My 16 Tips and Tricks for planning a smooth Road Trip
After over Five years of consistent travel ( Road Tripping ), I have definitely learned some lessons and developped some manners, tips and tricks to make it easier and more efficient everytime.
A lot of things can be improved to make your Road Trips better, but some things are just part of travelling and cannot be planned.
However, in this article I'll be sharing with you my tips and tricks for an easier Road trip !
1- Planning is KEY
When you think of taking a Road Trip or simply travelling, planning the whole trip weeks ( if not months ) earlier is the best thing you can do. This way you can remember and add something to the plan everyday.
So, I for myself, begin by choosing with my husband a or some destinations, for exemple, when we planned our first Road Trip to south Morocco, we began by choosing the sites we wanted to see, and picked 7 cities to stay at, then we decided on what we should see outside these cities like Villages, Beaches, Mountains, sites etc...
After that, I chose our stays ( Hotels, Riads, Guest houses... ) and the way I did ( and still do that ), is I go on the Internet, search on some websites like Booking.com and others for Hotels and stuff, then go on Instagram, use a Hashtag with the name of the Hotel, and see what other people who already went there say about it. I also prefer to go on Instagram after Booking.com to see real pictures of the place taken by ordinary people ( and not the perfect commercial pictures taken by a Professional photographer for the website ) that way i avoid bad surprises like Wow this room doesn't look like that in the pictures ! Or this hotel pool is nothing like the pictures on the website !..
Once I get done with planning and booking our stays, I check for what to see in the surrounding areas of the city, calculate on google the time and the distance between our Hotel or city and the sites we want to visit, to see what is possible for us to do and what's not. And like that, we have a perfect plan to follow once there.
For those of you who wanted me to share some tips on how to travel for less ( for students ), These are the tips for planning your Road Trips/Travel for less :
2- Always Check twice before booking a stay
First of all, Riads and Guest Houses are always cheaper than Hotels. So once you've done everything written above, and decided for a Riad, Guest house or even a Hotel with a nice price, The trick is to call them directly and check if their prices are the same or lower than what's communicated on the websites ( Booking.com, Hotels.com etc..) cause most of the time they lower their prices and the websites don't even bother doing an update.
3- Book Early for cheaper stays
I always plan my trips months earlier and I noticed that by doing that I also was getting good prices on the Hotels ( outside the high season of course ).
For the most part, the earlier you book a stay the better price you will get !
4- Google your itinerary in advance
One or two days before hitting the road, make sure to goole your Itinerary to see what roads you'll be taking and which works best for you in terms of timing, distance, sceneries you want to see etc.. And then when on the road, always use a GPS to guide you and to help you follow the circuit you chose. If you don't have a phone or whatsoever, Moroccan GPS is always a safe bet too ! You just ask any pedestrian and there you go ! :D
5- Packing light = Making a list days ahead ( Pre-plan your outfits )
So, I ( and like most of the girls on this planet ) was a heavy packer, and used to take a whole suitcase with me for just a weekend trip at the beach where I always ended up wearing the same outfit two days in a row and not using 99% of everything else I brought with me. And it has been like that for years and years but I finally learned a trick that changed my life ! And my Husband's :D
To pack light, I began to write down a list of what I will need during my whole trip days or weeks before. I discovered that by doing that I really took everything I need and saved space in my suitcase for all the extras I used to take other suitcases for, like hats, handbags, shoes etc.. The TRICK to pack efficiently is to project yourself in your trip, and plan what you will wear and need everyday, that way you have an outfit planned for everyday of your trip ( and BOY god knows I need soo many because of the pictures I take ) But the SECOND TRICK to not pack a hundred outfit for 10 or 15 days, is to have some basics ( basic shirts, basic jeans, basic shoes, basic dresses... ) that will go with more than one outfit idea ! That way you can plan 3 outfits out of just 2 or 3 basic items !
Writing a list of outfits days before your trip will also prevent you from the classic : I'll take that shirt/jean/dress JUST IN CASE.. that you end up never wearing and just dragging with you for some added weight !
6- Reducing Road Trips inconveniences = Checking your car at least a week before hitting the road
My husband always hates when I nag about that because he's soo sure of his sturdy car, but boy how many times I avoided us a stop in the middle of nowhere because of that. So, always make sure everything is okay in your car at least a week ahead so that if there is something to fix you'll have plenty of time doing it, and also, always check that you have a fonctioning support tire.
