Road trips are one of my favourite ways to travel for so many reasons. You can travel at your own pace, once you arrive somewhere you have a car and you have your own independence. Your car can serve as a giant handbag, meaning you don’t have to lug lots of pieces from place to place, or try to navigate public transport in a foreign place. I also feel that road trips allow you to create really intimate travel memories with those close to you, ensuring that you have a memorable trip. If you want to ensure your next road trip is really special, read on for 3 tips for a memorable road trip.

1. Be Prepared
It’s possible to have a memorable road trip, but all the wrong reasons. We all know someone – or are that ‘someone’ – who has had a disaster of a trip in a rental car. One of my friends rented a camper van in New Zealand, and underestimated a clearing and took the top of the camper right off. Thankfully they had insurance, otherwise their trip would have felt a little sour with a couple of thousands of dollars in repair bills. No one ever wants anything to go wrong, but when it does, you’ll be glad you had car insurance – and you can even buy hourly car insurance to suit your trip’s needs. Being prepared gives you an extra level of security, so you can relax a little more and enjoy your adventure.

2. Create a Playlist
Ever heard a song and it takes you right back to a time and place? This happens for me all the time, because I’m very intentional about what I listen to and where. I had a specific playlist for my daughter’s birth, and now any time I hear it, I remember how exciting and emotional it was meeting her. Likewise, when I landed in India alone, I had a specific song I listened to then, and whenever I hear it I remember the way my stomach knotted in excitement as the wheels touched down. So by creating a playlist for your road trip, not only are you setting the scene and the mood of the trip, but you’re likely creating little reminders that will pop up in future to remind you of your epic adventure.

3. Be Realistic
One thing I see many people doing when planning a road trip, is being ambitious about driving times, and not accounting for the various things along the way that are likely to slow you down. There’s a good chance you’ll hit traffic, somewhere. You’ll probably need more bathroom breaks and food stops then you’d think, and overall I’m betting things will take longer than you planned. For that reason it’s always good to add an extra hour or two to your planned trip length. That gives you ample time for anything that crops up, and so you don’t end up missing out on activities or driving too much at night.

Road trips are such a fun way to travel. You can stop wherever you want along the way for a photo opportunity, there’s no stress trying to navigate local transport systems, and you get to travel on your own schedule. I hope these tips help you create a memorable road trip with your loved ones.