Planning your vacation is stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Often we spend so much time overthinking and over-planning that we miss out on the beauty of life. Spontaneous road tripping will undoubtedly change your idea of travel. So, what is it? How does it work? And what tips can be shared for the first-timer?
What is Spontaneous Road Tripping?
Spontaneous Road Tripping is a partial to utterly unplanned trek through new and exciting places for some duration of time. Many of us tend to travel to the same areas over and over again struggling in the search for new and exciting adventures. On the contrary, road trips allow us to start and end where we choose to hit critical spots along the way. Since each destination is unplanned, it is possible to stay an extra night in a fun area or make a last minute change of plans only adding to the journey.
How does it work?
That’s the best part; you can create your adventure. If you have seen most of your local and surrounding areas, I strongly recommend flying to a destination across the country that has always peaked your interest. In this case, you will likely rent a vehicle, so I would also pick an end destination so you can adequately account for this cost. Don’t worry, everything in between stays at a whim.
Sleeping Accommodations
Mixing up the types of places your party stays each night enhances the excursion. If you enjoy it, camping is an excellent choice for a few nights. Booking motels and hotels on the spot allows you to follow where the road takes you. Nowadays, we are very fortunate to have excellent room and home rental apps available. These apps are a total game changer for people who want to not only keep costs down without sacrificing amenities. If you aren’t planning on being the same area for multiple days, please check the person renting does not require more than one night.
Eating
Restaurants and ready-to-go foods become expensive over the duration of your vacation. Prepping all of your meals before leaving is time-consuming and unrealistic for longer trips. However, keeping stock of shelf-stable items like bottled water and healthy pre-packaged snacks is an excellent idea. Having the option to rent a room or house every few days allows you to prepare full meals for the road in the least wasteful fashion.
Road Trip Tips for Success
- Have a flexible and positive attitude – No matter how many people you travel with and how close you are, being in close quarters for extending periods of time can be trying. Remember you are on vacation! Focus on the new and exciting surroundings and be grateful for the experience. If you find yourself getting annoyed with your travel mate(s), go for a walk to clear your mind.
- Navigation – If you are feeling truly adventurous, use only road maps or atlases and plan only the next destination to explore at a time. Otherwise, in-car navigation or phone-based navigation apps are an excellent choice. (Downloadable apps for Apple/Google & Android/Windows phone)
- Essential items – Bare minimum stock at least 2-3 days worth of bottled water and pre-packaged ready to eat snacks (jerky, protein bars, etc.) Think nutrient dense foods! Other handy items: Cell phone charger; flashlight; spare batteries; music player (ideally one that can play through vehicle); roll of paper towels; hand sanitizer. If you are planning to camp, be sure to pack your tent, sleeping bags, and other camping essentials.
- Clean personal vehicle or rentals – Stay sane – Before packing up the car remove all trash and non-essential items. Personal space is limited already. Rental cars are great since they come pre-cleaned and ready for adventure.
- Pre-trip car safety and maintenance check – When using your vehicle, it is vital that you take care of any necessary work to the car before heading out on the road. Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere is not what we mean by spontaneous.
Freedom for Wandering Souls
Spontaneous road trips have no limits. Each day provides the freedom your wandering soul desires. Set both daily and weekly budget goals during the voyage. It never hurts to incorporate other interests, such as photography, writing, and video blogging to your trip. Go ahead, take some time off and get on the road!
Do you love to road trip? Let us know about your favorite hidden gems in the comments below!