7- Always have medication and first aid kit with you
When you are taking a road trip to an off the road place or somewhere far from a city, always take first aid kit and medication with you. This may seem so stupid to you but trust me, it is very important and handy !
I am someone who suffers from horrible period cramps, and the first time we went to Ouirgane ( which is 60km far from Marrakech ) it was on Eid El Kebir holidays, and let me tell you.. The village is small and has only one drugstore ( pharmacie ) which was closed since no one works on Eid holidays, So I had my cramps at nightime and almost fainted from hurt till a couple that was staying with us at the Guest House and who's room was next to ours heard me crying and gave me some medicine ! Since then, I never go anywhere, even when I'm going to a big city, without all the medication we may need.
Just take some basics for sunburns, headaches, stomachache, abdominal pain in case you eat something not very fresh, aspirin etc..
8- Making Memories
A very important thing that I learned from my husband, is what matters in a Road trip, is not the destination, but the journey !
I know we can be very excited about arriving to our Hotel, our Guest House, the city we want to see or the site we want to visit.. but what really matters and what really stays with you are all the little things that happens during the journey on your way to the destination !
So my tip to you guys is to take stops whenever you can to enjoy for example a tajine on the side of the road or to stop in a village to discover what it looks like and talk to the people that live there ( it's always a good talk and a beautiful idea ) or just to take some photos ! Some delicious Tajines come with these stops believe me ! ^^
9- Divide Tasks
For a smooth road trip of two or three people, always divide the roles and tasks of everyone. For example, one is in charge of the music playlist, the other is in charge of the snacks and water.. Yes snacks are always handy and staying hydrated is important if you will take a long road trip, that way you avoid the feeling of discomfort in the car during the ride. The other one is driving, and what I personally do is I always take a big handbag with me in the car where I put everything I may and my not need during the long hours in the car. Such as my ID card, my driving licence in case my husband is tired, my credit card, some cash, car phone charger, some aspirin, and other girls stuff like makeup, sunglasses, lip balm etc.. So that we don't have to stop the car everytime I need something and go search for it in the car's trunk.
10- Always wear comfy clothes
For the most part, I always want to wear something nice during a road trip because I know we will stop along the way to take pictures for the Blog or Instagram, But I always try to wear something nice AND comfy. Sitting for hours in a car is hard enough for some people, and doing it in a classy outfit is even harder ! So choose comfiness and try to style it as much as you can, that way you'll enjoy your road trip even more.
11- Don't forget your Power Bank
Most of the time when you are travelling, you are either taking pictures, or snapchatting, or taking videos etc.. and no phone battery is enough for all of that ! So don't forget to bring a good Power Bank with you in case your phone decided to die in the middle of a beautiful video or an important phone call when you are outside !
12- Always bring warm clothes
I have been to different environements around Morocco and it's a general case.. in Morocco it always gets chilly by night ! whether you are in a costal town beside the beach or among the mountains.. Even if you are travelling during summer, always always bring with you one or two warm items to wear at night or if the weather decided that it's no longer summer for a day or two at daytime.
13- Distracting Tools
They can be a lifesaver if you are going to a Guest house or Riad in the middle of nowhere ! For example, everytime my husband and I are going to Ouirgane, Ouarzazate, Aglou/mirleft or some places where you don't have television in your room, we always bring with us our laptop filled with nice movies to watch once in our room at nighttime ! And believe me it's so much more nicer than staring at the wall waiting for sleep ^^ !
14- Skin Care
Never forget your hydrating cremes, masks etc.. our skin gets so irritated and dried with all the travelling, the climate and temperatue change and for that, a good skin care routine once you arrive to your destination is very important.
15- Laundry Bag
After 4 days or a week and after using the majority of your clothes, you don't have room for them next to your clean clothes, so what I do is I always bring a laundry bag with me and fill it with the dirty clothes so that when i pack again at the end of the trip I don't smear my suitecase and all it what contains.
16- Your Pet's essentials
Last but not least, if you have a pet like me, don't forget to pack all his important stuff, and a big bottle of cold water to give him while on the road because they tend to feel the heat more than us. Also, make as many stops as he needs, for him to breath and stretch during the drive.
