Solo road trip tips
Have you always wanted to go on a solo road trip? Going alone on an amazing journey can be scary but with the right preparation and the right solo road trip tips, you can have an amazing trip that will make everyone jealous!
Choosing to go on a solo road trip will allow you more freedom and will also push you out of your comfort zone.
Going on a solo adventure will also allow you to feel less pressured when you wish to spend more time in one place or leave earlier than planned as you won’t have to discuss it with your other road tripper friends.
Traveling solo, either on a road trip or not, will help you discover who you really are too.
Take the leap and go take that solo journey of yours, you might just come back a better person and an even bigger dreamer for your next adventure!
Know your limits and strength
Start by going on smaller road trips
If you’ve never been on a road trip or just never been on a solo road trip, don’t start with the biggest trip. Start small and go from there.
You are capable of doing an epic road trip by yourself but it might be good to start small in order to get accustomed to being alone on the road.
Remember that you will be doing all the driving, all the planning, and almost all of the cooking.
By starting small, you will also be getting used to your equipment. Once you’ve gotten used to everything after a couple of smaller road trips, you’ll have the confidence to go bigger and bigger every time.
Don’t overdo it
Don’t pack too many visits and driving into your itinerary. Remember that you will be doing everything on your road trip.
You don’t want to end up exhausted because you took on too much. Take some time to enjoy the trip. Spend more time visiting places. Relax.
If you end up exhausting yourself, you might end up having to take it slow and do nothing for a couple of days. Planning a looser itinerary will prevent exhaustion and you’ll enjoy the trip even more.
Be flexible
Along with planning a looser itinerary, have a flexible itinerary as well. One advantage of going on a road trip is to be able to do whatever you want whenever you want.
You might meet someone along the way that will recommend something to see that you hadn’t thought about and you want to add to your original itinerary.
Maybe you’ll meet someone on the road and you’ll end up following each other for a while too.
If your itinerary is booked to the second, you won’t be able to add other experiences to it. Something might not go according to your plan either. You might have to adjust everything.
Leave some space to add to your itinerary but also leave some if you need to change it.
Remember that changing the original plan isn’t a bad thing. Your trip might be even better for it. Be flexible. This will help you have a good time and adapt to what is happening on your road trip.
Take the scenic route
Nothing is more boring than driving on a boring highway for so many hours! If there is a scenic route that can take you to the same point, take the scenic route for sure!
You will have so many opportunities to stop somewhere to witness a beautiful view or stop into local shops and cute small villages! Taking the highway will take away these great opportunities to see things you hadn’t planned in the first place.
Planning out your solo road trip
Create a solo road trip budget
Before even starting to plan to whole road trip, it’s important to make a budget. By traveling solo, you won’t be splitting costs with anyone else.
Take that into consideration when calculating how much you will need in order to have a good trip.
You’ll have to include expenses such as shopping for items you will need for the trip but that you don’t have at the moment, airfare, luggage fees, airport transfers, rental car or camper van, accommodations, campsites, gas, tolls, and other fees on the road, parking fees, food and snacks, restaurants, activities, and souvenirs.
They might not all apply to you but make sure to calculate everything so you can have a better idea of how much you have and also how you are going to be spending that money while on the road.
Know the highlights you absolutely want to see
When you are planning your road trip, make a list of things you would like to see. There might be places that are a top priority to stop by and other places that would be cool to see but might not be the number one on your list.
Make yourself a bucket list. When you’ll plan your itinerary, you’ll be in a better position to map out the final itinerary while taking into consideration your top attractions, or top cities you want to see.
Have some sort of Plan
You don’t have to plan a road trip itinerary by the second. Have a rough plan of places you want to see and approximately what route you want to go on.
Don’t forget to stay flexible and leave some space to add to the plan.
I always plan some sort of itinerary to help me keep on track of what I want to see the most and things I can add if I have some extra time on my hands.
I usually map out all the places I would like to see on the country’s map. From there, I’ll plan a rough route for my itinerary considering the number of days I’ll have on the road. It’s also a good idea to check driving times between each destination.
This will help you plan day by day. I usually write down what I want to do on day one, day two, and so on.
