If you like road trips, a 50 state road trip route should be something on your bucket list. To give yourself the best possible traveling experience, you should ensure that you plan everything to the last detail. Your itinerary should include everything so that you don’t face any unexpected challenges while you travel.

A road trip is a lot of work if you’ve never planned one before. You need to have a budget, pack, and plan for any worst-case scenario. Read on to find out which steps you should take to make your 50 state road trip route easier to tackle.

Get Your Car Ready for Travel

If you want to take a 50 state road trip route, you need to make sure that your car is all the way ready. If you can’t depend on your car, all your road trip planning will be for nothing. Facing a breakdown when you commute to work is one thing, but dealing with one on your 50 state road trip route is more than a minor inconvenience.

Before your road trip, you should consider a visit to your local car repair shop. You want to ensure that everything is in prime condition to avoid your road trip becoming an unexpected horror movie. There are certain basic maintenance tasks that you should complete before you decide to go on your 50 state road trip route.

Fluids

Did you know that your car has six important fluids that need to be se rviced? You should think of your car’s fluid as the blood that it needs to function. Depending on your car’s mileage, you may want to do a thorough analysis of your car’s fluid.

Oil

When you own a car, you know how critical oil is for your engine. The oil in your car helps to lubricate every moving component. If the pistons and camshaft in your car are no longer moving properly, you should know that there’s an issue with your car’s oil.

Nowadays, an oil change is recommended once your car reaches 10,000 miles. It’s always a good idea to double-check your manual to give you an idea of when you should schedule your next oil change. Using the dipstick to assess your oil levels is a recommended suggestion to check the condition of your car’s oil.

Tires

You can’t drive a 50 state road trip route successfully if your tires aren’t in prime condition. Functional tires are crucial for your safety and comfort. Additionally, tires in good condition will ensure that your fuel consumption remains efficient.

Certain factors can affect the condition of your tires. For instance, the wrong air pressure can cause uneven wear and tear in your tires. Alternatively, you might find that your air pressure is fine and your problems are caused by the rotation of your tires.

If you think that your tires will give up while you’re on your 50 state road trip route, you should consider doing a replacement. A car repair shop will be able to replace your tires before you leave. You don’t want to wait until the inevitable occurs while you’re on your road trip.

General Maintenance

If your car doesn’t have visible repairs that require emergency attention, you should still think of taking it to your car repair shop. There are different components that your car needs to be maintained. The following are the general concerns that you should get looked at.

• Brake pads

• Air filters

• Light bulbs

• Belts and hoses

Consider Renting a Vehicle

When you enjoy traveling as often as possible, you’re always trying to figure out the best transportation options. When you plan a trip such as a 50 state road trip route, you want to get the most out of your trip. In certain instances, this includes weighing whether an RV or a smaller car rental is ideal or not.

If you’re still unsure about why renting a car will benefit you, it’s okay. Sometimes, you need to have more information on how to make certain decisions that benefit you. The following are five reasons why renting a car is a great consideration when you plan your 50 state road trip route.

• You get an ideal price point, and it can be cheaper than flying across the country.

• You can find a rental site just about anywhere.

• It reduces any damage to your car when you need to drive long distances.

• You get to drive the latest car models.

• You get a car with all the features that you need.

Scope Out Your Dining Options

Let’s face it; when you’re on the road for long hours, you get hungry. Whether you’re looking for family restaurants, fast food joints, or any other type of dining establishment, it’s important to be aware of what options are on your route and plan accordingly. It doesn’t matter what you prefer, but you still need to have a good idea of what options are there as you embark on your 50 state road trip route.

You should start by going online to scout the routes that you’ll be taking. Find out what restaurants and grocery stores will be at your disposal. If you end up craving something specific — such as Mexican food or Asian cuisine — you need to know that it’ll be readily available for you.

If you want healthy meal options, you should do your research. You should also consider your dietary needs while you’re on the road. Make sure that when you’re on your road trip, you don’t worry about the shortage of dining options.

Research the Best Sights to See

The main reason that you want to go on your 50 state road trip route is to see all the local attractions. You need to do your research before you leave about where to go. Most importantly, make sure that you know what the times to visit those sights are.

