car road trip planner

• Scenic Drives
• Road Trip Planner

Road Trip Planning Made Easy

Create custom day trips, weekend getaways, and cross country adventures worldwide

Powerful features for planning your epic road trips (and the shorter adventures in between)

Unlimited stops.

Add unlimited stops and sub-stops. Combine your own stops with our pre-planned routes and recommended places of interest.

Smart Scheduling

By the minute, hour, or overnight, set preferences for each stop. Export your trip to your own Calendar.

Set Vehicle Type

Car, RV, camper trailer, truck, motorcycle, pulling a boat? Get a realistic estimate of driving time. Adjust travel speed by percentages for each unique situation.

Divide Trips Into Days

Divide your trips into manageable driving days based on your custom settings by time or distance. And of course you can customize each day differently.

Route Preferences

Configure route preferences such as avoiding highways or tolls for each day or any segment of your trip.

Use Any Device

Plan trips from your desktop computer, iPad, Android tablet, and mobile phone with the same easy-to-use interface. No app to download or software to install.

Automated To Do List guides you through the road trip planning process.

Manage Your Budget

Track expenditures before you go and along the way. See a summary of expenses for entrance fees, activities, restaurants, and lodging, etc.

Gas Calculator

See the estimated fuel cost for your vehicle type.

EV Charging

Find EV charging stations along your route. Get reminders to recharge. Use Charging Ranges to display icons on the map where your vehicle will require recharging.

Export Options

We support Google Earth (KML), Garmin Communicator, BaseCamp and MapSource (GPX), Co-Pilot Live (TRP), Microsoft Streets and Trips, TomTom itineraries (ITN), TomTom Places of Interest (OV2), Comma Separated Files (CSV), and Tab Separated Files (TSV).

Directions on paper come in handy. Print your road trip with turn-by-turn maps and full directions, divided into your day-by-day itinerary.

Is This Really Free?

Yes! It is free to use our Scenic Drive Itineraries and Road Trip Planner. Please consider purchasing your National Park or National Forest passes on myscenicdrives.com.

Why Do I Need An Account?

A free account is only required for the Road Trip Planner, enabling you to create, edit, and save your trips. Your account is secure. We never share your information.

Do I Need to Download An App or Install Software?

No app or software is needed. myscenicdrives.com works in any browser. Simply go to myscenicdrives.com

More Resources

Documentation, myscenicdrives.com, how it works.

• © Roadtrippers
• © Mapbox
• © OpenStreetMap
• Improve this map

road trip planner

Miss the turns on your terms.

Use real dates, find interesting places, book hotels with ease.

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Dates, distances and directions

Always wanted to travel across US but were not sure if you have enough time for that? Did you ever try to figure out how long it takes to drive from Yosemite to Yellowstone or from Lisbon to Rome?

Start clicking on the map. Choose your destination and have Furkot calculate how much time you need to get there. Set daily limits on the travel time so none of your sightseeing has to be done under moonlight — unless, of course, that's what you want.

Don't worry about putting stops in order. Furkot attempts to plan a route for your trip in the most efficient way. If you don't want efficient, you can drag your stops around or even reverse your itinerary .

Tell us how long you want to drive every day, and we will show you where to stop for the night Furkot suggests overnight stops along the route based on your schedule and preferences.

Furkot can help you with all your travel plans: a day trip, a weekend getaway, or a continent-crossing road trip. And driving is not the only option . You can also schedule motorcycle rides, biking excursions and walking tours with Furkot.

Read more …

It's not just about driving

It's also about all the things you do on the way. Leave your car parked for a couple of hours and hike one of the trails from the vast Everytrail collection.

Need some hints? Make sure to check interesting places described on Wikipedia . They are one click away from ending up on your road trip stop list.

If your car resembles ours you can't drive on water, but Furkot will route you to the closest dry land point for those spots that do require a boat ride. You can drive and dive with Furkot.

Are you after fresh powder? Or maybe shredding corduroy is your thing? Trees or bowls? Skis or snowboard? Regardless of the answer, you can use Furkot to find ski resorts — courtesy of Liftopia .

You can even plan meal stops and add gas stations to your itinerary. Not to mention biking paths, museums, monuments, climbing routes , national parks, scenic views — add as many as you want. Furkot will keep you on track. You just need to show up.

Campgrounds? Motels? Hotels? Staying with friends?

