Your Ultimate Guide To Preparing For The Perfect Road Trip

If you’re anything like me, you love a good road trip. Whether planning a weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, preparing for the perfect road trip can make all the difference in ensuring you have an unforgettable journey.

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From organizing your packing list to checking your vehicle, a little prep goes a long way in helping you hit the road with confidence.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into everything you will need to do and pack to ensure you have the perfect road trip.

Top-Up Fluids Before a Road Trip

Before hitting the road, it’s important to ensure that all of your fluids are topped up, including:

• oil
• coolant
• brake fluid
• transmission fluid
• windshield washer fluid

Inspect Tires

Next, inspect your tires for proper inflation and tread wear. A properly inflated tire reduces the risk of flats and improves fuel efficiency. Don’t forget to examine the spare tire and ensure that you have the necessary tools just in case.

Test the Battery

It’s also important to test the battery, especially if your vehicle is older. If your road trip will be taking you through extreme temperatures, it’s possible that the vehicle performance may be impacted.

Lights and Windshield Wipers

Check the car’s lights, including headlights, brake lights, and turn signals, to ensure they are working properly. Inspect the wipers for wear and replace them if needed.

None of us want an emergency while we’re road tripping, but emergencies do happen. It’s important to have an emergency kit on hand just in case.

What Items Should Be In An Emergency Kit?

For shorter road trips, it’s important to have the basic necessities on hand such as:

• jumper cables
• flashlight
• spare tire and tire repair kit
• basic tools

When preparing for a longer road trip, your emergency kit should contain anything and everything you might need in case of an emergency:

In addition to the basics noted above, it’s always wise to include the following in your emergency kit when on a longer road trip:

• blankets
• water
• cell phone and car charger
• map
• jacket
• gloves and hat if travelling to a colder area
• snacks
• comfortable walking shoes

Driver’s Tip: Depending on your destination, you may have to drive through areas without cell service. It’s wise to bring an old fashion paper map with you – just in case.

Preparing For The Perfect Long Road Trip

Now that we have all of the road trip essentials out of the way, it’s time to start focusing on the fun stuff! While there isn’t a lot that has to be done when going on a short road trip or weekend getaway, planning for long road trips is much more involved. Let’s take a look at things to consider.

Plan Your Route

It’s always wise to pre-plan your route, especially when going on an extended road trip. The following are things to consider when planning your route for a lengthy road trip:

• how much time do you have
• what things do you want to see and do along the way
• how much time will you need at each stop
• book hotels in advance
• plan meals (ie. will you stop at a restaurant, or pack picnics)
• check google maps to see where gas stations are along the way

Entertainment While On The road

Many people enjoy the peace and quiet found when behind the wheel – myself included. However, if you’re travelling with friends or family (especially with little ones), long road trips can get quite boring.

Driving Solo

The quietness of taking a solo road trip is mesmerizing and at times can make driver’s quite sleepy. A good way to ward off droopy eye syndrome is by creating an up-beat playlist. It’s also the perfect time to catch up on podcasts.

Driver’s Tip: As a frequent solo road tripper, I’ve learned that’s it works best for me to stop every 2 to 3 hours to stretch my legs or engage in an activity. When planning my route, I take this into consideration and plan stops where there are activities

Driving With Others

It’s much easier to stay alert when driving with others as you have someone to talk to. This can also easily become a distraction for the driver.

Again, it’s a good idea to have an up-beat playlist on hand. Who knows, you may become the next famous singing duet.

Driving With Young Children

Driving with young children can be very distracting. It’s not normal for children to sit still for hours on end. This should be taken into consideration when planning a long road trip.

Stop every couple of hours to let the children run and burn off some energy. If you find it necessary to drive long periods of time without stopping, stock up on arts and crafts at the Dollar Store. Pull out a new activity every time your child becomes restless.

Driver’s Tip: When driving long distances without a stop, plan to leave home around your child’s bedtime or nap time.

Packing For A Lengthy Road Trip

If your planning a long road trip, it’s obvious that you will need to pack more clothing items. However, it’s always useful to pack a separate overnight bag which will make access to your road trip essentials easier.

What To Pack In A Backpack Or Carry-On For The Perfect Road Trip?

What you decide to pack in an overnight bag will depend a lot on what you plan to see and do while driving to your end destination.

Even if you’re going on a day trip and exploring the backroads, it’s still a good idea to have certain essential road trip items on hand, such as:

• bug spray
• sun screen
• comfortable walking shoes
• umbrella
• hat, whether to keep warm or to ward off the sun
• portable cell charger
• garbage bag
• a small amount of cash
• during the summer, I also pack a swimsuit, towel, and folding lawnchair
• water, water, and more water!

Frequent road trippers will tell you – anything can happen when you’re on the road. The more prepared you are, the more enjoyable your road trip will be.

Driver’s Tip: I’m an avid hiker. I always have my hiking shoes and hiking polls packed in my car – just in case.

Best Food Options For Long Road Trips

Before I get into the best food options to take on a long road trip, let me begin by stressing the importance of staying hydrated. If you’re Canadian, I know you can’t go on a road trip without grabbing a Timmies first, but coffee is the quickest way to become dehydrated. Stock up on water and ensure that it’s accessible throughout the trip.

Now for the best part! Food! If you’re anything like me, you love to check out the backroad restaurants when on a road trip. However, this isn’t always possible, so it’s good to have some snacks on hand.

When on a long road trip, it’s best to stick with protein and skip the carbs. Carbs will provide a quick energy boost, but it won’t last long. The best foods to bring on an extended road trip are:

• unsalted nuts
• veggies and hummus – especially carrots
• fruit (I especially love apples cut up and dipped in peanut butter)
• tuna wraps
• hard boiled eggs
• yogurt

Half the fun of preparing for the perfect road trip is packing up a cooler with yummy snacks.

Preparing For The Perfect Road Trip

And there you have it! You’re all set to hit the road, the perfect playlist has been queued up, snacks are stocked, and your ‘re ready to go.

While enjoying your road trip, short or long, just remember the journey is about the little moments. The random pit stops, the quirky, off-the-beaten-path diners, and maybe even getting a little lost (because that’s the fun part of a road trip).

PIN TO PLAN YOUR PERFECT ROAD TRIP