Road trip by car – experience unforgettable adventures

Road trips are a popular way to travel; they give vacationers a feeling of freedom , no matter where they go. They offer a clear advantage over package tours because a road trip can be designed individually , whether you have to pay attention to your budget or are planning a luxurious excursion. A road trip takes vacationers to unknown corners of their own country or abroad to foreign areas . Road trips help you discover the world and spend more time together. If you value flexibility on a road trip, you don’t have to invest a lot of planning; with a few tips your next trip will be the perfect road trip .

Choose the destination for the road trip and plan the route with stopovers

If you want to plan a road trip, the first question you need to ask is where you are going. Depending on the route, you can stop in many countries on a single trip. Modern tools that use the Internet, especially Google Maps, help to design the route . The online map service provides an overview; all the user has to do is enter the start and destination. He immediately receives an overview of the possible route, he can also add as many stops as desired and also adapt the route as desired.

Alternatively, you can use a real map in the classic way if you can read these maps. In contrast to the Internet, these are not linked to a good connection, but the network is always up to date. If you travel with a navigation system or Google Maps, you can always have the route displayed and change and adapt it while driving.

During the stopovers you can freely choose according to your interests, whether you want to visit a sight or simply visit a good restaurant , it doesn’t matter. However, it is important to plan these small or large breaks, because a stopover offers the opportunity to recover from the journey, stretch your legs and have something to eat. Planned breaks give the road trip structure and additional security . You should find out in advance where a suitable parking space is and which gas station you can go to in an emergency. It’s more than annoying if you don’t know your way around the country you’re traveling to and don’t have the opportunity to refuel in time. Such an experience can quickly ruin the entire feeling of the trip.

The advantage of a road trip is clearly that even detours are worth it, because the journey is the destination . So you can take a longer route and plan for it right from the start, because you can stop or change the plan at any time. It is important that there is at least a basic route to follow.

Prepare the car for the journey

When planning a road trip, the vehicle you use is important; it should be reliable. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a campervan , your own car or a rental car . If you don’t have a reliable car, you can easily rent a car for your road trip. Some rental car companies have even specialized in this and offer you to discover the world with a rented car .

Travelers who prefer their own car need to be well prepared so that everything goes smoothly. Therefore, a mechanic should take a look at the car in advance. Depending on the length of the trip, a small or large inspection is beneficial and provides peace of mind to travelers. You can do some of the work yourself if you have manual skills.

First you should check whether an oil change is due ; if in doubt, this can always be done quickly. Checking all fluids in the car is also mandatory; this is the only way to ensure that the car is a reliable companion. Depending on the duration of the trip, it is advantageous to carry a selection of fluids with you, such as engine oil and windshield washer fluid, so you can easily refill them at any time without having to go to a store.

It is essential to check your car tires before you leave ; this doesn’t just mean the tire pressure, the tread depth is also important. Car tires with too much or too little pressure wear irregularly and increase braking distances, they cause insecurity and lead to increased fuel consumption.

If you are traveling with several people, you should check your insurance in advance and contact the responsible advisor. It is always possible to register a second driver, which makes it easier to change drivers after a few hours of driving. If the passenger has been registered, he or she is also insured. To do this, the owner of the car must provide some information, but this is usually quick. All you have to do is make an appointment with your contact person, who can simply add additional information to other drivers, usually for a small additional charge to the premium .

On long road trips it is always an advantage to buy a membership in a car club , for example the ADAC. Some of these clubs offer their services in different countries. So it doesn’t matter whether you get stranded on a highway in America or Europe. This is not only particularly practical, it reliably protects everyone involved.

Create a road trip checklist – play it safe

Before the road trip there is the classic checklist ! This gives the traveler security; it can be created many weeks in advance, so you always have the opportunity to add points that spontaneously come to mind. This list includes all the things that you definitely want and should take with you. Some important things are mandatory, for example, such as the warning triangle, the first-aid kit and the insurance documents . Depending on the destination, a passport and a document proving valid vaccinations will be necessary; these things can be researched in advance as soon as the destination has been determined. No matter where the road trip goes, the driver must always have his driver’s license handy .

So much for the important things that you should take with you, everything else is optional and depends on the preferences of the drivers. It therefore makes sense to work out the checklist piece by piece; you usually think of important things at short notice that you definitely want to have with you. Of course, there are also some recommendations for additional things that can make the trip easier and enricher .

