AARP Smart Guide to Road Trips | Members Only
The "Great American Road Trip" is often a travel bucket list item. But before you buckle up to hit the road, we've rounded up advice from guidebook authors, travel bloggers and others to help you map out a successful journey. Get road-trip ready with these planning tips, and let the wanderlust ensue.
BEFORE YOU GO
1. Make a packing list
As on any big adventure, organization is key, so creating a packing list that you can check off as you go can be a big help. Be sure to include essentials such as extra prescription medication and chargers for phones, laptops and other electronics. Consider items you may need for a lengthy trip, such as a small container of laundry detergent if you plan to wash clothing along the way.
2. Budget accordingly
Road trips can be pricey endeavors, so set a budget for gas, food, lodging, entrance fees and activities. It's always a smart idea to budget for unplanned expenses or emergencies, such as a flat tire or engine troubles.
3. Secure your home
The last thing you want to be worried about while you're on the road is your home, so make sure you lock all doors and windows, turn off appliances, throw out perishable food and take out the trash. For added security, set lights on timers and consider adding indoor and outdoor cameras that you can check from a mobile device. You should contact the U.S. Postal Service and put a hold on your mail delivery, and leave your key with a trusted friend or neighbor who can check on your home and retrieve any packages that may arrive.
4. Get your vehicle serviced
If you decide to drive your own vehicle, "you should absolutely make sure your vehicle is in good shape before heading out on a road trip," says Sanna Boman, editor-in-chief at Roadpass Digital. "Check your tires, fluid levels, lights, battery and so on. It may even make sense to take your car in for a quick service and oil change."
5. Lock in your lodging
Before you hit the road, review and confirm reservations you booked at hotels, bed-and-breakfasts or vacation rentals. Because most reservations are confirmed via email, save a phone screenshot of your confirmation number or print out a copy so you have a backup in case cell service isn't available. Make note of the cancellation policy as well, so you know how far in advance you need to cancel a reservation if your trip timing changes.
6. Download direction apps
You can download a variety of free navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze and MapQuest. Each offers different features, such as multiple route options, live traffic alerts, information on nearby restaurants and attractions and even gas prices in different areas. You can download the apps prior to your trip and try them out during smaller excursions to see which you prefer. Some apps allow you to download maps to your device as a backup plan. "Before you leave, download offline maps, especially in less populated areas where cell service can be hard to come by," says writer and photographer Peter Stringer, cofounder of the travel blog Amazing America.
7. Set a trip theme
Take your road trip fun up a notch by building your itinerary around a theme that interests you and your travel companions. "Perhaps you love roller coasters, craft beer, geocaching or history museums. Plan your trip around whatever your theme is," Boman says. "There are plenty of checklists available for things like national parks, but you can easily make your own list and check off each new niche place you visit."
8. Perfect your playlist
Good tunes are an essential part of the road trip experience, and Boman has a tip on making that music playlist extra special: pre-trip collaboration. "If you're traveling with other people, a fun way to switch up the music in the vehicle is to collaborate on a road trip playlist," Boman says. "Everyone in the car adds their favorite songs before the trip, and then you can play it on shuffle when you hit the road. This is a great way to discover new music and share your own favorites with your friends." Boman recommends downloading the playlist offline before your trip in case you hit areas with spotty cell service.
9. Plan your podcasts
Show up at your next stop with knowledge about the local history, culture and attractions by downloading a destination podcast for along the way or listen just to get inspired to seek out new adventures. There are many travel-specific options to choose from, including National Parks Traveler Podcast, Wanderlust: Off the Page and Zero to Travel. Or pick a pop culture, true crime or lifestyle podcast. Ashley Rossi, managing editor at Roadpass Digital, says her favorite is Armchair Expert by actor Dax Shepard, but there are dozens of others.
10. Have a literary listen
Those long hours in the car can be the perfect time to catch up on your reading list. Download an ebook and soak up the story as the miles roll by. Many celebrities, musicians and politicians record their own autobiographies, so you can hear their stories spoken in their own words, and other books are narrated by well-known actors. Or course, not everyone in the car may be interested in the same selections, so poll your riders ahead of time, and make sure passengers bring earphones along to listen to alternative shows or music if they prefer.
11. Pack the right kind of snacks
Tasty snacks are essential to any road trip, and bringing them along can save time and money on your trip. Pack a cooler with ice packs that can be refrozen at hotels or other lodging along the way. In addition to sugary and salty nibbles and drinks, include water, fruit, veggies and protein-packed snacks to hydrate, refuel and nourish.
12. Keep an atlas handy
Most navigation apps help offer a foolproof driving experience, but Jessica Dunham, author of Moon Route 66 Road Trip and The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA, says it's wise to keep another road trip favorite handy: a hard copy of an atlas. "Always, always, have an up-to-date atlas in the vehicle with you before you depart," she says. "I like to mark my route in yellow highlighter on the atlas, so I can visualize what it looks like and where I'm going."
13. Pack a road trip supply bag
Nothing's worse than hitting the road in your new rental car or van only to realize you forgot your favorite road trip items, such as a car charger, a GPS device or a seat cushion. Stringer suggests adding a rental car bag to your packing list. His go-to items include a pair of USB cables for charging, a lighter adapter (older cars may not have easily accessible USB ports) and a smartphone mount. One thing to note is that in many rental vehicles, the actual lighter part (which gets hot when pressed in) has been removed.
14. Get cozy
Road trips do come with the downside of long hours in the same seat or position, which can lead to back or leg pain. Adjust your seat — and possibly add or purchase a seat cushion — to help keep you comfortable for long periods of sitting. Rossi says her family's solution is a tried-and-true cushion.
15. Pack your E-ZPass
Don't forget your toll-pass transponder, such as E-ZPass or SunPass. "You do save money [by bringing it], especially in areas like the Northeast which have expensive bridges and tolls," Rossi says. "It also saves you time from having to pay individual toll bills that arrive by mail after your trip."
16. Plan to take the scenic route
Sure, sometimes you may need to quickly get from point A to B, but the draw of the Great American Road Trip is the chance to see the best of the U.S. — and most times you won't find that on the major highways, so keep that in mind when you map out your route. Stringer says state routes have numerous hidden gems. "California's 395 runs from Death Valley to Lake Tahoe and is full of amazing attractions along the way," he says. "If you're leaf peeping in the fall, New Hampshire's Kancamagus highway has a well-earned reputation as one of the country's most scenic drives. And if national parks are your thing, Utah's Scenic Byway 12 cuts through the [state's] amber canyons, aspen forests and alpine peaks."
