12 Important Road Trip Tips You Need To Read

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Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned road trip? When the weather finally starts to get nicer it’s fun to start planning your summer adventures. Take the kids somewhere new, plan a getaway with your partner or have a girls trip with your bestie. And to get you ready, these top twelve road trip tips for your summer adventures will make sure you’re prepared for anything that comes along.

Why are road trips are a great option?

With some restrictions likely to remain in place this year, this might be another opportunity to explore your own country. But restrictions or not, road trips are fun and much cheaper than a lot of vacation alternatives.

Unlike airlines, there are no baggage restrictions when it comes to road-tripping. Get a few people in a car and gas is also way cheaper than airfare. Plus, isn’t the journey much more relaxing when you can make a bunch of unique stops along the way?

I live in British Columbia, Canada and luckily for me BC has some incredible places to drive to. Overnight stays, long weekends or a week-long adventure, the options are limitless. I’m sure wherever you are has some great road trip destinations too if you know where to look.

12 road trip tips you need to know

Now before you just jump in the car and go, there are some things to think about when planning your summer road trip. Make sure you’re ready for your next car journey with these top road trip tips.

Get your car checked

That light you haven’t been able to turn off, or that weird noise you noticed a couple weeks ago. Whatever it is, you want your car to be in tip top shape before adding a few hundred miles (or more) to it.

Even if you think your car is all set for your summer road trip, it’s best to get an oil change and a basic once-over before you go. The last thing you want is to have to interrupt your summer vacation to get your car fixed, or worse.

Pack a first aid kit

Before heading out, assemble a basic first aid kit to leave in the car. Band-Aids, tenser bandage, gauze and medical tape are the bare minimum of what you should pack. For an easier option you can buy first aid kits ready made up with the essentials for a relatively low price.

Having a first aid kit gives some peace of mind when traveling long distances, often not near any shops or services. This is even more necessary if you’re breaking your trip up with some hikes where you are more prone to minor cuts and scrapes.

Budget for gas

Not having to pay for your transportation in advance can sometimes make you feel like you’re getting a really cheap deal. But you will need to fill up your car with gas as you go, so plan this into your daily budget.

If you’re traveling with friends, work out in advance how you’ll divide the cost of gas. This way you’ll hopefully save any arguments later on. Keep an eye on gas prices as you go and fill up if you see lower prices. Here in BC, there’s an additional tax within some cities so we find the price drops when you get to smaller towns.

Keep in touch

This is especially important if traveling alone, but in any case it’s still a good idea to let someone else know your plan. Tell them where you’re going, the road you plan to take and how long you plan to be gone.

Check in with them every now and again during your trip and let them know if you’ll be later than expected. And remember time differences if crossing borders of states and provinces.

Know how to change a tire

Road trips mean some long days of driving stretches of road far from towns or services. So, it’s wise to know how to change a tire, or at least have one person in the car who knows. There are handy YouTube videos that will give you the basics.

        

Keep some of the basic necessary tools in your car just in case like a lug wrench and carjack. At the very least a tire repair kit to fix minor issues. Chances are you won’t need them, but if you do, you’ll be back on the road much quicker. Also, make sure you have a spare tire!

Pack plenty of water

One of my most important road trip tips is to leave a few bottles of water in the car. On hot summer days you can easily get dehydrated and you never know when you’ll be stuck somewhere without access to water.

Perhaps you get caught in traffic or get a flat tire (see above). Then if you’re like me there’s a chance you get carried away hiking and need a drink quickly when getting back to your car. Even if the water is warm from being in your car, it’s better than not having any.

Check your auto insurance

Your insurance provider or specific auto insurance policy doesn’t always cover another driver. If you rent a car, make sure to add an additional driver. If it’s your own car, add one of the other people to the policy, even if just temporarily.

This way you can share the driving either for the whole trip or if you need to take over the driving in an emergency. Road Trip Tips Bonus: Adding someone with a better driving record or longer driving history could bring your premium down!

Allow time for stops

It’s best to allow extra time for unscheduled stops. This could be traffic, car trouble, or even just that you saw somewhere you really wanted to stop. BC does have a lot of fun, unique roadside stops and I’m sure where you plan on driving will too.

Just because a drive can be done in 10 hours doesn’t mean it’s going to (or should be). Plan for some rest breaks and enjoy the journey. Maybe even an extra overnight stop.

Research hotel parking

One of my best road trip tips for saving money (and reducing headaches later in the trip) don’t come any more important than a reminder to check out parking options ahead of time. Especially for your hotel or accommodation.

It’s all well and good booking a hotel that saves you some money. But if they charge double what everyone else charges for parking, is it worth it? Look for hotels with free parking for guests. And make sure their parking is in a secure location close to the property. A little bit of planning in advance and parking doesn’t have to be the worst part of a road trip anymore.

Pack a cooler

One of the best parts of road trips are the stops along the way. And if you’re off on a road trip this the summer you’ll be sure to find small farm stands and local markets everywhere you go.

    

Keep a small electric cooler or even a cooler bag in your car. That way you can keep anything you buy fresh and chilled until you get to your accommodation. It’s also handy for making sure your road trip snacks don’t spoil. Is there anything worse than a droopy sandwich and a melted chocolate bar?

Map out alternate routes

No kind of travel is without its hiccups. Not even road trips. Which is why it’s important to plan an alternate route just in case. You might run into traffic or road closures, so always be prepared to adjust your journey.

Even if you don’t run into any issues, alternate routes are one of my top road trip tips for some variety on the return journey. Check out some different places and see a different view.

Plan your entertainment

It may seem trivial, but a little entertainment goes a long way. If you’re traveling with kids, then this might be one of the road trip tips that really saves you. Plan some car games or bring a book or two.

Even if you don’t have kids, it’s good to have some playlists or a couple of podcasts downloaded in advance. The perfect way to pass the time when you start to run out of conversation.

Road trip tips for every adventure

Road trips can be a lot of fun. And in Canada (and the United States) we’re almost spoiled for choice on places to drive to since the countries are so large. But whether you’re seeking out some of the best National Parks, heading up or down the coast or driving from city to city, make sure you’re prepared with these road trip tips.

Leave enough time before your trip to plan your trip and don’t forget the essentials. The great news about road trips though…you can pick up most things along the way. But wherever you go I can’t stress enough the importance of taking your time and enjoying the journey. Happy summer road trip travels!

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. What you are your favorite road trip tips? Are you planning any driving adventures this year?