PLANNING A ROAD TRIP?
Our blogs will give you some great ideas for routes, places to go, things to see, activities etc and also help you with the timing which is one of the most important things to consider when planning trips. But timing is just one of the many things to consider if you want to maximise your time and experience so we have created an ever growing list of tips for you to give some thought to prior to your trip:
Where to go ..
Build a list of places you would like to visit – eg – eg National Parks, hiking, beaches, museums, art galleries or simply go with the flow? You probably won’t be able to visit them all, but you do need to start somewhere. Your list is a WIP until you are ready to start making some decisions.
Try using Google Maps to plot your route –this will help to visualise your route and avoid doubling back or going way off planned route. Your list may get very busy with pins but that is part of the fun, the not so fun part is having to make a decision on what stays and what goes!
Once your list is complete give some thought to the drive time and how much time you want to spend in each place. This is the start of your ‘road map’. And this road map may well change as you start making your decisions but you need some bones to start with.
After you have made your shortlist do further research on the places you decided to keep. Why do you want to go there? Make a list of all the things you want to see and do and then decide how long you need at that stop or for that drive.
So you have put your route together and know how much time you plan to spend where and when, you need accommodation. Armed with your dates and your budgets head to one of many websites that will show availability and pricing for all types of accommodation. Not forgetting for a real local experience you could try Airbnb, a houseboat, a yurt or a farm stay etc. You could prebook or leave it flexible so if you decide to stay longer in one place you can. There are sites and apps like hoteltonight.com that specialise in very last-minute accommodation but do be prepared to sleep in the car if you leave it too last minute. This example here is from SORTA.
You are probably almost ready to book your flights and car rental but here are a few other things to consider…..
Some more Tips:
Driving overseas – you are able to drive in most countries on your own licence. However if it’s not in English you will need an official translation or international driver’s licence and much easier to get these organised before you leave.
Car Rental – Comfort on a driving trip is up near the top of the list so select the vehicle that best suits the type of drive (4WD for snow, convertible for a beach trip, compact for cities etc), number of people and of course bags. To avoid any spoiling the trip with getting charged for damage to the car take out the highest level of insurance you can afford then you can drive with total peace of mind. Good idea to take photos of any existing damage to the vehicle and check these are on the condition report.
Car Rental – Comfort on a driving trip is up near the top of the list so select the vehicle that best suits the type of drive (4WD for snow, convertible for a beach trip, compact for cities etc), number of people and of course bags. To avoid any spoiling the trip with getting charged for damage to the car take out the highest level of insurance you can afford then you can drive with total peace of mind. Good idea to take photos of any existing damage to the vehicle and check these are on the condition report provided.
Rules of the road – if you can understand the road signs great but it’s still worth checking what the rules are.. eg what the rules are around school buses, 4 way stops, parking, merging, roundabouts, police cars and ambulances etc. Don’t make any mistakes that could ruin your holiday or smash your bank account!
Make sure you have the car rental documents handy in case you need to call the rental company or call their breakdown service. Also put the emergency services numbers for that country in your phone.
Rules of the road – if you can understand the road signs great but it’s still worth checking what the rules are.. eg what the rules are around school buses, 4 way stops, parking, merging, roundabouts, police cars and ambulances etc. Don’t make any mistakes that could ruin your holiday or smash your bank account!
Make sure you have the car rental documents handy in case you need to call the rental company or call their breakdown service. Also put the emergency services numbers for that country in your phone.
Timing – are you going at the right time of year? Nothing worse than getting somewhere to find it’s closed for the weekend, closed for renovation, public holiday etc. Weather – don’t get caught driving a 2WD on snowy roads, Parks closed due to poor conditions etc. Also seasons – high season, local holidays, festivals .. find out when they are.
Passes – do you need National Park passes, Theme park passes? Much easier to buy these before you go. Did we say to have a check list for this trip? Best to have one, then you can keep yourself organised.
Maps – if you are relying on google maps, download them when you have wifi then you have still them offline in case you lose signal and it could save you heaps if you don’t have to use your roaming data.
Here are some suggestions but the list is endless ..
Waze – will get you through the busy traffic, advise of any accidents and road works AND will also help you with service stations and pricing.
GasBuddy – to find the cheapest fuel in the USA. Google maps (live) if you type in ‘gas’ and it will show you the local gas stations and the fuel prices. In Australia the 711 app will lock in the lowest national price and get that price at the station where you are.
AllTrails – worldwide trail guides and maps for running, hiking, camping and biking
Currency converter – XE is a good one but there are loads
Trip Trackers – Keep track of your trip, write your blog or journal and keep your photos/videos all in one place. There are many including TripCast, Bonjournal, Diaro .. check them out, see which ones works best for you.
Language translation – self-explanatory, loads to choose from, including google and google lens for translation of writing (fantastic tool, don’t go away without downloading this app, it will save your life!)
Audio books – if you are planning long driving days you may want some entertainment and Audible has a vast range of books to choose from.
1 Second Everyday – makes a movie of your trip. So much fun making movies and memories!
Remember to Download apps before you leave!
Car charger for your phone – don’t forget to pack it and don’t forget to take it out of the rental car at the end of the trip.
Esky – If there’s no room to pack an esky bag buy a polystyrene one that you can leave in the car at the end of the trip (for someone else to use). Once you have your esky you can buy supplies at supermarkets and keep things cold and fresh, no more driving ‘hangry’ wondering where the next stop is or paying an arm and a leg at the service stations.
Tip – freeze bottles of water to use as ice blocks, you can drink these as they defrost then top up and freeze over night in the fridge in the hotel room.
