Road trips are the ultimate adventure in the US. Who hasn’t dreamed of driving across the country to see faraway natural wonders like the Grand Canyon, iconic cities like Las Vegas, or flagship family destinations like Disney World?
For some, the idea of driving cross-country can be intimidating and deter you from traveling more than a day’s drive from your home. Fortunately, we can help!
In this article, we’ll share how to plan a cross-country road trip–whether solo, with a group of friends or family members, or in an RV. We’ll share helpful tips for route planning, safety, destinations to include on your itinerary, useful apps for travelers, and budgeting tips to stretch travel dollars.
Pro Tip #1: Start Planning Early
A long road trip isn’t something to throw together last minute. Give yourself a few weeks, or even a few months, to create your road trip plans.
You’ll need to decide on several key things right away:
- How long your trip will be?
- Where will you go?
- What time of year will you travel?
- Who, if anyone, will accompany you?
Once you’ve settled these, you’re ready to plan the rest of your trip’s details.
Pro Tip #2: Put Some Thought Into Your Cross-Country Road Trip Route
What kind of road trip do you want to have? Will you head to the east coast or to the west coast?
If a cross-country road trip is on your must-do list, here are some ideas for traveling across the country:
- Take a tour of national parks
- Visit your bucket-list amusement parks
- Embark on a quest for quirky roadside attractions
- Explore the scenic highways and byways
- Complete an itinerary of famous cities
RVers can use RV trip planner tools like The Dyrt PRO, RV Life Trip Wizard, or the Garmin RV GPS to map their routes to destinations, find campgrounds and points of interest along the way, and estimate travel costs.
Still stuck for ideas? Don’t worry–we’ve got 10 great road trip recommendations to inspire you.
Step #1: Choose Key Destinations
Pick the major destinations for your road trip theme.
Visiting national parks? Put places like Zion National Park, Yosemite National Park, Arches National Park, Death Valley National Park, and the Rocky Mountains on your itinerary. For a family theme park trip, hit the parks at Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Disney, and Universal.
Use Google to find lists of historic routes, places, and attractions that provide an opportunity for a cross-country road trip.
Step #2: Plan Pitstops
Put some thought into planning your route. Road trips shouldn’t simply be long, non-stop drives between locations. The routes can be part of the experience, so plan to stop at scenic overlooks, parks, attractions, or small towns.
If you’re an RVer, you’ll enjoy routes known for amazing RV road trips, such as Route 66, US Highway 2 from Maine to Washington State, the Pacific Coast Highway, or a tour of New England in the fall.
Step #3: Consider Alternative Routes
Sometimes, the best route isn’t the fastest one. Exploring scenic drives means bypassing pricey toll roads and adding adventure to your journey. Before taking an alternative route, make certain it’s open and safe at that time of year.
RV travelers should use an RV GPS to find routes safe for RVs. Google Maps doesn’t plan routes that account for large rigs’ height, length, and weight. Relying on Google Maps with an RV could mean a road trip that’s memorable for all the wrong reasons!
Pro Tip #3: Set a Realistic Budget
Budgeting for lodging, food, and fuel is crucial for a smooth and enjoyable cross-country drive. Here’s a detailed daily cost breakdown for road trip costs:
- Lodging: $20-150 per night
- Average mid-range hotel: $120 – $150
- Average campground: $20-$60 per night
- Food and Dining: $30 – $60 per day
- Breakfast: $5 – $10
- Lunch: $10 – $20
- Dinner: $15 – $30
- Fuel and Vehicle Costs: $25 – $210 per day
- Personal vehicle fuel: $20 – $40 (depending on vehicle and distance)
- RV fuel: $50-$200 (depending on distance)
- Vehicle maintenance: $5 – $10
- Total Daily Cost: $75 – $420
Using these figures, we can calculate the following cost ranges for different lengths of road trips:
- Short Road Trip (3 days): $225-$1,260
- One-Week Road Trip: $525-$2,940
- Two-Week Road Trip: $1,050 – $5,880
- Three-Week Road Trip: $1,575 – $8,820
Once you’ve covered these expenses, you can set a spending budget for entrance fees, ticket prices, and souvenirs at your destinations.
Pro Tip #4: Choose the Right Vehicle
The vehicle you choose makes all the difference in your cross-country road trip experience. You’re looking for an ideal combination of roominess, fuel economy, safety, and comfort for the number of people you’re traveling with.
Step #1: Decide Between a Personal Vehicle vs. RV
Personal vehicles like cars or SUVs generally provide better fuel efficiency compared to RVs, making them more economical for long distances. However, smaller vehicles can be crowded if you’re traveling with others.
RVs offer the convenience of built-in lodging and amenities for long trips and camping. But fuel costs are high, and first-timers might feel nervous driving them.
A campervan rental can be a compromise between the two, with more space than a personal vehicle but easier maneuvering than a large RV.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Have all regular maintenance done before your trip. To be on the safe side, mention your upcoming travel plans to your mechanic. Consider a roadside assistance plan so you’ll know help is on the way if you do have car trouble.
