This is a contributed post. Picture the scene: the windows are down, the wind is blowing through your hair, your meticulously planned playlist is giving you the soundtrack for your trip, and life is anything you want it to be. The road trip of dreams. Who hasn’t dreamt of escaping day-to-day life and taking off wherever the wind or the M6 takes you?
But the reality is a car trip doesn’t always pan out like in the movies, there’s roadworks, breakdowns and that questionable sandwich from the service station that made you wonder if you need to book into a campsite or head off to A&E.
Road trips don’t need to be that second part, though; they absolutely can be the dream break you need, and it can be the perfect way to see more of the country. This post is going to dive into some essential road trip planning tips you need to know so things don’t go wrong before you even leave your driveway.
Route Plan, and Then Extend It
Google Maps is the ideal route planner, and it gives you real-time updates and diversions as you need them to avoid that traffic jam no one wants to waste time sitting in. However, many people are lulled into a false sense of security when travelling in the UK due to its size. It might be a small island, but that doesn’t mean you get anywhere fast, regardless of what Google says.
Take your time to plan your route, then add around 30% to the estimated time to allow for changes in traffic flow and diversions, etc, or even stop-offs at service stations or farm shops, or just to go for a detour. Oh, and download your route in case you lose signal somewhere, because you will lose signal.
Hire A Car
Sure, your car might be perfectly capable of doing the trip, but do you want it to? Hiring a car for your road trip means you get to travel in a newer vehicle, one which you know is in good condition with no nasty surprises under the bonnet and will likely be more fuel efficient and reliable, especially if you’re driving an older vehicle. Plus, you don’t rack up the miles on your own car, leading to potential damage and added depreciation.
Places like Mercury Rent-A-Car have a range of vehicles for you to hire, so you can choose to test drive that sporty model you’ve had your eye on or see how you get on in something a little bit bigger for more room and comfort. Don’t forget to take out extra insurance for peace of mind too.
Don’t Overschedule
Never be lulled into a false sense of security, thinking you can do everything in your intended destination as soon as you arrive. After all, the first thing you’re going to want to do is stretch your legs and avoid sitting for a while.
In fact, try not to book too many places too far ahead, try to leave some nights for spontaneous fun and stop-offs. Book your first night and maybe your last one, but leave the rest to end up wherever the mood takes you. Grab a last-minute deal, take a detour, and end up somewhere completely different. These are the moments that make the memories and will give you talking points for years, not just a trip that you planned to hit x,yz with precision, no room for deviations.
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