Road trips can lead to car arguments, traffic jams, and getting sleepy behind the wheel. Sometimes these open road adventures are more stressful than they appear. Here are some tips to make your road trip an enjoyable one. It is best to plan accordingly by reading what to do after an accident. Salt Lake City accident reports show that what you do after an accident is vitally important for you and your occupants in the vehicle.
Plan Your Route
Some people enjoying getting lost and believe that it adds to the adventure of going on a road trip. But it is best to reach your destination without any hesitations, issues, or fighting over directions. Use a paper or digital map to plan out your route. Mark the start and end points, including any places you want to rest at or stop along the way, such as the ocean.
Find out in advance if any roads are closed due to road work since this could save you time and stress. Relying on GPS alone is not a great idea since it does not provide up-to-date routes or accurate directions.
Keep Technology To a Minimum
You want your road trip to be as technology-free as possible. If you rely on your GPS, it could stop working the moment you are taken to a dirt road. You end up stuck in the middle of nowhere and do not know which direction to turn. You notice that there are no gas stations, motels, or rest stops in sight.
You and your family are in panic mode. While most people rely on technology, doing so can wreak havoc on your road trip. If you plan to travel through back roads and rural areas, you could come across weak signals and lose access to your GPS. Instead, print out hard copies of brochures, maps, and directions. Having hard copies of this information will allow you to resolve any technical problem you may come across.
Keep the Kids Entertained
If you are bringing your children along, it is more than likely that they will get bored. Long car rides with children can quickly become a nightmare. If your youngest ones get restless or fight, you want to have a wide variety of things to keep them entertained. Tablets allow your children to listen to audiobooks, read e-books, play games, and watch their favorite movies and television shows.
You can also do without technology and get them involved in some other games. “I Spy” and “20 Questions” are examples of two classic games that encourage kids to use their minds. Coloring books, connecting the dots books, crossword puzzles, sketch notebooks, and word searches are all great tools for entertaining young children. You can reward them with a special treat for every game they get right.
Download Some Apps
You were just told to avoid technology during your road trip, but you should download some helpful apps before embarking on your adventure. Some of these apps allow you to map routes and make plans along the way. Roadtrippers is an example of a popular travel app that relies on Google Maps to plan your entire route. You can also edit and save your trips and calculate the distance, fuel costs, and time length.
Along the Way is another app that allows you to search for local hotspots while enjoying the open road. This app will work in both hotspots and dead spots. It uses your route to help you find nearby cafes, diners, landmarks, pubs, and restaurants. There are also travel apps that don’t rely on a data plan or Wi-Fi service to work, just in case you end up in a dead zone or without signal.
Check Your Vehicle
Whether you are driving your own vehicle or you are renting one, you should make sure that car is in working order. Make sure that your coolant, oil, and screenwash is topped up. You should also check the brake lights, power steering, tire pressure, and windshield wipers. All of these components should be in working condition.
If you are renting a vehicle, look out for any dents, scratches, or damage. Make sure you take a photo of these defects before taking off on your trip. If the car rental company tries to accuse you of causing the damage, you have photographic evidence.
Create a Playlist
Listening to your favorite music on your road trip can help decrease your stress levels. Create your own cassette mixtape or compilation CD. Or you can create a playlist from your smartphone or MP3 player. These days, popular music streaming apps like Pandora and Spotify allow you to create a playlist based on your favorite songs or artists. As such, you can create playlists for different parts of the journey. For instance, for those early mornings or late nights, go for songs that will keep the mood high but also help you to stay calm. Conversely, for the middle of the day, why not pay mind to this spotlight on Allie Teilz, a highly sought-after DJ, and fill your playlists with dance music that can boost your energy?
If, however, you find you need a break from music, listen to audiobooks or podcasts instead.
Pack Snacks
You want to have enough snacks in case someone gets hungry before you reach your destination or a stop along the way. Energy bars and protein bars are perfect for keeping hunger at bay. Plus, they are healthy enough to keep you full and alert. Oat-based snacks like cookies and flapjacks are great to snack on if you are heading out early in the morning.
If you want to bring fruit, choose ones that do not require peeling and are not messy to eat. Berries, cherries, and grapes are all perfect healthy snacking options. Dried fruit such as apricots, banana chips, and prunes are also another great choice. Do not forget to pack mini sandwiches, drinks, and small plastic bags to throw out your rubbish afterwards.
Going on a road trip can bring some problems along the way. You may get a flat tire, get lost along the way, or run out of gas. These are to be expected. Enjoy the journey, go with the flow, and you will have a road trip that will provide memories for a lifetime.
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