How to Plan a Road Trip

So you have a destination (or destinations) and you want to make it a road trip, but now what? As someone currently planning a road trip for later this year, I know it can seem overwhelming at first. What stops should we make along the way? How do I find interesting things to see? How do I make all of this fit into my trip? So many things to think about! Let me share how I have planned my trip and the resources I used to help you plan your trip and ease your anxiety.

When Should I Visit?

The time of year you choose to visit a destination can elevate or devastate your experience. When choosing dates for your trip, keep a few things in mind;

1.       Weather: things like hurricanes or blizzards can derail any trip in a hurry so either choose a time when these things are less likely to occur or have a contingency plan in place if they do occur over your scheduled trip.

2.       Planned Activities: if you’re going to Colorado to ski then June probably isn’t the best time to visit. If you’re going to walk endless miles at Universal Studios Orlando then cooler months in the fall or winter might be the best time to visit. Having a clear idea of the activities you’ll be doing on your trip can help you choose an appropriate time of year to visit a particular destination.

3.       Peak Traveling Times: Holidays and spring break week cause increased pricing for everything, not to mention the amount of people that could be visiting certain destinations. Usually a quick internet search can tell you when to avoid visiting certain places and when they tend to be less busy.

Still struggling after considering those points? I find that “best time to visit (destination)” in a search engine can often give some clarity. Remember that the goal is to have fun on your trip so choose a time of year that will assist with that, not hinder.

Planning a Route

Now that you have your destination(s) and dates set, it’s time to start planning the route you want to take. Let me just tell you, web-based maps are about to become your best friend. First, set a maximum driving time that you can safely and willingly do in a day. Now check directions from your starting point to your first destination. Is the drive time over your maximum per day? Then you need to find an additional stop between those two points. For example, I added a one night stop in Amarillo, TX on our drive from Houston to Santa Fe, NM to cut down our drive time for the first day of our trip.

Continue doing this for each additional destination/stop on your trip, adding stops as necessary to maintain safe driving times. When adding stops to your trip make sure there are hotels, food and gas in that area. You don’t want to get stuck in a hotel out in the middle of nowhere with your stomach growling and gas tank screaming for help. I highly recommend keeping a list or itinerary for each leg and stop on your trip.

Make My Drive Fun

You have your route and destinations/stops planned, but what about sites to see while in route? Make My Drive Fun is a website that helps you find things to do along your route. Just enter your starting and stopping points and see what pops up! Don’t forget to add the things you want to do to your itinerary so you don’t miss them along the way.

Should I Nerd Out and Create an Itinerary?

Yes, yes, yes! I cannot stress this enough. The people you travel with may tease you at first (my husband certainly did), but once they see the value it brings to the trip they will see the magnificence of your ways. Imagine you have just finished perusing a museum and you are absolutely famished. Now begins the long process of everyone agreeing on where to eat, but only after you find out what’s even nearby. If only someone in the group had a list of restaurants in their pocket with the locations, hours of operation and type of cuisine. Then the group might know there’s an Italian restaurant just around the corner that’s open and ready to serve you. So much time saved. This could be you!

Creating a list ahead of time allows you to pick out the restaurants you really want to try while you’re at your destination and whether or not they are actually worth trying. Since my husband is a vegetarian, it also allows me to check menus prior to us ever leaving our home. Same argument applies for activities. When you’re ready for something to do or have time to kill before your next event then you can pull out a list and see what there is to nearby.

I highly recommend that any activities requiring tickets or restaurants requiring reservations are sorted before you ever leave for your trip. That creates what I call a rough itinerary and the lists are used to fill in the blank spaces as needed. Trust me, once you try this you will never go on a trip without one again.

Finalize Your Itinerary

At this point you should have your list of destinations/stops, activities at each destination/stop and the route you will be taking for your trip. Now it’s time to finalize everything and set a timeline. Don’t forget to factor in the drive time to each destination and what you will be doing while you’re there. Decide how many days/hours you will be spending at each stop to create your finalized itinerary. Once you have this you can start booking hotels.

Booking Hotels

No matter what you’re doing throughout the days of your trip, the hotel is where you go every night to rest, relax and recharge for the next day. The room should be clean and comfortable while also having great customer service. A few things to think about while searching for hotels;

1.       Look at a Map: if you already have activities planned for your trip then looking at a map to see a central area for those locations is a great way to start looking for hotels. That way you know you are close to whatever activity you have for any given day. If you don’t already have planned activities, choosing a hotel in an area with a lot of shopping and food is a great place to start.

2.       Amenities: start out with a list of amenities you want or need your hotel room to have and make sure that any hotel you book meets those minimum criteria. Examples would be a mini fridge, pool, room service, gym, free Wi-Fi etc.

3.       Parking: keep in mind that some hotels in big cities are valet-only parking while others may have a self-park option that isn’t exactly close to the hotel. Always check the parking situation (if you’ll have a car to park) and whether or not it costs extra money before booking a hotel.

4.       Recent Reviews: checking recent reviews of the hotel is a must. The 4 star review you see online could be over many years – the hotel may not be worthy of 4 stars in its current state.

5.       Rewards Programs: joining a hotel chain’s rewards program is always worth looking into. Sometimes those memberships give you perks you wouldn’t get otherwise. Those rewards points can also be used down the road for upgrades or saving some money on future stays.

Always be cautious when using third party websites to book hotel rooms. If you choose to book through a third party make sure to keep any and all paperwork you receive from them regarding your reservations and keep the customer service number readily available.

In Conclusion…..

Remember that this whole process should be fun and exciting! The whole planning process discussed here can be done from the comfort of your couch while on your phone. Let’s be honest, you’re probably on your phone anyway so use it to your advantage! You got this.

Happy Travels