Expert Tips For First-Time Road Trips #roadtrip #hittheroad #traveltips

Summer and road trips are a natural pairing! We take a Texas-based road trip at least once per year. It's typically a more economic way to travel...and we love discovering out-of-the-way restaurants and attractions. We pack our favorite snacks, play some of our favorite music...and hit the road. In this time of COVID-19, road trips can also be a more socially distanced way to travel! If you're planning a road trip this Summer -- especially if you're new to traveling via vehicle -- today's article shares some great planning ideas. This article may contain affiliate links.

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Taking a Summer road trip is definitely a rite of passage. As the weather turns warmer, the urge to hit the open road via car with family or friends may become too tempting to pass up. To avoid letting these feelings boil over, you’ve got to scratch your itch and get behind the wheel. As a first-timer, there’s a lot of things to consider. Sometimes, you can overthink a trip, making it appear almost impossible to complete. Taking a road trip isn’t always a walk (...or drive) in the park because there can be hiccups along the way. The following hacks may come in handy -- especially if you’re a beginner road tripper.

Hitch a Trailer

Road trips with a trailer hitched to your vehicle can be a great option for camping! Part of the problem with road tripping is finding a location to stop and sleep every night of your trip. At first, the novelty is enough to get you through the tiredness and fatigue. However, as your road trip continues, the process can become tiresome. Using a camper trailer means you don’t have to worry about finding a hotel after a full day of driving! By hitching a trailer to your vehicle, you can pull over at a suitable spot or campground and set up for the night! Worried about costs? Any upfront rental or purchase costs are typically offset by the amount of money you'll save on hotels and dining out for dinner! If you also take along camping gear, you can definitely cook affordable meals at your campsite.

Rise Early, Stop Late

A road trip means you may be sitting inside a car all day long. However, that doesn’t mean your itinerary isn’t packed with cool things to do along the way. One of the biggest mistakes amateur road trippers make is assuming that driving is the focus of the vacation...but it isn’t. Definitely concentrate on seeing sights and visiting attractions that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy on a flying vacation. Stop in to visit towns that are "off the beaten track," eat at small cafes, and even have a drink at local dive bars. Driving a vehicle allows you much more flexibility. Don’t ruin it by sleeping in and getting a late start!

Eat Light

Driving is surprisingly hungry work! When you spot your favorite fast food drive through, you can’t help being tempted to go a little crazy. However, that's a bad move for several reasons. First, you only need a light snack to get you to your final destination. Once you arrive there, you can enjoy a meal of good, affordable food. Second, junk food can negatively impact your health. Meals that cause your glucose levels to skyrocket promote sleep. If that happens when you’re behind the wheel, things could get very dangerous. One more tip: be sure to bring along some healthy snacks to munch on -- and water to drink -- in case you feel lethargic during your long day of driving.

Give It a Try!

When you take a road trip, you’ll see things along the journey that will catch your eye. When they do, it’s essential to stop and check them out. The reason is simple -- spontaneity is exciting! Novelty makes the road trip experience all the better -- something you don’t get when you constantly plan and organize! Unless you’re on the tightest budget in the world or it doesn’t seem safe, adopt an attitude of trying everything once. You may just make a travel memory that will last you a lifetime!

Do you have any road trip tips to share? If so, please leave a comment below to share them with your fellow readers?