Depending on the route planning, a navigation system is a useful support; they are already integrated in some modern cars. But mobile devices can also easily be used in the car; they are then supplied with electricity from the car. Before you set off, you should check that the navigation system is working and download any necessary updates so that it is ready to go. A savior in an emergency is the charger for your cell phone and iPad, but also a jumper cable . This means you can always start the car on site if the vehicle battery is weak.

The same applies to hygiene items that everyone should pack as needed; toilet paper and a small first-aid kit are a must, so you are always prepared. Not every moment on the road trip is exciting, there are always moments of relaxation or times when there is silence, maybe even boredom. Unfortunately, not every corner of the journey is filled with exciting sights or experiences, because in this case the journey is the destination. You can design this individually, with a good playlist on Spotify or another music app, you’ll always be entertained. In addition, you can listen to audio books or podcasts via some apps , depending on your preferences.

Even detours lead to your destination, stay spontaneous on the road trip

One of the most important road trip tips: stay spontaneous ! Because that’s exactly what a trip like this is all about. Of course, there is always the basic itinerary that gives you security. You should also always have the addresses of surrounding gas stations and rest areas with you, but spontaneous changes make these trips even more of a unique experience . With the help of GPS-controlled navigation, you can really live out your spontaneity and take other routes that you decide on at short notice.

What snacks to pack

Anyone who travels also looks forward to new culinary experiences , but you shouldn’t completely ignore your travel provisions. There are always parts of the route where it is not so easy to get food or drink, even if you have done good research in advance. Depending on the situation, it is possible that a selected rest stop or location will be closed at any time. Therefore it is important to have a few little things with you. This is especially true for water , a few liters can easily be transported in the trunk, so they are always ready to hand. You can also take small snacks such as nuts, fruit or sandwiches with you in a small cooler bag . This means you always have food with you when you get hungry, especially since the homemade version is often cheaper than eating at a rest stop and in some cases it tastes better.

Additional road trip tips

No matter how well prepared you are, you are rarely prepared for all eventualities . Therefore, you should think about what the road trip should look like in advance. Would you rather stay in a hotel or would you like to spontaneously camp somewhere? Of course you can prepare for this.

Take your sleeping bag and tent with you

If you like to sleep in the great outdoors, you need to take a sleeping bag and a tent with you. Of course, these also take up a lot of space in the car. Depending on the size of the car, you can simply sleep in the car if you want. Maybe there is a great campsite near the route ? Here you can request a campsite in advance and book it straight away.

Book accommodation

Travelers who prefer a real bed can make a booking online in advance to reserve a suitable motel room. Of course, you can also make this decision spontaneously; it is important to take eventual events into account. As soon as trade fairs or events take place in a location , it is almost impossible to get a room at short notice.

GPS-Tracker

If you pack a GPS tracker in your car in addition to your cell phone and navigation system , you benefit from many other advantages. Modern cars are often already equipped with this, but such a device can also be easily attached or carried flexibly afterwards. The market offers many models that fundamentally differ in their power supply. Some GPS trackers come with a rechargeable battery, others can be connected directly to the car or connected to the vehicle power.

• Theft protection
  • On the one hand, the driver benefits from increased theft protection for the car and the luggage it contains. GPS trackers work using satellite signals that are sent out at regular intervals. The device receives this and can determine its own position at any time . The determined data is then sent to a connected device, usually a smartphone. Since GPS receivers do not have their own user interface, the device is set and controlled via the associated app on the cell phone. The location and every movement is visualized for the user on a map . Within the app, the user can set and customize various alarms. For example, he will be informed if the device is moved or removed, so he can take immediate action in the event of a possible car theft.
• Recording the route
  • Recording the entire route while driving is a great idea for the road trip, so you can see each route afterwards and reconstruct the route. The complete route with all stops is saved on the provider’s server and the user can access it at any time. Since GPS is received worldwide, there are no gaps when you are offline. However, this storage is rarely completely free; comprehensive use of GPS devices usually requires a subscription, which unlocks all functions and enables convenient use .
• GPS data
  • Using the GPS data collected, travelers can collect additional information about the trip , for example in pictures. Beautiful places, video recordings or highlights are also saved with the associated location and can be viewed after your vacation. You can use this information to create a photo album as a keepsake or to plan your next trip .

The most important of all road trip tips: safety first!

Even though a road trip teaches independence and self-reliance , there is always someone waiting at home to care. In the age of smartphones, it is no problem for anyone to regularly send a short update to family and friends. No one is doing themselves any favors by traveling when they are tired; they are a danger to themselves and other drivers. It’s important to take scheduled breaks to stretch your legs. Even if no stop is planned, you can stop and get out; fresh air and exercise will quickly get you fit again.