This way, I’ll have an idea of where I will be heading that day, what I am planning to see, and roughly where I will be spending the night.
I find that by having a rough plan, you’ll know where to go but you’ll also have the opportunity to change it as needed.
Don’t drive too far in one day
By going on a solo road trip, you will be doing all the driving. Driving can be exhausting if you are driving a lot in one day.
Don’t drive too much in one day. Some days might be inevitable if there is nothing in between two destinations. Try splitting up your driving into multiple smaller drives.
You might be driving six or eight hours in one day. But splitting it into a two-hour drive, getting out of the car to see something, and then continuing on will feel less exhausting than driving for eight hours straight.
If you do have to drive long stretches make sure to stop often to at least stretch out a little bit and take some fresh air before going on.
Give yourself plenty of time to explore
Plan out your road trip so you can have some free time. If your itinerary is too packed, you won’t have time to add great adventures to your already amazing road trip.
You want to make the most out of your road trip and see as much as possible, I know, but it’s not doing anyone a favor if you end up burning yourself by trying to do too much.
Sometimes, it’s also nice to take the night off from sightseeing and going out to just chill, relax and watch a movie.
By having more time to do things, you’ll actually have more time to explore the sights and take the time to enjoy them instead of rushing to see them.
Book your accommodations
Once you’ve settled on some sort of itinerary, now is the time to start booking your accommodations as needed.
Find some cool Airbnbs in the area, a nice hotel. Whatever type of accommodation you wish to stay at, once you have a plan, make sure to start booking a couple of them.
Especially if you want to stay in special places, they tend to get booked in advance.
Finding great campsites to stay at
There are many great campsites out there where you can stay. If you are planning on staying at very popular campsites, or ones that have great views, make sure to book them in advance.
If you have the right equipment to do some boondocking, you can also find free campsites all over the place.
You can also just go with the flow. On our trip to Scotland, we hadn’t booked a single campsite for the whole trip. We just called during the day when we had a better idea of where we would be spending the night just to make sure they had available spots.
Make sure to read how to find free campsites across North America next for plenty of tips on how to find them!
Finding last-minute places to stay
If you haven’t booked any accommodations and you need to find something for the night, take a look at Hotel Tonight. They have last-minute hotel availabilities worldwide.
You can also book properties in advance as well. So even if you aren’t last-minute, you can still book something through them.
Use navigation to help you out
Technology nowadays is amazing! Especially GPS devices! They can be lifesavers. Especially if you are traveling in a totally new country you’ve never been to and not driven to either.
While traveling solo is amazing to get to know yourself better, it can be a little more difficult to be looking at paper maps while driving and trying to figure out where to go.
Use a navigation system to help you stay on track. It is also helpful to help you find accommodations, gas stations, restaurants, and more along your route.
Use different tools to map out your trip
While planning your final itinerary, use different tools or even apps to map it out. You can use google maps to have an idea of your itinerary, you can write down your daily plans as some sort of to-do list.
Map it out on a map you’ll be able to use offline if you don’t have data to use an online one. Have a bunch of options on standby with your itinerary so if one doesn’t work, you’ll still be able to function and keep going. It’s always a good thing to have some backup resources in case you need them.
You can find my 18 of the best road trip planning tools to help you plan out your best road trip yet!
Download helpful apps
There are many apps out there that can be very useful on a road trip. Make sure to download them before you go and set them up.
Doing the setup before you go will avoid trying to get it to work while driving and trying to figure out your next move. You might not have data to do so when on the road.
Download apps like GasBuddy to find the best gas price near you, TravelSpend to keep track of your spending, Flush to find a washroom along the way, Park me Parking to find parking spots near where you need to go just to name a few.
Download offline maps
Before leaving on your solo road trip, download useful maps you’ll be able to use offline.
These will come in handy if your data isn’t working, you don’t have access to WIFI, or even if you are in an area with no cell coverage.
You will be able to navigate to where you have to go while using your preloaded maps. And not have to ask people where you have to go.
