In about a week, my best friend and I will be embarking on a four day road trip to the Grand Canyon. We are from North Dakota, so the drive will take about 24 hours, but we couldn’t be more excited! Road trips are a great way to see multiple places in one trip. We don’t have to worry about our flight getting delayed or costly airline tickets. We have the freedom to stop at that weird roadside attraction of the “world’s largest” something or deviate from the path for a bit because that side road might be a shortcut. We are mostly in control of this little adventure, and we hope and pray that nothing major will go wrong. But if something does go wrong, it will just be another memory!
This whole plan to drive to the Grand Canyon started as an impulse, but has since turned into a fleshed out plan, and this is how we did it:
Step 1. Decide to go on a road trip.
This may be obvious, but in order to go on a road trip, you must first decide to go on a road trip. There are so many different ways to get your travel fix, but a road trip has all the best components of a great adventure, and a great adventure is always the goal!
Step 2. Decide where/when you want to go.
The United States is one of the best places to road trip because it has a wide variety of destinations. Whether you’re aching for the mountains, the ocean, or the big city, all are possible with a simple road trip. When you go is important, as well. The summer is the perfect time if you’re in college—no school to worry about and beautiful weather.
Step 3. Pick a route.
Once you know your destination, you have to figure out how you’re going to get there. Buy a map and look at the different cities and landmarks between you and your destination and pick a few that you want to see! Find a route that is going to include as many of these as you want, while staying within your schedule. Or you can be like us and have your mom and dad tell you which campgrounds to stay at and which route is the best!
Step 4. Figure out where you are going to stay and for how long.
Would you be fine with pitching a tent? Or would you prefer to stay in a hotel? You have to decide what you are willing to sacrifice and what experience you would like because where and how long you stay somewhere is going to affect how expensive this trip will be.
Step 5. Find at least a few for sure things you want to do.
Want to go on a hike? Lay on the beach for a day? What did you originally have in mind when you first wanted to go on a road trip? Do just that and find other neat things that you might not have thought of, too!
Step 6. Make a packing list/pack!
Are you planning on camping? If you are, are you bringing a tent? What’s your plan for food? Do you have a flashlight? What about a first aid kit, tire jack, or jumper cables? All these questions and more are important. You need to make sure that you are prepared if something goes wrong. As the old saying goes, “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” You want to be able to get the most out of this experience and, while having a flat tire in the middle of nowhere is an experience, you might want to spend more of your time hiking or exploring cool monuments, like you planned.
Step 7. Run in circles with excitement.
Yay! You’re actually going on a road trip! This is so exciting! You’re going to see so many cool things and take tons of pictures and have such a good time. Maybe you’ll meet new friends. Maybe you’ll see something totally weird! “Adventure is out there,” and you’re going to get it.
Step 7. Go on your road trip!
You did it! You planned a road trip, and now you get to experience it!
But always remember to have fun, stay safe and keep adventuring, darling.
