#Beginner’s Guide to Cross Country Road Trip

Table of Contents

Beginner’s Guide to Cross Country Road Trip

With infinite days of driving ahead, planning is vital to preventing a sleep-deprived cross-country road trip filled with touchy passengers, boredom, or worse, vehicle mechanical problems. Traveling thousands of miles away from your city is demanding enough, let alone spending immeasurable hours in the vehicle to reach your destination. Listed below are essential expedition tips for your cross-country escapade.

Service Your Vehicle

The main objective of a cross-country road trip is driving. In this case, there is nothing as terrifying as starting your journey with an unfit vehicle. Keep in mind that a non-serviced vehicle can unpredictably break down, forcing you to spend hours or days in a town waiting for it to be fixed. Therefore, consider having your car checked before embarking on your trip. The checks must include oil changes, brakes, battery, windshield wipers, tire tread and pressure, fluid levels, belts and hoses, headlights and brake lights, jack, and spare tire.

Map Out Your Route

You can begin mapping out your route by filling your starting and ending points with your GPS. This way you can easily see some of the routes you will take and pass through. The best thing about mapping out your route is getting ideas of other places you might need to explore. Remember to check your map to discover alternate route options and pick the ones that will ultimately get you to the areas that interest you most. If you have a GPS tracking device, you can easily track the route that you took and all the places you have visited.

Assess the Stops Along the Way

There are high chances you will have a couple of places along the way you need to tour. Thus, research about these places before heading out. What if you failed to perform conclusive research beforehand only to discover that you missed some must-visit places after your trip? Well, you would kick yourself, wouldn’t you? The good thing about making a few stops during your trip is that they help you break up the driving’s monotony.

Pack a Cooler

Fill your cooler with water, snacks, and other drinks. When driving cross-country, you can travel hundreds of miles between cities without finding a functioning restaurant. Here is where having a cooler becomes ultra-convenient. Consider stopping at local grocery stores to restock the cooler with muffins, drinks, and other snacks you deem suitable.

Evaluate the Weather

Perhaps this needs to be on the top of the list. Once you reach some areas of the US on your excursion, you might encounter radical weather changes that impact your drive. For example, you may run into a crazy hail storm in some states. Therefore, it is important to closely check the weather reports if you want to stay safe on the roads.

Don’t let the Gas Deplete

If possible, avoid getting extremely low on gas. You may think the next gas station is a few miles away, only for the gas to be depleted when you are in the middle of nowhere. The general rule is to search for a gas station when the gas tank reaches the halfway mark. When the gas gets below the quarter mark, ensure you refill it immediately. Ensure you know how far your vehicle can drive on a full tank without relying on luck.

Keep Track of Travel Plans

Remember that a lot goes into planning a successful cross-country road trip, meaning you can easily be overwhelmed. It’s, thus, essential if you keep things on track and organized. It would be helpful to make a to-do list of the things you need to do before starting your trip. The simplest way is to begin with a trip packing checklist comprising the things you need, such as water, snacks, jumper cables, first aid kit, camera, insurance, vehicle registration card, road atlas or GPS, and coins for using at any toll roads you find.

Have an Idea of Where to Stay

Road trips are flexible as you can go where you want when you want. For example, if you love a specific place’s vibe, consider staying longer, but if not, leave as soon as possible. You should consider booking the places you plan to spend the nights early if you plan to travel during the peak season.

Wrapping Up

It’s vital to be impulsive when you kickstart your cross-country road voyage. But planning ahead can help you prevent hurdles that may come your way, and in the process, make the trip smooth and comfortable. Hopefully, the tips mentioned above can help you plan an unforgettable cross-country road trip.

By Tracie Johnson

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