Pro tip: Make sure your spare tire and car jack are in good condition, and the tire iron is where it should be.
Step #2: Pack Essential Car Kit Gear
Pack a roadside emergency kit that includes:
- Jumper cables
- Flashlight
- Basic tools
- Waterproof container with essential items
- First-aid kit
- Batteries
- Blankets
- Portable jump starter (can also charge devices)
Step #3: Pack RV Gear
RV road trips require specialized gear and supplies to include on your packing checklist.
Make Lodging Reservations in Advance
Reserving accommodations in advance prevents driving all day to a destination only to discover there’s no available lodging. During peak tourist season, making reservations ahead of time is a must.
Pro Tip #5: Use Third-Party Platforms to Book Hotels and Motels
Reserve rooms at hotels and motels along your route. To find discounted rates, use third-party platforms like Hotels.com, Trivago, Booking.com, or Expedia.com.
Solo travelers might stay at Airbnb guest house rentals for extra safety.
Step #1: Find Camping Spots
Camping can be a cost-effective lodging option for cross-country road trips. Some helpful resources for locating camping spots are:
- State parks, national parks, and national forests–which often offer low-cost camping options with basic amenities.
- KOA’s, which provide a network of campgrounds across the country.
- Hipcamp, a platform that allows you to book unique camping experiences on private land.
- Campendium, where you can find free camping to save money.
Step #2: Confirm Reservations
On long trips, make a habit of confirming upcoming reservations a few days in advance–just in case there’s a problem and you need to find an alternative. Make sure to bring the confirmation information for each reservation on your trip.
Pro Tip #6: Plan Your Daily Itinerary
A day on the road should strike the ideal balance between driving, sightseeing, and relaxation. While you could wing it, you risk losing track of time. If you spend too much time sightseeing or relaxing, you could fall behind your driving schedule, delaying your arrival time (and potentially leaving you with a hefty late check-in fee). Accidentally spend too much time driving, and you won’t have time to make those pit stops you originally planned.
The ideal itinerary will be flexible, allowing you to spend extra time at stops along the way. After all, the beauty of life on the road is the spontaneity.
Step #1: Limit Driving
A road trip isn’t going to be any fun if you’re worn out from driving each day. Veteran road trippers recommend planning your trip to limit your driving time to 4-6 hours per day.
Others swear by the 2-2-2 rule, especially if you’re RVing: a maximum driving distance of 200 miles a day, check-in by 2 p.m., and stay 2 days. Or you can go with the 3-3-3 rule: 300 miles a day, 3 p.m. check-in, 3-day stay.
Step #2: Schedule Breaks
Do some research about your road trip routes to learn about points of interest along the way. You’ll also want to pre-plan rest stops for meals, photos, souvenirs, leg stretching, playtime for kids, potty breaks for pets, and fuel-ups at gas stations.
Every 2-3 hours, you should pencil in at least a short break from traveling.
Step #3: Include Must-See Attractions
Have a list of must-see attractions on the trip that everyone has contributed to. That way, each member of the travel party gets to weigh in and suggest on something that interests them. For off-beat things to do and see in an area, check out Atlas Obscura.
Pro Tip #7: Pack Smartly for the Journey
Smart packing will make your road trip smooth and enjoyable.
Step #1: Clothing
Start organizing early and figuring out what you really need. Pack light by choosing minimal and versatile clothing and footwear, opt for lightweight fabrics, and plan for laundry stops on the road.
Step #2: Snacks and Meals
Pack groceries, nonperishable food, and bottled water for healthy snacks as an alternative to fast food. Stop grocery stores for hummus cups, small fruit and veggie trays, cheese packs, granola bars, jerky, dried fruit, and nuts.
Step #3: Entertainment and Comfort
Keep your long drives entertaining with a varied music playlist, engaging podcasts, and surprise bags for kids. Don’t forget a portable power bank to keep devices charged.
Step #4: Hygiene
Pack a hygiene kit with wipes, sanitizer, and even toilet paper–not every public bathroom will be sparkling clean or stocked.
Step #5: Tech
A standalone mobile hotspot device or a satellite communicator can provide reliable communication and peace of mind on a road trip.
Final Preparations
Before hitting the road, finalize all preparations.
- Confirm your bookings.
- Make sure your driver’s licenses and vehicle registration are current.
- Check weather forecasts.
- Budget extra for emergencies like flat tires.
- Install apps like GasBuddy to find the best gas prices.
- Give a trusted person your itinerary and set up regular check-ins.
Final Thoughts
Planning a successful road trip requires time and effort, but the road trip memories you’ll create are the reward. Plan ahead now to hit the road with confidence as you head to your destinations.
Once your road trip has ended, you’ll want to store your RV properly so it’s ready for your next big adventure. Many HOAs don’t allow RV parking, and you need secure, covered, or enclosed storage to keep your rig safe.
Consider options like Neighbor–a peer-to-peer RV storage marketplace, offering RV storage up to 50% cheaper than traditional storage options. Find listings from pre-screened hosts near you!