The perfect road trip doesn’t just magically come together. Instead, it takes a bit of planning. Check out some tips to help you prepare for your next adventure. Then you can embrace the open road without a worry in the world.
Set Your Budget
First, you need to set a budget, so you’ll know what you can spend on the trip. Make sure to include the cost of accommodations, food, and fuel. Once you set your budget, you’ll have a better idea of how long you can travel. For instance, if you only have a few hundred dollars, you’ll need to stick to a few days. On the other hand, if you have a larger budget, you might choose to travel for a week or longer.
Choose a Route Based on the Trip Length
You want to make sure you have ample time to enjoy your destination. That’ll be hard to do if you spend most of your time driving, so choose a destination based on how long you’ll be gone. For example, if you’re going to take a three- or four-day road trip, limit yourself to driving 10 hours round trip. You can drive 20 hours round trip for six- or seven-day road trips and 30 hours if you’re going to be gone for 10 days to two weeks.
Plan Your Stops in Advance
While it’s fun to take off on a whim, you can end up having a hard time finding a place to eat, sleep, and fuel up. That can turn your trip from fun to stressful, so plan your stops. Start by pulling up directions on Google Maps. Then you can look for hotels, restaurants, and gas stations along the way. Select the places you want to stop and save the addresses so you can access them when setting your driving route.
Book Everything Ahead of Time
After planning your route, you’ll be ready to book your hotel or rental property. Then see if you can grab tickets to any attractions before you go. It’ll be nice to have everything taken care of before you slide behind the wheel of your car. Plus, you’re more likely to find a deal or two when booking online.
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Pack the Essentials
You know you need to bring clothes and toiletries with you on your trip, but it’s easy to forget about some other essential items. First, make sure you bring a phone charger to avoid getting disconnected from the online world. It’s a good idea to bring one for the car and hotel, so you’ll be able to grab directions, look up attractions, and more.
Also, bring a spare key in case you get locked out, as well as your car insurance and registration. Finally, don’t leave home without your driver’s license.
Now, you’re almost ready for a road trip to remember, but you need one more thing. A new set of wheels from Doug Henry Ford of Ayden in Ayden, North Carolina, will make your trip even more thrilling. Browse through our inventory of new Fords and pre-owned options. Once you find the one you want, we’ll make it easy for you to take it home today.
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