If you are coming to the US, then a road trip is a great way to explore the country. After all, at times you may find that you just can’t contain your excitement because when you go on your own road trip, you are completely in control of what you do and where you go. If you want to have the best experience out of your road trip, making sure you are properly prepared is key.
The Essentials
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The last thing that you want to forget when you go on a road trip is all of your important documents. You don’t want to forget your license and registration, and you also don’t want to forget your car manual either. After all, you don’t want to break down at the side of the road with no way to find out what went wrong, so little things like this really do need to be taken into consideration. It is also a good idea for you to check to see if you have a spare tire when you set off as well. A lot of companies in the US are now selling roadside emergency kits, and these are great to have with you when you are out on the open road.
The Accessories
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When packing for your US road trip, you need to try and pack a map. If you are booking a hotel near Fort Gordon, Georgia for example, then you need to know how to get there and if you run out of phone data then you will have no way to find out where you are going. If you want to get around this then simply take a GPS or even a paper map booklet with you. It also helps to download some numbers for an emergency service or two just in case something awful happens and you need some roadside support. You really cannot underestimate things like this when you are traveling out of the area.
Money
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Cash is king in so many places and this is especially the case when you look at parking meters or even toll gates. For this reason, it is so important that you take a good amount of cash with you. If you are not able to take cash with you for whatever reason, then the least that you can do is make yourself aware of any ATMs that might be in your local area. Little things like this can really make or break your experience, so do keep that in mind.
Road trips are amazing experiences, so making sure you are prepared can help to ensure you have a great time!
*This is a collaborative post
Hi! Thanks for the pointers. I flew into SFO in July of 2016, then a friend and I took a road trip to Lake Tahoe, Ca, then to Las Vegas, then Los Angeles, and back to San Jose. Splendid time. He knew the routes very well and so all we needed was loads of $! Great time!
That definitely sounds like an awesome time!!
I would add that if the car rental company gives you the option of obtaining an EZ-Pass transponder, you should DEFINITELY take them up on it – it will save you a fortune. Also beware that Pay-At-Pump machines often ask for a zip-code, so if you’re using a non-american credit card you’re going to have to pay in the kiosk.
Oh and finally, if you’re going to drive across Indiana, make sure you prepare yourself for the “Indiana Madness” – it sets in pretty quick when there’s nothing but cornfields and straight roads. I dead to think what Iowa is like.
Fantastic tips! Thank you! 🙂
Every trip we’ve done from Vancouver to Southern California we’ve tried to change the routes in order to explore more of the West Coast. I would often check online for travel ideas by simply typing “Things to do in…” I have surprised myself at some of the uniqueness of the small towns.
great points!
Great tips! Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to travel extensively in North America via road. My hubs is a retired long-haul semi-driver, so has navigated most of the major cities and definitely almost all of the highways. One tip I’d add is to get off “the big road” as often as you can. So much is missed by sticking to the interstates.