If you’re a passionate road-tripper who can’t wait to embark on a new cross-country adventure – welcome to the club, you aren’t the only one here! We’re here to help you out, so look no further and check out our useful tips on how to plan your next trip. Just keep on reading and enjoy!
First things first – create a detailed itinerary
Even though many people claim that unpredictable road trips are the best ones, we must say that we don’t agree with this claim completely. We believe that coming up with a detailed itinerary is essential for a successful road trip – especially a cross-country one. First of all, you should figure out how many days you have to travel. Also, you must know where you want to go and what to see, so that you can plan your route around that.
Of course, no one says that you should go for the fastest route out there. Yes, it’ll save you a lot of time, but is there really anything to see on the highway? Not really, so opt for some scenic roads and out-of-the-way attractions instead and you won’t regret it!
Create a realistic budget
Your budget is the next essential thing you must plan. This is important because a lot of people either run out of money while on a road trip or stress over their finances so that they skip all the attractions and the most exciting parts of the trip. To plan out your budget, you must be familiar with the admission fees for attractions you want to see. Besides that, if you plan to book a hostel or any other type of accommodation, you should count it in, too.
As you’re traveling in your RV, you should also calculate your driving distance – at least approximately. This will help you figure out your gas bill, but make sure to add an extra tank if you get lost. There are food costs you should bear in mind as well. Just count everything in and you’ll be able to create a realistic budget!
Make sure that your RV is fully safe and ready
Needless to say, your RV will be your home for the next few days or weeks. This is exactly why you must be sure that it’s fully safe and ready for the trip. Truth be told, our vehicles can break down more often than we could imagine. So, if you want to avoid any unpleasant situations with your RV, you should definitely have it serviced before you embark on a new trip. It should include an oil change and safety checks on brakes, fluid levels, battery, belts, spare tire, and other important things. Apart from that, you should also install a useful RV camera system. It often comes with multiple cameras that feature wide viewing angles, night vision, and motion detection, so give it a fair shot and you won’t regret it. That’s a promise!
Pack wisely
Yes, road trips significantly differ from traveling by airplane in many aspects – including the luggage. There are no teeny-tiny overhead compartments any longer, but you know what? It doesn’t mean that you should pack three bags of stuff just because you have extra space for them! That’s right, minimizing your load is crucial when you’re going on a road trip. It means that you should plan your outfits in the first place.
For example, basic colors such as black, gray, and white are a great choice as garments in these colors can be easily mixed and matched with each other. Besides that, clothes made from lightweight fabrics are more than welcome here. They can be easily washed and dried, which is essential when you don’t want to bring too much unnecessary stuff!
Be sure to pack your cooler, too
Even though visiting restaurants or street food stalls is quite normal when it comes to road trips, why wouldn’t you pack your cooler and save some money that way? Apart from bottled water, your cooler should also contain some healthy snacks and make-ahead meals. This is vital simply because running into closed rest areas and restaurants in smaller towns is realistic when driving cross-country.
So, having some nutritious snacks is very useful in such cases. All you have to do is to reach behind you and get your favorite sandwich and a sip of water. Once you finish everything you’ve brought, you can always refill your cooler along the way. As simple as that!
As you can tell, planning a cross-country trip doesn’t have to be as challenging as you probably thought. All you need to do is to stick to our tips and follow our guidelines since this is the best way to get ready for a cross-country road trip like a true pro. Once that’s done, success is guaranteed!