Planning a great trip has less to do with coordinating details, than it does with creating the circumstances in which you can really relax and enjoy your trip.
- Decide when you can allow yourself to really get away. Before anything else, look at your schedules and determine when is a good time to take a few days out to get away. As soon as you have decided, let everyone who needs to know that you have blocked out that time for a road trip. This will help in making sure that everyone respects your decision to get away.
- Explore various destinations and road trips that are interesting. Allow yourself to really explore various places to travel, unless you have been planning to do one of your bucket list trips for a long time. Browse destinations and scenic roads and see what appeals to you. Let this exploration be a part of the anticipation of taking the trip.
- Narrow down the possible places to travel to 2 or 3. Before making a final decision, research just what there is to see and do in all of the narrowed choices. One may stand out as having more things of interest or more things that will engage your mind.
- Choose the experience that best speaks to you. Select the one you’re most excited about doing, the one that best suits your available time away and the most realistic travel distance to not have the drive be exhausting.
- Lay out your days of exploration first. If you’re going to be away for three days, decide what you’re going to see and do on those days. Exploration, attractions and activities are the most important part of the trip, focus on getting those right before anything else.
- Search for unique accommodations. Unless you’re absolutely intent on staying in a commercial hotel, take some time to search for more unique accommodations that can be a part of your experience.
- Check Trip Advisor for restaurant selections. Figure out where lunch should occur and have pre-researched some options before you arrive at the location. Check those out in person to determine the best place to stop. Research selections for dinner near your accommodations. And unless you have made dinner reservations, ask your hosts for suggestions. They most often know the best places to eat.
- Pull it all together. Fold all of your selections into an itinerary – which will be mostly complete at this point, add in any other needed locations, print it out and have a wonderful time.