One of the best parts about summer is road trips. Long hours in the road just enjoying the view and company of friends and family. However, a lot of people who are not prepared end up having road trips worth forgetting. Don’t be one of these people. Your summer road trip preparations shouldn’t be complicated. That’s why we came up with a simple way for you to make sure your next summer road trip will have zero headaches and is stress-free.

So let’s not dilly-dally  – let’s get straight to our top summer road trip preparation tips!

Summer Road Trip Preparations 101

1. Preparing your emergency car kit

A lot of things can come up on a road trip. Sometimes this means having your car break down in the middle of nowhere. Or being caught in a massive thunderstorm. Either way, it’s always better to know you have an emergency car kit in tow for such moments. A summer road trip emergency car kit does not need to be very large. As a matter of fact, it’s better if you pack as light as possible while making sure you have the essentials. An emergency car kit should include:

1. Food that does not spoil easily. This includes energy bars and the likes.
2. Water that’s enough to last the group a couple of days.
3. Blankets
4. Extra shoes or clothes.
5. First aid kit complete with a sharp cutter for the seatbelts.
6. A candle and flashlight (a wind-up one will be better because you don’t have to bring batteries).
7. Whistles
8. Roadmaps
9. An emergency plan

2. Make sure your pet is ready

A lot of us bring our pets on our summer road trips and that’s not a bad idea. Pets enjoy having fun with their owners and you wouldn’t want to leave them out, right? But you have to make sure your pet is ready for the road trip. Aside from that, you need to ensure you brought all the essentials for your pet so he/she can better enjoy the road trip.

1. Check if there are any existing warnings for pet diseases in the area you are visiting. Visit a vet and make sure your pet gets the necessary shots if needed.
2. Make sure to bring enough food and water for the road trip. If your pet is not that picky then you can just buy food upon arrival but if that’s not the case they bring a few day’s worth just in case.
3. Travel bowls for food and water.
4. First aid kit for your pets.
5. Toys and treats.
6. Sanitary bags
7. Identification for your pet in case they get lost (microchipping is best!)

3. Make sure your trip is kid-friendly

For those who have kids out there, we all know how stressful it can be to have a bored child in the back seat. So if you are going on a road trip with kids, you have to make sure the trip is kid-friendly. You can do this by preparing a couple of things.

For starters, bring snacks and drinks but stay away from the sugary ones. Next, make sure you have a few activities in store for the kids. Prepare games or activities for the whole gang. Lastly, make sure the car is comfortable enough for your passengers. If they sleep, then they are less likely to get bored.

4. Pack your car the right way

Packing is one of the parts of the road trip that can determine whether you will have a good time or not. A lot of people has had their road trip goals destroyed because they didn’t pack right. But let’s try to list down the stuff you should do in packing your car for a road trip.

1. Create a list of the stuff that you need for the road trip. Make sure you categorize them by priority/importance.
2. Learn to roll and not fold in order to save space. Getting vacuum bags or space bags can help you squeeze every inch of space in your bags.
3. Make sure to use every nook and cranny of your car for the smaller stuff. Stashing your shoes underneath the driver’s seat is one way to store a somewhat hard to hide item.
4. Mix and match clothing ahead of time and pack them together. This will save you time and trouble as it allows you to unpack one space bag containing all the stuff you need to wear for that day.
5. Create a GO bag that contains all the necessary things you need. The GO bag will also include the stuff you will most likely need while on the road. No more digging up bags and bags of items just to look for your wall charger.

5. Bring your car to T3 Atlanta for a maintenance check

The last thing you want on a road trip is being stuck on the road because your car broke down. Taking your beloved car for a maintenance check is quick and painless and can assure you of a lovely road trip. In case mechanics find issues with your car, they can just provide the solution to make sure you are safe on the road.

If you are in Atlanta and is planning a road trip, why not stop by T3 Atlanta as part of your summer road trip preparations? We know that a safe and sound car is key to a successful road trip. Bring your car to T3 Atlanta today and let our expert mechanics do a round of maintenance checks on your car to help ensure that your road trip is safe and stress-free.