely help make your trip memorable.
With the summer months approaching, there’s no better time to start planning your summer road trip with friends and family. Make use of these tips while you do so and make your next summer road trip the most memorable it can be.
