Three Essentials When Planning a Cross Country Road Trip

As the Covid-19 lockdown gradually eases, you might be tentatively looking into planning a long-awaited vacation. However, with restrictions still placed on airplanes, you might want to investigate alternatives to flying. In this case, why not opt for a good old-fashioned U.S. road trip?

If this is something you’ve not done since your college days, you can relive the experience with your family. The continental U.S. is a huge country for you to explore, with plenty of quirky roadside attractions to see, aside from the main tourist attractions. Here are three essentials to consider when planning a cross country road trip.

1. Plan your route
From Cape Cod to San Francisco, the U.S. from coast-to-coast is a large landmass encompassing a huge range of climates. With such a large terrain, exploring the entirety of the continental U.S. in a single road trip would take several months.

For a short vacation, the best option is to decide on a shorter route that will make the best use of your time. Luckily, there are established road trip routes for you to follow. New England in the fall is a classic, as you can see the beautiful burnished autumn colors. Or, if you’re a music fan, what about road tripping to Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans, for a tour of the music cities of the Southern states?

Perhaps the most iconic road trip, however, is Route 66, stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica. Whether you want mountain or ocean, a two-week or a two-month vacation, there is a road trip route to suit you.

2. Transportation
The vehicle you drive for your road holiday has a huge impact on the style of your trip. If you are using your regular car, make sure that it is up to being driven for long stretches of time—there’s nothing like a breakdown and extensive on-road delays and mechanic costs to sour the mood of a road trip! You might also want to make your road trip more comfortable and convenient by fitting your car with new accessories, such as weatherproof liners, floor mats, dash mats, and seat covers. These are worthwhile investments that will protect your interior and ensure it looks and feels fresh and clean for more fun and cozy road trips in the future.


RVs and camper vans are popular options for serious road trippers, essentially providing a home on wheels. They give you the freedom to park up almost anywhere, reducing the need to find motels and hotels and allowing you to spend the night in some fantastic surroundings—fancy spending the night under the Texan stars like a cowboy?

A useful piece of equipment to accompany an RV is a portable garage tent for RVs. This will protect your vehicle from extreme weather conditions such as high temperatures and strong wind when it is parked up, and a handy piece of kit to have when road tripping in desert conditions.

3. Accommodation
Although it is possible to find roadside accommodation like motels as and when you need it, it would be wise to book at least a few night’s accommodation in advance. Doing this will help you stick to a schedule and budget, whilst also giving you the option of booking a few nicer hotels at points in your road trip.

Final Words

Proper planning and preparation are essential for a fun and stress-free cross country road trip. Now that there’s still a pandemic, remember to pack your health and safety essentials. On top of your list should be high-filter masks such as KN95 respirators, medical-grade gloves, disinfectants, and hand sanitizers. Also, follow health and safety protocols to protect yourself and your family against coronavirus.