10 Summer Road Trip Tips from AAMCO

Taking a summer road trip? Make the most of your quality time on the road with family or friends with these 10 tips from AAMCO to help your trip be even more enjoyable.

1. Give your vehicle some love.
First things first. For safety’s sake, before you leave town do some basic preventative maintenance checks. Be sure all fluids are topped off, your tires are properly inflated, your windshield wipers are working, you’re travelling with jumper cables and a full spare tire in your vehicle, etc. If your check engine light is coming on, your brakes are acting up or your vehicle is making strange noises, stop into any one of over 650 AAMCO locations across the country for a check before you go or while you’re out on the road.

2. Decide on the sites you really want to visit.
Don’t cram too many hours of driving into your days. Allow for time for spontaneous exploration & lingering without feeling rushed. Stay one step ahead by doing some research beforehand on where you can sleep for the night near your destination.

3. Tell someone where you’re going.
Sending a message to a friend of family member at home on where you plan to end up each day is always a good idea as accidents, bad weather and breakdowns can happen anywhere.

4. Bring an extra key to your car.
There are few things worse than being stranded or locked out of your vehicle. Don’t let it happen to you.

5. Make it about the journey.
Play car games, make a road trip music playlist, be creative… your trip is all about fun! Not to mention, it certainly helps to keep the “Are we there yet?” whines to a minimum.

6. Discover a city’s hidden gems by talking to locals.
They’ll often point out some local color or a restaurant that might be missing from your “city attractions” brochures. Whenever possible, stop and see that slice of Americana or roadside oddity for awesome photos that will make your road trip that much more memorable.

7. Avoid time killing traffic spots.
Don’t be in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, anticipate rush hour when driving near a major city and avoid heading out to a popular vacation destination on the Friday afternoon of a holiday weekend. It’s also smart to have some cash on hand for toll roads in case you have to take an unexpected detour.

8. Leave room to bring something back with you. 
Sometimes it’s a framed painting or it could be 4 bushels of fresh peaches. You never know what you’ll find, but when you do, make sure you have enough room in your vehicle to get that souvenir home with you. Also, strive for a trash free vehicle for the duration of the trip as it will help to save space too.

9. Pack some snacks & a small cooler.
Being prepared and avoid a car full of cranky people. You may often be driving for an hour or more without seeing a convenience store. Pack a small cooler with bottled water or your favorite beverages and bring snacks in resealable bags to hold you over until you reach the next town.

10. Bring a map.
Many of us rely on GPS or apps like WAZE to get us from Point A to Point B. But things can happen and devices fail. Don’t set out into the great unknown without a hard copy map or road atlas as backup.

Any time of the year is great for a road trip but sometimes even the best laid plans can encounter a few hiccups. Our goal at AAMCO is always to keep you safe while out on the road, no matter your destination. Should your vehicle experience any issues, call
(800) GO-AAMCO to get in touch with an AAMCO Total Car Care center close to your location.