Road trips are an enjoyable alternative to the often stressful trips taken by plane or ship. The obvious advantages are a less expensive trip, and a trip through scenic countryside which offers opportunity for unexpected discoveries. Use the informational tips in this article to plan a great road trip for you and your family.
Deciding on a destination is the first step you need to take in planning your trip. Make sure everyone taking the trip is interested in visiting the vacation attraction you choose. Make advance reservations at your choice of hotel or motel so you are not left without someplace to stay when you arrive. If you need to spend the night at a motel along the way, make reservations there ahead of time also.
Buy an up-to-date road atlas which shows the back roads and side roads not usually outlined on regular maps. If you decide to take a shortcut or need to detour you do not want to worry about getting lost. Many times there are road signs about nearby attractions, and you may need a good map to find your way there and back to the road to your intended destination.
Make sure your automobile is in good running condition before you leave. Your tires should all have lots of miles left on them, and you should have a good spare along in case of a flat. You should be sure you or someone with you can change a tire beside the road if you need to. Your trip can be rudely interrupted by a breakdown or a flat which nobody knows how to change.
If the drive to your destination will take more than one day, plan to stop at one or two attractions along the way. Just stopping to refuel and grab a bite to eat is not enough to break up the boredom of endless miles. Check online for local attractions in the towns your route takes you through or near. You may discover a charming antique shop or a unique restaurant with a great menu.
Your trip is likely to take you through or near towns and cities which offer interesting sights. For example, you may be interested in touring a thoroughbred horse farm as you travel through Kentucky, or stop in Nashville as you drive through Tennessee.
Stopping in towns is a great way to strike up a conversation with some of the local citizens. Most often people are proud of their town and are interested in answering any questions you may have about it. Many times you can learn information about an area or a town which is very interesting, and you would have had no way of finding out this information otherwise.
Once you begin to consider the advantages of a road trip, more ideas are likely to occur to you. Spending time with your family on a relaxing trip through the countryside might be just what you need for a truly memorable vacation. The ideas in this article will get you started on planning that once in a lifetime vacation.
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