5 Common Road Trip Challenges (from Budgets to Big Emergencies) and How to Prepare

In movies, road tripping is portrayed as a whimsical, pick-up-and-go style of travel that peaks with warm weather and is often sparked by life milestones. And while road tripping is certainly a style of carefree travel — you plan your own route, schedule and can pack whatever you like without TSA restrictions or weight limits — road tripping isn’t exactly as easy as it's depicted on the big screen.“Road tripping and traveling in your vehicle is easily one of the most challenging types of travel you can do,” shares Mimi Hammer, a creative freelancer who lives part-time in her camper van traveling around the country. Yet, she continues, “that’s part of the adventure and part of the reason we seek these experiences out, because they challenge us.”Frequent road trippers like Hammer will understand that there are some more common challenges than others, from lodging logistics and vehicle safety to the just as important need for satisfying caffeine cravings and tuning up the entertainment. Here’s how to address those hurdles, from overcoming the obvious to preparing for the unexpected on your next road trip.

Travel’s golden rule also applies to road tripping, says Hammer. To date, she’s driven across the country three times with her partner and, even with pre-trip planning, they found themselves wanting to stop and explore far more than they realized.

“The best part of a road trip is when you stumble upon these places and these sites you didn’t even know were there,” she says. After all, after being contained in your car for hours, exploring the cafes, small streets and towns are all the more appealing. “Bake in more time to allow yourself the ability to take advantage of these ad hoc and unexpected sites and experiences that you can never plan for.”

Mentally, physically and logistically speaking, the best thing road trippers can do is be prepared.

For instance, inevitably, you'll feel sleepy while driving — and it might be 11:00 p.m. with no Starbucks in sight. “We kept a bulk stash of 5-Hour Energy in the car so we didn’t have to stop and find coffee,” says Hammer.

Aixa Diax, spokesperson for AAA adds: “Pack an emergency kit with first-aid supplies, jumper cable, flashlight, blankets, water, and snacks, like nuts or granola bars. Anything you would need to be comfortable if you break down or get stuck in hours-long traffic.”

In addition to caring for your human needs, think about, and prepare for, all that can go wrong with a vehicle. Diaz suggests checking the tires, battery -

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and oil at least a week before hitting the road, in case your car does need unexpected maintenance. And keep that phone charged, says Diaz: “If you’re in an area with no cell service, certain iPhone users can call for AAA emergency roadside assistance via satellite.”

“When you’re in the car for a long time, you run out of things to do to keep you occupied,” Hammer says. Even your favorite playlists get monotonous after a while!

“There can be really long stretches of driving that are flat roads in the middle of farmland so it’s a fun idea to source entertainment and media from your network," she suggests, noting that she put together a portfolio of podcasts, audiobooks and new music that she polled from friends on Instagram and downloaded them all before the trip. “You never know how service will be on the road so it’s best to have them on hand.” 

After traversing Australia in a van, travel influencers Katerina and Yinon Horwitz learned the importance of setting boundaries.

“Managing when it is a good time for a deep conversation and when it is time to just chill and listen to music is one of the biggest things that can be useful for road tripping,” the couple said via .

Since every person is different, this is also an act in learning more about your partner, to understand and support what they are driven by to really make the best trip for each other. “It’s a great way to practice actually building a life together,” they add.

The two biggest costs for road tripping are gas and lodging. If you’re in a camper van, this is significantly reduced, but you’ll still need to pay a fee for overnight campgrounds. These costs can be predicted ahead of time, using platforms like Hipcamp or iOverlander, says Hammer, who found them useful in rural parts of the country. For roadtrippers in standard vehicles driving through urban destinations, HotelTonight is an app to use for last minute hotel deals.

With the ever-fluctuating price of gas, your total overhead is less predictable, yet for a ballpark figure, Diaz suggests using AAA's Gas Cost Calculator to estimate fuel costs for your vehicle’s make and model. For a practical tip on saving gas, Diaz says, “watch your speed! Fuel economy peaks around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14 percent.”

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