You can use online sites and apps to find out which sights are worth seeing while you’re on your 50 state road trip route. Otherwise, you can choose to visit local centers to learn more about the places that you wish to see. The great thing about this option is that you’ll be exposed to more history of the town.

When you take more scenic byways, you’ll be likely to find hidden roadside attractions. The whole idea of a road trip is to take your time to learn more about the routes that you’re taking. When you stop to stretch your legs, don’t skip out on taking a much-needed hike.

Find a Pet Sitter

When you have to take a trip for weeks, you want to ensure that your pets are left in capable and caring hands. Since you can’t drive with your pet on your 50 state road trip route, you should find a pet sitter with experience. Pet sitters are an ideal solution because they provide everything that your pet needs to feel at home.

They provide various services such as in-home daycare, or dog boarding for the times when you have to be away for longer periods. The easiest way for you to find a pet sitter is to ask people that you trust such as your family and friends. There are online communities that you can use to find the best recommendations that suit your needs.

There are certain things that you should consider before you decide to use a pet sitter. The last thing that you want is to have your dog feeling abandoned while you’re away. These are five things that you should think of when you’re looking for a pet sitter.

• Do they specialize in various types of pets, or do they only cater to some pets?

• Where are they located? Do you need to take your pets to them, or can they come to your home?

• If you have to drop off your pets, do they have sufficient space?

• Do they have the training to cater to your pet’s medical needs?

• Do they have other services such as dog-walking services that are included in their price?

Protect Your Home While You’re Gone

Even if you live in a relatively safe neighborhood, ensuring that your home is protected when you’re away is essential. You want to travel on your 50 state road trip route with ease while knowing that your valuable items are safe. With the advances in home security systems, it has become easier to level up your home protection needs no matter how far you are.

For one, you can decide to get a home monitoring system that relies on wireless security. While the options are endless, you must choose a system that fits your needs. The best part of a wireless security system is that you have remote access to everything that’s happening in your home.

Other ways that you can use to maximize your home’s protection are to get trusted family and friends to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity while you’re away. You should keep up with regular home maintenance even when you’re away. Get the pool guy to come and clean once a week so that they can notice anything that’s off.

Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario

No matter how prepared you are, there is always something that can happen beyond your control. Being a good traveler doesn’t mean those bad things won’t happen to you. Bad things require you to stay prepared for a possible worst-case scenario.

Prevention and damage control are always advisable when you plan a 50 state road trip route. Even if you don’t have the time and resources to cover all your bases, you should still do as much as you can to ensure that you’re prepared should anything throw you off track. You need to know how to cope when these things happen.

1. An accident

If you get into an accident in a foreign state, you can be filled with anxiety and confusion. You may not understand the laws or know where to go in this scenario. Fortunately, auto roadside assistance usually responds to calls quickly.

If you’re using a car rental service, it always helps for you to speak to your rental service agent to go over what you should do should you find yourself in an accident. This includes knowing how to file a police report or find an accident attorney. Outside the rental service, you should contact your insurer to find out how to file a claim.

2. Legal problems

Let’s say that you’re traveling with prescription drugs that aren’t legal across all 50-states. You might find yourself tangled with the law. The last thing that you need is to deal with legal problems while you’re trying to enjoy yourself.

You should know how to get legal counsel if you find yourself in a situation like this. Speak to your lawyer before you travel to find out if they have jurisdiction in all states or not. You have to have a right of recourse at your fingertips.

Ways to avoid legal problems when you’re traveling include the following:

• Understand the local road rules and what can get you in trouble.

• Carry your prescription with you along with your drugs. Have your doctor’s contact information on standby.

• Know what actions are prohibited in what state before you travel.

3. A natural disaster

Disaster will strike no matter where you are. Be sure to find out what local authorities you can go to if a natural disaster occurs. Most importantly, ensure that you can communicate with your loved ones at all times.

In summary, you should expect anything when you embark on a 50 state road trip route. It helps when you’ve planned for everything in advance. A successful road trip is all about how you go about it.

If you’ve never planned a road trip before, you’re not alone. This helpful guide should make everything easier moving forward.