Are you planning a self-drive location? Here are some of the best tips to help you prepare for your upcoming trip.
Know Your Limits
Yes, you might be able to drive up to 12 hours in a day. However, it’s hard to drive continuously for 2 days in a row. Some people can drive for 4-5 hours before getting extremely exhausted. They are likely going to experience physical problems after sitting down for so long or simply boredom. When planning a self-drive vacation, you need to know your limits. Also, don’t drive in the dark if you have never done it before.
Set Your Schedule
By setting the right pace, your trip will be successful. You can take 3 days at every destination. If you have 4 destinations on your trip, you can take about 12 days. Yes, you can make the trips shorter but don’t squeeze too much into very few days. If you do this, you will miss out on a lot and end up driving for the better part of your trip. Don’t drive too far on a specific day. Even if you don’t wake up earlier, you can plan to drive about 5 hours every day. You can try to beat the traffic and arrive at your destination right before the afternoon.
Use Multiple Tools To Map Your Trip
There are so many ways you can use to map your trip, thanks to technology. You can either use hardcopy maps or online maps. You can also pick up route guides that provide interesting information about the destination. You can choose from any National Geographic travel maps to choose. Don’t forget to use Google Maps and atlases to plan and record your trip. Make sure you have checked the routes properly prior to driving.
Know The Highlights You Want To See
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To make your trip more fun, you should choose a theme for it. You can choose to visit historical places or landscapes depending on your interests. If you love old western movies, you can plan a trip to the Grand Canyon among others. If you are in areas renowned for wineries, you can choose that as your theme. Whatever type of road trip you are planning, you need to look for a good focus. Find out your interests and look for places you can love on your trip. With this information, you should be able to plan your route accordingly.
Book Your Accommodation
Now that your trip is completely mapped out, you can book your accommodation. Try My Hotel Break. However, if you have loyalty cards with specific hotel chains, you can book directly with these hotels instead of using booking sites.
Packing For A Car Trip
You should always pack light. Regardless of whether you are staying at a hostel, bed and breakfasts, hotels or motels, you will be hauling your luggage in and out as you drive to a new destination. Carry one bag to make things easier. Learn the best tips to pack light for the best results. Make sure you bring duct tape, a couple of flares, a multi-head screwdriver, vise grips and a pair of pliers.
Don’t forget to bring coat hangers to hold up the muffler in case it falls off. Make sure you have a road trip kit from AAA. You should always bring a first-aid kit that’s properly packed. Bring some water and snacks as you travel. Even better, you can bring a cooler of food so you can take picnics along the way.
Navigating your path when you are alone on the road can be quite overwhelming. Yes, you can rely on Google Maps but it will use a lot of data when you are roaming so it will be quite expensive. Don’t leave your compass at home since it confirms your direction if you are not sure. A compass is a cheap accessory but don’t forget to carry the map or atlas as you plan your trip. Keep in mind that 2-digit interstates go through cities while 3-digit interstates go around them in the U.S. Also, highways labeled with odd numbers run from north to south while highways with even numbers run from east to west.
Final Thoughts
Use these tips for the best and most successful solo road trip. Have a lot of fun on the open road as you navigate your way through the best scenes and sites in the country.
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