I hope you liked this article and that you find it helpful. If so, I will be happy to read your comments or answer your questions bellow !
A lot of things can be improved to make your Road Trips better, but some things are just part of travelling and cannot be planned.
However, in this article I'll be sharing with you my tips and tricks for an easier Road trip !
1- Planning is KEY
When you think of taking a Road Trip or simply travelling, planning the whole trip weeks ( if not months ) earlier is the best thing you can do. This way you can remember and add something to the plan everyday.
So, I for myself, begin by choosing with my husband a or some destinations, for exemple, when we planned our first Road Trip to south Morocco, we began by choosing the sites we wanted to see, and picked 7 cities to stay at, then we decided on what we should see outside these cities like Villages, Beaches, Mountains, sites etc...
After that, I chose our stays ( Hotels, Riads, Guest houses... ) and the way I did ( and still do that ), is I go on the Internet, search on some websites like Booking.com and others for Hotels and stuff, then go on Instagram, use a Hashtag with the name of the Hotel, and see what other people who already went there say about it. I also prefer to go on Instagram after Booking.com to see real pictures of the place taken by ordinary people ( and not the perfect commercial pictures taken by a Professional photographer for the website ) that way i avoid bad surprises like Wow this room doesn't look like that in the pictures ! Or this hotel pool is nothing like the pictures on the website !..
Once I get done with planning and booking our stays, I check for what to see in the surrounding areas of the city, calculate on google the time and the distance between our Hotel or city and the sites we want to visit, to see what is possible for us to do and what's not. And like that, we have a perfect plan to follow once there.
For those of you who wanted me to share some tips on how to travel for less ( for students ), These are the tips for planning your Road Trips/Travel for less :
2- Always Check twice before booking a stay
First of all, Riads and Guest Houses are always cheaper than Hotels. So once you've done everything written above, and decided for a Riad, Guest house or even a Hotel with a nice price, The trick is to call them directly and check if their prices are the same or lower than what's communicated on the websites ( Booking.com, Hotels.com etc..) cause most of the time they lower their prices and the websites don't even bother doing an update.
3- Book Early for cheaper stays
I always plan my trips months earlier and I noticed that by doing that I also was getting good prices on the Hotels ( outside the high season of course ).
For the most part, the earlier you book a stay the better price you will get !
4- Google your itinerary in advance
One or two days before hitting the road, make sure to goole your Itinerary to see what roads you'll be taking and which works best for you in terms of timing, distance, sceneries you want to see etc.. And then when on the road, always use a GPS to guide you and to help you follow the circuit you chose. If you don't have a phone or whatsoever, Moroccan GPS is always a safe bet too ! You just ask any pedestrian and there you go ! :D
5- Packing light = Making a list days ahead ( Pre-plan your outfits )
So, I ( and like most of the girls on this planet ) was a heavy packer, and used to take a whole suitcase with me for just a weekend trip at the beach where I always ended up wearing the same outfit two days in a row and not using 99% of everything else I brought with me. And it has been like that for years and years but I finally learned a trick that changed my life ! And my Husband's :D
To pack light, I began to write down a list of what I will need during my whole trip days or weeks before. I discovered that by doing that I really took everything I need and saved space in my suitcase for all the extras I used to take other suitcases for, like hats, handbags, shoes etc.. The TRICK to pack efficiently is to project yourself in your trip, and plan what you will wear and need everyday, that way you have an outfit planned for everyday of your trip ( and BOY god knows I need soo many because of the pictures I take ) But the SECOND TRICK to not pack a hundred outfit for 10 or 15 days, is to have some basics ( basic shirts, basic jeans, basic shoes, basic dresses... ) that will go with more than one outfit idea ! That way you can plan 3 outfits out of just 2 or 3 basic items !
Writing a list of outfits days before your trip will also prevent you from the classic : I'll take that shirt/jean/dress JUST IN CASE.. that you end up never wearing and just dragging with you for some added weight !
6- Reducing Road Trips inconveniences = Checking your car at least a week before hitting the road
My husband always hates when I nag about that because he's soo sure of his sturdy car, but boy how many times I avoided us a stop in the middle of nowhere because of that. So, always make sure everything is okay in your car at least a week ahead so that if there is something to fix you'll have plenty of time doing it, and also, always check that you have a fonctioning support tire.
