Tips for Preparing Your Summer Road Trip

A summer road trip can be the highlight of the year for a family. Getting to spend extended time together while driving to an exciting destination is an experience that is hard to replicate any other way. Sure, you could fly to your destination and get there faster, but you’d be missing out on the many special moments that occur on the road.

If you are getting ready for a summer road trip, we’d like to help you have a great experience by offering some planning and preparation tips. Taking a bit of extra time to make sure things are in order will go a long way toward allowing you to relax and squeeze every possible bit of fun out of the voyage.

Pack a Bag

In addition to the luggage that you will be taking on your road trip, you should also pack a small bag of supplies meant to be kept in the vehicle in case of emergency. This is always a good idea for a road trip of any length, but it’s especially important when you are going to be traveling a long distance across roads in rural areas. When you are in places with spotty cell coverage and not a lot of traffic, it’s a good idea to have supplies that allow you to be self-sufficient until help can come.

So, what should you put in your emergency bag? A first aid kit is a great place to start. You can buy a pre-made kit that has all of the essentials and comes with a modest price tag. From there, you’ll want to add some bottles of water, non-perishable food, and a blanket. Even for a summer road trip, it’s a good idea to have a blanket in case you are stranded at night and the temperatures start to fall. Road flares could also be a good idea, as well as a basic tool kit and even something to read.

Have Basic Maintenance Performed

Schedule a service visit ahead of your upcoming road trip so you can have standard maintenance completed like an oil change, tire check, and fluid level top-off. This is something that you should do periodically anyway, so it makes sense to time it before a road trip. Try to have the maintenance appointment scheduled for at least a couple of weeks before you are supposed to leave, so any necessary repair tasks that come up can be completed in time.

Know Your Route – and Alternatives

In the age of GPS systems, it’s easy enough to set out on the road and trust that your phone or navigation system will tell you which way to go. That will work most of the time, but it’s also a good idea to do a little bit of homework and figure out what roads you’ll be taking and what backup options are available. In the case of an unexpected road closure or weather event, it’s helpful to know what alternate routes can still get you to your destination.

Load Up a Playlist

You shouldn’t be fussing with your phone or the radio while on the road, trying to find something good to listen to. Instead, take some time while at home to create a playlist that will appeal to everyone in the vehicle. Then, if your car has Bluetooth or some other type of interface to connect your phone, you can turn on the playlist and enjoy some great music as the miles roll by.

Practice Your Packing

One of the most frustrating things you can experience when getting ready for a road trip is trying to pack up your vehicle only to find that everything you want to take does not fit. The pile of things never looks that big inside of the house, after all, but you can run out of space quickly once you start loading it into the trunk or rear cargo area. By practicing ahead of time, you’ll have a chance to figure out more efficient ways to pack, and you can also sort through the pile to determine what doesn’t need to come with you after all.

Of course, you’ll want to be taking a comfortable and reliable vehicle with you for the journey, so stop by Five Star Nissan of Florence if you’d like to shop for a new or used vehicle ahead of your road trip. With many great options in our inventory, and an experienced team on hand to help you find the right vehicle, you’ll have a great time shopping with us. Stop by today!