Vacation planning time is here and it means that you need to think about booking yours. Being in the throes of winter can encourage you to be miserable: dull sky = dull mood. However, once you get yourself online and start looking for vacations, pricing them up and researching locations, your mood is going to lift no matter the color of the sky outside. With thoughts turning to what to do once the sunshine hits, you can be overwhelmed with the options in front of you.
You’ve got beach breaks, all-inclusive adventure vacations, flight and hotel packages, self-catering long-haul destinations and more. The options are seemingly unlimited, but really you have the control over your vacation, and it’s up to you to make it an adventure. One of the best ways that you can do that is taking a pre-vacation trip to a wholesale RV dealers and get yourself on the road for a few weeks – and that, my friends, is going to be the biggest adventure that you can ever hope to be a part of. There are a lot of planning elements that go into a road trip, so before you start thinking about customizing and building that RV of yours, you need to think about a few other things that really cannot be overlooked. Let’s take a look at seven tips for planning the best road trip ever!
Location.
You’ve got the RV, now you just need to know where to drive it. Most people love a road trip if there is a balance between how much driving is done and how much relaxing is happening. In an RV, you save money with your sleep space, so you don’t have to worry about planning a route according to hotels. However, you could choose to plan your route according to great starlight locations. Think about the maximum distance and time you want to drive and set that as the space for your road trip.
The Vehicle.
You cannot go on a road trip in a beat up old car. It has to be a well maintained vehicle, which is why road trips are so popular in RVs. There is nothing worse than breaking down on the side of the road, but a new RV that you have custom built could be the smooth, streamlined vehicle that you stay in on the road. Some travelers like to rent cars, but with an RV, you could have friends with you and you all get the space to move around.
Driving Routes.
You need to know where you’re going, sure, but it helps to know that you can actually get there. Plenty of people like to use the old fashioned paper map method; mapping multiple routes so that there are back ups in case of accidents or horrendous amounts of traffic. You can be a little more modern with a GPS system in place to help you to be on the road and know where you’re going. Always have a charger with you for that, though, otherwise you’re going to save all your routes for nothing.
Planned Pit Stops.
A road trip has an end destination, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any interesting things along the way. Planning the pit stops for delicious cuisines, museums, theme parks and a little self-exploration at a spa is a must. Your road trip drive should be fun and a part of that happens on the journey to the destination. Make it count and plan lots of exciting stops!
Packing.
You have an RV, so your packing doesn’t have to be as tight as if you were in a normal car. Make sure that – whatever you do – you pack your cell phone chargers and GPS chargers and any charger relevant to your trip. With those, pack external battery packs, too. Being on the road can mean that you lose charge, and you need the RV to charge it up. Also, it’s good to load up on the snacks and drinks in the RV refrigerator. If there are children aboard, pack for their entertainment, too!
Rest Areas.
You may not want to sleep every single time that you stop, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need rest stops for the bathroom, exploration and just taking a break from driving. It’s a good idea to get out and about to walk around and stretch your legs. This will keep your circulation moving around properly and helps to prevent deep vein thrombosis. Time your stops at official city areas or designated rest areas, and you won’t have be worried about being told to move along, plus you get to explore!
Sleep.
The most important thing to plan for your road trip is your sleep. You need to be able to sleep prior to your trip, especially if you have an early morning trip to think about. You don’t want to be on the road and start getting exhausted, which means that you need to schedule breaks to sleep along the way. Set up your reminders on your smartphone so that it will beep and alert you when to stop without you needing to look at the screen at all. Keep up with the caffeine, eat well and when you really want to sleep, stay in a designated rest stop, lock the doors and have a nap! Keep some emergency cash in the RV with you so that you can spring for a motel if you need to, as well.
Make your end destination one of your bucket list items, and your adventure is going to begin before you even get behind the wheel. Planning your road trip should be done carefully so that you can be on the road safely. An adventure should never put you in a position of danger, so plan it well, and you’ll be on the road and enjoying every single second of your summer. Take back-up cell phones, let someone close know your route and get excited!