How To Prepare For Your First Road Trip

by Jim on December 08, 2022

There’s always a first time for doing anything, but road trips are an entirely different kind of travel experience. If you’re about to go on your first road trip, a great idea would be to plan ahead of time. If you love adventure traveling, then road-tripping is for you! You can tune up with the area, dive deep, find secret gems during your journey, and get a feel of an authentic traveling experience instead of just arriving.

So, if you’re about to go on your first car trip and you’re a little nervous about it, you don’t have to worry, as it’s perfectly normal. Regardless of whether you want to check out every national park in the U.S or hang around outside of your hometown, you’ll need to do certain things before hitting the road so that you’ll experience the best road trip there. This article will discuss how to prepare for a road trip. Let’s dive in.

What are the tips to prepare for your first road trip?

Let’s review some tips you can use to prepare for your road trip.

1. Take Your Vehicle To The Mechanic For A Final Check-up

It’s a good idea to ensure your vehicle is in good condition before taking off for a road trip. What if your car breaks down before you arrive at your final destination? What if your car suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere, and there’s no cell signal to make a call? Where will you go to fix it? What if the repair shop doesn’t take credit cards? How will you pay?

You want your car to be something other than your archenemy while on the open road. So, you must take it for a complete check-up before leaving! Ask your mechanic to change the oil, and inspect your brakes, tire pressure, brake lights, brake fluid, and coolant alongside the car’s hoses, air filters, belts, battery, and radiator.

2. Fill Up The Entire Gas Tank Before You Go

It may sound undeniable when we say you should fill up your gas tank in a gas station before leaving. However, it would surprise you how it’s so easy to forget this crucial aspect of road trip preparation!

Endeavor to fill the tank before you hit the road! Starting long road trips with a full tank is very important in case you get lost, you’re unable to find any gas stations, or you probably forget to refill. In addition, driving on the roads for extended periods with your gas tank light on can damage your vehicle.

3. Plan Your Itinerary, Trip Pace, And Must-Do Destinations

It would be best if you made proper plans to enjoy your first long road trip. Ensure your travel team is on the same page about the trip pace and itinerary. Will you be hitting must-see places every day? Or is the road trip a get-lost type?

Grab your road maps, assemble your travel buddies and start preparing. Create a detailed itinerary of all you want to achieve on your road trip!

You’ll also want to make plans for emergencies. Because you never know what can happen next. So, get an emergency credit card or save money for such conditions, just in case.

4. Book All Accommodations Before Departing

As you already know, planning is the key to a smooth road trip! And proper planning involves booking your accommodations in advance. This approach is the surest way to ensure you have where to lay your head each night of the trip.

Now, it’s a good idea to sleep in your car seat during road adventures, although some car seats don’t offer full back support. But if you prefer a bed to rest in during your first open road trip, then book a place before hitting the roads. Or you can at least look for potential accommodations in the area!

5. Book a roadside rescue service

It may not seem like an essential tip for a successful road adventure, but it’s necessary if you get into car trouble. Even those who plan the most get stranded, and sometimes you can’t do anything about it. It just happens.

6. Plan your rest stops

If your destination is far, you may need a place to relax, stretch your legs and rejuvenate yourself and your vehicle. So check your paper map or if you have a google maps app on your device to seek out the best places to stop for a quick rest.

Inspecting your car before a road trip

Giving your automobile a thorough inspection before a road adventure is the most pleasing thing you can do. Inspecting your vehicle by a professional or, at the very least, a skilled individual is advisable. Although a thorough inspection is advised, the following is a road trip packing list to pay particular attention to:

Tires: Look for damage and wear on your tires. Before your journey, replace them if you have a spare tire. Get tires that are appropriate for the terrain. A set of highway tires will be the quietest and provide the best mileage if you plan to travel mainly on the highway. All-terrain tires, which will provide substantially better traction, are advised if you’ll be driving on dirt roads for a significant amount of time.
Lights: Examine each of your lights, and replace any that seem to be fading or dead.
Engine and brakes: Examine the condition of your heating and cooling system, brakes, and engine.
Battery: Examine the condition of your battery. Replace as necessary.
Windshield Wipers: Replace your wiper blades right away if they are beginning to look ragged.
Wiper fluid: Ensure your wiper fluid is at -40 degrees Fahrenheit for winter trips (-40 C).
Motor oil: Consider getting an oil change if you will be driving through frigid climates. And if you do, ask for an oil that is still compatible with your particular engine but is more winter-friendly. You should consult your owner’s manual.

What do I need to carry for my road trip?

Different excursions will have different needs depending on the time of year and the area, but there are certain things that you should always carry in your car :

Food and water: It’s always advisable for first-timers to pack food before going on a big road trip, as it may be challenging to get food on the open road. You can also pack snacks and water to stay hydrated while on the road.
Flashlights: You should have at least two flashlights in your vehicle, and make one of them a headlamp.
Road flares: Road flares are inexpensive and quite noticeable. Use them! To prevent being hit by a driver (or a snow plow) if you end up with a faulty car on the roadside in the middle of a blizzard, you should make your car as visible as humanly possible.
First aid kit: If you plan to go on an actual trip, It will help if you always had this emergency kit in your vehicle in case of a minor accident.
Jumper cables: You can cut down on your waiting time for a tow truck by having one set of these.
Spare batteries: These are for everything that needs batteries, including torches and your car’s key fob.
Blankets and warm clothes: You can use these should Incase you get stranded in cold weather on the side of the road.
Car charger and portable USB power pack: Most likely, your car already has a charging station for your phone. If not, acquire one. Carry a portable USB power supply to keep your phone and other devices charged if the electrical system in your vehicle fails.
Multitool: A multitool helps work on more minor things and the equipment you ideally have for maintaining your own car (a cheap socket set, a jack, a tire iron, etc.). It can be helpful in cooking, maintenance, and even medical tasks.

Final thoughts

If you’re eager to travel, road trips and camping are the way to go. Just you and your travel buddies in the vehicle; you don’t have to talk to other people unless it’s very important. With our guide, you will surely enjoy a great experience.