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Home >> Traveling On A Budget >> Road Trip Planning Guide

Road Trip Planning Guide

In my opinion, a road trip planning guide is a rather sordid affair; after all, the purpose of a road trip is to hit the road and see what you see. However, a brief bit of research can unearth highlights to your experience you never would have known about. I have found that a balance of planning and improvisation can lead to the most rewarding road trip.

Here is my personal road trip planning guide:

Determine the amount of time you have. This is the most important metric to planning a great trip. I find if you are planning driving across the United States, you should budget three weeks (assuming you aren’t driving back).

Pick only a few “must see” attractions. Believe me, you will save yourself a lot of headaches if you only have three or four of these on your trip. While several points of interest can provide a good guide as to the direction of your overall road trip, it will certainly bog you down if every day is thoroughly planned out. If you are traveling in the Southwest, make the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas your must sees, and time permitting, go visit Arches National Park, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Monument Valley. By all means don’t try to pack them all together!

Investigate. Books will only teach you so much. Far and away the travel planning guides are the people you encounter on the road. Make it a habit to inquire with the locals about points of interest, and follow their advice. For example, my wife and I took a road trip through Oregon, and were highly intent on seeing Crater Lake. Once we got there and took in the sight (all twenty minutes of it) we drove south, where a local shopkeeper advised us to stop and see the Rogue Gorge. Guess which was more awe inspiring? You guessed…. Rogue Gorge.  Locals always know best.

While it may be brief, this road trip planning guide will serve you well on your next adventure.  One final tip: pack as little as possible. You can always buy more stuff on the road.