Gather your resources ahead of time
By gathering resources ahead of time, I mean taking a couple of minutes during the day, before arriving at your final destination for the night, to take a look at accommodations or campsites you could stay at.
Especially being road-tripping solo, you don’t want to be fumbling in the dark, trying to find where to stay for the night, while driving around as well.
Take some time to find your accommodation or find a couple of areas where you could do some boondocking.
You can also take a couple of minutes to look at food options there. What time are the restaurants open until? Is there a grocery store you can stock up on food?
This will help you in the end. It will help you avoid having to park somewhere dark, at night, trying to find something you are looking for in an unfamiliar area.
Prepare your car for your solo road trip tips
Use a reliable vehicle
This is somewhat important to consider. You will need a reliable vehicle to go on a road trip. As you will be driving across a country or maybe long hours at a time, you need a vehicle that will be able to carry you wherever you go.
Yes, maybe something might break along the way but having a reliable vehicle will help prevent that as much as possible.
It might be a good idea to take your car in for a checkup before you go if you are using your own vehicle. This will help you know if there is something that needs fixing before your big adventure.
Prepare your vehicle before you leave
If you are using your own car for the road trip, make sure you get it checked out before leaving. Make an appointment a couple of weeks before you leave so if you have to fix something, you will have the time to do so before your departure.
It is important to take the time to do this. You don’t want to be somewhere on your road trip and break down because of something that could’ve been prevented. You might still break down along the way but at least it won’t be because of an existing issue with your car.
You can also take the time to clean your car. It’s such a nice feeling to have a clean and good-smelling car to hit the road!
Make sure you organize your stuff as well so you aren’t fumbling to find your stuff when you need it on your road trip.
Want to know how you can keep your car organized while on your road trip? Make sure to read How to keep your car organized on a road trip next!
Know the basics of auto repair
You don’t need to be a mechanic in order to go on a solo road trip but it’s a good idea to know the basics of auto repair.
Making sure you know how to change a flat tire is a good one to know. If you have a flat tire along the way, you’ll know what to do.
Educate yourself a little bit on auto repairs before you go. You might not be able to fix it but you might be able to temporarily fix it to get yourself to the nearest garage.
Get a roadside assistance membership
Knowing the basics of auto repair is one thing but there come times when it isn’t enough. Get yourself a roadside assistance membership just in case you end up needing it.
They can be of great help if you’ve locked yourself out or if you need a tow truck.
Get insured for your solo road trip
Make sure that your car insurance covers you in the country you will be going on your road trip. If they don’t cover you, make sure you purchase insurance that will.
If you are renting a vehicle, chances are, you’ll be able to book one directly with the rental company.
If you are using your own vehicle, it would be unfortunate to have an accident or just something break down and have the bad surprise that your insurance doesn’t cover you outside of your own country.
Take some time to verify your coverage so you can leave with the peace of mind that if something were to happen (which it won’t), you’ll be fine.
Have everything set up before you go
Before leaving on your road trip, it might be a good idea to test out your setup. By setup, setting up your GPS in advance is one thing to do.
Make sure to plug it in before leaving. This way, once you’re ready to leave, you won’t be trying to input your location in it while driving or even just mounting the GPS on its stand.
Plugin your phone as well if you need to so you can access your playlists easily.
Make sure that every accessory you are planning on using while driving, either to help you out or keep you entertained, is all set up before you even get out of your driveway.
Keep an eye on your gas tank
It would be a shame to run out of gas by yourself. It just makes it a little more complicated to get the problem fixed.
Keep an eye on your gas tank, especially on long stretches of road where there isn’t many gas station to stop by. It can be a good idea to check those ahead of time. Know which areas have a bit fewer stations. This way, you’ll know when you have to fill up pretty much every gas station you see.
There are places such as the roads in Northern Ontario where you can be hundreds of miles without a village even less so a gas station. Knowing about these long stretches of road ahead of time will prevent an awful headache.
Being by yourself isn’t an issue, it’s an even better experience to get to know yourself and how you react in many situations. But having to push yourself to the nearest gas station might not be on your bucket list.
Your roadside assistance membership might just come in handy in this situation. But in order to avoid having to use them, keep an eye on your gas tank and just fill it up before running out of gas.
