Travel Tips for the Road Trips

I have spent a considerable amount of time traveling by car. Whether it was my first trip to Toronto with a good friend, or two weeks in a car covering all 48 contiguous US states, I’ve been around the block when it comes to road trips.

If you’re planning a road trip anytime soon that will have you in a car for an extended period of time, here are some tips.

  • If you’re going somewhere new by car, be sure to check the route on Google Maps and have a clear set of highway directions available. For longer trips that have a more complicated route, have someone else double check the route you have planned as you may have missed something.
    • The route I took for my 48 state trip was changed no less than a dozen times over the course of a year of planning.
  • When traveling with young kids, here’s a few suggestions:
    • Bring their tablets/electronics with you along with chargers you can plug into the car. I don’t let my kids spend the whole trip on their device but electronics time here and there helps keep the parents sane.
    • Create a “road trip bingo” sheet that consists of things they may see while in the car on the road. They can put an X on each square and try to fill the board. This helps pass the time
    • Always pack snacks and drinks
      • This is good for adults as well
  • Be prepared for road construction and detours. Always pad your expected travel time by a couple of hours to take into account meal breaks, highway construction, and possible car issues
  • If you can, rent a car instead of taking your own. A car rental in some cases can be pretty cheap and if there’s an issue with the vehicle while on the road, you can just call the rental company and have them replace the vehicle.
  • When taking your own car, be sure to have some kind of roadside assistance program that can help you if the car breaks down.
  • Have at least one cell phone in the car for emergencies
  • If time permits, take the odd detour and go see something local. It’s always nice to immerse yourself in local content if you can
  • On highways with more than 3 lanes or more, always drive in the center lane. Never stay in the right most lane as cars coming onto the highway will often cut you off.
  • Depending on where you are driving, be prepared for tolls. Always try and have cash on hand to pay the tolls as many toll booths do not take debit or credit card.
  • The half full mark on your gas tank should be the indicator as to when you should refill the tank. You will make more frequent stops this way but you’ll always be sure to have plenty of gas when going through stretches where there may not be any service stations.