Whatever your lodging preference is — hotel, campground, apartment — Furkot will show you scores of accommodations on the map and will help you find the perfect place for every night of your trip.

Furkot makes it easy to decide which hotels offer the best combination of cost, amenities and convenient location. Whenever available, Furkot displays exactly what you are going to pay (including taxes and service fees). You are in charge of what they charge.

When you are ready to book, Furkot will take you directly to your favorite booking site and pre-fill the check-in and check-out dates so that you don't have to worry about reserving that hard found lodging on the wrong night.

Booking all hotels for your trip can be a daunting experience: multiple cities, multiple booking sites and many dates and details to mistype? Let Furkot help with that. We will take you through the whole process page by page and hotel by hotel. All you need to do is to keep pressing Next until you are Done .

This website receives commission when a visitor makes a reservation or a purchase after clicking on the link to: Amazon, Best Western, Booking.com, Choice Hotels International, Expedia, Good Sam Club, Hotels.com, InterContinental Hotels Group, liftopia, Lonely Planet, Marriott International, onX Offroad, Orbitz, Passport America, Rentalcars.com,

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com .

This website uses the list of ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada from pure-gas.org licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported with the explicit permission of the rights holder.

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Roadtrippers - Trip Planner 4+

Planner, map, & travel guides, roadtrippers.

• #197 in Travel
• 4.6 • 58.9K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

DISCOVER THE OPEN ROAD AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH EASE Roadtrippers, the #1 road trip planning app, now includes the patent-pending AI-powered trip wizard: Roadtrippers Autopilot™. Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. And, with the newly added features from Campendium, Roadtrippers will be your go-to app for planning epic road trips and finding the perfect camping spots. ENHANCED CAMPING AND RV FEATURES ∙ Campground Reviews and Insights: Dive into over 150,000 campground reviews, offering perspectives for RVers and campers alike. Discover the best spots, from swanky RV parks to serene, free remote destinations. ∙ Comprehensive Map Overlays: Find the perfect campgrounds with ease using overlays for public land, cell coverage, and wildfire smoke, ensuring you’re always informed and prepared. ∙ Advanced Filtering Options: Tailor your search with new filtering capabilities, including cell service and elevation, to find your ideal campsite every time. EXPLORE AND PLAN WITH EASE ∙ Epic Routes and Places: Uncover millions of unique places, from quirky roadside attractions to breathtaking national parks. Get inspired by pre-made trip guides for once-in-a-lifetime routes. ∙ Customizable Planning: Start with up to three stops or upgrade to add up to 150 stops per trip with our Premium membership. Enjoy RV-friendly GPS navigation, offline maps, trip collaboration, and more. ∙ Seamless Syncing and Navigation: Your saved trips and favorite places sync across devices. Hit the road with confidence using CarPlay for easy navigation. JOIN THE ROADTRIPPERS COMMUNITY Merging the spirit of Campendium with Roadtrippers, we invite you to embark on road trips and camping adventures that you’ll cherish forever. Whether you’re mapping out a weekend getaway or a cross-country journey, Roadtrippers is here to guide you every mile and every campsite along the way. Download Roadtrippers today and transform your travel dreams into reality. Your next epic adventure awaits! Terms of use: https://roadtrippers.com/tos Privacy policy: https://roadtrippers.com/privacy-policy

Version 5.9.1

Roadtrippers is excited to introduce their brand-new, AI-powered trip planning tool: Roadtrippers Autopilot™, just in time for all your summer road tripping plans! Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. Get started with a free trial, or sign in with your Premium account, and check out Autopilot today! Happy travels :)

Ratings and Reviews

58.9K Ratings

Never have I ever...

Never have I ever felt it necessary to review an app, be it good or bad. However, this app is so incredible that I felt obligated to tell everyone. I've told all my friends to download it and I'm telling all you strangers to download it. It's SOOOO helpful. I did a road trip from CT to TN to TX to Nola to NC back to CT.. and I used it everyday for the entire trip. It offers so many things to do... everything from museums to abandoned houses that make for fun photo ops. If you're someone trying to take funny pictures of random side of the road things this is your app. The only thing I wish is that there was a way to like mark things off the list that you've completed. BUT.... it really added to the fun of the trip and the ease of the trip. Everything I needed was in this one app. It is trustworthy and never steered me wrong. Pun intended.... you can trust the "navigation" button and whatever address is provided. Just be sure to read the reviews of each location before going there. Just because it's on the app doesn't mean it's everything you're thinking it'll be, so read the reviews. If you're going on a road trip.. USE THIS APP. It will really add to your trip. Thank you for existing.