Preparing your food for your solo road trips tips
Make meal prep easier for you
This is especially important if you are traveling on a camper van, a van, or even your car converted into a camper as your space is limited.
If you are planning on cooking, make yourself a list before heading to the grocery store. Write down a couple of meal ideas for your next couple of days. It’ll be easier to shop as you’ll know exactly what you need.
Choose meals that will be easier to cook with what you have. Don’t buy something that you would need an oven to cook if you don’t have one to do so.
Consider what items you have with you to cook and prepare meals that you can actually cook with them.
Pack healthy snacks
Part of the fun on a road trip is to have some junk food! Who doesn’t like chocolate and candy snacks and stopping by one of those famous fast-food chains? It is part of the trip!
However, it might not be the best for your health! While doing your meal prep, for your meals but also your snacks for your time on the road, think to pack some healthy options as well.
Make yourself a list of groceries before heading to the store. This will help you stay on track and avoid all the tempting junk food.
You can definitely buy a couple of Oreo cookies but head to the fruits and veggie section as well. Try to keep your food routine similar to home. Eat healthy meals, eat things that you like and pamper yourself with a nice restaurant dinner once in a while on your journey.
Pack plenty of food and water
Make sure to fill up your cooler bag and snack bag so you don’t run out of anything. As I said earlier, pack some healthy snacks and a couple of not-so-healthy ones. Pack more than necessary as you might be driving a while and get hungry.
Pack different options for beverages as well and don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Use a refillable water bottle and bring a big bottle to refill your smaller one.
Stay hydrated throughout your whole trip.
Make Your Solo Road Trip Fun
Create a playlist/listen to a book
Before leaving your house to go on that epic road trip, prepare yourself a great playlist. Take some time to create one on Spotify for example. You could also create a playlist from the songs you already have on your phone.
This will help you keep entertained on your solo road trip.
You can also find some audiobooks you would like to listen to. It’s a great idea to download them while you still have access to WIFI. This way, you will be saving on your data usage while on the road but you’ll also be ready if you feel like listening to a book. You won’t have to stop somewhere to search for the book and download it.
There are also great podcasts out there that can be very fun to listen to while on the road. Find a subject that picks your curiosity or something that you are really into. If you’ve already started listening to a great podcast that you like, download some episodes before leaving.
Find things that you are interested in so you can listen to them while driving. Being alone on your road trips means no one to talk to but it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun listening to a book, music, or learning something from a podcast!
Find cool stuff to do along the way
You’ve probably already decided on all the attractions you want to stop by while road tripping. Why not add a bit of funky stuff to do along the way too.
Find attractions on your route that stand out, are out of the ordinary or are just weird!
Is there a giant teacup somewhere? A giant trombone? These will add to the fun of your road trip and you’ll have funny stories to tell!
Have some fun, relax and enjoy
Going on a solo road trip doesn’t mean it’s going to be boring. Being solo, means more opportunities to meet great people on your journey but also do whatever makes YOU happy.
Maybe you’ll meet some amazing people out there that might become your best friends on the trip and maybe even for life!
A solo road trip also means that you don’t have to compromise with anyone else on what you will be visiting or where you will be stopping by or even what restaurant you are going to eat at tonight! It’s a great opportunity to do what will make you happy without thinking of anyone else.
Make sure to have plenty of fun while doing everything you have planned. Don’t rush, just make the most of everything you do.
Take it easy, and relax when you get the chance. You don’t have to be running everywhere to see everything. Focus on what you really want to see and if you have extra time for other things then do it.
Enjoy yourself and that me-time you are getting.
Solo road trip safety tips
Trust your instincts
If something doesn’t feel right to you, it’s probably because it isn’t. Our instincts are usually pretty accurate. If your gut is telling you something, just listen to it.
Sometimes, you might have a bad feeling about a place you are planning to camp for the night. If this is the case, find another spot.
Listen to yourself. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t stay in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. You might end up stressing about it which will end up making you feel bad or even sick. If this is the case, change what is feeling wrong so you can feel better and be able to enjoy the moment and relax.
