18 Road Trip Tips for a Smooth Journey

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for the resurgence of the road trip. When the pandemic hit, driving became a necessity. But I like to think it also reminded people about how freeing hittin’ the open road can be! Whether you’re bundling up your family into the backseat, taking a nice, long solo drive, or getting your best friend or two for a girls’ getaway – there’s so much opportunity in driving!

If you’re thinking of planning a road trip this year, here are some of my best tips for a smooth journey that will actually be fun.

My Tried and True Road Trip Tips

1. Keep your road trip manageable. 

The beauty of road trips is that the only real limit is the ocean. Want to drive from Bar Harbor, Maine all the way to San Diego, California? Technically, you can. However, that will be a long, long time in a car. About 48 hours and close to 3,300 miles to be more specific.

The key to making a road trip fun is to make sure it’s manageable. Consider how much time you have and how long you realistically can be in a car before you get too fatigued to do much else. Then plan out your route from there. 

2. Plan to drive no more than 2-3 hours a day.

As a rule of thumb, I like to limit driving on a road trip to 2-3 hours a day, no more than 4 hours. I find that any longer, I’m not going to have a lot of time to do anything but drive. Plus I’ll be achy and tired by the time I reach my destination for the night. Remember – this road trip should be fun, not just about getting from Point A – B.

3. Make sure everything related to your car is up to date.

This should be a no brainer but is especially important before a road trip. Does your car need an inspection? An oil change? How’s the tire pressure? Do you have enough windshield wiper fluid? Do you have a spare tire and is it properly inflated?

And, of course, don’t forget to make sure your car insurance is current!

For those renting a car, make sure someone goes through everything with you and you have all the necessary information for emergencies. Don’t forget to also take video and photo yourself in case the rental company tries to pull a fast one on you later.

4. Pack a roadside emergency kit.

No matter what season you’re planning your road trip in, you’re going to want some sort of roadside emergency kit in your trunk. (Winter road trips will, of course, require a few extra seasonal items.) You can buy plenty of premade emergency kits online, but if you want to make your own, here are some key basics:

• A car jack and lug wrench that fits your car. Don’t forget to brush up on exactly how to use it to replace your tire.
• Jumper cables
• A heavy duty flashlight. Better yet get a headlamp as well so you can keep your hands free. Also – extra batteries!
• A general first aid kit. 
• Duct Tape
• Reflective clothing or a warning triangle so drivers can see you in darker conditions.
• Paper towels.
• Work gloves

5. Organize where you’re going to stay each night ahead of time.

While you could play things by ear, I tend to like pre-planning where I’m staying each night of the road trip. It gives some structure to your trip and is one less thing to worry about while on the road. 

If you do want to play it by ear or wind up having to stay somewhere else unexpectedly, make sure you download the HotelTonight app. I’ve had this app on my phone forever. It’s been a lifesaver for those moments where I just quickly want to see the best five hotels nearby in my price point, not hundreds of options. 

6. Make note of parking at each place you stay.

Another thing you’ll want to pre-plan is where exactly you’re going to park each night. Start with asking your hotel. Most hotels in smaller cities and towns will have free parking either right on the property or nearby. In bigger cities, I’ve found they’ll tell you their nightly rates but also offer some alternative suggestions for street parking and parking garages.

When all else fails, download the Spothero app to reserve ahead of time.

7. Take time to look up major landmarks or quirky stops along the way. 

Either beforehand or the evening before your drive, take a few minutes to look up potential sightseeing spots along the way. In the US Midwest especially, there are a ton of quirky spots worth checking out. On our Illinois Route 66 road trip, we stayed in a small town solely dedicated to arcade games! 

8. iExit is my ultimate secret weapon.

One of the ways you can look up these quirky spots is by using one of my favorite apps, iExit. This app will let you know about all the stops off an upcoming exit from restaurants to landmarks to gas stations. It’s especially great for figuring out where to eat and where to stop for the bathroom. After all, the next exit may have a typical fast food franchise but if you can make it an extra 10 miles to the exit after, you may find a cool, local diner. Or maybe you’re looking at rest stop or gas station bathrooms but if everyone can hold it for another 15 minutes, the following exit will have a proper Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts where everyone can pee and get a treat at the same time.

9. ALWAYS make time for National and State Parks.

One thing I’ll always make time for on a drive are national and state parks. Each country has their own giant list of national parks, and I find it’s always worth at least stopping in. You may even want to plan a whole day or two around some of them. There’s a very good reason these places have their designation whether it’s breathtaking landscapes or historic significance. 

