Planning a Good Trip

[new tripper]

Hi, I am a student doing a research project about road trips. I am interested in learning how to plan a good road trip in a 4 day to two-week time frame. What would you guys do in that amount of time? Where would you stop and what kind of things would you go see? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

RoadTrip America's forums are chock full of advice to travelers on how to plan a RoadTrip. All you have to do is to read through them (do a little research) and compile that advice (write a project report.) But what you're actually asking is for us to tell you what the result of that research would be (i.e. do the research report for you!)

AZBuck

[Lifemagician]

The object of your project strikes me as quite ambiguous. Will your research be on actually planning a roadtrip? or on the process of what is involved in planning a roadtrip?

Don't confuse *how to plan a good road trip* with actually planning one. The actual planning process, the *how to plan* is quite different from where one may choose to go, or what one wishes to see. Some folk plan a road trip with an almost hour by hour itenary. Others hop in the car and see where the road may lead them. And still more fall somewhere in between.

So what exactly is the focus of your project?

Lifey

[Southwest Dave]

Hi, I am a student doing a research project about road trips. I am interested in learning how to plan a good road trip in a 4 day to two-week time frame. What would you guys do in that amount of time? Where would you stop and what kind of things would you go see? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

What separates a road trip from an organised tour is that you get to go where you want, when you want and at what pace you want, it's unique to the individual. A common theme you will find here as you research, is that there is no single 'best' route, or 'best attraction', because it all depends on the interests of that particular group, their budget and the time available. A group of people on a stag [or hen] party trip will more than likely be looking for different things to what they might if they were travelling with their Mother-in-law' ;-)

So the main point is that in planning a good road trip, it is not about finding out what others would do, or see, it's about what you [the traveler] want to do and how you can make the jig-saw fit, time, budget, mileage etc. Planning a trip is about doing your own research, reading up on places that appeal and studying a map, then you can seek advice and guidance from experienced travelers like those found here at RTA to see what's possible, what isn't and get alternative suggestions. If you are travelling as a group it's important to know that everyone is on the same page as to expectations of the trip and everyone should have some input in the planning, we even recommend including the kids on family trips, so that they take more interest in the journey and get more out of it.

Personally I look at the planning process as part of the journey and enjoy every moment of it.

Good luck with your project.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Are you from Amherst, NH by any chance? If so, you might want to give the members a little more heads-up on what kind of project you're working on. On the other hand, if you are not that person, here are some places to begin your search....

Click on the tab that reads "Planning Tools" at the top of this page. You will be taken to a page that lists several of our trip planning articles. Just skim a few, and you'll begin to get an idea of what most of us consider when planning a trip.

One of the things we suggest to anyone, of any age, who is contemplating a road trip, is to have each member of such a trip take this quiz and then talk about their answers with the other members of the group.

And you might find the Main Menu page helpful -- there are thousands of pages of resources on this site...

Mark

[new tripper]

Hey. Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to come off as lazy. I have been reading some of the articles and will continue to read more. I was just hoping I could ask you guys any more specific questions, if I can't find everything I'm looking for in the discussion. I'll do some more reading and come back with better questions.

[new tripper]

Lifey,

Thanks for the help. I hadn't thought about it like that before. I'm interested in the actual planning of a road trip, but also the road trip itself. I wanted to learn more about traveling with groups, planned and unplanned stops for food or attractions, personal preferences on your favorite types of trips to take are, and things like that. I think I need to read around the site some more and develop some more specific questions, though.

[glc]

Please do come back with specific questions. We will be happy to answer them.

[new tripper]

Thanks Dave! That's definitely helpful. I guess I was trying to gather information on deferent personal preferences on the different types of road trips you guys like to take.

You said that you really enjoy the planning process. Do you like to plan everything to the mile and the minute, or do you leave time for unexpected things that you may see signs for along the way?

[new tripper]

No, I'm from VA. I was just trying to gather some info. on the different types of trips people like to take and how they may plan them differently based on where they're going or who they are with. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, though. I'll definitely check this pages out!