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"It&amp;#39;s summer, and you&amp;#39;ve got a case of serious wanderlust. Forget booking a flight\u2014you&amp;#39;ll miss all the good stuff along the way (plus probably get delayed and have to sit next to a screaming baby). Instead, rally your BFFs\u2014the ones with spotless driving records and killer playlist-making skills\u2014and hit the road. Oh, and to make sure your jaunt is more Crossroads than Thelma &amp;amp; Louise.\n\nLike a Girl Scout, be prepared.\n\n Before you even think of hitting the road, book a car maintenance check (for tire pressure and tread depth, fluid levels, and engine, break oil, and battery condition) and get an oil change. You&amp;#39;ll also want to make sure that your lights, signals, windshield wipers, horn, and radio are all working, as well as that your spare tire is inflated, in working condition, and ready to go in the trunk. Investing in some extra windshield wiper fluid and a bottle of some sort of rain repellent (like Aquapel or Rain-X) to keep visibility clear in inclement weather won&amp;#39;t hurt either. Consider joining AAA or the eco-friendly Better World Club for quick access to roadside assistance if your car breaks down and to get other discounts and perks.\n\nGrab all the things. \n\n First up: You need an emergency kit. It&amp;#39;s not exactly apocalyptic out there, but it&amp;#39;s always good to be prepared! Grab yourself a jumper cable, a flashlight with extra batteries, flares, a first-aid kit, basic tools, a reflective triangle sign, a whistle, a blanket, bottled water, and maybe even some waterproof matches. Some other things you&amp;#39;ll want? Wet wipes and tissues. (You&amp;#39;ll thank us later.) Paper towels for spills and a few garbage bags are also a must! In case anyone in your crew gets a little carsick, pack some Dramamine, and make sure you have change for those pesky tolls.\n\nTech items are key, too. You&amp;#39;ll definitely want a phone battery charger and a reliable GPS system (either via a separate device or an app on someone&amp;#39;s phone). If your car doesn&amp;#39;t have bluetooth capabilities, get a smartphone car adapter (often the charger and adapter come as a two-in-one package) so you can pump the jams. Another hint? Make sure at least two of you are carrying keys, in case a set gets lost or is locked in the car.\n\nAnd drive smartly!\n\n Definitely map out your route before you go (we recommend Google maps!). Sure, you&amp;#39;ll probably make detours along the way, but it&amp;#39;s good to have your bases covered! Download apps like Beat the TrafficWaze (for navigation tips from a community of drivers), and Trapster (with its updates on road hazards and speed traps). Also, inclement weather doesn&amp;#39;t just affect flight times\u2014it might change how you want to get to your destination, too. We recommend clicking over to Weather Underground to get the outlook along your intended route.\n\nOnce you actually hit the road, keep your driving stretch to 11 hours max, and switch off with your buds along the way. Stop every few hours for breaks and take the chance to nap while someone else is at the wheel if you&amp;#39;re feeling sleepy. And if you have to pee, exit the highway the second you see a rest stop! You won&amp;#39;t always know when the next opportunity will present itself or if you&amp;#39;ll hit a soul-crushing traffic jam en route. The same goes for gas; once your gauge needle hits the quarter mark, pull over at the nearest station. You can even pre-plan your fuel stops with the free FuelMyRoute app, which tells you where to find the best deals along the way. Just enter your start and end addresses and what kind of gas your car takes\u2014from diesel to premium\u2014and you&amp;#39;re set.\n\nOh, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.\n\n On a road trip, it&amp;#39;s not just about where you&amp;#39;re going\u2014it&amp;#39;s also about what you can find on the way there. This is your opportunity to seek out the crazy weird stuff that makes for optimum memories and killer Instagram moments\u2014take a selfie next to the World&amp;#39;s Largest Matchstick in Wadsworth, Ohio or get totally freaked out at the Clown Motel in Tenopah, Nevada. Research all this homegrown goodness on Roadside America, which happens to have a handy free app, too. Roadtrippers is also a fantastic site (and free app) that helps you plan a day of activities or find fun, spontaneous stops along the way. Just be smart about where you park\u2014i.e. busy, well-lit areas, as opposed to a dark alley that&amp;#39;s just begging for a break-in\u2014don&amp;#39;t leave any of your valuables (wallet, phone, sunglasses, anything) in plain view in a parked vehicle either.\n\nAnd don&amp;#39;t forget the food! Foursquare is a solid tool for finding delicious stuff that&amp;#39;s in your vicinity, while Road Food lets you search for must-eat restaurants via location or cuisine type and offers ratings, reviews, and self-guided itineraries. If you&amp;#39;re big on food TV, consult TVFoodMaps to pinpoint restaurants and culinary stops you&amp;#39;ve seen on shows like Man vs. Food, Top Chef, and almost every Anthony Bourdain show ever.\n\nAs far as where to sleep goes, it can be easiest to search and book the best hotel and/or motel deals before you head out; check Hotels.com, Kayak, and Priceline. If you want to experience the town like a local, try renting an apartment or house on Airbnb or Homeaway. There&amp;#39;s also the option of hostel living, so you may want to look into Hostels.com, Hostel World, and Hostel Bookers. And if you and your BFFs are more of the spontaneous types, download the Hotel Tonight app, which helps you find a reasonable place to stay on the fly.\n\nHave you ever been on a road trip? Leave your best tips in the comments!"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.teenvogue.com/story/summer-road-trip-tips>