How to Plan a Kick-Butt Road Trip

Do you have a bad road trip story? Join the club. Almost everyone I meet has one, and the ones that don’t have a bad story haven’t been on a road trip, so they don’t count. How do these vacations go wrong? The idea of the open road seemed so inviting when you said to your family or friends, “Hey, I know! Let’s go on a road trip!”

Luckily, things go right as often as they go wrong on road trips. There are spur-of-the-moment pit-stops that turn into vacation highlights, great and creative road trip games that the players still talk about years later, gastronomic dreams-come-true enjoyed in restaurants off the beaten path, and deep bonding moments that permanently alter relationships for the better. I often hear inspiring stories like the one where a mother packed a book of questions as a way of entertaining her kids and found out things about them that changed the entire way she perceived one of her daughters.

• Choose Wisely
  If you can choose who you’re traveling companions will be, choose wisely. It’s amazing how often people who barely know each other or who frequently argue will decide to go on a road trip together. Road trips are the ultimate litmus test of compatibility – being in a car together day after day can test even the strongest of bonds. Pick travel buddies who you’re very sure will be a good match to your personality and travel style.
• Where are we heading?
  Select a destination that everyone is excited about. Anything less than a unanimous decision guarantees indifference, less patience when things go wrong (like taking the wrong turn or running dangerously low on gas), and less fun for everyone overall due to the one traveler (or more) who doesn’t really want to go to Wally World.
• Take your Time
  Plan lots of pit stops, sightseeing, and other activities for the trip itself. Every time I hear of someone planning a 13-hour haul peppered with a few bathroom breaks and a steady diet, I cringe. Since when are vacations an opportunity to torture your family? A road trip should be about the journey as much as the destination. If your priority is getting there quickly, fly!
• Make a plan
  Do the necessary homework. If you’re traveling somewhere that’s popular, make reservations instead of crossing your fingers and hoping luck will smile on you. If your car hasn’t seen a mechanic in the last month, take it in for a visit. If you’re uncertain about the safety of your home or some of the places you’ll be visiting, sort it out before you go.
• Learn to Pack
  Pack with your brain, not your heart. Although you may be tempted to bring everything and the kitchen sink, realize you’re not traveling to Siberia (or are you?) You can get a lot on the road if necessary, so there’s no reason to squeeze your best friend between a cooler and a beach chair.
• Bring a huge playlist
  Spice up your trip with plenty of entertainment including road trip games, movies (movies and a DVD player are essential if you have young children, if only to give you an hour or more off from the inevitable “Are we there yet?”), and music. Making a road trip soundtrack for your vacation is not only fun to listen to on the road, it’s entertaining just selecting the songs before you go. Make sure that everyone gets to listen to something they enjoy and don’t subject anyone to a song they hate.

With these pearls of road trip wisdom gleaned from my many road trips and the road trips of countless others, you’ll be truly ready to hit the road and have a kick-butt vacation!