Road trips offer countless amazing benefits. This includes the ultimate freedom to explore a new destination and enjoy everything that the area has to offer. To help you organize the perfect getaway, here’s a 5-step guide to planning a road trip.
Step 1: Choose a route
The first step to planning any road trip is to determine your destination and travel route. You may decide to do a road trip in your home country; or, you could fly to an entirely new destination and do a road trip once you arrive. Fortunately, you can find many resources online giving advice and guidance on the best road trip routes. Some of the most famous road trips in the world include Route 66 in American, Ticlio Pass in Peru, The Great Ocean Road in Australia, and Route 62 in South Africa.
Step 2: Arrange car hire
If you are traveling to a new destination to start your road trip, then it’s likely that you will need to hire a car. It is advisable to book your car rental in advance to secure the best deals and ensure that you get a vehicle that meets your specific needs. For instance, you will require a 4×4 vehicle is you are planning on traveling on unsealed roads. Luckily, there are many rental companies offering car rental services that you can book in advance. For instance, Advantage Rental Car provides quality and affordable car hire at various destinations all around the world. You can easily reserve your chosen vehicle, then pick it up once you arrive at your destination.
Step 3: Research the area
Once you have your route and vehicle sorted, you need to start researching the area so that you make a list of all the places you want to visit. Remember to factor plenty of fun rest stops into your road trip to give you a much-needed break from driving. Again, it’s important to book any activities and tours in advance as tickets may have sold out once you arrive. Doing plenty of research beforehand will help ensure that your road trip runs smoothly and will allow you to get the most out of your trip.
Step 4: Plan in-car entertainment
When you’re spending long hours driving, it’s essential to have things to keep you alert and entertained on the road. Make your journey fun by listening to music or playing exciting in-car games. Make sure that you also pack plenty of healthy snacks and water before you head off. Doing this should also save you money as you won’t be forced to purchase expensive food and drink at roadside stops.
Step 5: Create a road trip budget
The final step is to create a road trip budget. This will help you manage your finances and determine the total cost of your road trip. Make sure you consider the following when calculating your road trip budget – fuel, toll fees, parking, food and drink, accommodation, car rental costs, and activities. There are many apps and tools available online that can help you create a realistic road trip budget.