I have wanted to go on a road trip for a while, just driving off to nearby towns in my hatchback and exploring. I’d start small, like a day or three. The main thing holding me back is uncertainty of what to bring and how to do it, amongst other issues. I think I can figure out the food and sleep, but I was wondering:
- Where to access showers?
- Where to refill water?
- Is it worth bringing a tent (could I set it up outside of a campsite)?
- Where can I park when I need to sleep (that I won’t get in trouble for)?
- Am I missing anything else?
Was hoping some of you might have advice. I don’t have a whole lot of good people to go to about this IRL.
Edit: Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to respond!
From personal experience, be careful if you go on long stretches away from service stations. I almost ran out of petrol because the places my phone pointed me to refill were either abandoned or replaced with something else, or closed etc. This is how I learned Google maps is not that accurate the further away you get from cities. So plan carefully and with a plan B if you wander in desolate areas.
💀
They say the best way to learn is practically.
Wide mouth Gatorade bottle works for both.
but dont try to poop in one.
Wiser words have never been spoken
Before your trip get AAA
Check your spare tire, make sure you’re comfortable changing your tire just in case.
Make sure you’re comfortable checking all the fluids in your vehicle. Do an oil change before your trip. Make sure your windshield wiper fluid is topped off
Showers: truck stops are great, they have showers for a few dollars, they’re typically clean if you stick with the big brands loves, flying j, anything that looks big and clean. You can tell by going to the toilet and if the toilet’s clean the shower is probably clean too. You could also use a nationwide fitness chain to use their gyms as a shower.
Water you can buy at any store. Grocery stores will be cheaper of course.
I’ve never done the road trip camping thing, but having a tent doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Steve Wallace on YouTube has some great videos.
Parking and sleeping are tricky ones, truck stops are usually okay lot of people do it, some hotel chains you can get away with, some Walmarts. You can always rent a campground you’ll be left alone there.
Maps: I know it’s old school but see if you can get a paper map it’s good to have his backup. Download offline Google maps for the route you’re going to take ahead of time.
Entertainment: download a bunch of audiobooks You’re happy to listen to, or podcast you like to listen to, Dan Carlin’s hardcore History is great.
Big second on having paper maps in the car. I took a road trip out west a few years ago with my then wife, and she made fun of me for buying a road atlas before the trip. Well, we ended up getting turned around and lost in an area with no cell phone coverage, and that road atlas saved the day.
Edit: I just thought to mention it would be wise to have a basic first aid kit in the car.
Always carry a bit of cash just in case you run into trouble in between places that uses/has access to credit cards or online cash app transactions. I use something similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/True-Utility-TU251-Cashstash-Waterproof/dp/B075T4L9VX/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=1AHUQTRJE8974&keywords=money+holder+keychain&qid=1693590040&sprefix=money+holder+keychain%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-4
Have a plan on where you are going, and when you will be there. Make sure someone you know and trust has this info, and check in with them.
Bring your own food if you can. Eating out 3 meals a day is super expensive. Extra water storage is great too. Try to have at least 1 extra day of water and food in your car.
Tents are great…As long as you have some camping experience and know how to set them up and pack them. Bring a sleeping pad and a sleeping bag if you are intending to sleep in your tent.
Most campsites will have shower and restroom access. You can buy a shower at a truckstop, but I haven’t personally done this, may be really nasty.
Bring a spare key for your car. Hide it somewhere on the outside of your vehicle. This can easily save you a few hundred bucks.
Portable phone chargers are great.
Download the offline maps for the areas you are going to be staying.
Make sure your tires are good before you go. When was the last time you checked the air pressure on your spare?
Pack some trash bags. You can put dirty laundry, and leaky shampoo bottles in them. You can also cover your stuff to help protect it from direct sun and would be thieves.
Paracord is a great general supply too. I’ve used mine to tie down a hood, dry clothes, cinch down and bundle large items, guy out rain flys. Paracord is just super useful.
Also, I carry 2 multi tools, but you can probably get away with one really good tool, like the Leatherman Wave.
Freecampsites.net to look up free camping spots in the area. It’s based on user submissions and reviews. Very handy for planning road trips. There may be some inaccuracies if you take a chance on a location that doesn’t have many reviews or none that are recent, so keep that in mind.
Don’t worry so much. Get a hotel for the night, its so much better that way. Beyond that, you can always buy what you need if you forget something.
I’m definitely looking at hotels, airbnb’s, campgrounds, and hostels as options to rest up, but staying somewhere every night I want to be out of town would add up quick. Thanks for the assurance!
I’ve seen those types of questions frequently addressed by #VanLife content creators. Maybe look into that. I know that was helpful for the 2 week road trip my wife and I took.
Do you have a plan for when your car breaks down
I’ve got road-side assistance and family I could call with cell service (and a battery if the phone was dead), else if I was without service I would have to flag someone down. Anything else I should do?
Get a prepaid flip phone make sure it’s charged, bring the charger and put the flip phone both in the glove department on the passenger side. This is so worst case scenario you can’t charge your phone at all, you’ve got something to immediately call for assistance. Put your contacts in before hand though
