Exploring the world overland is an incredibly liberating method of travel. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway, a weeklong escapade, or a cross-country endeavor, planning your road trip ensures you’ll make the most out of your excursion. Read on for some carefully curated advice on how to plan a road trip so that you roll seamlessly and safely from one unforgettable destination to the next.
1. High-Level Planning
To plan a fulfilling road trip, you first need to understand what you want to get out of your time on the road. Do you want to explore nature or visit cities? Do you want a busy schedule or a slower pace of travel? Is it more about the destination, or is the journey of equal importance? In answering these fundamental questions, you’ll more easily be able to put together the skeleton of your route, timescale, and key destinations.
Key Tips:
- Research the places that interest you, but be sure to go beyond a quick Google search. It is important to check opening dates/times, the price of admission, and the distance from other places on your route. The more you know now, the less stress you’ll feel on the road, and the less likely you’ll be to experience any disappointment along the way.
- Use Google Maps or road trip planning apps to map your journey. Ensure you check distances between your points of interest and plan for delays. This will ensure your trip flows smoothly. Be considerate of the time you have as well, because if things take longer than expected, you’ll feel frustrated when you are forced to cut corners.
- Consider a theme for your trip (historical landmarks, food destinations, or national parks), but sometimes a well-rounded trip is more fulfilling. With a variety of activities scheduled, each day will feel like three days, ensuring you really make the most of your time on the road.
2. Budgeting
Setting a budget is another critical element of your road trip planning. Expenses can accumulate quickly, so you should make a rough estimate of costs and account for a generous buffer. You may think you’ll avoid unnecessary expenses, but only those with the strongest willpower can avoid every temptation. Anyhow, road trips are meant to be fun, so the bigger the buffer, the less guilty you’ll feel when you spend more than you intended.
Costs to Consider:
- Fuel: Calculate the mileage and estimate the fuel costs. Be generous though; the direct route may give one figure, but it’s the small additional journeys to the shops and the unexpected detours that take you by surprise.
- Accommodation: Will you stay in hotels, campgrounds, or wild camp in your vehicle?
- Food: Guess what you’ll spend on groceries, meals out, and snacks for the road. Again, it’s the spontaneous ice cream and much-needed coffees that will catch you out.
- Activities: Entry fees, tours, and equipment rentals. Another more subtle cost can be parking!
- Emergency Fund: In addition to your buffer, consider accounting for any vehicle repairs. The longer or more adventurous your road trip, the more likely you are to have something go wrong.
3. Pick the Correct Vehicle
Your choice of vehicle is the cornerstone of your road trip. If you’re renting a vehicle, consider your budget and explore models that offer a balance of cost and suitability. Likewise, if you’re looking to buy a vehicle, the same considerations should be made.
Key Considerations:
- Space: Can you comfortably fit the passengers, clothing, and outdoor equipment?
- Fuel Efficiency: Fuel is usually one of the biggest costs of a road trip, so the less thirsty your vehicle is, the cheaper your trip will be.
- Road Conditions: If you’re exploring a road that is less traveled, consider a 4x4 and definitely pick a vehicle with a high clearance.
- Maintenance: When was your vehicle last serviced? Check the tires, brakes, oil, and coolant. For longer trips, it could be worth packing some of the parts most likely to need replacing (fuses, tire repair kit, bulbs, brake pads).
Pro Tip: Renting is also a great option if you want to try a variety of vehicles before committing to a purchase.
4. Pack Efficiently
Packing is another key component of your road trip planning. It can make all the difference to your overall experience. The key is to pack light because small spaces can get messy quickly, and more weight will reduce your fuel efficiency. Yet, you should ensure you have everything you’ll need.
Essential Items:
- Clothing: Versatile clothing takes precedence. While on the road, you’re likely to re-wear clothing more than you would at home, so ensure you don’t overpack.
- Snacks and Drinks: Bring both healthy foods and treats that will keep spirits high as the road trip gets demanding. Bring plenty of water.
- Navigation: A physical map is a great backup to a GPS or phone.
- Emergency Kit: First-aid kit, torch, spare tire, jump leads, and basic tools for minor maintenance.
- Entertainment: Download your favorite road trip playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks.
