There are so many people opting for the opportunity to fly places these days instead of taking their car, you’d probably be forgiven for thinking that the classic American road trip is a bygone concept. However, that’s not actually true. While it does seem like road trips are less common today when it comes to cross-country exploration, statistics suggest that people are constantly taking to the roads when it comes to planning for things like last-minute vacations and family visits.
Since airline travel and customer service isn’t as great as it used to be these days, it makes sense that more people are beginning to consider the different ways they can explore the beauty of America, as huge and wonderful as it is. With that in mind, we’re going to look at some simple tips for road tripping across America.
-
Clean your Car
First things first, it may not seem like a big deal to clean out your car before a road-trip. However, if you don’t end up feeling sick of all the wrappers and empty cola-cans on the floor of your car a day or so into your trip, you can be sure your friends and family will end up tearing you apart for it. Eventually, depending on how long your trip lasts, the smell of old food and drinks will start to get to you, and you’ll wish you had taken the time to run a quick vacuum around your car before you started out.
-
Have a basic plan
To be successful in your road trip, you don’t have to necessarily plan every aspect of your experience, but you should have a basic plan in place. Delays happen, and the chances are you’ll need to make adaptations to your plan somewhere along the way. However, you can have a general idea of what you should be doing, just so you don’t end up going completely off track. If you end up over-scheduling yourself, then you’re just going to end up being frustrated.
-
Make sure your vehicle is ready to go
About a week before you set out for your big adventure, you should have your mechanic look over the basics of your vehicle, including fluid levels, brakes, tires, and anything else that you can count on to cause some kind of problem. Make sure you fully inflate your spare tire, and take something along with you that’s going to help if you have a breakdown, such as a tire inflator. When it comes to the great road trip, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
-
Stay off the Highways
Unless you have a strict schedule and a specific destination in mind, then you’re going to need to spend some time on the back roads if you really want to get the most out of your American adventure. Most US road maps will be able to give you an insight into where the best back roads are, and you’ll find that some maps even include various dots and notes that will help you find the most scenic routes too. Alternatively, you could always do some searching online to see whether you can find any extra places to check out along the road to your chosen destination.
-
Be prepped with entertainment
Finally, if you’re going to be sharing your driving experience with other people, which is probably a good idea if you’re planning a long trip, you need entertainment. During those times when you need to sit back and relax when someone takes over the wheel, or if you want to listen to some music along the drive, you’re going to need to have a phone or entertainment device handy that’s ready to offer you all of the amusement you could possibly need. Remember that you can get portable chargers that plug into a port in your car to ensure that you stay charged along the way.
The Great American Road Trip
The great American road trip can be an incredible experience if you know how to do it right. The best thing that you can do is simply make sure that you’re fully prepared for the adventure that lies ahead. Following the tips that we outlined above, you should be equipped with all the spare tools and extra entertainment you need to make your time on the US roads as incredible as possible.
