Road trips have always been a popular way to holiday for friends – seeing the sights, putting in miles and enjoying the journey all the while. Whether you’re off to a distant festival, taking in landmarks or just on a round-trip, these tips will see you towards a successful ride.
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Set a Budget for Pit Stops
One of the appeals of a road trip may be the spontaneity of the drive, the breaks and pit stops in breath-taking countryside and nondescript service station alike – but planning ahead for these pit stops can save you headaches while on the road. Set up a budget specifically for your pit stops, to rein in the costs incurred in buying snacks and food on your travels and limit the number of stops you do make in the process. Minimising costs here allows you to spend comfortably at the destinations you’ve planned to stop at.
Get Your Car Ready for the Drive
Your vehicle is about to undergo a rigorous test of its mettle, with many miles ahead of it. In order to avoid any potential mishaps along the way, you’ll want to ensure that your car is in the best possible shape, and unlikely to exhibit any worrying symptoms during your trip. Start by checking your tyres – are they likely to fall below the legal limit for tread wear, and should you replace them ahead of setting off? Check your oil, as well – does it need topping up, or does it seem dirty and in need of replacing completely? Consider sending your car off for a service, to make sure everything is fine with the engine and brakes, and that you won’t be faced with an engine light in the middle of a long stretch of your trip.
Get Temporary Car Insurance
There’s a good chance that more than one of you will be driving on this trip, taking turns in order to avoid tiredness behind the wheel. There’s also a good chance that the car you’re taking isn’t your own – whether it’s a rental, or a friend’s vehicle. In either scenario, you will need temporary car insurance to cover your trip and all of its drivers. This way, in the unfortunate case that an accident happens, you’re all covered and no one is on the hook for what could be costly repairs or damages.
Prepare a Road Trip Playlist
Lastly, the long hours spent on the road will be guaranteed fun for a time, but there will be a point at which conversation peters out, and there will be times where your passengers are fast asleep. These times call for an injection of energy, in the form of a road trip playlist. Spend a day or two putting together a collaborative playlist with your fellow road-trippers, and curate a playlist long enough to see you the whole way without getting sick of any one song… For extra marks, create playlists for different moods; a stay-awake playlist for late-night stretches, a cool-down playlist for the quieter roads, and a playlist of guilty pleasures for a talking point.