- Power Unit: A portable power unit like the BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 could be a key component of your road trip by ensuring that all the devices you rely on continue to work throughout your trip.
Pro Tip: Packing cubes are incredibly useful for organizing your clothes and allowing easy access to them while on the road.
5. Detailed Planning
With the first step in this article, you should have a general idea of where you’re going, what you’re doing, and how long it will take. Some people like to leave it at that, letting the details figure themselves out. For those who don’t, this step is for you. Furthermore, the stops between each destination are what makes road trips so exciting.
Stops to Consider:
- Scenic Viewpoints: Research picturesque spots along the way. These can be great for breaking up the driving and taking your eyes off the road for a minute.
- Local Attractions: These may not be at the top of your list of things to do, but sometimes it’s fun to find quirky roadside attractions, museums, or landmarks. The unexpected attractions can often be the highlight of the road trip.
- Breaks: Plan a rest stop for every two or three hours. If you’re in an area where fuel is scarce, make sure you know where you’ll be able to top up.
- Overnight Stops: Some campsites or other accommodations may need to be booked in advance during peak seasons.
6. Stay Flexible
While it’s important to have a plan, the beauty of road trips is the spontaneity. Avoid overscheduling to allow yourself to take on local recommendations or avoid the bad weather.
7. Safety First
Safety is paramount. Planning your road trip can prevent minor inconveniences from becoming major setbacks.
Safety Checklist:
- Check your vehicle’s registration and insurance are valid.
- Check the rules of the road for any destination where these may differ from what you’re used to.
- Check the weather forecast.
- Share your itinerary with a friend or family member so they know where you are.
- Pack a portable power station and make sure it’s fully charged. This way, if something goes wrong and you find yourself waiting for a mechanic to come to your rescue, you can keep all the devices you rely on fully charged and ready to assist you wherever you are. Whether that’s watching DIY videos on YouTube, making yourself a cup of tea to ease the situation, or playing games to pass the time, the portable power unit will ensure you never feel totally helpless.
8. Environmental Impact
Being environmentally conscious on your road trip helps protect what you’re exploring, as well as ensuring that others can continue to follow in your footsteps and tire tracks for years to come.
Eco-Friendly Tips:
- Take refillable water bottles and generally try to avoid single-use plastics.
- Responsibly dispose of all your waste and always recycle when possible.
- Reduce your impact on the environment by sticking to the trails; this will minimize erosion and protect vulnerable habitats.
- Learn how to handle encounters with wildlife and avoid intentional disturbances.
- Use a solar charger to top up your eco-friendly portable power station instead of utilizing a generator.
- To take this one step further, you could even offset any carbon emissions through reputable programs.
9. Capture the Journey
Your road trip will be loaded with memorable moments that you will treasure forever. For this reason, journaling throughout the trip and photographing your journey will create valuable memories that you can share with your family and friends, reflect upon, and look back and remember for years to come.
10. Portable Power Unit
One last recommendation that will conclude this list of tips on how to plan a road trip is to bring a portable power unit such as the BLUETTI Elite 200 V2. The compact bit of technology is a useful tool that will enhance your experience on the road and act as a backup for when a situation takes a turn for the worse, and therefore provides added peace of mind by doing the following:
- The unit will ensure your devices are always charged.
- With a fully charged phone, you can always contact your vehicle rental company, insurance provider, or, God forbid, a mechanic or towing company.
- With a power system, you can utilize an internet device and continue your road trip planning while on the go.
- Bring a kettle, espresso machine, or electric stove. One way to reduce the amount you spend on tea, coffee, snacks, and food is to cook your own. Plug your device into your portable power unit and enjoy a quick brew or tasty meal from an incredible viewpoint—the quintessential of any road trip.
- Never miss a moment by ensuring your camera is always ready to go!
Pro Tip: If you bring a portable power unit and find you’re using it consistently, consider bringing the BLUETTI Charger 1 to ensure the power unit can perform in any way it is required to.
Conclusion
A well-planned road trip provides the optimal balance of adventure and freedom. By defining your expectations, budgeting carefully, and remaining flexible, you’ll be sure to have the time of your life. So, pack up your vehicle, hit the road, and enjoy the ride!
