Before You Embark on a Cross Country Road Trip, Make Sure You Have These 10 Things

There's no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has seen a rise in travel restrictions, changing how we travel and tour the world. The pandemic has made air and sea travel a high-risk affair, sending tourists thinking about alternative and equally creative ways to travel.

And there’s no denying that when sea and air are out of the picture, cars seem like a much safer option. Indeed, more than a third of all Americans plan for a trip across the country, making travel a cultural phenomenon in the United States.

But, how can you get started touring the world?

Below we share great tips for traveling the country and critical things to consider before embarking on a cross-country road trip.

10 Things Before Any Cross Country Road Trip

Let’s delve deep.

1. Plan way ahead

There's a quote that says failing to plan is planning to fail. Mark Cuban, a renowned businessman, states 'everyone wants to succeed, but those who succeed are those who dare to plan.'

These two quotes are true for most things, traveling included. Start planning for your journey a month before. And if you can, plan even three months prior. Planning will give you time to gather relevant information and create a detailed plan.

In cases you don't need a clear-cut road trip itinerary when you're traveling from Coast to Coast, prior planning will save you hassles during your travel.

2. Places and activities

Before you travel, it's advisable to compose a comprehensive list of places and activities you'd like to undertake during your trip. Lay out a list of venues you've always wanted to travel to.

If you love architecture, gardening, historic sites, and entertainment hotspots, plan your activities around these interests. If you love sports, railroads, and fashion, schedule your journey around these passions.

3. Service your car

It’s advisable to do a thorough servicing before embarking on any road trip. Remember that a cross-country road trip will contain rugged landscapes and unforgiving terrains.

So, brace for harsh realities.

Having your car serviced before embarking on a road trip is a critical part of the preparation process. You can experience mechanical challenges or malfunctions and lack a mechanic to repair or attend to your car.

You may also lack a mechanic who can perform quick troubleshooting at a reasonable price. So, ensure functions before you drive out. Simply making sure the car is in great working condition will save you unforeseen problems and unprecedented trouble. It will also give you peace of mind.

4. Get some snacks

Ensuring that you have sufficient snacks and water before setting out on a cross-country road trip. While there are stores and stops during your road trip, you may miss crucial road stops. You can also experience credit card freezes, making your adventure a nightmare.

However, you can't go wrong with a basket of snacks – cookies, potato chips, buttercups, sandwiches, candy, Nutella, string cheese, and rice cakes. In addition, no-peel fruits and energy bars are great options to eliminate the need for utensils and avoid trash.

5. Emergency supplies

It's important to ensure that you have the relevant supplies to prepare for whatever trouble you may face on your road trip. For starters, it's advisable to research the type of weather you're expecting as well as the nature of the terrain.

And even if you're going on a summer trip, you can encounter some strong winds and heavy rains when traversing expansive mountains. So, ensure that you do thorough research to understand the prevailing weather and geographic conditions of your intended destination(s).

This information will enable you to understand the emergency supplies to carry including torches, extra set of lights, jumper cables, spare tires, extra fuses, puncture repair kit, and tire inflator.

6. Maps

While you'll start your road trip on a planned, well-defined route, it's advisable to carry a map just in case you need to take detours to avoid traffic or go exploring.

So, maps give you alternative areas, routes, and roads to help you explore throughout your journey. A custom Atlas map will get the job done. Alternatively, you can print out detailed maps for your journey from websites such as MapQuest Route Planner and Google Maps.

7. Travel apps

If you have an Android or an iPhone device, travel apps will help you navigate your intended destination easily – be it a cross-country road trip or a drive over the weekend, travel apps will get the job done.

Smartphones and tablets also provide a smorgasbord of travel apps at-a-go. Android and iPhone apps provide numerous pointers on the best hotels to eat, best stopovers, and amazing, eye-catching attractions like museums, parks, and hotels.

8. Roadworthy playlist

A cross-country road trip isn’t an easy feat for the weak and the fainthearted. You need to spice up your journey with a roadworthy playlist probably from Spotify. In addition, you can create a customized playlist that’s fitted to your tastes and preferences.

Ensure to carry a mix of tunes that responds to every mood – from introspective to upbeat – to cover every step of the journey. And most importantly, ensure that you have an adequate charge to power up your music.

9. Electricity power inverter

Talking about the power you cannot go wrong with an electricity power inverter. This is a must-have for any cross-country road trip adventure. And if you're traveling with teenagers or children, carry tablets to help them pass the time.

Handy devices like power inverters turn the charge from your car's battery, thus powering up small electrical appliances like electric razors and laptops.

You can plug the device into your device (electric lighter, tablet, or phone) and convert the DC in the battery to alternating current in your device.

10. Camera

Whether you're traveling to the mountainsides or the beach, you see a lot of amazing views and jaw-dropping scenarios you may not experience every day.

Always carry a camera and keep it handy – whether it's the view of the sunset, animals laying down on a farm, or birds sprawling in the skies – all these views will let you reminisce on your old journey.

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