23 Road Trip Essentials For Your Next Adventure (2024)

FAQs

What all should I get done to my car before a really long road trip? ›

For a 5 day vacation, you will want to bring 2-3 pairs of shorts or pants, 3-4 tops, a light jacket (or a heavy jacket, depending on where you are traveling), and 1 formal outfit if you are planning on attending a nice restaurant or event. If you are going to the beach, pack 2-3 swimsuits/trunks.

Get a complete vehicle inspection before you head out to help prepare your high-mileage car for a road trip. During your complete vehicle inspection, an expert Firestone technician will perform a 34-point inspection, checking the engine, suspension, brakes, steering, tires, and more.

We tend to start preliminary packing about a week in advance of our trip. This gives plenty of time to obtain anything we might need. If, say, I cannot find my bathing suit or my travel book light no longer works, I have time to replace these things. We do not want to be doing this the night before departure.

Deciding where to go and what to pack is stressful enough, let alone trying to determine how much money you need to bring. The general consensus is that you should have $50 to $100 in cash per day for each traveler. However, this amount could vary considerably depending on where you are vacationing.

How many times should you stop on a road trip? ›

Take a break approximately every two hours. If you are driving on an interstate highway, state sponsored rest areas will provide you with a great place to stretch your legs, grab a snack, and use the restroom.

To keep yourself, your travel partners, and others on the road safe, it is recommended to hit the brakes on your driving time at 8.5 hours per day and no more than that. Adhering to this limit will not only significantly benefit your health and safety but also improve the overall experience of your road trip.

A good rule of thumb is to plan to drive no more than 500 miles per day. This will allow you to make good time while still being able to enjoy the scenery and make frequent stops. Don't plan on miles plan on hours. Driving on a six lane highway will get you a a lot further than traveling a 2 lane side road.

The car itself has no problems to run for 12 hours or more, except that it might run out of fuel. To drive a car non-stop for 12 hours would require it to be driven very moderately in order not to run out of fuel. Driving at such a low speed is unlikely to do any damage.

That is why you should have your car inspected two-three weeks before your road trip. Inspecting your car several weeks before the road trip will give your mechanic enough time to fix any problems.

A fresh change of oil actually helps keep your engine nice and clean. Debris and gunk can get stuck in the system, decreasing the life of your engine and bringing the dreaded date of engine replacement ever closer. Keep that from happening by ensuring you have fresh, clean oil ready to go before you go out to explore.

Power naps: On longer trips you should take a cat nap at least every four hours. The benefits of napping are clear, but these power naps should be no longer than 20 minutes (as recommended by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), as otherwise your body may head into deep sleep.

On a road trip, you should only drive for 9 hours per day to avoid the risks that come with it. If you have more than one driver, you can extend this to 12 hours. However, if you are on the road for the whole day, you may not enjoy the trip. Plan to drive for at most 8 hours if you can.