Road trips are a classic form of travel, but personally not something I do often. I much prefer kicking back on a plane and being flown to my destination. However, when coronavirus hit and traveling by plane felt a bit risky, my wanderlusting self needed to find a new form of transportation. This summer and fall, and into the foreseeable future, I am planning all my trips old school; I am packing up the car with way more than I need, loading the front seat with all my favorite snacks, and hitting the road.
Here are some things I have learned while planning my recent road trips.
Will you take your own car or rent one?
This was a big discussion when I planned my most recent trip to Ellijay, GA . We were traveling with four girls and meeting two more at our destination. Although we all drive mid-size SUVs, none of us wanted the burden of adding miles to our cars or taking them through the woods. We decided to split the cost of a rental car and add as many names as we could to the drivers’ list.
If you do opt to rent a car, these rental car companies often run specials and are worth looking into: Thrifty, Dollar Rent-a-Car and Fox.
- Tip: Most of the time, you can get upgraded to a larger or nicer car at pickup. Just be sure to ask. Most upgrades are free and a great way to get more for your money. Also, when adding multiple drivers to a reservation, all drivers will need to be there with their ID to pick up the vehicle.
Plan your route and save your directions.
This is extremely important if you are traveling somewhere that may not have great cell service. Although printing out directions on a map is old school, it will come in handy if your GPS loses signal during your drive. I personally screenshot all my direction and save them onto my phone as a backup.
Prearrange your overnight stops.
If you are taking a multi-day road trip, it is best to preplan your overnight stops. Make sure to make lodging reservations ahead of time so you aren’t scrambling to find a last minute room while you are exhausted from driving all day.
- Tip: When I take multi-day road trips, I like to plan my overnight stops at interesting places I haven’t been before. Although this adds a little time to my drive time, I find it is well worth it to make my drive seem like part of my vacation. Last time I went to Asheville, North Carolina, I spent the night in Savannah, Georgia. We planned our drive time so we would have an afternoon and evening to enjoy the city. It was the perfect break from driving and way better than staying at a hotel right off the highway.
Pack Smart.
Loading up the car for a road trip is like playing a game of Tetris. Be mindful of where you place things in the car. Make sure not to bury the snacks or a cooler because these are things you will want easily accessible during your drive. If you do have an overnight stay, plan to pack an overnight bag. This way you don’t need to unpack the entire car for a one night stay.
Plan to Stop.
As much as we like to think we can match or beat our GPS’ ETA, know that this is highly unlikely. Plan to make stops to use the restroom, stretch your legs, and grab a bite to eat. What I have learned the most on road trips, especially when planning for food, is to plan an hour ahead of time. Not every road trip will have convenient exits with food right when you are hungry. So, plan ahead of time and see what is close to your route. Try to avoid having to travel far off an exit to eat as this just adds more total time to your trip.
Check out Katie’s blog post with tips for road tripping while pregnant!