You have your road playlist and an itinerary in mind. Your tents are packed, and your kids cannot wait to get going. Maybe you’re traveling with friends, and this is the first time you’re getting to spend so much time with them since the pandemic started. Your highest priority is to make this the most memorable of trips. The best way to guarantee that is to create a checklist and follow it meticulously.
So much can happen on a road trip. As the scenery changes, so do the experiences and incidents that occur on the open road. It can sound strange to consider right now when you’re feeling so excited, but you have to think of the worst-case scenarios that could happen.
Do you have a satellite phone in case you and your friends get lost on a hike in an area you are all unfamiliar with? Do you know a DUI lawyer in case you get into a tight situation? How will you seek shelter if it’s raining too much to sleep outside in tents or the campground is full? What if someone gets stung by a bug or has an allergic reaction?
Yeah, it is a bit of a bummer to imagine these scenarios right now when the call of the road is singing through your veins, but you have to take the time to think them through. It is the only way to guarantee a seamless driving, camping, and memory-making experience. Figure out everything that can go wrong, from mundane things like a blown tire to scary things like getting hurt on a strange trail.
Tune Your Car
Make sure to take your car for a complete tune-up at least a week before you leave for your trip. This will give you a lot of peace of mind as you can rely on your car to perform to its best level.
Check your oil, tires, tire pressure, brakes, battery, and engine. Renew your knowledge on how to change a tire and test out your hazard gear as well. Get brand-new hazard triangles and consider getting a few flares as well.
This tine-up will identify any issues with your car. A slight rattle now could turn into a big problem when you’re in the middle of nowhere, so it’s best to have it handled.
Download the Necessary Apps
Entertainment and navigation are critical on a road trip. Especially if you are traveling with children, you will want to have many options for entertaining things to do that will keep everyone occupied and enjoying the trip.
A fun road trip can quickly turn into a driving nightmare if people get too cranky from boredom. Luckily, there are so many ways to enjoy entertainment these days. You can download movies off Netflix for the children to watch. Put them on a tablet with an adapter that allows more than one kid to listen to the film on headphones. This way, you do not have to be distracted by the sound.
Murder mystery podcasts that you can listen to and try to figure out is a fun way to while away the time with friends. You may want to invest in a Spotify premium account just for the trip so you and your friends can make a playlist of songs that suit everyone.
Apps like Waze and GasBuddy can also ensure you are headed in the right direction and save you some money on gas in more expensive areas.
Multi-phone Car Charger
Let’s be honest; if you’re not driving, you will be spending quite a bit of time on your phone. Maybe you are all using your phones for different things like one navigating, the other playing music, yet another keeping track of your itinerary.
You cannot do all these things effectively without an excellent multi-phone charger for the car. These are very affordable and more than pay you back with the convenience and safety they provide in ensuring your phones are always charged.
Buy a Cooler
A cold drink and a snack can perk up anyone, no matter how tired or frazzled they feel. It is imperative that the person driving has a snack right before they get started. This is the best way to ensure that you’re as alert as can be while on the road.
Pack the cooler full of frozen drinks so it can hold a lot more snacks and keep cool without losing needed space to ice. Energy bars can be kept out, but caffeine and veggie and fruit snacks will taste better cold.
Despite all these, remember to stop every few hours to breathe and stretch your legs. You can get exhausted and sick if you sit for too long in the same position. These stops are not just a way to keep the blood flowing; they can also give you some awesome opportunities for spontaneous adventures.
Don’t let the journey become a reason for you to remember the trip negatively. Make sure you’re prepared for the excursion and what can happen along the way.
