Winter weather got you down? Well spring is just around the corner! As temperatures rise and nature wakes up, you may find yourself climbing the walls. You’ve got cabin fever, and the only prescription is a spring break road trip.
Whether you have school-aged kids or not, make time for a little spring break travel. Pick a destination – or at least a route, load up the car and explore a new place. Check out these road trip tips to achieve the perfectly planned spring break road trip.
Map Out Your Spring Break Road Trip
Where do you want to go? It’s a simple question with infinite answers. Road trips are ideal for spring break because you can explore without spending a lot of money. Plan a loop drive with multiple destinations along the way to get the most out of your days. The AAA TripTik Travel Planner can map stops with turn-by-turn directions or you can access pre-planned road trips for ease.
Vehicle Maintenance
This might be the least fun part, but you’ll be glad you did it. Vehicle maintenance before you hit the roads can mean the difference between an amazing trip or a roadside horror. Clean out your car, replace your old maps and get a quick tune-up so you don’t have to call us from the side of the road between Newport and Yachats (then you’d be forced to pronounce Yachats). Check out one of our local Approved Auto Repair shops for maintenance.
Pack your gear
Think about your destinations and the activities you’d like to do on your road trip. If you’re going to the mountains, make sure to pack warm clothes and rain coats since spring comes later up there. If you’re headed to the coast, will you need beach gear and surfboards or rain coats and boots? Just make sure you pack your rain coat. Also, think about on-the-road entertainment and comfort. Especially with kids, you may need to get creative with the distractions. Luckily, your local AAA Travel Store is a great resource for road trip necessities. Find your nearest travel store and check it out .
Stock up on Resources
Will you have cell reception everywhere you travel? If not, you may want to pick up new versions of maps and TourBooks at while you visit your local AAA Travel Store. You can also get a printed TripTik while you’re there. You’ll also want to make sure your auto preparedness kit is stocked and up-to-date.
Finally, download the AAA mobile app to access essential road trip resources. If you do have cell reception, the mobile app allows you to find exclusive member discounts and cheap gas near you, request roadside assistance, and access travel tools like Drive Trips and Travel Guides.
Remember the Essentials
Everyone has a road trip horror story. Whether you got lost in the middle of nowhere or you all got a stomach bug halfway through the drive, you need at least one good story. But you can plan to prevent the more common road trip hassles. Remember these essentials: wallet, driver’s license, passport, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, auto preparedness kit and don’t forget the snacks! And, if you happen to snap some great photos, share them in our Travel Photo Sweepstakes.