Road Trip Like a Pro: How to Build the Best Road Trip Itinerary

When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 

Road trips can be a blast or a total disaster, and which category yours falls into depends on the level of effort you pour into the planning process. If your typical planning style leaves a bit to be desired, keep reading to learn how to create a successful road trip itinerary. 

Choose a destination 

Before you start packing the car, you have to figure out where you’re going. Sit down with your travel buddies and discuss what you want out of your next vacation. If checking out scenic views is your goal, seek out incredible mountains or stunning forests. If you prefer bar-hopping and wandering museums, you’ll probably want to visit a big city instead. 

The key to avoiding disappointment is deciding what you want early on and choosing a location that lines up with those goals. Once you’ve chosen your destination, it’s time to dive into the finer details of planning.

Get familiar with your route 

Picture this: you’re halfway through an all-day road trip, and every exit you pass is starting to blur together. Traffic is piling up behind you, and there’s no rest stop in sight. Between your rising panic and gnawing hunger, your nervous system is hurdling quickly toward a full-scale mental breakdown. If you’re hoping to avoid this level of stress, it’s best to develop an in-depth understanding of your road trip route before ever backing out of the driveway. 

Using free apps like Google Maps and Waze (or even a good old-fashioned paper map!), successful roadtrippers can determine exactly how they plan to reach their destination. Research your route beforehand, taking note of the easiest, least headache-inducing way to get where you’re going. 

Route research will help you plan where to stop, how to avoid congested areas where possible, and how to eliminate unnecessary frustration. 

Build a budget

If there’s one thing with the power to reduce even the most collected travelers to anxious wrecks, it’s money. There’s no denying that vacations are expensive, and costs can pile up fast when stopping for food, filling your gas tank, and paying for lodging. 

To have fun on vacation without breaking the bank, come up with a budget and stick to it. It’s never too soon to start budgeting, and we recommend doing it as you schedule your big trip. Consider the most costly road trip items, including restaurants, snacks, hotels, fuel, and hotels, among others. You’ll want to research your destination ahead of time and ideally decide on a few high-priority things you know you’ll want to spend money on. Excited to go whitewater rafting or visit a specific museum? Make sure you prioritize those budget items from the very beginning.

Research locations and determine their prices, then squirrel that amount of money away so it’s ready when the big day comes. Saving money early on will prevent you from being blown away by prices, spending more than you can afford, and ultimately disrupting your vacation with financial stress. Consider implementing cost-cutting hacks, like packing food instead of stopping at restaurants or choosing less extravagant places to stay. 

Find fun attractions

Now that we’ve discussed logistical issues, let’s jump into the more exciting aspects of travel. If you aren’t the kind of spontaneous adventurer who leaps into vacation with no plan in mind, you’ll want to have an idea of where you’re going and what you want to do there. 

The fun can start while you’re still on the journey, so be sure to research roadside attractions and cool tourist stops you’ll pass on your expedition. Sites like Reddit, Yelp, and Tripadvisor are hot spots for discussion, and they’re a good start to finding attractions that suit your fancy. Spontaneity is fun, but flying by the seat of your pants with no preparation can cause you to miss out on incredible experiences. 

Look up the area you’re heading toward and discover what makes it special. Find out about the can’t-miss places this town or city has to offer and pencil those into your schedule. If you don’t research, you risk subjecting yourself to major road trip regret later on. 

Nail down a theme (if that’s something you’re into) 

Not all vacations need to be copy-and-paste events that hit the trademarks of a typical American road trip. If you and your travel buddies have a more niche experience in mind, there’s a good chance you can tailor your itinerary to suit those specific interests.

Big on pizza? Well, you can plan a road trip geared toward hitting some of the country’s most beloved pizza restaurants. If silly roadside attractions tend to tickle your funny bone, plan a route that lets you hit a few of the most memorable tourist traps. 

All-in-all, it helps to remember that you’re fully in control of your own road trip. Take this opportunity to make your vacation dreams come true, even if your goals are quirky, weird, or outlandish. 

Take off with Transwest

Long before you’ve picked your road trip companions or decided on a destination, you have to have a vehicle you can rely on. Stop by Transwest to find a car that can carry you for miles on end, or check out the impressive inventory on our website.