There’s something undeniably romantic about the open road the promise of freedom, spontaneous moments, and playlists that turn into core memories. Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or an epic cross country voyage, road trips have that rare ability to shift your mindset, feel spontaneous, and serve your full energy in the best way possible.

But here’s the thing: the dream only stays dreamy if you prep properly. From the comfiest travel ‘fits to beauty must haves and unexpected essentials (yes, snacks count as a category of their own), it’s time to think not only in the itinerary, start planning and get into the real road trip prep.

Ready to roll? Here’s everything you need to tick off before you hit the gas.

Choose Where to Go

First of all, you need to make sure that you’re choosing the right kind of road trip for your needs. Think about the sights you want to see or what kind of places you want to visit. You can then find routes that meet your needs. You don’t have to pack the car from home and head off locally. You can explore places further afield too. You can do some major routes around the world and explore different cultures in the process.

Prepare the Car

When your plans are all ironed out, the next thing you need to do here is make sure that the car is ready. This is always going to be one of the most important parts. If you know that you want to stay safe on the road, checking everything out before you head off is key. So here, make sure that you check the engine water and oil, then consider the tire pressure monitoring system to ensure that the tires are right, and top them up if need be. Once the car is all prepared and ready, you know it will be ready to go.

Pack Well

You also need to make sure that you’re packing well. When it comes to enjoying the trip, you will want to have everything you need to hand. But at the same time, you don’t want the car to be full to the brim with stuff. Here, look to stick to the road trip essentials and focus on ensuring that you’re going to be comfortable in the car. You may find that you can even pick things up on the road.

Book Any Accommodation

One thing that you may want to do beforehand is consider booking any accommodation along the way. You don’t have to book every single step, but you may find that it helps to know that you have some locations secured. Then you have the freedom to stop when you want, or book a few days before.

Be Present and Enjoy the Ride!

Finally, you absolutely need to make sure that you’re present for the entire trip and that you enjoy yourself. It can be easy for you to get up in your head, be glued to your phone, or even just want to get to the next destination. But the road trip is always half the fun. So try to be as present as you can, take in the scenery, and enjoy some impromptu stops too. If you have the time, you can always look to extend your trip or take a detour whenever the moment calls for it. That’s the best part of a road trip, the road is your oyster, and you can explore in any way you want to.

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