Good app, not great

This is a really good app. Definitely recommend it. Mostly an easy way to put a trip together, plan stops, construct a map. I would give it 5 stars except for a few very frustrating things that drag this app down. And could easily be fixed. I do understand that maybe it’s user error, but … When you are on a trip, you open the trip and it goes to your current location in Map View. However, when you open the List View for that trip, why doesn’t it go to your current location instead of starting from day one and you have to scroll all the way down until you find what you’re looking for. The way dates are managed is a complete nightmare. Changing the dates of an entire trip is such a hassle. And you cannot plan a trip without dates as once you add your first date, the app puts every single waypoint on a separate date!! Who thought that was a good idea?! You can add things that are not on the map already, but you can only add an address, you cannot label the address as to what it is. There are a lot of things that are not included on the map that I would like to add to my trips. And label with a name. This app is not a standalone app. You need other sources to complete the picture. Especially because there is a blue line indicating your route that completely covers up the highway numbers. Highway numbers are essential to trip planning. Also, can you update the gas pricing? It’s no where near accurate. And organize the trips into past and upcoming/future?

The most troublesome travel app.

As we travel using this app we must re-enter cookie preferences each time the app opened. We must re-enter our vehicle information (all of it) each time we opened the app. I tried contacting the company but it allowed no contact info other than e-mail and their response time may be days later which by then we were many hundreds of miles further into the trip and when there was a response it was a friendly response but there was no help at all. No one could ever tell me why I must re-enter all the information as though it’s the first time using the app. There was no help. Just friendly responses. They had no phone number to call for technical assistance. No help at all. Just lip service by email. It became very frustrating. I couldn’t trust that the map was taking us on roads that allowed clearance for our vehicle. I quit using the app during our first trip. I tried again on our next trip. Same problems. Same Customer Service system. I informed them that their app was a real waste of money. They could care less. As my membership grew close to the end I sent an email asking for confirmation to my request NOT TO RENEW. I never got a response. I tried contacting them today and haven’t gotten a response. Note: I initially joined the Roadpass Pro membership based on an ad by Jason Esperson. I used to watch his videos. Now I have nothing to do with TOGO RV.

Developer Response ,

Hi again Sam - we're sorry to hear again that you're disappointed that you must select vehicle preferences when navigating a trip on Roadtrippers. We offer the option to select your vehicle on each trip as we realize that you may use different vehicles for different trips. We have conversed with you multiple times through our support email system ([email protected] and [email protected]) and I can see that we have followed up with you on each request. I do see we recently responded to an email you sent to us this week but we have not heard back from you. Please do check the spam inboxes for both of the email accounts you have used to email us - our helpful responses may be there!

Subscriptions

App privacy.

The developer, Roadtrippers , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Roadtrippers Basic - Annual $35.99
• Roadtrippers Premium - Annual $59.99
• Roadtrippers Pro - Annual $49.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

Save time, money, and energy with these apps so you can focus on the fun instead

• University of Ontario
• George Brown College
• Payment Services

We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

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• Plan a Road Trip
• Plan a Flight
• Find an Airport
• Where to Stay
• All Questions

"Trippy is the best road trip planner"

Get advice from real travelers who have done the same trip:, recent questions.

• just now someone asked : about Southampton and Paris       " southampton, england to paris, france by train "
• 15 minutes ago someone asked : about Livingston (Montana) and Glacier National Park       " Drive to Livingston, MT to Glacier National Park "
• 15 minutes ago someone asked : about Williams       " What to do in Williams, Arizona "
• 20 minutes ago someone asked : about Chicago       " chicago hotel "
• 35 minutes ago someone asked : about Chino and Rancho Cucamonga       " Halfway point between Chino and Rancho Cucamonga "
• 40 minutes ago someone asked : about Lansing (Michigan) and Grand Blanc       " Halfway between Lansing and grand blanc "
• 45 minutes ago someone asked : about Tifton       " tifton georgia "
• 50 minutes ago someone asked : about Hermosa Beach       " mid point hermosa beach, west la "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about Meridian       " Meridian ms "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about Charleston and Minneapolis       " charleston sc to minneapolis mn "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about Long Beach (New York)       " Long beach "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about District of Columbia and Arlington (Virginia)       " How far is Arlington va from dc "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about Lake Worth (Texas) and Hurst       " lake worth tx to hurst tx "
• 1 hour ago someone asked : about Parks (Arizona)       " parks "
• 8 hours ago someone asked : about Lethbridge and Toronto       " Can I travel from Toronto to Lethbridge on a direct flight? "
• Wednesday someone asked : about Terre Haute (Indiana)       " pet frendly "

Route planner

Driving directions.

