It can be incredibly overwhelming to plan a commute or trip, especially if it’s a long one with multiple stops. Fortunately, we’re here to help. The following guide will walk you through how to plan your commute or trip.
How to Plan a Commute or Trip
Do Your Research
The first step to planning your commute or trip is to research where you want to go.
- Decide on a time and budget for your trip. In other words, how long do you want to be on the road for and how much are you willing to spend. You can use a commute time calculator to figure out how long it will take you to drive to specific destinations or distances.
- Look for inspiration. Search for potential destinations on travel blogs, Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest.
- Figure out if you’re going to make any stops along the way to your final destination. Consider whether there are any attractions you want to see or whether you’ll need to stay someplace overnight.
Choose a Road Trip Planner App
While planning your road trip, you should choose a road trip planner app. This app will help you plan your trip beforehand and provide driving directions during your trip. Here are a few apps we recommend:
- Waze
- Google Trips
- Maptive
Other apps you may want to consider are:
- A parking app, such as Parkopedia
- A city tour app, such as GetYourGuide
- A hotel booking app such as Booking.com
Create a Budget For Your Trip
Trip expenses can quickly get out of hand, so to avoid spending more than you can afford, it’s essential to create a budget.
- Find out how far your car can travel on a tank of gas.
- Research gas prices along your route.
- Consider how much you’ll need to spend on food, accommodation and having fun.
Once you’ve researched all these things, you should be able to come up with a reasonable total and daily budget for your trip.
Make Reservations Ahead of Time
Now that you have your budget, it’s time to reserve your accommodations and attractions. You should know exactly where you’re going to stop each night and what things you’ll be doing during the day. Booking hotels ahead of time will save you money, and you won’t be at risk of not getting a room. Additionally, if you can get tickets for attractions ahead of time, this will save you time and disappointment if things are sold out.
Pack Your Bags
Once you’ve planned your route, your budget, and reserved your accommodations and attractions, it’s time to start packing. However, to conserve space in your car, you need to pack smart, perhaps using an aluminium case to make sure that your belongings stay secure throughout the journey. Here are the essentials:
- Car Documents
- Car registration
- A copy of your car insurance
- The car owner’s manual
- Personal Documents
- Passport (if necessary)
- Driver’s license
- Medical card
- Roadside Emergency Kit
- Jumper cables
- Lightsticks
- Reflective vest
- Rain poncho
- Warning triangle
- Whistle
- Tire pressure gauge
- Accessories
- Spare cash
- Sunglasses
- Blanket
- Hand sanitizer
- Car chargers for your electronics
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Travel mug
- Shopping bag
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Water bottles
- Smartphone mount
Preparing Food
Snacks are essential on any road trip, plus bringing your own food on the road means you won’t have to stop as often. Some snacks that are great for the car include:
- Boiled eggs
- Chopped veggies
- Dips
- Olives
- Sandwiches/wraps
- Fruit
- Assorted cheeses
- Deli meats
- Chips
- Pretzels
- Bread buns
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Dried fruits
- Fresh fruit
- Canned fish
- Granola bars
- Candy bars
- Cupcakes/muffins
Other things you’ll want to bring to accommodate your snacking are:
- Paper towels or napkins
- Coffee cup/thermos flask
- Plastic plates (re-usable)
- Cutlery (preferably re-usable)
- Sharp knife for cutting
- Chopping board
- Wet wipes
- Garbage bag
- Foil
- Tupperware tubs
- Dish soap and sponge
- Bottle opener
Summary
Preparation is central to a great road trip. To start with, you need to decide where you want to go. A great way to figure this out is to use social media to see where others have gone. The next step is to plot out your route. Using a road trip planner app is ideal for doing this as it will also provide you with turn-by-turn navigation. Next, you’ll want to create a budget, make reservations, pack your bags, and prepare food. It may seem like a lot, but following all these steps will ensure you have a safe and successful trip. So what are you waiting for! It’s time to hit the road!
