Hit The Open Road With These 21 Road Trip Tips
The call of the open road lures millions of road-trippers each year. Once you’ve taken an amazing road trip, you’ll understand why so many people opt to drive to their destination than fly. While flying may get you from point A to point B quickly, the downside is not seeing the captivating scenery of America’s landscapes. Road trips are the perfect way to view America’s natural beauty! Keep reading for 21 road trip tips to help you plan your perfect road trip.
Plan your perfect road trip with these 21 Road Trip Tips:
- Research routes, roadside attractions and hotels or campgrounds prior to your road trip. Determine your destination, how many miles to drive and how long you want to be in your car each day.
- Have a rough itinerary but be flexible.
- Make a list prior to your trip and check it off so you don’t forget anything. Include a packing list (clothes, toiletries, etc.), car safety items, beverages and snacks, electronics (don’t forget your phone charger!) and prepare your house for your absence (close blinds, turn-on lights, stop your mail or have a neighbor collect your mail, etc.).
- Prior to your road trip check your vehicle’s oil, tire pressure, wiper blades, brakes, spare tire, air-conditioning and wiper, radiator and transmission fluids. Also clean your car’s interior and wash the exterior to start your road trip with a clean slate.
- Start your trip with a full tank of gas and fuel up at your local Marathon station.
- Pack a First-Aid Kit. Include bandages, gauze, tape, pain reliever, motion sickness meds, upset stomach meds, and allergy meds. (I learned my lesson during a road trip through South Dakota, at one of our pit-stops a bug stung me causing a huge welt and hives. We had to make an unexpected stop to a pharmacy to find antihistamines. Now I always include allergy meds in my first-aid kit.)
- Make sure your car has a set of Jumper cables, a flashlight, spare tire kit, ice scraper for winter destinations, a few towels and small tool kit.
- Determine your navigation style. Do you prefer using GPS on your car or Google maps on your cell phone? Just in case GPS signal is lost, it’s always a good idea to pack an atlas or map.
- Keep loose coins for toll roads and parking.
- Wear comfortable clothing and slip on/off shoes.
- Take a blanket, pillow and dress in layers to make your ride more comfortable (I’m always freezing when road-tripping with my husband, so I wear layers and snuggle under a blanket).
- Be organized and pack the most needed items in reusable bags and place within easy reach. I typically pack one reusable bag with trash bags, grocery bags, paper towels, utensils, plates etc. and pack another bag with snacks.
- Purchase beverages and snacks prior to your trip. Choose healthy snacks like granola or protein bars, trail mix and cheese/meat pairings and allow yourself to have one non-healthy snack (we always take peanut M&M’s as our sweet treat). Keep water and beverages in a cooler and refill the ice at your hotel.
- It can be frustrating when you drive through rural or mountainous areas with limited or no radio station signals. Create a road trip playlist or purchase satellite radio for uninterrupted road trip tunes.
- Pack books and magazines and/or play car games like the license plate game, I-spy or road trip mad libs to combat boredom.
- Drive during the day to stay awake and alert.
- Avoid driving in rush hour.
- Set your cruise control and drive at a consistent speed to get better gas mileage.
- Take several breaks.
- If you see something along your driving route that peaks your interest, stop. Some of the best roadside attractions are the ones you just happen to stumble upon!
- Snap photos and make lots of memories!
At Marathon your miles have meaning and they want you to make the most of every mile you drive. Visit their website for road trip games, travel snack recipes and inspiration for your next road trip. Hope the above 21 road trip tips will help you plan your perfect road trip. Safe travels!
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This post was sponsored by Marathon. As always on Ohio Girl Travels, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
Those are all great tips. The one thing I forgot to put in my car before a recent road trip was the tire pump, you know plugs into the old cigarette lighter/power port. Fortunately I had no problems but it would suck to get up in the morning and discover a flat tire.
As for the sweepstakes, apparently Marathon, iHeartCountry, and Jake Owen hate Canadians. If you’re north of the 49th parallel, you’re out of luck.