Travel Tips: Preparing for a Road Trip

Sonoma scenery: the striking natural beauty of this classic wine destination was captured here by a TripAdvisor traveler.

First aid kit? Check. GPS system or map and directions? Check. Full tank of gas? Check. Recent oil change or tune up? Check. These are just a few steps travelers do in advance of a road trip. With the recent drop in gas prices, people are taking to the road to still have a vacation or long weekend this fall. From traveling to vineyards to taking in fall foliage, Americans are taking to the roads. 

According to TripAdvisor’s annual fall survey, of the 82 percent of U.S. respondents who plan to travel for leisure purposes this fall, 48 percent of this group of travelers said they plan to drive this autumn for their leisure travel.

Even with the roller coaster of fuel prices this summer, car travel is reportedly on the rise. “Twenty-nine percent of U.S. respondents, and 25 percent of respondents worldwide, plan to take more car trips this fall than they would have if gas was still at its summer high prices,” the TripAdvisor survey reveals. “The top reason for Americans to travel this autumn is that the timing is most convenient, according to 22 percent, while 17 percent pointed to fewer tourists and crowds.”

Travel Advocate is providing its expertise on road trip preparation ideas, along with some other experts who have submitted some innovative and not-to-forget ideas! There are more tips than one can even imagine, so this is not intended to be a check list, rather these are some ideas to help travelers prepare and enjoy their road trips.

Check Up: The Drive Smarter Challenge recommends several pre-road trip tips, including inflate your tires because keeping tires properly inflated can improve gas mileage by around three percent. Another pre-trip recommendation is to select the right oil. “Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil, including re-refined motor oil, improves gas mileage by one to two percent, resulting in annual savings of up to $45,” according to the Drive Smarter Challenge Web site.

BYOB: Bring your own cooler complete with beverages. “One or two high-quality ice chests can save $20 a day or more even if you use them for nothing but cold drinks,” according to travel expert Janet Groene. “I start out with a horde of frozen sandwiches, well sealed in leak-proof bags, for lunches the first couple of days. We also like to carry juice, milk, and cereal for breakfasts. With fruit, cheese, peanut butter, jelly and crackers you can feed the crew anywhere, any time.” 

Information: During a road trip, the need for a pharmacy, hotel, auto repair shop, bank or other necessities might be needed. There is now a tool that provides information without a charge. 1-800-FREE411 can be used from a cell phone. “Not only can (travelers) skip the $2 charge for directory assistance, they can also get voice-activated MapQuest directions to any place in any town in the U.S. just by dialing this toll-free number - so no Web access, print outs or bulky directories needed,” according to FREE411 spokesperson Meghan Lee. “Travelers can even have the directions sent to their cell phone via text after the call- very helpful when in a new city or town!”

Directions: Frequent traveler and author Beth LaMie advises travelers not rely on a single directional resource. “Always bring along several map sources, such as a good atlas or state/province maps, Mapquest or other search route and a GPS, if possible,” LaMie says. “No source is error-proof, so having more than one to reference makes it much more likely that a trip will be less likely to have problems.” She also recommends using a highlighter to mark the intended travel route and using different colors to track different routes.

Safety: Once travelers are on the road and taking breaks as part of the trip, Michelle Boykins, spokesperson for the National Crime Prevention Council recommends a few simple tips.

• Carry money separately from credit cards. Carry your purse close to your body and your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.
• Ask the hotel desk clerk to tell you quietly the hotel room number.  Do not overburden yourself with luggage to avoid being an easy target.
• Use deadbolt and other locks provided by your hotel - including locks on all guest room entry and connecting room doors.
• Never open the door for a stranger.  Only open the door for hotel staff if you requested their presence.

These road travel preparation tips are just a few ideas to ensure a memorable and positive journey. Travel Advocate continues to seek out additional road trip products and ideas to contribute toward the experience and will continually share in additional articles.

What is your favorite road trip tip?