Whether you’re American or a foreigner, heading on a great American road trip is a right of passage, or at least a travel dream for many. Once you’ve figured out where you’re going, or found cheap hotels in Denver or New York, the next thing you’ll need to do is start planning the logistics of your trip. America is large, and can be quite daunting for one trip, so many people choose to focus on a few key cities that interest them. Planning a road trip can be a lot of work and can be a little stressful, especially if your trip is going to be a long one. Using these tips for the great American road trip will help ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible, so you can focus on enjoying your adventure:
1) Have a Loose Plan
We say loose plan, because it’s important to allow some flexibility in your itinerary, so if you find somewhere you love you can stay a little longer and if you find somewhere you don’t like, you can move on. If you have a rigid plan, then you might get stuck in places you’re not happy and have to leave others too early. Having some sort of a plan means you can sort out cheap accommodation in advance and you can calculate your budget more easily, but allowing some breathing room will ensure you really enjoy your trip.
2) Enjoy the Backroads
While highways are great for getting somewhere directly, the back roads are where you’ll see the real America. Take some time to take the long way, stopping off in small towns and observing rural America. Watch out for the “Blue Highways” which are basically long strips of Malls, and really don’t offer much in the way of getting a feel for America, unless you’re looking to shop. Taking the scenic routes will provide much better scenery, and be a worthwhile cost for taking a bit longer.
3) Share the Driving
It’s important when you’re taking a road trip, to make an effort to share the driving. America is huge, and many people elect to travel substantial distances on their trips, so sharing the driving can ensure whoever is driving is fresh enough to do so safely. If only one person is interested in driving, make sure your plan enough pit stops so they can feel properly refreshed.
4) Use an App
You can get Apps for almost anything these days, but consider downloading an App to measure fuel efficiency. You can log any fuel stops you do and how far you get for each tank and it will calculate your mileage per gallon. This can be especially useful if you’re looking to estimate how much the rest of your trip will cost in petrol.
5) Always Keep Safety In Mind!
No unsafe road trip will be as enjoyable as a safe road trip, that much is clear. Having the car carefully checked and maintained before you head off, keeping the contact info for a car accident lawyer to hand, and making sure your guests know the ground rules, including not overly blasting music from your car speakers (even if you have curated the perfect playlist) is essential.