The route deemed to be the safest and simplest with minimal scope for error along the way. The default recommended route from Michelin.

The route offering the shortest distance to a destination via the most accessible roads. Journey times for this option will tend to be longer.

The most fuel-efficient route that also avoids toll roads.

My cost options

• B7 (Diesel)
• E5 (Unleaded)
• E85 (superethanol)
• CNG (Biomethane)
• H2 (Hydrogen)

My route options

• E5 (Unleaded) €1.700
• Route : Fast
• Distance in : Kilometres
• No restrictions
• Route from this place
• Directions to this place
• Route via this place
• Nearby hotels
• Nearby restaurants

Arrive at %{address} Organise your trip

Accommodation, other services, restaurants at %{address}.

• See restaurants from the Michelin selection

Tourist Attractions at %{address}

• View the must-see tourist sites

Renting a car, an attractive proposition for the holidays

Monthly Report

Eco-mobility

Keep in contact

My michelin account.

Work in progress.

IMPORTANT COVID - 19 Travel Restrictions. Learn More

• Trip Canvas
• Digital TourBooks
• TripTik Help

BOOK YOUR FLIGHT

Book your hotel, save more when you bundle, all packages, map layers (*available when zoomed in), app language, dropdown lists, triptik options, enhanced options, email your triptik, covers & inserts, roadtrip names goes here, saved places name here, restaurants, attractions, campgrounds, auto repair, aaa/caa offices.

EXPLORING THE OPEN ROAD MADE EASY

The one travel planner for every road trip get directions and maps. find gas stations. know where to stop. plan things to do..

Maps & Directions Get directions for a cross-town drive or map an epic journey.

Saved Trips Save TripTiks to make planning your journey quick and easy.

Mobile-friendly On the go? No worries everything you need in the palm of your hands

THE RETURN OF THE GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP IS ALREADY UNDERWAY!

Looking for a summer vacation option for you and your family? AAA TripTik helps you plan road trips to millions of destinations and now includes easy access to your favorite National Park! Check out some of our signature road trips to these National Parks!

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND ROAD TRIP

229.4 miles : 5 hours , 19 minutes

BLACK HILLS ROAD TRIP

169 miles : 5 hours

NORTHERN CA & SOUTHERN OR COAST ROAD TRIP

380.1 miles 8 hours , 3 minutes

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP

307.4 miles : 6 hours , 52 minutes

YELLOWSTONE TO GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARKS ROAD TRIP

401.6 miles : 10 hours , 26 minutes

Why AAA TripTik is the ultimate road trip planner

For a basic drive, simply enter a starting point and destination to map your route and get turn-by-turn directions, or enter up to 25 stopovers to create a complete road trip.

Use the points of interest icons to locate and get information about nearby restaurants, attractions and events, and to find and book hotels that meet AAA standards for quality and cleanliness.

Display the gas station icons to know where to fill up along the way. Station listings show the fuel grades offered and the latest per-gallon gas price.

Planning to bike or walk instead? Choose the icon to adjust the routes.

Traveling with your pet? No problem.  AAA has quick and easy ways to let you know which hotels are pet-friendly.

EXPLORE TOP DESTINATIONS WITH AAA

LEARN more with AAA TRIP CANVAS

AAA Road Trips

Pacific southwest.

Mid-Atlantic

Southwest Desert

Southeast Appalachian

Southeast Gulf Coast

Great Lakes

Northern Rockies

South Central

Pacific Northwest

Southern Rockies

Northern Plains

New England

Western Canada

Eastern Canada

Alaska & Hawaii

How to Use the Tesla Trip Planner

Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used on a computer to plan a road trip ahead of time, with the advantage of finding food, lodging, and other stops near chargers. It can also be used on the go to adjust plans. Here’s what you should know.

