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Make sure you don’t miss out and book ahead! The same applies for some hotels in popular spots, like The View Hotel in Monument Valley. Try to find the main sights you want to see, and work your trip around these. Alcatraz, Chateau de Versailles, sell out months in advance. You’d be surprised at how useful it can be – both for finding out where you are, and for note taking on impromptu stops (and think of the nostalgia value when you’re home). Yes, Google Maps is great, but there’s something about a paper map– you know, the things you occasionally see gathering dust in the back of taxis or your parents’ car. Read more: get more tips for travel gadgets you need to own 11. The daily charges will soon run up to much, much more than it would cost to buy one – and you can use your own over and over again, at home and abroad. read maps, speak a local language), and one who can handle you when you’re at your best – and worst. Make sure you find the right travel mate to match your temperament, can do something well that you can’t do at all (e.g. Sure, they make you laugh, but imagine being stuck in a car with them for six hours straight, when the GPS breaks and they can’t read a map … If that all sounds fine, think tastes: are they as interested in local history as you, or are they more interested in finding the nearest bar? Road trips can make or break a friendship. The same goes for accommodation: it might be tempting to stay at the shiny new resort, but why not stay at the unique B&B/kitsch motel/mom and pop place down the road? After all, it might be the only chance you get. Give the local grub a go – even if you have no idea what it is. On a similar note: take that detour! See a sign for an odd sounding ghost town or weird tourist attraction? Follow it! Now’s your chance. You’ll see so much more, meet the locals and venture down paths you’d never even have seen. If possible (given time and terrain), take the road less travelled. Motorways might be fast, but you’ll miss a lot. Covering the entire globe, it includes millions of the world’s most interesting destinations and sights. It’s a gold mine of information, from quirky roadside sights to accommodation. RoadtrippersĬheck out the great site Roadtrippers. To help get you in the mood, check out momondo’s road trip playlist (if your browser is having trouble, use this link instead). That said, it’s wise to check out local radio as well to hear the kind of music you probably wouldn’t listen to back home, probably won’t think you’ll like, but probably come to love. There’s going to be plenty of time for tunes, so make sure you’ve downloaded some playlists to your smartphone (and don’t forget the USB cable). Musicįew things go together as well as music and the open road. Make sure you get it checked over before signing anything though – the last thing you need is a break down in the middle of nowhere! 3. If your trip is going to be a long one, a couple of months or more, you might want to think about buying a used car and selling it on when you’re done. Make sure that you book in advance, choose unlimited mileage (unless you’re absolutely positive about the length of your trip), and insure yourself! Think about how likely you are to need 4-wheel drive, high clearance or a convertible, and book accordingly. What kind of car you need depends on your destination, road trip type and how many people you will be. You’ve got to have room for the unexpected turns, the snap decisions and the ‘I wonder what’s down here?’ moments. Adjust the route and see where you can go and how long it’ll take you (you can also see if you’re just a few hours shy of somewhere you might not have originally thought of, but would love to visit). Make sure you’ve got your basic route worked out, your A to B, but don’t have every single mile written in stone. Enter your start and final destination, and get an idea of timing.
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Our 17 travel tips cover all kinds of road trips, in all kinds of countries – consider these your road trip ABCs. It’s up to you to choose where to go, when to go and what kind of budget you’ll have. The ability to just get up and go and the absolute thrill of uncertainty where will you sleep? Where will you eat? When will you get to your next stop? Regardless of what country you’re driving in, Thelma & Louise and Jack Kerouac won’t be far from your mind – even if you are sleeping in 5-star hotels and driving a top-of-the-range BMW.Ī successful road trip will stay with you for life. There’s no question about it road trips are awesome.
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