7- Always have medication and first aid kit with you
When you are taking a road trip to an off the road place or somewhere far from a city, always take first aid kit and medication with you. This may seem so stupid to you but trust me, it is very important and handy !
I am someone who suffers from horrible period cramps, and the first time we went to Ouirgane ( which is 60km far from Marrakech ) it was on Eid El Kebir holidays, and let me tell you.. The village is small and has only one drugstore ( pharmacie ) which was closed since no one works on Eid holidays, So I had my cramps at nightime and almost fainted from hurt till a couple that was staying with us at the Guest House and who's room was next to ours heard me crying and gave me some medicine ! Since then, I never go anywhere, even when I'm going to a big city, without all the medication we may need.
Just take some basics for sunburns, headaches, stomachache, abdominal pain in case you eat something not very fresh, aspirin etc..
8- Making Memories
A very important thing that I learned from my husband, is what matters in a Road trip, is not the destination, but the journey !
I know we can be very excited about arriving to our Hotel, our Guest House, the city we want to see or the site we want to visit.. but what really matters and what really stays with you are all the little things that happens during the journey on your way to the destination !
So my tip to you guys is to take stops whenever you can to enjoy for example a tajine on the side of the road or to stop in a village to discover what it looks like and talk to the people that live there ( it's always a good talk and a beautiful idea ) or just to take some photos ! Some delicious Tajines come with these stops believe me ! ^^
9- Divide Tasks
For a smooth road trip of two or three people, always divide the roles and tasks of everyone. For example, one is in charge of the music playlist, the other is in charge of the snacks and water.. Yes snacks are always handy and staying hydrated is important if you will take a long road trip, that way you avoid the feeling of discomfort in the car during the ride. The other one is driving, and what I personally do is I always take a big handbag with me in the car where I put everything I may and my not need during the long hours in the car. Such as my ID card, my driving licence in case my husband is tired, my credit card, some cash, car phone charger, some aspirin, and other girls stuff like makeup, sunglasses, lip balm etc.. So that we don't have to stop the car everytime I need something and go search for it in the car's trunk.
10- Always wear comfy clothes
For the most part, I always want to wear something nice during a road trip because I know we will stop along the way to take pictures for the Blog or Instagram, But I always try to wear something nice AND comfy. Sitting for hours in a car is hard enough for some people, and doing it in a classy outfit is even harder ! So choose comfiness and try to style it as much as you can, that way you'll enjoy your road trip even more.
11- Don't forget your Power Bank
Most of the time when you are travelling, you are either taking pictures, or snapchatting, or taking videos etc.. and no phone battery is enough for all of that ! So don't forget to bring a good Power Bank with you in case your phone decided to die in the middle of a beautiful video or an important phone call when you are outside !
12- Always bring warm clothes
I have been to different environements around Morocco and it's a general case.. in Morocco it always gets chilly by night ! whether you are in a costal town beside the beach or among the mountains.. Even if you are travelling during summer, always always bring with you one or two warm items to wear at night or if the weather decided that it's no longer summer for a day or two at daytime.
13- Distracting Tools
They can be a lifesaver if you are going to a Guest house or Riad in the middle of nowhere ! For example, everytime my husband and I are going to Ouirgane, Ouarzazate, Aglou/mirleft or some places where you don't have television in your room, we always bring with us our laptop filled with nice movies to watch once in our room at nighttime ! And believe me it's so much more nicer than staring at the wall waiting for sleep ^^ !
14- Skin Care
Never forget your hydrating cremes, masks etc.. our skin gets so irritated and dried with all the travelling, the climate and temperatue change and for that, a good skin care routine once you arrive to your destination is very important.
15- Laundry Bag
After 4 days or a week and after using the majority of your clothes, you don't have room for them next to your clean clothes, so what I do is I always bring a laundry bag with me and fill it with the dirty clothes so that when i pack again at the end of the trip I don't smear my suitecase and all it what contains.
16- Your Pet's essentials
Last but not least, if you have a pet like me, don't forget to pack all his important stuff, and a big bottle of cold water to give him while on the road because they tend to feel the heat more than us. Also, make as many stops as he needs, for him to breath and stretch during the drive.
I hope you liked this article and that you find it helpful. If so, I will be happy to read your comments or answer your questions bellow !
xo, Moroccan Road Tripper
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