101 Travel Tips You Need To Know Before You Head Out On Your Next Road Trip

In 1996, my husband and I took our first road trip. We piled our two kids in the car and headed to Florida. No plans we didn’t even pack. We bought clothes on the way. It was one of the best vacations we had ever had but of course, back then we were rookies.

In 2004, we packed up our pickup truck and headed out to San Francisco for two weeks just hubby and I. That was the very best trip of my life. We had no reservations, no idea where we were going. We just pointed the truck west and with a Rand McNally atlas, we found so many exciting adventures staying off of the highways and taking those scenic byways that criss-cross our country.

Since then we have traveled around the country three times plus hundreds of other road trips visiting (besides Hawaii & Alaska) every single state at one point or another. Never flying always driving. I’ve seen the Cadillac Ranch in Texas a giant potato in Idaho and even Paul Bunyon in the Redwood forest. You can’t find these things traveling the highway.

Over the years I have found what works and what doesn’t. Here are my 101 best travel tips.

1. Eat the local cuisine – I will admit this was very hard for me. I’m a big food chicken. Because of my autoimmune disease (Felty’s Syndrome), my stomach is often out of wack. When I finally worked my nerve up I was mad at myself for all of the amazing meals I missed out on. Carry Imodium in your first aid kit. It could be your best friend.
2. Don’t over plan. Leave room in your itinerary for spontaneity.
3. Get travel insurance. It’s so worth it.
4. Make several copies of your passport. I make three copies. One for my backpack (or purse), one for my suitcase and one in the car or carry-on if flying.
5. Keep important things in your backpack. Luggage gets lost, enough said.
6. Always use sunscreen. different atmospheres and spending lots of time outdoors.
7. Take photos of yourself. We have been on so many vacations, but you wouldn’t know I had gone. I’m hardly in any of the pictures.
8. Use the Google translator APP  and choose the camera function. You can take pictures of menus or other, signs and it will translate it for you.
9. Bring earplugs & a sleep mask. It’s hard to get a good night’s sleep in different surroundings.
10. Space saver bags save so much room.
11. Take several different debit and credit cards.
12. Have an emergency cash stash.
13. Expect things to go wrong.
14. Write down the address of your hotel.
15. Wear comfortable clothes. In years gone by people dressed up to travel. Some still do. You will be much happier with clothes that are comfortable.
16. Make backups of everything and keep them in multiple places. Driver’s license, passports, car insurance, even hotel reservations, and address.
17. Do the touristy stuff. It’s touristy for a reason.
18. Create a routine checking out of hotels. You’ll be less likely to forget something. I once left a diamond ring in a hotel room and didn’t realize it for a couple of days. I never got it back.
19. Let your bank know that you’re traveling. Destinations and timeline. Your cards will be less likely denied because they think it’s a fraud attempt.
20. Pack light. You don’t need those five pairs of shoes and three suitcases. Especially if you’re road tripping. Real Estate is prime.
21. Experiences, not possession. Again especially if you’re road-tripping.
22. Try to travel outside of peak season. You will save a lot of money traveling offseason. I recently went to Myrtle Beach and stayed in a 4-star resort with a balcony overlooking the ocean with room service for $62!!!
23. Use a VPN. It will protect when unsecured wifi networks like McDonald’s & Starbucks. They are only about $5 a month.
24. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. One time we met an artist (I hate that I can’t remember his name) while stopping at Burger King in Sedona, Arizona. He sent us to his friend on a nearby Indian reservation where we (hubby and kids) were invited to take part in one of the most beautiful spiritual ceremonies I’ve ever seen.
25. Test your equipment before you leave.
26. Give someone at home your itinerary.
27. Set up a system to alert family & friends at home. My daughter and I have an agreement. We can wander anywhere we want but I have to check in with her every 24 hours. If I don’t she’s calling the cops. I laugh about it but it feels good to have that little safety net when on the road.
28. Never exchange money at the airport. It will cost you a lot more.
29. Always pack shower shoes.
30. Wear sturdy, well-made clothes that can stand up to abuse.
31. Bring more money than you think you’ll need.
32. Don’t be afraid to splurge once in a while.
33. Keep an open mind.
34. Invest in a good camera.
35. Get a health checkup before you leave. It sucks to be sick on the road. I once spent two days at Niagara Falls and never left my room.
