Road trips are the quintessential vacation for people. They are less expensive than flying to a destination and allow for a better chance to see the country as you drive from destination to destination. It’s a chance for bonding, laughing, and making of memories. With a little bit of planning, many of the pitfalls of road trips can be avoided. Follow these suggestions to help make your trip go smoothly:

1. Choose fun destinations
Sit down with your traveling companions and choose various places you want to visit. The best type of road trip involves making a loop so that you don’t see the same stretch of road twice. Once you’ve chosen your major destinations, find other fun stops along your route.

2. Plan ahead
Before you leave on your trip, do a little planning to find quality accommodations and places to eat. There is nothing worse than arriving to a destination late and night and not having a place to stay. Plan out a loose itinerary for your trip and book hotels ahead of time.

3. Have good car insurance
Driving many miles across the country opens the door to mishaps. Be sure to have comprehensive car insurance in case something happens while you are on the road. Be sure to have a good relationship with your car insurance agent so that they can help if you need to file a claim while on the road. This can save you lots of time and hassle in the long run.

4. Be flexible
Going on a road trip requires a certain degree of flexibility, both when planning and while traveling. While planning, find alternative routes and things to do at destinations in case something happens out on the road and you have a extra days to spend in a place.

Once you are out on the road trip, enjoy the experience. While a car is no longer the fastest way to travel across the country, it affords you the chance to see things you otherwise wouldn’t.