Your Guide to the Perfect Road Trip

I recently went on a two week road trip-I started at my home state California and drove through Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. We visited the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Antelope Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, Arches, Canyonlands, and more. Traveling through these states on my own agenda was wonderful. I didn't have a tour bus to obey. I lived by my schedule (or lack thereof), my rules, and my playlist, which I could play as loudly as I wanted.



Our trip was over 3,800 miles (to give perspective, the distance between the East Coast and the West Coast of the United States is between 2600-3200 miles depending on route), and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Now that I am officially back, here are some tips for your next road trip.

Don't over-plan. I fall victim to this so often. I live an hour away from L.A.-when I spend a day there, sometimes I will plan my time to the minute. With this trip though, I just had a rough outline of what we expected to do each day. We booked hotel reservations prior (which I would highly recommend if you are doing a road trip over the summer as they fill up quickly) to get us started, but we left the end of our trip up to ourselves. A week in the road, we decided to extend our trip to visit Colorado. Some scheduling can provide security, but don't forget that this is your adventure.

Packing. Besides the obvious clothing, toothbrush, etc., here are some items you should consider packing in addition: hydrocortisone (I got bitten by bugs 7 times-this stuff basically saved me), an endless supply of granola bars, cooler to store food, dry shampoo, fruit in a pouch (trust me on this one-nothing spoils), plastic bags to store dirty clothes, trash, etc., a physical map in case you lose connection on your phone, and extra SD cards.

Buy an annual national park pass. If you're aiming to sightsee in the U.S., this is perfect for saving money. It's $80, but if you're planning on going to more than 3 national parks, it's worth it.

Ask. With each park I went to, the first thing I did was ask a ranger which trail was his or her favorite. If I heard someone talking about a park I was planning on visiting, I asked them for recommendations. Instead of squinting at the trail descriptions and Googling "Best trails in ___" right as you lose mobile data, you will save yourself unneeded effort.

Rapid fire. Gas stations are perfect for bathroom breaks. If you're using a GPS, check the route on Google Maps as well (occasionally, Google Maps has faster routes). Save your mobile data leading up the trip unless you have an unlimited data plan. If you have nowhere to stay, Walmart will let you park your car overnight for free. Eat your meals on the road if you don't have time. Stay safe, but don't forget to let loose.

Road trips are exhausting. You're constantly on the move, driving for hours on end. You're eating mostly bad food and your biggest fear becomes your car breaking down in the middle of nowhere. But if you have an open mind, you've got yourself an adventure to remember.