Road trips are making a comeback! I have fond memories of long summer road trips around Europe with my parents. We would go camping or sleep in guesthouses. A few times we even rented a camper so we could be fully self-sufficient. Up until today, road trips are by far my favourite way to travel. I love the freedom, independence and versatility of a road trip. My parents aren’t planners though. I also have vivid recollections of late nights searching for a place to sleep, running out of fuel and hiking down trails at nightfall. This probably explains why I’ve turned into a huge planner and in this post I’m sharing my step-by-step guide for planning your road trip perfectly.
1. Pick your road trip destination
I keep a long bucket list of countries, regions and places I want to travel to and that I choose from when planning a road trip. Sometimes I just stumble on an article or a story that inspires me to put a place on top of my list. I also keep on my bookshelf a stash of travel guides, not just of those destinations I’ve been to, but also the ones I want to visit. My favourite guides are the Bradt guides, because they cover a range of more niche destinations in their repertoire. I also use the Lonely Planet guides extensively. Specifically for self-drives (and Dutch readers!), I love Lannoo’s “on the road” series. Their itineraries form a great basis to start tailoring from. My choice of destination for a road trip is ultimately very much intuitive!
2. Check practical fit
Of course, there are practical considerations when planning a road trip. This is where logic takes over from intuition. The first consideration is always: who am I travelling with? Not everybody is up for a long-haul flight or potentially basic accommodation. When you’re travelling with other people, the trip needs to be fun for everybody!
Deciding on the timeframe is also part of the practicalities. I usually don’t fix a date yet, but a flexible period.
- What is the best season to travel? Does it fit my (work) schedule? Usually I avoid the peak season in destinations. The shoulder seasons are much less crowded, much more affordable and often still have very clement weather;
- How long is the ideal duration of your stay? If I can’t spend the right amount of time to really explore a place, I would rather go somewhere else and come back to the original idea when I can do it justice.
Other considerations on my checklist are:
- How much will the trip cost? I try to change between destinations with a lower cost of living or cheaper flights with those that are more expensive. This helps to keep the budget in balance;
- Health & safety: I inform myself of health and safety considerations wherever I go and am not easily put off – sensible precautions can get you a long way. That said, the reality is that in certain places the experience will be more relaxed when visiting with my husband or a male friend compared to girlfriends or alone.
3. Shortlist sights & experiences
When I shortlist a destination for a road trip, I usually have a few things in mind already that I know I want to see or do. As soon as I’ve decided where I’m going, I earmark the things I MUST see and do. This goes hand in hand with research in books and on the internet. I love to hear first-hand experiences from people who have been to a place, especially when it’s a more unusual one. Therefore, I like to explore blogs and follow social media as well.
I usually want to see EVERYTHING and find it hard to make choices or scrap things. Nonetheless, I always make an effort to rank my bucket list according to what’s a must and what’s lower priority. This means I know where to focus when drafting the itinerary and planning the details of my road trip!
4. Draft road trip itinerary
I know many people like to plan their trips on the fly and whereas I like the idea of the flexibility it gives, my time to travel is too limited to do this. Also, I suffer of massive FOMO and I know I would be extremely cross if a place I really wanted to see was closed or fully booked and I didn’t check upfront!!
So in summary: I take perfectly planning a road trip seriously and secretly love it. When travelling with others, I’m usually known as the one who takes charge of the planning and practical checks. My go-to tool is Excel. I’ve tried many planners and apps, but ultimately nothing beats Excel.
When drafting the itinerary, I start from my bucket list of sights and experiences. I locate them on Google maps and put them in a logical order. Next I work through the lower priority items and try to fit them around the main bucket list.
Next, I check driving times from one place to another and pick the most suitable route route. Never just rely on driving times Google maps gives you!! I’ve learnt the hard way that a “motorway” might turn out to be an unpaved, bumpy backroad. Scenic routes take my preference, but they can be rough and time consuming. It’s also essential to be aware of ferry crossings, toll roads and other special features are they often have set opening times or seasonal restrictions. Guide books, blogs and operator websites are great resources to find out about these. When a border crossing is involved, even more research is required. I wrote an extensive post about border crossing in Central America. Every part of the world is different, but this gives you a good idea of how complex it can get.
Even though I find it super hard to drop items from the list, I’ve learnt that less is more. Taking the time to explore and experience places is more important than ticking items of the list. Keeping the driving times manageable and planning for sufficient downtime is equally important. My planning for a road trip is definitely rather strict, but I do leave some space for options and spontaneity.
5. Book flights & accommodation
After a few iterations and consultation with travel buddies, I consider the itinerary FINAL and proceed to booking. Buying the outbound and inbound flights and booking accommodation are my first priorities. I use Skyscanner to find the best flights and mainly booking.com for accommodation. Finding flexibility with airlines is unfortunately hard (unless you pay steep fees), but with accommodation it’s easier to find. I like to use booking.com because most accommodation accept cancellations until close to the arrival date. This allows me to still change my itinerary if I need to or make adjustments during the trip.