Get a good night’s sleep
The night before leaving for your grand adventure, make sure you get a good night’s sleep. I know it can be hard sometimes to sleep well the night before with all the excitement and maybe a little bit of stress before a trip.
Try to go to bed early. Maybe even meditate or do a relaxing yoga sequence before going to bed. Do something that you like but that will also help you relax before going to bed.
Most of the time, the first road trip day is often times the one with the most driving. In my experience, the first one is usually a big one. You might have other driving days that also have a long drive planned.
Being well-rested before leaving will make it easier on you. Especially being the only driver, if you haven’t slept or just slept a couple of hours the night before, it might make your day a little harder as you will be fatigued.
Being well-rested will help you stay focused on the road, and enjoy yourself more as you won’t be sleepy all day.
If you have long days planned for your road trip, it’s also a good idea to try to get a good night’s sleep before those driving days too.
Carry a communication device
If your road trip is bringing you into cities and populated areas, a cell phone is probably enough. If you needed to call someone for an emergency, make bookings ahead of time, catch up with some friends, and contact new friends, your phone will do just fine.
If your trip brings you into more remote areas with no cell phone coverage, you might want to consider having a communication device where you will be able to reach someone in case of an emergency. Being by yourself, there won’t be anyone with you to contact emergency services if needed. If you get stuck somewhere and you don’t have cell coverage, you won’t be able to contact help.
It would be a great idea to have a communication device to help you stay safe while enjoying remote areas.
Always check on road and weather conditions
Make it a habit to check road and weather conditions before you leave in the morning. If you are driving mountainous roads that day, it would be good to know if you need to expect some snow.
This is a good safety habit to have. This way, you will be prepared to face the weather conditions as expected instead of getting there and driving blindly in a snow storm.
It’s also good to know what to expect in advance. If you aren’t used to driving in the snow or driving on a desert road and the conditions aren’t expected to be great, you can always go to plan B or come back another day when the conditions will be better.
Avoid driving after dark
If you have to make it to a certain destination because that is where your accommodation is, then go for it. You’ll be headed the right way and you might not stop along the way.
If however, you don’t have anything booked, avoid driving at night to find somewhere to stay. The reason behind this is simply because you might end up stopping somewhere you might not feel safe or comfortable but you don’t have another option.
It might be a crappy motel where you would never stay but end up there because you don’t have other options or you just don’t want to drive anymore because you are too tired.
Driving at night is also prone to more wildlife on the road. Visibility isn’t great while driving at night in the first place but if you are driving on a road with no lights, it might make it even worse.
Another downside of driving at night is fatigue. After a long day, you might feel tired which will make it harder to keep focused on the road.
It can also make it harder to find the address you are looking for. If you’re staying in a hotel, there is usually a big sign that you probably won’t miss. If you’re staying in a rental house or Airbnb, it could be more difficult to see the address at night.
Pack an emergency kit
Have an emergency kit handy inside your car. It doesn’t have to be a big kit. Have the essentials in case you need them.
The emergency kit could include, a flashlight, a blanket, jumper cables, flares or reflectors, a small toolkit, and an ice scraper if your road trip might bring you near snow or ice or if the weather might go below 0.
If something were to happen, at least these items could help you out a little bit.
Take frequent breaks
Since you will be doing all the driving on the road trip, allow yourself frequent breaks. Stop in rest areas for a couple of minutes, stop at a viewpoint to stretch out, and stop at an attraction you weren’t planning to visit.
Take frequent breaks to get your mind off of driving and stretch out. Maybe even walk around for a couple of minutes.
Driving all day can be exhausting even for only a couple of hours so make sure to change your mind off of driving once in a while.
Stop at hotels instead of sketchy gas stations/rest areas for the restroom
Once in a while, you will have to stop somewhere to use the restroom. Unless you have a camper van or a van with a toilet, this will be inevitable. To be safe while road tripping alone, try to avoid sketchy places period.
Especially after dark, if you need to go, choose a hotel over a weird-looking motel. Choose a well-known gas station branch over a small station with not very much lighting. If you see a rest area, try stopping at the bigger one with restaurants and shops in it instead of a curbside rest stop with a small wooded bathroom.
