Roadtrips are my favorite way to travel with my family. We try to go on one 2-3 week road trip at least once a year. Since I’m a big planner, as soon as we return from a road trip I start planning the next one. In today’s post, I’m going to share with you my top 7 Tips to Create the Perfect Roadtrip.
1. Destination
Where do you want to go? I suggest picking one main destination then creating a loop. For example, during our Virginia road trip Washington, D.C. was our main destination. We drove up the I-95 corridor from Florida. Then on the way back, we went through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Doing so we didn’t travel the same roads or see the same things twice.
2. Roadtrip Route
What do you want to see and do on your way to your main destination? Do you have friends and family along the way? Can you stay overnight with any of them? On our upcoming road trip to Kentucky, we are planning to stop 4 times to visit with friends and stay overnight with at least one of them.
Need help planning your route? Enter your starting point and destination into Google Maps. It will give you the best route between the two. From there explore where the route passes through. During our Texas road trip, we drove out and back on I-10. I knew we were going to pass through some major cities so I started researching what there was to do. Pinterest was a huge help. I just entered “things to do in….”. Check out my Pinterest travel boards for some inspiration.
3. Roadtrip Must Sees
Don’t try to see it all! This is a big, big world and most of us don’t have unlimited time or money. Pick the things that are important to you and your family. What are your must-sees? On our Texas road trip, I knew the USS Alabama was a must-see so I made a point to include it in our itinerary. If you still need help finding things to explore, check out Roadtrippers. You plug in your route and they will tell you everything there is to see and do between those points. You can even pick how far off your route you would like to go.
4. Roadtrip Lodging
Now that you have a rough itinerary, it’s time to find lodging. Do you want to stay in hotels or camp? Are you staying with family or friends? I tend to pick our lodging at places of interest. For instance, if Savannah, Georgia is along your route and there are some must-sees on your list, then make it a lodging stop. You could also choose a spot between must-sees allowing you to travel a further distance.
How do I find lodging for our family? I start with TripAdvisor to find hotels in my chosen location. We tend to stick with the big names like Hilton, Marriott, Choice, etc. If you have a favorite, find one in the area. We are hotel reward members so that also factors into our hotel choices. I highly recommend signing up for a hotel rewards membership. They are free and easy!
5. Sight-seeing
You have a route and lodging, next plan your sightseeing. How much do you want to do? This will also help you determine how long you will be staying at each stop. If there are lots to see and do, plan at least a couple days. Remember to leave some relaxation time. This is your vacation after all.
6. Discounts
Everyone wants to save a buck or two while traveling. I put my memberships to use. I check out AAA to see if there are discounted tickets to any of the attractions we’ll be visiting. Do you have a zoo or science center membership? Put it to use. Are you a teacher? Ask for a teacher discount. Check out restaurants online to see if they have “Kids Eat Free” nights.
When we travel, we almost always stop at interstate Welcome Centers. These rest stops are a gold mine. They often have free maps and brochures. A lot of times, you can also find discount coupons for hotels, restaurants, and attractions inside the free travel guides.
One other thing that I do to save a little money is pre-purchasing attraction tickets. Oftentimes if you buy your tickets online you will get a small discount. I do this before we leave home, but you could also do it from your hotel. Just make sure you have the ability to print your ticket if need be.
7. There’s an app for that
Nowadays there is an app for everything. Put it to good use. Gas Buddy is a great app for finding cheap gas. Waze is excellent for alerting you to changing road conditions and hazards. iExit is great for discovering what is located at interstate exits. Google Maps is also a great app for the road tripper. Do you have a favorite road trip app? Let me know in the comments.
Hopefully, with all these helpful tips, you are better prepared to go on a perfect road trip. Remember to prepare for the unexpected and to stop often. Don’t create a need for a vacation from your vacation. Check out my other travel posts for road trip inspiration. Happy Travels!
- Skyline Drive and Upper Blue Ridge Parkway Roadtrip
- Texas to Florida Roadtrip: Part 3
- Florida to Texas Roadtrip: Part 2
- Roadtrip Florida to Texas, Part 1
- Historic Triangle with Kids
- Places to Visit Near Unicoi State Park
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive compensation for this post.
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