My beloved excel sheet also has a tab for budgeting and cost splitting. Whenever I make a booking I add it to the sheet so I can maintain the awareness of how much I’m spending and what extras I can afford. This is also helpful if you’re planning the road trip with multiple people to keep sight of who paid what and who owes who. For miscellaneous expenses during the trip, I like to use a cost splitting app such as Splitwise to keep track of this.
6. Book domestic transport, tours & activities
Next it’s time to dive into the details. The next thing I book is local transport. If the destination lends itself to it, a rental car is my favourite way to travel. I always book with Sunnycars, because they offer lots of choice and a transparent all-in-one rental formula. Rail travel is my second preferred option.
When there is a long distance to cover or it’s not safe or convenient to drive, I will opt for different ways of transport. When island hopping in Cape Verde, I took lots of domestic flights, ferries and minibuses. In Ghana, I rented a car with a driver, because it was the norm and I didn’t feel comfortable navigating the local traffic.
Also at this point, I book the main tours and activities. Where possible, I will organise things locally. However, for places that get very busy (such as certain museums) or need a bit of preparation (such as diving), I will book in advance. I use guide books to find reliable outlets or ask the local host. Recently, I’ve started to make use of Get Your Guide. I was apprehensive initially, because I’m not a huge fan of taking tours. But there is much more on offer, such as deals on museum tickets, city walks,… Sometimes I do book a tour, when I have little time or when it feels safer in certain areas. Tours can be expensive, but sometimes it’s a more affordable option, because you can share transport and get group discounts. Get Your Guide typically shows you a lot of options and allows you to see reviews.
7. Create road book & packing list
When I go on a road trip, I take a complete printed roadbook with me. I find it too risky to rely on my phone or laptop in case the batteries give up on me and I don’t want to be doing last-minute searches of addresses and opening times in case connectivity is poor or costs a fortune.
Here are the most important elements I include in my road book:
- Detailed Google maps itinerary where I mark accommodation, points of interest, direction and driving times;
- A road map of the country or region I’m traveling to as well as a guide book;
- Addresses and phone numbers of accommodation;
- Tickets of booked activities or venue with opening times and contact details;
- Emergency contacts at home and in the country (medical emergencies, roadside assistance,…)
Next up is the packing list. I don’t bother to list all the basics such as clothing and toiletries, but focus on any special items or equipment I need for the trip. Think a mosquito net, waterproofs or a head torch. I check all my gear to make sure it works, I have the right batteries and refills and occasionally I treat myself to a replacement!
I’m not a super light traveller, but I take a lot of care to pack efficiently. I’ve stuck with Eastpak luggage for the past decade, because it’s sturdy and can take a lot of weight. My Leatherface L bag has seen 4 continents on countless trips with me and is still going strong. I added a smaller Tranverz M to the collection for short trips. My husband invested in a Tranverz L a few years ago, after the disappointment of several cheap bags that lost wheels or got otherwise damaged on their maiden trip.
A few years ago I upgraded from plastic bags to packing cubes. This was a game changer! My favourite cubes are the Eagle Creek ones. Not cheap, but I’ve been using them for years and have no intention of replacing them. I also carry a few Exped drybags in various sizes to protect equipment and valuables.
8. Final planning before you leave…
A week or so before I set of on my road trip, I do the final planning. This is important for health and safety, but also for peace of mind and a smooth road trip!
I contact accommodation I’ve booked and companies I’ve booked activity with. This is especially useful if the bookings aren’t through a mainstream platform such as booking.com or Get Your Guide, but more informally via email or directly on their website. I share our planned arrival time and ask any final questions about facilities or the local area. Usually people appreciate it when I get in touch. A couple of times, when we arrived unexpectedly late, it was thanks to my email a few days in advance that they held on to the room for us!
Getting money matters in order is another item on my to-do list. It’s not always possible to buy currency outside of a country, but whenever possible I get some cash upfront. Unfortunately, banks reducing their offering and I’ve ended up buying at exchange offices (at a steep rate!). Still, I find it worthwhile having at least a bit of local money, for example to pay for some food or a taxi upon arrival. Alternatively, I stock some dollars or euros (depending on the destination) in small notes. I only use them when I have to, but they will get you a long way if you can’t find a cash point locally. Speaking of which, I always make a point of contacting my bank to verify payment limits, activate my cards for my destination and increase the allowance on my credit card.
Travel insurance is perhaps the most critical thing to have in order. On every road trip there is at least one little something that makes me grateful I have taken the time to bring my insurance in order. Thankfully I’ve never had to make any serious claims, but I’ve had some light damage to the rental car, lost luggage and several doctor’s visits for small injuries. Some of the doctor’s visits were in the US and would have set me back $700 without insurance! I print the up-to-date insurance policy, the contact details and claim processes and take this with me.
Speaking of printing, I also make copies of important documents (passport, driver’s licence, vaccination card,…). My husband and I both carry a set containing our own and the other person’s paperwork. I also scan the documents and email them to myself so I can gain access to them if needed. Finally, I email a summary of the roadbook to some relatives or friends so they have at least a good idea of where to start in case they need to send a search party.