36. Fill prescriptions before you leave.
37. Take time to rest.
38. Keep a journal of your trip. When my daughter was in the fifth grade my husband and I took my daughter and her BFF to the grand canyon. Before we left I bought two spiral notebooks so that they could keep a journal of their trip. (This was the Burger King trip from #24). Amazing experiences. When we returned home I asked if I could look at their journals. My daughter wrote a paragraph about each adventure but devoted three pages talking about my husband losing a dollar in a vending machine. Kids go figure.
39. Eat healthy more often than not.
40. Don’t be afraid to get lost once in a while.
41. Get up early.
42. Don’t be afraid to step off the beaten path.
43. Know the basics of your health insurance coverage. Those out-of-network charges can leave you with huge bills).
44. Scan important documents and email them to yourself.
45. Always carry a roll of toilet paper.
46. Don’t depend on GPS invest in a good map.
47. Visit local markets.
48. Be polite, smile often.
49. Drink more water.
50. Don’t carry anything in your back pockets.
51. Need wifi. Head to McDonald’s in Starbucks. See #23.
52. Make sure your luggage stands out.
53. Bring a power strip for multiple charging.
54. Don’t trust reviews.
55. Research local customs before you go.
56. Trust people but don’t be foolish. My husband once asked for directions (I know never happens right) in St. Petersburg, FL in a convenience store AFTER pulling out his wallet to pay for whatever he was buying. These were the cash days. The guy behind him gave him directions and we followed them. We noticed that same car again behind us.  Right at the last minute, we realized they were sending us down a dead-end street my husband quickly took a road to the right and we escaped what could have possibly been the worst night of our lives.
57. Color coordinate your outfits so you can mix and match.
58. Check your passport expiration date.
59. Charge your devices whenever you get the chance.
60. Protect your equipment. A good camera bag or laptop case definitely.
61. Merino wool is best for cold climates.
62. Use an incognito window to book hotels and flights. Have you ever gone to check the price of a flight only to return and it be higher each time. That’s a marketing trick. Use an incognito window and the price will often be lower.
63. Find photogenic spots on Instagram.
64. Lose your inhibitions.
65. Practice packing before you leave. Since we will be dividing our time between camping and staying in hotels I need a packing strategy. We take two bags. One for when we’re camping and one for when we weren’t. That way we didn’t have to drag two bags every time we stopped.
66. Don’t forget to account for travel fatigue.
67. Keep track of your spending.
68. Always pack extra socks. Laundry mats and hotel dryers have sock monsters too.
69. Carry a basic first aid kit.
70. Be open to strangers but don’t be stupid.
71. Take pictures of your luggage.
72. Learn to haggle.
73. Don’t be afraid to as for upgrades.
74. Be patient.
75. Be respectful.
76. Be frugal but not cheap.
77. Pre-book your tickets to the attractions you want to experience.
78. Talk to the locals. They always know the best places to eat or visit.
79. Volunteer occasionally.
80. Bring extra camera batteries.
81. Go on free walking tours.
82. Treat your body well.
83. Say ‘yes’ often.
84. Spend more time in fewer places.
85. Don’t expect things to be like they are at home.
86. Do the free stuff.
87. Visit the local chamber of commerce.
88. Know the weather conditions.
89. Put down your phone or camera once in a while.
90. Stay in the moment.
91. Don’t expect perfection.
92. Use ATMs to exchange money.
93. Leave those brand new shoes at home.
94. If you’re visiting a public place that has a map take a picture of it.
95. Be wary of the water.
96. Book a hotel that offered free breakfast.
97. The best time to see attractions is when they first open and an hour before they close.
98. Take lots of photos you can always delete them later.
99. Get lost or have questions ask at a hotel even if you aren’t staying there.
100. Rest areas and some gas stations sometimes offer free hotel discount books.
101. Remember the whole point of traveling is to have fun!

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Rena McDaniel

Web Designer | Wanderer | Storyteller at Wandering Web Designer | Technology-Therapist

Hi, I'm Rena,
I'm a wanderer, website manager, and storyteller. I live in sunny SC with my husband of 30 years and our goldfish, "Please Survive"(long story!). When I'm not untangling CSS or wrangling PHP you'll find me writing my next tale, planning my next road trip, or just hanging out with the grandkids.
You dream I'll drive!

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