Telsa Motors, Inc.

What Is Tesla’s Trip Planner?

Tesla’s trip planning tools can be used both before you embark on your trip, as well as when you’re already on the road. Though specific features vary by manufacturer, all electric vehicles have ways to help the owner locate chargers on the go, see chargers’ status, and plan routes to destinations to balance optimizing the car’s range while finding the most convenient available chargers. In that way, Tesla’s trip planning tools are not unique to Tesla vehicles .

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Key Takeaways

• With computer-based and in-car features, Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used well in advance or on the go
• The trip planner helps find the most efficient route to your destination
• Tesla’s tools also help you find chargers along your route.

However, Tesla does have the advantage of being an early innovator in the segment, as well as having access to the formerly proprietary Tesla Supercharger network, widely regarded as the best of its kind in terms of reliability and efficiency.

An EV Road Trip

Warren Clarke Sept. 28, 2023

Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used on a computer to plan a road trip ahead of time, with the advantage of finding food, lodging, and other desired stops near chargers. It can also be used on the go, to adjust plans if needed or desired. Here’s what you need to know.

Get Ready to Go

Use Tesla’s Trip Planner Go Anywhere tool from the comfort of your home, at any or all stages of planning your trip . Whether it’s an overnight or a cross-country jaunt, the Trip Planner can optimize your route, find and recommend Tesla Superchargers, and even suggest Destination Charging . The latter are charging locations specifically located near points of interest, such as restaurants, hotels, and shopping, so you can charge overnight, while eating, or while restocking your road trip supplies and provisions.

How To Charge an EV at a Public Charger

Steven Loveday and Warren Clarke Jan. 8, 2024

Using the Trip Planner ahead of time means you can ensure you’ll hit your desired points of interest and know where you’ll be spending the night, so you can head out confidently. Yet, if your plans change along the way, Tesla’s got you covered there, too.

On the Road

Whether you’ve planned in advance or it’s more of a last-minute or short trip, Tesla’s Trip Planner is also available behind the wheel. If you’re already in your car, your Tesla’s navigation system will show you the fastest route to your destination, and will highlight Tesla Superchargers along the way. This strategy can help you plan your charging to take advantage of nearby sites so you can explore, rest, or grab something to eat.

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The lightning bolt icon on your Tesla’s navigation screen will instantly find the nearest Supercharger to your location, along with its current availability and charging rates . Tesla advises using the trip planner during a trip to stay informed of nearby Tesla Superchargers and your car’s recommendations for charging.

Other Tips and Advice

Tesla offers advice to optimize your charging and range while on a trip. When driving, make sure braking is set to the regenerative setting, which means that the car will recapture energy from braking and send it back to the battery pack, which helps maximize range. Also check your tires and ensure they’re set to the proper pressure, which also helps conserve battery power and reduce how often you’ll need to charge.

Whenever possible, park in the shade to keep the vehicle as cool as possible, and leave the air conditioning running while parked. This way, you can come back to a cool and comfortable vehicle. You can monitor and adjust the car’s cabin temperature remotely through Tesla’s smartphone app.

Note that Tesla advises leaving your vehicle plugged in whenever possible when you’re on a trip. Tesla says this will not degrade the battery or battery life over time.

Planning ahead of time will help ensure peace of mind for an extended road trip, but a combined approach of using Tesla’s trip planner tools both beforehand and on the go can help ensure you’re well prepared for your journey with room for some spontaneity and last-minute surprises. After all, what’s a road trip without the opportunity for a little adventure?

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New ways to power up your electric vehicle adventures with Google Maps

Apr 17, 2024

[[read-time]] min read

In time for Earth Day, we’re making it easier to find information about EV charging stations, whether you’re planning a drive or already on the road.

• Bullet points
• Google Maps introduces new features to enhance electric vehicle (EV) charging experiences.
• AI-powered summaries provide detailed descriptions of charger locations based on user reviews.
• In-car maps display nearby chargers with real-time port availability and charging speed.
• Suggested charging stops and forecasted energy consumption for multi-stop trips.
• EV filter on Google Travel helps find hotels with onsite EV charging.
• Basic explainer

Google Maps has new features to help electric car drivers find charging stations.

You can now see detailed descriptions of where chargers are located, like "Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right."

You can also see nearby chargers on the in-car map, with information like real-time port availability and charging speed.

