Planning A Road Trip?

Road trips are a brilliant way to explore and can be totally personalised to your needs with little effort. Whether you a planning a couple of days away or want to drive for months, the flexibility of road trips is very appealing for many travellers.

Choose your destination

Ideally, your road trip will have a goal so this means choosing a destination or endpoint. You could look to stay in the UK and complete the NC500 in Scotland, The Peak District in England, or the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland.

You may also look to go abroad. If you want to go somewhere far away, such as America and explore Route 66, you could catch a plane and rent a car when you reach your destination. Route 66 takes you from easy to west across America starting in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica, Los Angles. You will find yourself travelling through eight states and three time zones including Arizona, New Mexico and California.

If staying a little closer to home is your thing, it is easy to get a ferry from the UK to France and then you could start your road trip there. There are so many options for your road trip so it is up to you!

Have a loose plan

One of the perks of road trips is that you don’t need to plan everything down to the last final detail. There is a freedom that can be found when heading out on the open road which is scarcely found on other trips.

However, it is best to have a loose plan for your adventure. Whether this includes roughly planning a route, booking some of your accommodation in advance or planning a couple of experiences/day trips. This helps to keep you organised, especially if you have a time limit on your trip, and will ensure that you get to do most of the things on your list!

Check your car

Checking your car is essential before heading off on a road trip. If your car is not in working order before you leave you could end up breaking down during your journey or risk being involved in an accident. Some key things to check are:

• The engine – does your car battery need replacing?
• Fluid levels including oil, coolant, washer and brakes
• Tyre tread – check the tyre tread is at least 1.6mm

Pack your bags

What you need to pack depends on where you are travelling. If you are staying in the UK then it is best to pack plenty of suncream and protection like hats and sunglasses as well as a raincoat and some waterproof shoes for our unpredictable weather!

Stay safe

Driving can be dangerous so you should take the proper precautions to stay as safe as possible. For example, driving while fatigued makes you four times more likely to be involved in an accident. As such, you should ensure that you are well rested and if you do feel tired, you should pull over somewhere safe, grab a snack or drink, and stretch your legs.

While making sure you pack some rechargeable double a batteries with charger can make sure your torch batteries are always fully topped up and ready to go for those late-night loo runs.

What is your top tip for planning a road trip?

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