Whether traveling with friends or heading out on a family adventure, a road trip is an excellent option for sight-seeing aficionados—and those who want to travel on a budget. 

 

However, it also requires a lot of careful planning ahead of time! Otherwise, you may find yourself wasting precious time on the road by taking longer routes than necessary from A to B, or having to fork out on expensive accommodation due to not booking ahead.

 

 

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to plan a fantastic group road trip! 

 

The first step to planning any vacation is setting your budget ahead of time. This will determine the trajectory of your travel, as it often dictates everything from the length of your trip to the snacks you’ll enjoy on your way. Furthermore, without putting a strict budget in place, you may find yourself running out of money or having to cut your trip short.

 

Remember, your budget needs to cover the following: 

 

● Car hire (if not using your own vehicle)

● Fuel and maintenance 

● Parking and toll fees

● Accommodation 

● Activities 

● Food and drink 

 

If, when looking over your finances, your dream trip feels a little out of reach right now, don’t worry. You can always push back the date of your vacation in order to save up some money and plan the kind of trip you’ll be talking about for years to come! You can also find lower cost options, such as camping, staying with friends, etc.

Whether you’re planning a road trip through the UK or staying a little closer to home, you should work out your route ahead of time. As mentioned above, this often ensures that you’re taking the most efficient route possible between destinations so you can spend more time exploring and less time behind the wheel. However, you may want to take the scenic route now and again, especially if you’re in an area of great natural beauty.

 

If traveling as part of a larger group, have everyone write down a list of sites they’d like to see or places they’d like to visit in your chosen destination and try to tick off as many of these as possible. You can then begin to mark out these spots on the map and start looking at the routes you can take.

 

Alternatively, you may want to follow a pre-established route shared online by other roadtrippers. This is often a great choice, as they’ll often share tips and tricks on where to stay or where the public restrooms are along the way. Alternatively, you could input your destinations into a road trip planner and have them put together a route on your behalf! 

If you’re going to be using your own car throughout the duration of your vacation, then you should be sure it's up to the task ahead of time. For example, you should carry out a routine vehicle inspection beforehand to ensure that you won’t encounter any issues when you hit the open road. Get the oil changed, fill your wiper fluid, etc. After all, the last thing you want to do on vacation is to break down in an area you aren’t familiar with.

 

However, it may be worthwhile to keep the contact details of a local towing service or repair team on hand. This way, if you find yourself in a difficult situation, you can reach out for help as quickly as possible.  

Whether you’re traveling for 5 days or 15, finding a place to stay during your trip is also crucial (unless you’re planning on sleeping in your car.) Remember, you have plenty of different types of accommodation to choose from, which can make it much easier to stick to your budget. For example, this could include: 

● Camping 

● Airbnb

● Vacation Rentals

● Motels 

● Hotels 

 

You should also be strategic when booking online. For example, while it's often cheaper to book in advance as opposed to on arrival (especially in places that are likely to be quite busy), some third-party platforms charge additional fees. This means that you may find it much cheaper to contact the hotel/campsite directly to see if they can offer you a better price.

 

However, if you book all of your accommodation using the same third-party platform, you may find that you’re able to access a specific reward scheme or benefits that help you save money moving forward. For example, Booking.com has a tier system, and you unlock additional benefits as you climb the ranks, such as free breakfasts or room upgrades.

Discussing the logistics of your trip ahead of time can also prove to be useful. For example, if numerous members of your travel party are able to drive, then you can put together a driving rota. This way, you won’t have to spend the majority of your trip behind the wheel (unless you’d like to do so). Fairly allocating driving duties means that everyone can also get the rest they deserve, ensuring that you remain as safe as possible on the road.

 

For longer stretches of travel, you may also find it useful to plan out rest breaks or stops ahead of time. This can make it a little easier to manage your schedule, as it can sometimes be difficult to find somewhere to stop spontaneously. 

In the same way that it is often cheaper to book accommodation ahead of time, you can also save a considerable amount of money by paying ahead for attractions. This is because many providers offer discounts on both online and advanced bookings, giving you the opportunity to stretch your budget a bit further. This is particularly important if you are going to be visiting tourist hotspots, which are likely to be very busy during your trip and can help you avoid the disappointment of being turned away at the last minute.

Once you’ve completed the above steps and your trip draws nearer, it's time to consider packing. As you’re going to be spending the majority of your time in your car, you don’t want to be surrounded by endless piles of bags and luggage that didn’t fit into the trunk, so try to pack light where possible.

 

You should also check out the weather forecast in the towns or cities you are visiting so that you can pack accordingly and ensure that you are as comfortable as possible throughout the duration of your travels. 

 

If traveling with younger children or teens, you should also ensure that you find plenty of ways to keep them entertained during longer bouts of travel. For example, you may want to bring along a series of books or games that they can play on the go, which can protect you from tired kids, or from hearing the phrase “I’m bored” over and over again. On a similar note, you may also want to download music, films, and TV shows onto a tablet or phone.

 

Finally, while you may already have curated a list of the different restaurants, cafes, and diners that you want to visit along the way, having some snacks to hand out is always useful. After all, this means that you won’t be left in a tricky situation if you’re stuck in traffic or simply need a snack along the way. Ideally, you should pack non-perishable snacks and plenty of water, too. First road trip rule is always don’t let anyone get hangry.

 

When packing the essentials, you should also make sure to pack a portable charger or power bank. This is particularly important if you are using your phone(s) to navigate, as otherwise, you could be caught in a difficult situation should you run out of battery. If this happens, you can always stop at a gas station and ask for directions.

Sometimes, you can put so much time and energy into planning a great vacation that you become overwhelmed with making sure everything is perfect. This means that even minor challenges, such as making a wrong turn, sleeping in, or getting caught in traffic, can leave you feeling stressed and frustrated. However, you should not let this stand in your way of having fun and making memories.

 

While you’ll want to stick to your schedule as much as possible, be mindful of the fact that it isn’t something you need to abide by 100% of the time. After all, you might stumble across an attraction or activity without meaning to do so, meaning your plans change as a result of this. This is a great way to open yourself up to adventure while traveling. Being open to serendipity and opportunity is our second road (and life!) trip rule. You might stumble across a concert, art in the park, a glorious field of sunflowers, an opportunity to go horseback riding, or come across a totally weird roadside attraction.  

 

Furthermore, the point of a road trip is getting to see amazing places while spending quality time with those you love, whether they be family or friends. It's not about getting from each destination on timel. Keeping this in mind throughout the duration of your trip will help you to keep your frustration and stress at bay while also giving you the chance to live in the moment.