Don’t put yourself in a situation where you won’t feel safe.
Be aware of other drivers on the road
I’ve always said that you have to drive for the other drivers around you and not only for yourself. You might be the best driver out there and the one being so careful but it only takes one that isn’t to screw everything up.
While you are driving on your road trip, be mindful of the other drivers around you. Keep your distance from others so you can have plenty of time to react if something happens in front of you.
If you see someone not driving properly, give yourself plenty of distance from them in order to avoid them.
Don’t pick up strangers
Avoid picking up strangers while road tripping alone for your own safety. The person on the side of the road might be the nicest person in the world but it also might be someone with bad intentions.
Don’t put yourself in that situation, especially being by yourself. Keep driving and don’t look back.
It might sound a little harsh but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Be mindful of where you park
While parking your car, van, or camper for the night outside of a campsite, try not to park near traffic. Not only will the noise disturb you during the night, someone else driving around could scratch your car or have an accident with your parked one.
Parking in a busier area can also mean someone trying to get in your van to steal something. It’s totally possible to stay in a busy city for the night but try parking where this might be prevented in a less crowded area.
Also, be mindful of parking signs. Don’t park somewhere with a no camping sign or no parking sign. This will avoid complications or a fine.
If you park your car in a car park, check before leaving your car if they lock that car park for the night. If you plan on parking there for a couple of hours and then keep going, it would drastically change your plans if you can’t get out of the car park until morning.
charge all your devices the night before
Once you get to your accommodation for the night, make sure you charge all the devices you might need the next day.
Charge your phone, tablet, laptop, or any other electronics while you won’t need them.
Overnight is a good time to do so as you won’t be needing them.
Devices like power banks can also be charged during that time if you have multiple plugs. You could also charge them during the day as your other devices will already be charged up.
Charging everything will prevent you from running out of battery when you really need your electronics. They can be very useful on road trips for navigation.
It wouldn’t be very much help without your GPS working to get you around. Don’t get me wrong, paper maps can be handy but aren’t very convenient to use while road-tripping solo.
Pay attention to your surroundings
While driving around an unknown country or province or state, you might end up getting lost at some point even with all the technology at hand. If this is the case and you end up driving in a dangerous neighborhood, just lock your doors and keep driving.
If you prefer turning back and you have the time to do so, do it. You didn’t put yourself in that situation on purpose but don’t make it worse. Keep driving. At some point, you are going to get out of there. When you do, pull over and take a couple of minutes to relax and find your way again.
Always pay attention to your surroundings wherever you are. If it doesn’t feel right, get out of there and find somewhere you will feel better.
Don’t let strangers know you are traveling solo
Don’t mention to the people you meet that you are traveling solo.
As much as I want to be trusting of people and believe everyone has good intentions, unfortunately, it isn’t always true. Most people have good intentions but you might come across one person who seems harmless but might not be in the end.
By mentioning that you are traveling solo, more so when you are a woman, will highlight yourself as an easier target to someone with bad intentions.
Don’t broadcast your travel plans
To go along with not mentioning you are traveling solo, don’t broadcast your travel plans on social media or even to strangers.
It’s Ok if you want to keep your friends in the loop of your amazing travels on Facebook and Instagram. But try doing so after you’ve left the area you are posting about.
This is a big safety thing because you will have all sorts of followers that aren’t only family and friends. Someone with, again, bad intentions could stalk you through your social channels and end up following you.
By not posting in real-time, it makes it harder for them to keep track of you and meet you by ”accident”.
Share your location with trusted friends or family members
While traveling solo on your road trip, it’s important to not advertise where you are in real-time and not tell strangers you are traveling solo, it is however important to tell either trusted friends or family members where you are.
In case something were to happen, at least someone knows where you were the last update you gave them.
Especially, family members like to know where you are and what is going on with you. This way, they will get regular updates from you and they will also know that you are safe while having your solo adventure of a lifetime.
Protect your identity
Using a public WIFI while on the road can help you do many things, but it’s important to protect your identity.
