Extended road trips, whether by an RV or a travel trailer, can be quite exhausting. Regardless, they are worth every penny! There is nothing better than exploring the great outdoors with your loved ones. You can create memories for a lifetime, and when it's over, you can always go back and fondly think about these moments.
Due to the nature of this endeavor, it is crucial to have meticulous preparation. Things such as budget and timeline can pose a big issue, later on, cutting your vacation short and preventing you from visiting some popular sites. Here are 10 incredible tips for extended road trips ensuring that you don't encounter any hiccups along the way.
1. Create a trip route
First off, you need to decide where you wish to go. This is especially important when traveling across the US because no matter where you go, there will certainly be some places that you'll be forced to miss.
On top of that, you also have to determine how much time you have to stay in that place. Cutting your rest and driving during the night can help with time management, but it can also become fatiguing after a few days, and this is the last thing you need.
2. Check on your vehicle
If you haven't driven your RV for a while, you might want to check its state. The same goes for travel trailers. Even if you have a small issue, make sure to address it ahead of time.
If this is your first extended road trip, you need to determine whether to buy, borrow, or rent a vehicle. Ideally, you should borrow it from one of your friends, but this also means you need to be very careful when driving. Trailers such as Rockwood Mini Lite Travel Trailers are some of the options at your disposal.
3. Create a reasonable budget
Budget is everything when it comes to road trips. It can cut your vacation short or can make it much more enjoyable. Set aside a sum that won't pose a financial burden for the family, and yet, it will allow you to enjoy yourself without worrying too much.
4. Have a flexible plan
The longer the trip, the more likely you will want to check some things that you didn't initially plan for. So, make sure to add some extra days and flexibility to your schedule. Otherwise, you risk missing some cool spots just because you didn't have enough time.
5. Think about driving
Even driving is a part of the experience. Most people focus on their plan and getting to the destination as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this means that you'll put so much pressure on yourself, and you won't even consider stopping to take photos of the scenery. Similarly, take your time at the rest stops. Have fun eating your favorite food and taking in the whole experience.
6. Put gas stops on your map
Although this is a minor thing, make sure to map out the positions of gas stops. The last thing you want is to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere.
7. Try cooking as much as possible
One of the sneaky issues with long trips is the lack of cooked food. Of course, it is much harder to prepare food in an RV or travel trailer than it is at home. Nevertheless, you should try to eat healthy. Among others, this will save some money, allowing you to spend it on some other, more fun things.
8. Check the weather ahead of time
Rough weather conditions can easily ruin your trip, especially if you're a driver. Just imagine driving on a windy mountain road while snow is showering your vehicle. As you well know, this can be extremely hazardous but also stressful. So, check the weather conditions before setting out to the new location.
9. Get an insurance
Depending on your schedule and plans, you should probably get insurance. This is especially important if you're traveling abroad or if you're suffering from a health condition. That being said, you should probably get some basic aspirins and drugs, just in case you catch flu or something like that.
10. Get hard copies of reservations
Nowadays, everything is stored online. You can easily access your email and retrieve all the documents from it. Nevertheless, there are some situations when the files are not accessible. In these cases, you want to have hard copies of all the reservations.
