You want to take a road trip but you don't really know how do you go about it? How to plan your trip before departure? What should you plan for? What will be really important? Today, I share with you all our advice for organize an unforgettable road trip from A to Z.
Want to take a road trip? But where?
A road trip, it's a traveling tripwhere we change accommodation every day (or almost). With this type of trip, we will be able to connect multiple points of interest between them and tour a region or a country.
A road trip is a great way to travel if you would like to see a multitude of different landscapes or discover an entire destination in a short time. Additionally, the road trip makes you dream travelers because it brings great feeling of freedom. It invites discussion, reflection… So much so that we have even created films on this theme: road movies!
Of course, there are legendary road trip that everyone dreams of doing: a road trip in the USA For example. However, from many destinations can lend themselves to this type of trip, even in Europe.
So, before choosing where to goit will be necessary to know with what vehicle you plan to travel. Indeed, it is possible to take a road trip by car, by motorbike, camper van or even van. This choice will be made according to your desires, the weather, your need for comfort and of course your budget.
To inspire you, here are some road trip items that we wrote:
Target the different points of interest on your road trip
The first step for organize a road trip will be about determining the places you want to see. For example, if you dream of a trip to the American West, start by note the points of interest that you really want to discover: The Grand Canyon? Route 66? Discover the excess of Las Vegas? Bryce Canyon?
However, if you do not have no ideas yet on the points of interest of your destination, you can start research and find the places that inspire you. On the internet, you will find many blogs which detail road trip itineraries. You can also opt for a paper guide to give you ideas.
Next, you will have to sort through your ideas. Indeed, you may not be able to experience everything in one trip. So, you will have to make choices based on distance and the length of your stay. Keep in mind thatit's better to see less, but enjoy fully, rather than wanting to discover everything and finding yourself running.
Then you will have to make these steps coincide with the duration of your trip. How long will you be gone? One, two or three weeks?
To help you, you can use Google Maps to calculate the travel time between each stage. You will also need to ask yourself a few questions: Are there any hotels nearby? What are the traffic conditions at the time of your trip? Could the weather slow you down? Then, with this information in mind, you can create a first draft of your schedule.
To do this, here are some additional tips.
Tips for a perfect itinerary:
First of all, the first day, it is often preferable to stay in town. This will allow you to acclimatize, calmly get to grips with your vehicle and recover from jet lag and/or theft. Additionally, imagine your flight is delayed or leaves a day later than expected. This setback would call into question the entire organization of your trip. It is therefore better to play it safe to leave peacefully. The next morning, the road trip can begin.
Furthermore, you may be wondering how many hours of driving to plan during your road trip? Indeed, before your departure, it is advisable to give you maximum travel time per day. This time will depend on number of driversroad quality and conditions.
For example, in the United States and Iceland, the roads are straight and there is little traffic. Thus, it is possible to do 4 hours of driving in one day without feeling too tired. However, it's not the same if you're planning a road trip in France or Europe. There will be more traffic, no more bifurcations and it can turn out to be more stressful and tiring. Instead, you will need to allow a maximum of 2 hours of driving per day.
Therefore, the ideal is to plan between 1 to 4 hours of driving each day depending on your destination.
Taking a road trip: determining your budget
For some, this will be the first criterion for organizing a road trip. Indeed, it is preferable to find out in advance about the prices for your destination. For example, did you know that'in Iceland, a hotel costs at least 100 euros per night and a car rental often costs 100 euros per day? In the USA, on the other hand, if hotel rates are sometimes high, gasoline costs less than in France.
Also think about your food budget. How will you eat on the road? Restaurants? Snack?
Likewise, look if there are tolls in the destination where you are going. They are numerous in Greece And absent in Finland and the Netherlands. Also find out about the price of activities and national parks. This will give you a good idea of the budget to plan. It also happens that the prices are more expensive from one region to another, so don't hesitate to compare.
Our advice for a successful road trip
Furthermore, to organize a pleasant road trip, how you are going to organize your day is important.
The road is part of the road trip, it's true. But he is not no question of just doing the road. Indeed, you will want to enjoy places of interest, visit cities and national parks… So, preferably, it will be better drive in the evening, after your activities. This will allow you to get as close as possible to the point of interest to visit the next day and get there as soon as possible. This way, other travelers will not yet be on the scene and you will be in good shape to take advantage of it.
However, avoid plan too much driving in the evening, if you are planning a long hike before for example.
The ideal will therefore be to make a hour drive in the morning maximum and see according to your days the number of hours of driving possible in the evening.
Accommodation, fuel: other useful tips!
On the other hand, to have a stress-free road trip, it will be preferable to book your accommodation in advance. The height of freedom is of course not to plan too much where you are going. But if this is your first road trip, you'll be happy and reassured to know where to sleep at the end of your day. Without forgetting that this option is often more economical.
Furthermore, do not forget thata good road trip is shared! In fact, going with several people will allow you to divide the travel time, but also the costs of your trip.
Finally, think about your fuel reserves. Sometimes you will be recommended to go with a can of gasoline in your car. In some countries this can be useful, but most of the time, it is not essential. Furthermore, if you venture out on a road without station for several hundred kilometers, a sign will inform you of this. However, the ideal will always be refuel when you pass a gas station.
Likewise, it will be necessary to have enough water and food with you at all times. Indeed, you may not find a store for several hours (or even get lost). These reserves will therefore allow you to be more peaceful during your trip.
Organizing a road trip: what do you absolutely need to bring?
- Music: after hours of listening to the local radio, you will dream of being able to listen to your own music. A good way to get yourself in the mood“road trip atmosphere”.
- A GPS: Sometimes provided by your rental company car, it can be useful if you do not have an internet connection. However, you can also take your own or road maps to help you.
- Plans : before your trip, you can download plans offline of your destination on Google Maps. This will allow you to find your way, even in airplane mode.
- Applications: add a GPS application, a travel guide or even the application that manages your accommodation reservations to your mobile.
- What to picnic : it can be useful to bring or buy a cooler, cutlery and containers so that you can carry food and water.
You now have all the cards in hand to organize a memorable road trip. Freedom is yours on your next trip! So, will you tell us where you are going?
