- 1). Decide what kind of vehicle you will use and have it thoroughly checked. Be sure to tell the mechanic what you are planning, and get his advice on what you should bring with you for the car, such as oil, windshield washer fluid, jumper cable, a jack or a spare tire. Use a mechanic you know will give you good advice, because once you get out on the road you will not have the same connections.
- 2). Research the areas you want to see. Many trips across the US form a kind of loop by first going across the north via Chicago, for example, and then turning south to see New Mexico or Louisiana, depending on whether the trip begins in the east or west. Decide which cities or national parks you want to include and what the mileage is between them. Online travel planners can help with route ideas. Some good examples are the American Automobile Association's TripTik, Yahoo's Trip Planner and Rand McNally, which offer example itineraries, maps and practical advice.
- 3
The Pacific Highway is a very popular road trip route.highway 1 image by michael tunbridge from Fotolia.com
Talk to friends and family about the trip. Everyone has ideas about places and sites you may never have heard of before. Follow your own interests as well. Not everyone is excited about seeing the presidents carved into Mt. Rushmore. Some would rather spend time at bars in Austin, Texas, or visit the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, California. The options are endless, so you need to pick and choose, and compromise with your travel partners. - 4). Match your travel plans to the amount of time you have. In some cases, ten days may be long enough to hit your top locales, but shorter time frames require more hours spent in the car each day. Be realistic about how long you can spend sitting inside the car. The emptiness of the highway through Kansas is less exciting after eight hours of looking at cornfields.
- 5). Look at the amount of money you want to spend. The biggest expenses on the road will be gas, food and lodging. Keep in mind that gas prices fluctuate a lot from state to state and over time. Using routes with less traffic, driving slower and maintaining a constant speed are all techniques to help lower your car's consumption rate.
- 6). Check hotel and motel rates in the areas you want to visit and make sure they fit your budget. If you are stopping in large cities you may want to make a reservation, otherwise you can bring along a guidebook to a chain, such as Best Western, the Red Roof Inn, or Super 8. That way if you are having trouble finding a hotel or your navigation system is not picking up a signal, you still have an address and phone number listing.
- 7
Diner food is an American road tradition.Turkey BLT Sandwich with Potato Chips at Diner image by nextrecord from Fotolia.com
Plan your meals. You have to eat, but will it be fast food, diner food or grocery store/cooler food? If you are a foodie, do your research and find the out-of-the-way eateries that you've only dreamed about and fit them in your plans.
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