Organizing a Road Trip

Have you ever noticed how a road trip can go only one of two ways? Either it can be exceptionally fun and enjoyable for all, or it can be an experience that one can only truly compare to a nightmare. The main difference between the two lies mainly in how much time you spend organizing and preparing for the trip. Organizing a road trip isn't that hard, though it can take some time to do. Here are a few simple guidelines that should make things a little easier for you as you begin organizing a road trip.

• Choose a destination. The very first step in organizing a road trip is to select a destination. You can't exactly organize a road trip, if you don't know where you are going to. When choosing a location to go and visit, discuss your options with your family, and come to a decision together. By having your children help out on the decision making, they too will feel as if they have a say in what is going on, and will enjoy the trip more.
• Safety. Before you go on your trip, make sure that you have your car or vehicle examined by a mechanic, and that everything is ready to go. Basically this means that you should get a tune up. In addition, you should also have a car safety kit, maps, and to follow all basic safety measures necessary for operating a vehicle.
• Entertainment. Whether you are traveling only with adults, or whether you will also be traveling with children, it is always a good idea to have some thing to entertain you while you are driving. After all, driving can get to be pretty boring even if you are the one who is driving, and even more so for those who are riding along. Keep the entertainment as diverse and appealing as possible, but nothing that is too distracting for the drivers.
• Keep it simple. When organizing a road trip, it is entirely too easy to forget the basic principle of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). This is extremely important when talking about packing for your trip. The reason for this is that it is possible to over pack the vehicle. This means that you should only pack what you will need by way of clothing, as well as what you need for entertainment. At the same time, you should also try to keep your trip itself as simple as possible. Making the trip to complicated can lead to problems, and frustration which are things that you don't want to experience on a vacation.
• Plan your route. Part of organizing a road trip is to plan out your route as well as coming up with an itinerary for your travels. This will let you know, as well as the others in your vacation party, where you are going, and when you should get there each day. Before you leave on your road trip, make sure that you leave a copy of this itinerary with a friend or family member so that if anything does happen, then they have an idea of where you are and how to get a hold of you.