You might want to update your social media, email friends and family with your planned itinerary for the next couple of days, look up your next route for the next leg of your journey, and much more.
When using a public WIFI, it’s important to protect your identity while online. You can do so by using a VPN service.
Keep photos of your ID and credit cards
When you are traveling whether alone or with friends or family keeping a copy of important documents is a must.
I always take a photo on my phone’s camera of everyone’s passport. I also send myself a copy in my email.
If I lose a passport or get one stolen, it can be useful to have it handy if you need to go to your country’s embassy to try and figure out what to do next.
If you’re really unlucky and your phone gets lost or stolen along with your passport, you will still be able to access your photo through the email you sent yourself.
You could also leave a paper copy in your bag or with friends or family at home that could easily be sent to you in an emergency situation.
Keep your documents in a safe place
If you don’t need your documents such as your passport and money, keep them in a safe place so you can avoid getting them stolen. If you have a gloves compartment that locks, put them in there as needed and lock them.
Only take them out when you need them.
Don’t carry too much cash on you
Try to not carry loads of cash with you at one time. It’s OK to have some but don’t have it all on yourself when going out.
It will make you an easier target for someone who wants to steal your wallet if they see you go through plenty of bills when you want to pay for something.
Keep all the doors locked at night
When parking up for the night, whether at a hotel parking lot or camping somewhere, always lock all your doors for the night.
Even if you are camping somewhere where there is no one in sight, still lock your doors.
You wouldn’t want someone going through your things during the night or getting in your van while you are sleeping. It could be an animal able to open your door and get in.
So make sure you don’t take any chances and lock your doors at night but also anywhere you stop.
Hide a key
When parking somewhere and going out to explore, hide a spare key just in case you lose yours while exploring.
Be subtle about it. Don’t hide it while there are plenty of people around. Don’t hide somewhere too obvious either.
Don’t forget to pick it up before leaving though!
Pack the right gear
Planning the road trip and going on the planned itinerary is a big part of your adventure. But in order to have a great time, you also need the right gear.
Pack light and keep it to a minimum. You don’t need to bring everything. Pack what is necessary and leave the maybes behind as you probably won’t use them.
Pack for the activities you have planned. Going hiking, make sure you pack your hiking gear. Going to the beach, don’t forget your bathing suit. If you don’t plan on going paddleboarding or kayaking, don’t pack your gear for that as it’ll only take some extra space in your car. If you end up needing it, you can always rent some.
Bring what you need and pack the right gear for the activities you’ll be doing.
Keeping the car organized will also help you find the right gear when you need it. Read my guide on how to keep your car organized on a road trip to help you figure everything out!
What to Pack for Your Solo Road Trip
Pack all the essentials
Remember to pack everything you need but not too many extras. If you forgot something, you can always stop at a store to get what you need.
Read my road trip essentials to make sure you don’t forget anything!
Pack plenty of layers
When you get to packing for your trip, remember to pack plenty of layers and extra blankets. You might have different weather conditions depending on where you are along your journey.
One day, you can spend a relaxing day at the beach and the next, you might end up hiking and needing more layers at the top.
If you plan on sleeping in your car or van, it can get chillier at night so having extra layers and small blankets handy will keep you warm.
You don’t need to bring the biggest blanket ever. I like to pack small airplane blankets. They are small and somewhat compact too. You can also find some great compact and warm blankets that will barely take any space in your bags!
There are plenty of advantages to traveling solo on a road trip! From the freedom, it will give you, less pressure to satisfy everyone and even get to know yourself better.
Just remember to take it slow, and go to your own rhythm. Start smaller and go a bit bigger every new road trip you go on.
Learn a bit about car repair before you go and pack accordingly. Remember to not pack too much either so as to not be carrying extra weight for nothing.
Stay safe as well out there!
I hope these solo road trip tips will help you plan your best trip yet!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links. I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love and use!
Want more inspiration for your next road trip? Keep reading for more!
7 reasons why you should travel as a family
How to keep your car organized on a road trip
How to take an eco-friendly road trip
27 common road trip mistakes to avoid
18 of the best road trip planning tools
How to find free campsites across North America
