An American road trip is something many of us have on our bucket list. Driving across America is a big drawcard. Perhaps you’ve got your heart set on Route 66? Or maybe you’re planning something a little alternative?
Whatever the case, there are a few things you need to consider before you set off. Below are 7 essential tips for driving across the US.
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Choose the right vehicle
You can choose all kinds of vehicles for an American road trip. One of the biggest priorities however is reliability – you don’t want to break down during your trip if you can help it.
If you’re planning a family road trip, you may need a bigger vehicle like an SUV. You can even take an RV and save money on accommodation.
There are two ways to acquire a vehicle for your road trip: hire or buy.
When hiring a vehicle, choose a hire company that also has a hire car outlet at your destination.
Buying a car may give you more flexibility as to what model you choose. Dealerships like Edmunds can help you find the right car to buy.
Have a loose itinerary
It’s worth planning out the major things you want to see and working out your time frame. You may even want to plan routes and book accommodation ahead, as well as booking tickets to attractions.
However, you need to be careful of over-planning your trip and leaving no room for spontaneity.
There could be kooky roadside attractions that you stumble upon. Not having a strict itinerary could allow you to check out these attractions.
Set a realistic budget
Setting an overly tight budget could result in you not being able to do everything you want to do on your trip.
At the same time, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to stay in five-star hotels every night and enjoy Michelin-star meals.
Experts recommend being prepared to spend $200 to $300 per day on a Route 66 road trip – including accommodation and food. This could be worth considering as a guideline.
Consider differing state laws
While some laws are the same across the US, others can vary by state. Certain laws could be worth looking up before you cross the border into a new state.
For example, road laws such as the speed limit and whether you can drive right on a red light vary. Researching these laws can prevent you from getting into legal trouble.
Buy a National Parks Pass
There could be a few national parks that you want to explore along the way. Some national parks charge $25 to $35 for entry.
A National Parks Pass meanwhile costs $80. Therefore, if you’re visiting a few parks, you could save money with a National Parks Pass.
Bring a cooler
It’s useful to be able to bring drinks and snacks with you. A cooler will help to keep these drinks and snacks chilled and will stop them going off.
Some cars have in-built coolers, but most don’t. You can compare some of the best coolers here at Car And Driver.
Pack a portable charger
If you’re bringing multiple devices along with you, you may not be able to charge them all in the car at the same time.
A portable charger could help to provide power on the go so that you don’t have to wait until you’re at a hotel or restaurant.
So there you have it—seven golden tips to turn your American road trip dream into a reality.
Now, what are you waiting for? Adventure doesn’t just knock; it revs its engine! Pack your bags, fire up that GPS, and hit the open road.
Because the best stories aren’t found in guidebooks—they’re waiting for you on the journey itself. Go on, the road is calling!
Read these posts about other road trips next
Tips for Driving in Europe
3 Week Tasmania Self-Drive Itinerary
Places to Stop on the Great Ocean Road
TRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS
Find flights – I always use Skyscanner as my starting point when searching for flights. One search will give many options including airlines I may not have thought of. This means I can find the best possible flights to suit my needs
Book accommodation – my go to is always Booking.com for the best places to stay. It’s not just hotels anymore, but hostels, apartments, B&Bs and more. I love that the bookings are usually cancellable, and that I can book now and pay later.
Hire a rental car – RentalCars.com is my go to here. It allows me to do just one search and it finds cars from many of the different supplies, so no checking multiple websites to compare.
Get travel insurance – you would have heard by now that saying “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel”. If we’ve learnt anything from the last couple of years it should be how essential travel insurance is. I use CoverMore for my insurance.
Pick up an eSIM – I tried an eSIM on my last trip and it was fantastic. I set it up before I went so it was ready as soon as I landed, and I still had access to my home number for emergencies. Get your own eSIM at Airalo.
Book activities, tours & attractions – I use a few different websites for this. Viator and Get Your Guide tend to be the first places I look. In Asia, Klook often has more options, and in Australia it’s Experience Oz.
Manage your money – the best way to manage your different currencies is with an account from Wise. You can hold money in many different currencies, and use them with the ATM card or from your phone.