In the US, other NPS parks might also be labeled as wildlife refuges, historic sites, monuments, and more.

10. Use AllTrails to look for trails along the way.

One of the key things to do on a road trip is to always make sure you take time to stretch your legs. Whether it’s just going for a 20-30 minute walk or planning a hike in a national park, trust me – make sure you move each day of the trip.

I like using the AllTrails app to find trails. It allows you to sort by difficulty and read through comments to see the most up-to-date trail information. If you pay for the app, you’ll be able to download trail maps ahead of time.

11. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation at your various pit stops.

Wherever you go, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with fellow visitors and locals. Obviously, keep safety in mind, so don’t reveal everything about your trip (and if you’re alone – don’t let anyone know you’re actually alone). But I’ve found that one of the best parts of a road trip is the ability to just meet all sorts of people! You’re not in a rush to catch a train or plane, so you can meander and just chat away. Not only is it fun, you never know what lesser known tips and insight you’ll get.

12. Have a paper map or paper directions just in case.

Maybe this makes me sound old, but even with all our navigation technology, I still feel better having some sort of paper map or printed out directions in my dashboard. You just never know! Sometimes phones can overheat and turn off for a good 15-20 minutes. Maybe you have an older phone where the battery doesn’t hold a charge even plugged in. I’ve even found that plenty of popular parks have absolutely no cell service at all, so if you exit out of your navigation you won’t be able to get a connection.

Regardless – just have an old school paper map or head over to MapQuest and print out directions like the olden days. (Yes, MapQuest still exists!)

13. Pre-download playlists, audiobooks, and podcasts.

Back to the potential lack of cell service, make sure you pre-download any playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks for your drive. Nothing is quite as frustrating as realizing you’re in a deadzone so the next song won’t load, the radio stations are all fuzzy, and all you have is silence.

14. Watch your speed.

Goes without saying – watch your speed! Many countries are a lot stricter with their speed limits and even going 10km (6miles) over may result in a ticket. Many places both in the US and abroad also use cameras, so you won’t know you’ve gotten a ticket until much later when it arrives in the mail. Not a fun surprise!

15. Don’t be afraid of getting a catnap at a gas station or rest stop if you didn’t sleep well enough the night before.

Another obvious road trip tip is get enough sleep every night. It’s pretty dangerous to drive when you’re exhausted. However, if you do have a poor night’s rest, don’t be afraid to look for gas stations, fast food restaurants, or rest stops. Really anything with a parking lot where you can stay for 30+ minutes, put your seat back, and get a cat nap in. Wear your sunglasses and put a T-shirt over your eyes for extra darkness if you’re stopping in the middle of a sunny day. 

Trust me – that 30 minute cat nap will do wonders!

16. Keep enough snacks, water, and gum in your car.

Always keep enough snacks, water, and gum in your car. I always get hungry while driving and, of course, you’re likely not finding too many healthy meals on the road. It’s good to have some veggies, fruit, and nuts on hand to stay balanced. Water, of course, is a no brainer – we all need to stay hydrated. I would say this is where those big Stanley or Owala cups come in handy since you can store 30 ounces. For extra hydration, look into adding nuun tablets or liquid IV to your drink. This’ll also help cut down on bathroom breaks.

17. Do NOT forget to apply sunscreen – especially to your face and the backs of your hands and arms.

Despite being inside your car, your face and hands will absolutely be exposed to the sun when driving. Think about how your hands are often resting on the steering wheel right under the front window. We’re all pretty good at remembering to put sunscreen on our faces, but when was the last time you remember specifically putting sunscreen on the back of your hands?

18. Remember – road trips are about the journey, not necessarily the destination! Give yourself wiggle room.

My ultimate road trip tip is to give yourself time. They say travel is about the journey, not the destination, and I’d say that’s especially true for road trips. The key is to enjoy the journey, so give yourself plenty of wiggle room to explore and discover. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve randomly seen one of those blue signs advertising a random attraction and wished I’d had time to pull over and check it all out. 

It’s better to enjoy a slower road trip than to rush through and realize all you saw was pavement and gas stations the whole time!

And there you have it – all my road trip tips for a smooth, fun journey! For some road trip ideas, check out these “Places to Love” episodes:

• Donegal & Northwest Ireland
• Texas Hill Country
• Oregon RV Trip
• Florida Keys & Key West
• Coastal Maine
• Hudson Valley in New York
• California Road Trip
• Illinois Route 66

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