Road Trip Planning
December 28th, 2009 by Jonathan Asher, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Road trips are a cool way to get around your own country and see all sorts of new things. They’re also fantastic for exploring new countries too. You can do a bit of road trip planning, get behind the wheel and get started with your own awesome tour; you’ll see all sorts of things that others won’t because you’re travelling independently.
I advise a minimalist approach when it comes to planning a road trip. You obviously need a little structure, but the fun is really in the random things you find along the way. By deciding only your final destination and the amount of time you have to get there, you open yourself up for all sorts of possibilities (and save yourself a crazy sprint at the end of your road trip).
Food and drink … the all important road trip snacks!!! The one thing we all eat is high-sugar sweets and drinks, but those sugar highs are followed by deep sugar lows, so it’s wise to eat lollies in moderation. Try to spot fresh fruit sellers on the side of the road or stock up from a supermarket or farmers market. Remember to take a plastic bag to act as a rubbish bin; don’t throw things from the car and pollute for those that follow.
Like sugar in sweets, caffeine and sugar in your drinks are a big problem … especially since the caffeine means you need more toilet breaks. Try to get by on water and fruit juice as much as possible. In the long-run it’ll keep you more alert and safer. That said, I always make use of coffee stops to grab a quick shot … I’m too much of an addict not to.
In terms of budget and fun, the more the merrier. This isn’t always true in terms of comfort though! Four or five people can be a bit of a stretch, so a group of three or four is the perfect match of splitting costs and sharing space. It’s always nice to be able to lean on someone’s shoulder and fall asleep in the back seat.
With more people comes more agendas and, sadly, you can seldom keep everyone happy all the time. Allow everyone to choose one non-negotiable activity and work with those to plan your route. If everyone has their one must-see or must-do activity included, then everything else is an awesome bonus. Make sure you don’t plan in every stop and every place beforehand — crazy stops and weird road side attractions are what makes road trips so much fun.
Looking to find the best information on road trip planning, then visit Indie Travel Podcast to find great tips and a free online travel magazine for download.
