Road trips are becoming more and more popular, due to the many benefits they bring. Not only are you able to see multiple destinations, but you also get to try something new and spend more time with your loved ones. By taking on a road trip you will get to see a lot more of a country, seeing many things you will have never seen had you not been driving in a car.
Before going on your adventure, it is important you prepare everything in advance making it less stressful but also giving you the chance to get excited. Planning your playlist is great fun, so is packing and going to the shop to get all your snacks for the journey.
Whether you are travelling abroad to Portugal, or traveling at home, below we have put together 10 tips to help prepare you for your road trip.
Pack Comfortable Clothing
Of course, this will be extremely fun, but with there being long hours in the car, you want to make sure you are comfortable. Relaxing, stretchy trousers are a must, and so is an oversized jumper, you can also buy affordable custom jeans online – you don’t need to look glamorous whilst on the road. You also want to plan and pack clothing for the different activities that you will be doing in the different destinations. If there are any particular hotels or restaurants that you are visiting, check for a dress code.
Music Playlist
One of the most important things to think about for your road trip, is the music. Before going, make sure you put together an amazing playlist with all your favorite music on it. At times, your trip may get a little tedious as you are nearing your destination, but then suddenly a well known song will come on from your playlist and get the car going again, singing along and getting excited. The easiest way to put a playlist together is by using an app like Spotify and getting everyone on the journey to add songs to it.
Plan Your Stops
From a safety aspect, it’s important that you are getting regular breaks when driving. Driving long distances can make you feel sleepy, so it’s important you have a break, drink of coffee, some food and then continue your journey. By planning your stops in advance, you can find the best places to visit when having your break. Maybe it’s your favorite restaurant to break the journey up, or find a site that you can see on the way. If the people joining you on the road trip enjoy driving, you can always rotate around at this point to give yourself a break.
Breakdown Cover
It’s boring but very important to have. Before going check that you have the correct breakdown cover and that it’s covered in the country you are doing the road trip in. Should something unfortunate happen and your car breakdown, breakdown cover could be the thing that saves the trip and stops you from being stranded. It’s always a good idea to get all the details that you would need if you need breakdown and keep them in a safe place in the car should you need them.
Drinks and Snacks
Make sure you visit the supermarket a day or two before your road trip and buy all your favorite snacks and some non-alcoholic drinks. Chances are you are going to be in the car for a long sustained period of time, so having a drink to keep you hydrated is important. Plus, it’s your breakaway so you can treat yourself to your favorite sweets. As well as sweets, you may want to pack some sandwiches or something more substantial incase you travel during lunch or dinner hours. Chewing gum is a great option to keep yourself more awake whilst driving.
Give Your Car A Clean
Before your journey make sure you give the outside of your car a good clean and the inside a good hoover. Why not look into purchasing some custom car air fresheners ready for the journey. These can be designed specially for you and will give you a nice smell to enjoy during your road trip. If you are busy, you could always look at taking your car to a car wash so that you don’t have to do it yourself, and it’s done professionally.
Go the extra mile, and get your vehicle fitted with new seat covers, floor mats, and other car accessories to freshen it up. Your ride will look spick-and-span and be much more comfortable to drive or ride in.
Anticipate Difficult Parts Of The Journey
Before you start your journey, do some research on the different roads that you will be driving on. It may be that you are going to be driving through rush hour and need to factor this in, or that you will drive past a particular busy airport that will be difficult to maneuver and slow you down. The more you are prepared for the journey the easier it will be and the less stressed you will be on the day. By anticipating your journey you can also plan to move to move things around, by being flexible you can try and avoid certain things that you may not have thought of initially.
Check Your Vehicles Conditions
Another one for the safety of your journey, on the day before make sure you give your car the once over and check everything is working correctly and is legal. Things to consider are your tire pressure, tread depth (The legal limit is 2/32 of an inch), your oil levels, engine coolant, lights are working correctly and your washer fluid amongst other things. If anything isn’t working, by checking the day before you have enough time to pop to your local garage and purchase the replacement bits. The last thing you want to do is drive your vehicle knowing that you may run out of windscreen fluid, or that your tyres are nearly below the legal limit. Plus, if you get stopped and they notice, you could get fined.
Check Weather Conditions
A quick check of the weather conditions a day before can be really useful. By doing so you can prepare for any bad weather spots during your journey. If the weather is particularly bad, you could delay leaving time to avoid it or go the day after. If you do have to drive and the weather isn’t it’s best, make sure you take it slow and be careful on the roads – especially of the unexpected.
Book Yourself Into The Attractions
If you know there are certain places you want to visit and see on your journey, then it’s a good idea to book these in advance. This way you avoid the potential of it being fully booked and you not getting to see it when you arrive. It may be that some of your ideas have to be booked in advance and that you can’t get in on the day because they are so popular.
Overall, the best advice we can give you is to plan everything in advance and be as organised as possible. The more research you do, the less stressful the journey will be and you can enjoy the journey knowing everything is planned. Road trips are great fun and a great way to see multiple destinations.
Are you planning on going on a road trip anytime soon? Where are you planning on going? Have you been on one before and what was your favorite thing about it? Let us know in the comment box below, we would love to hear from you.
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