Tips for planning your road trip

You go on a trip and, as usual, you expect it to be a success, with no mishap ruining the wonderful holiday time you dreamt with the whole year. Before setting off driving with your family or friends, we recommend you to follow our TOP infallible tips to plan your road trip for everything to run smoothly.

Choose the destination, plan the route and avoid traffic

Destination is the key element of any trip... Streamline your trip with this advice: plan your route with a time schedule, avoiding peak hours and the busiest roads, making a stop every 2 hours, always in shaded areas. This advice, despite being a commonplace, is important for you to be always attentive and safe while driving.

If you are a newly licensed driver but still do not want to miss the chance to take a rental car and enjoy your vacation, we recommend choosing a destination that is not too far away if it is your first road trip. For example, choose a city a couple of hours from the place where you live, much better if close to the beach or the mountains, so you can stay cool. Some of the most sought-after destinations can be found on our coast, in the routes through the Mediterranean towns or the white villages of Andalusia, although without a doubt, all destinations have their own charm.

Travel tips for all seasons 

It does not matter when are you going to enjoy your holidays, it is always good to remember these tips:

• Remember to hydrate yourself at the stops

• Do not eat  copious meals that may cause drowsiness; in any case it is possible to eat well on the road

• If there are too many cars in the scheduled departure, take it easy. No matter how much we sound the horn, we will not reach our destination any sooner.

Your car,  always ready

It is essential for summer driving to have your car ready and have a proper maintenance of air conditioning systems, lest you get stuck in traffic for several hours! Also, if you plan on driving your car over long distances, it is a good idea to let an auto mechanic check for potential issues:

• Change the oil

• Fill the wiper fluid

• Check the tire pressure

• Check that all the car lights functions work properly, to make sure other drivers will see you. 

Other essentials: check the engine and its operation, use the engine brake instead of the conventional break because excessive heat can reduce their efficiency, and pay attention to the temperature of the engine; it must not reach the red zone on your indicator and, if it occurs, you need to stop immediately.

Travelling with others

Pets and children are most susceptible to heat shocks inside the vehicle, always protect them with a safety harness with belt (for pets) or child seat, and bring enough water to stay hydrated. If you have leather upholstery you also should protect the steering wheel and the seats to prevent burns.

Your fellow travelers will appreciate that you have prepared a bit of entertainment, especially if they are your children. Portable DVD players, crosswords, tablets, and computers are some excellent ideas. Singing summer songs while driving with your family around will always make your road trip more enjoyable. Have you prepared the playlist?

One last advice, but no less important when it comes to planning your road trip: do not rush to get there. A sound planning will help you not only focus on the destination, but also enjoy the road on the road. Next time you plan a vacation for you and your family, or a quick getaway with your friends, remember to plan your trip ahead of time and enjoy an unforgettable trip.