As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, embarking on a road trip is as enticing an option as ever for Canadians who want to get away, but also want to stay close to home and within their own country.
Road trips are a great alternative to out-of-country trips that you may have planned, but sadly had to cancel. They are the perfect opportunity to explore places closer to home you wouldn’t necessarily have considered – places that are basically in your own backyard! 
Plus, the feeling of freedom that comes over you once you hit the open road is like nothing else. Just imagine cruising down the highway on your own timeline, singing along to your favorite songs, munching on delicious snacks and the feeling of the adventure of everything on your itinerary that is in front of you. You’re in control of the plans, which means you can spend as little (or as much) time at each of your spots as you’d like. Now, that’s travel freedom!
But, how can you best plan your road trip to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible? Here are some tips from TierOne Travel to give you piece of mind before and during your next road trip.
Remember, you can always contact your TierOne Travel Consultant for professional help with planning and booking.

Our Best Road Trip Planning Tips and Tricks

Make Sure your Vehicle is Ready to Go

It’s important to assess your car, truck, van or RV to ensure it is reliable, comfortable, and safe. Before you leave for a long road trip, it is a essential to have a mechanic to look at the vehicle’s fluid levels, brakes, and tires to be sure it is ready for your trip. Make sure you have a functional spare tire and that you have jumper cables and extra wiper fluid on hand just in case! Also, remember to plan your fuel stops if you will be traveling in a more remote area.

Consider Road-Tripping in an RV

TierOne Travel is proud to partner with CanaDream. With CanaDream RV rentals, you are sure to have an amazing experience as you explore Canada at your own pace! Traveling in an RV means you don’t have to worry about booking hotels in advance, as there are so many amazing RV campsites across Canada you can stay at.
With a comfortable bed, good toilets, hot showers, space to unpack and somewhere to keep your drinks cold, CanaDream RVs have everything you need. Any nightmares of nights spent freezing and mornings spent sweltering at 5am in a tent quickly fade. RV life is a lot more like living in a mini mobile apartment; it’s truly surprising how much you could pack into a small space!
CanaDream amenities are completely customizable, so you can add exactly what you think you’ll need for your adventure. From valet service to GPS systems (and even toilet paper!), you can truly add everything you need.
RV Rentals are available in many different cities in Canada, which means the adventures you can have are endless! Rental locations include:  

• Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta 
• Vancouver, British Columbia 
• Whitehorse, Yukon 
• Toronto, Ontario 
• Montreal, Quebec 
• Halifax, Nova Scotia 

MAKE SURE TO Book Ahead  

Many popular attractions and trendy hotels for your road trip route can sell out months in advance. Take the time to decide the main sights you must see, and work your trip around them! 
Your TierOne Travel Consultant can help you pick what spots are most worth seeing and will find you the best hotels that will work for you.

BE SELECTIVE WHEN Picking your Travel Buddies 

Make sure to have a reliable and fun copilot to enjoy the journey with. Road trips can make or break a friendship. Remember, you will be in a car with them for many many hours! 
It’s also good to know if they want to see and do the same things as you, and if they are willing to negotiate if you want to see and do different things. Road trips can be stressful and tiring, but if you decide to travel with someone who can handle you when you’re at your best and worst, then you are good to go, and you’ll have an amazing time with amazing company! 

Keep Yourself Entertained 

When driving for long periods of time, it is important to have a large supply of playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, and other activities to help pass the time. Some of our suggestions:

• Music: Make sure you’ve downloaded some playlists to your phone, and don’t forget your charger! If you’re renting a vehicle, find out ahead of time what the music setup will accomodate (ie. can you play music from your phone via Bluetooth? Or will you require an aux cable?)
• Podcasts: There’s a podcast for everyone these days — whether you’re a true crime buff, interested in learning a new language, or just really, really, really love cheese.  Audiobooks are another awesome option!
• Activities: Bringing along activities you can do in the car is a great option if you are traveling with kids (but can still also be fun for adults!) Things like puzzles, road trip bingo boards, Mad Libs, stickers, crosswords etc. will keep you all busy for hours.
• Road Trip Games: Classic car games like the Alphabet game, iSpy, and 21 Questions are always fun and a great way to pass the time. So many phones can now be downloaded on your phone, too!
• Movies/TV Shows: Download movies or shows onto your phone/tablet (for anyone who isn’t driving, of course!)

Make Stops Along the Way  

Create a list of pre-planned stops to check out local sights you have researched ahead of time. This will help break up the trip and will give you things to look forward to along the way. It will also give you a few chances to stretch your legs and have some fun exploring! It could be anything from a browsing a unique small business, visit historical sites, stop to eat at a local restaurant, or take photos at a scenic overlook. One of our favourite things to do is to research any “famous” spots along the way, whether that is for the best nanaimo bar, the world’s largest teepee, etc.

Don’t Forget the Snacks 

 Crucial for the perfect road trip is a bag full of snacks to keep you full while on the go! From crispy and salty to sweet and refreshing, there’s snacks to satisfy whatever you’re craving. It may also be a good idea to pack a small cooler full of your favourite drinks and snacks that might need to stay cold for the journey. Just grab a pack of ice at the gas station as you need it!

PLAN AND SHARE YOUR ROUTE USING GOOGLE MAPS

Google Maps is one of our favourite ways to plan out road trip routes. You can create a custom Google Map and share it with everyone on your road trip. Everyone can even add their own “pins” of destinations to see and things to do into one big shared map. Best of all, once your map is ready to go, you can enter a starting point location and hit Start, then use it for your navigation for the entire road trip!

Covid-19 Precautions  

During these times it is important to be as safe as possible while road tripping! Here are just a couple tips to make sure you are staying safe:  

• Make sure you have a mask on you at all times. 
• Carry sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer and use them before and after leaving your vehicle.  
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Wipe down hotel surfaces or seats and facilities before using them 

START PLANNING YOUR VACAY TODAY

When you’re ready to explore a new or favourite destination and make your travel dreams come true, contact one of our TierOne Travel agents! They have extensive experience in life-changing travel and will be able to craft something incredible that is suited to your unique needs. One call; endless experiences!

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Anonymous