5 Planning Steps to Keep Your Cross-Country Retirement Road Trip Stress-Free

If you’re planning on traveling from coast to coast during retirement, you are in for one amazing adventure! To ensure you’re not in for any unpleasant surprises, you need to do some major planning first. So, as you plan your retirement road trip, be sure to use these helpful travel tips to save yourself some time, money, and maybe even some stress along the way.

Check Up on Your Insurance Policies

Before you hit the open road, you should take a look at your current auto insurance policy. That’s because full coverage insurance policies can be quite affordable and can provide additional coverage that can give seniors peace of mind when it comes to uninsured drivers and gap coverage. That way, if you’re involved in an accident, you won’t have to worry about whether you have enough coverage to cover repair or medical costs. You should also look into the travel coverage provided by your Medicare plan to see if you’re covered in every state.

Schedule a Check-Up for Your Vehicle

If it’s been a while since your last road trip, chances are your car needs some maintenance. In fact, taking care of regular maintenance tasks such as oil changes and tire rotations can keep your vehicle safe, keep your repair costs low, and keep you stress-free while driving. So, stick to a regular maintenance schedule, but be sure to schedule a check-up before any big road trips so that you know your car is in top shape. Taking care of any repairs or maintenance should keep your cross-country adventure worry-free, but when you’re planning such a lengthy trip, investing in roadside assistance may be a smart move as well. After all, being stranded with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere can quickly ruin any road trip.

Create a Detailed Budget for Your Road Trip

Traveling by car tends to be cheaper than purchasing airline tickets, but when you are planning on driving from coast to coast, the costs of road tripping can really start to add up. If your retirement plans will have you traveling Route 66, for instance, you can expect to pay $3,000 or more on gas, food, lodging, and entertainment. You can possibly get those kicks for a lot less if you research travel deals ahead of time and look for senior discounts to save you money. There are so many chain restaurants and major retailers that offer valuable discounts to seniors, and you can typically find these businesses in just about any part of the United States.

Plan Your Rest, Food, and Gas Stops Carefully

Depending on your road trip route, you could see lighthouses, fall foliage, or other wonders as you make your way across the country. Just keep in mind that the distance between those sites can be filled with a whole lot of nothing. So, if you want to avoid a road trip disaster, such as running out of gas, you have to plot out your stops before you begin your journey. If you have a smartphone, download a road trip app to make mapping out those essential stops much easier, and to keep yourself from having to use that roadside assistance.

Keep Your Vehicle Stocked with Emergency Essentials

For seniors who are planning to travel across the country, being properly prepared for potential emergencies is important. From inclement weather to traffic accidents, you never know when you could get stuck on the side of the road and how long you will need to wait for help to arrive (even if you have roadside assistance). So, pack a roadside emergency kit in your car with plenty of water, some snacks, and a first aid kit. Extra blankets are also crucial for senior roadside emergency kits since older adults can be more at risk for hypothermia.

Taking a trip across the United States is a great way to spend your retirement! Just make sure you aren’t spending all of that time stressing about costs or safety so that you can make the most of your golden year adventure. Because focusing on fun should be your top travel priority!