If you're planning a trip, Google Maps will suggest the best charging stops along the way, based on your battery's charge level.

Explore other styles:

Electric vehicle ownership is on the rise, which means more people are looking for ways to charge their car — whether they’re on the go or planning their drive. To help EV owners access more helpful information about charging stations, we’re rolling out new features for Google Maps and Search. With these updates you can easily find specific information about the location of EV chargers, plan charging stops for road trips and more.

Easily find exactly where charging stations are located

Navigating to charging stations and finding exactly where the chargers are located — like the right area of a multilevel parking lot — can be tricky. In the coming months, we’ll start showing AI-powered summaries in Google Maps that describe a charger’s specific location based on helpful information from user reviews, so you can find exactly where to go. For example, when you’re headed to a charging station you may see a detailed description, like “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

This information is possible thanks to the millions of reviews posted every day in Maps, which help provide accurate and up-to-date information about places like charging stations. To help make these even more useful, reviews about chargers now prompt you for additional details about your experience, like what type of plug you used and how long you waited.

Find the best charger for you while you're on the go

We’re also thinking about other ways we can give people helpful EV charging information at a glance. For example, if you’re low on charge while on the road or you need to top off while running errands, soon you’ll be able to see nearby chargers on the in-car map, with information like real-time port availability and charging speed. This update will roll out globally, starting with vehicles with Google built-in the coming months.

See suggested charging stops, forecasted energy consumption and more when you plan a trip

In addition to showing you where chargers are at a glance, we want to help you take more complex trips easily. Last year we announced that Maps suggests the best charging locations for vehicles with Google built-in. This capability is expanding to multi-stop trips. So if you're planning a multi-stop summer road trip to several national parks, Maps will suggest the best charging stops along the way, based on your battery’s charge level. This feature will be available globally in the coming months for vehicles with Google built-in.

And if you’re planning overnight stays, we’ve got you covered, because the last thing you want to do after a long day of driving is hunt around for a charging station. With our new EV filter on google.com/travel you can find hotels on Search that offer onsite EV charging.

Whether you’re planning a summer road trip or looking for a last-minute charge, Maps and Search can help you find the charging information you need.

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20 tips for planning the ultimate road trip

Posted: August 4, 2023 | Last updated: August 4, 2023

20 tips for the ultimate road trip

Virtually no other mode of vacationing affords the freedom of exploration inherent in road-tripping.

Whether traveling internationally or vacationing stateside, exploring the countryside by motor vehicle is a perfect way to get to the heart of a region—and a fantastic method for satiating wanderlust. Unlike pre-booked vacations, which too often involve hectic airports, hurried tour guides, and detailed, unchangeable itineraries, road trips allow travelers to go at their own pace, soak in the scenery, and take in the full scope of the landscape.

A full 43% of Americans had road trips planned this summer , according to consumer research released in May 2023 by TransUnion. Many people prefer road trips because they're more flexible and, often, far more affordable than other modes of transport. Some of the most popular weekends for road trips fall on summer holidays: The American Automobile Association predicted a record-setting 43.2 million Americans would road-trip over Fourth of July weekend this year. 

While it's easy to enjoy an adventure on the road, there are plenty of hacks to make the overall experience more pleasurable. To that end,  S tacker curated a list of 20 road-trip tips to help make every overland adventure more enjoyable. Some are practical suggestions, while others are more creative ideas meant to enhance the fun. Keep reading for 20 ways to improve your next adventure.

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Compartmentalize your luggage

Having to dig through one giant bag of clothes, toiletries, and electronics is enough to drive any road-tripper bananas—especially if said digging is a recurring theme spread out over several days or weeks.

Packing can be easily compartmentalized with smaller bags or packing cubes organized by activity or occasion. Planning for several beach days? Prep a bag or packing cube with beach-only items. Stopping at various hotels along the way? Pack another cube with overnight essentials to prevent hauling a car's worth of luggage into every accommodation.

Get a tune-up

Nothing ruins a road trip faster than your car breaking down on the side of the highway halfway through. The simplest way to prevent this is also the most obvious: Take your vehicle in for a basic tune-up prior to the trip. This small investment of time and money can save a huge headache down the road—literally.

Download your media

Streaming Netflix at a campsite or listening to Spotify for six hours while driving will wreak havoc on your phone plan's data. Even with unlimited data, you're not guaranteed great service—particularly if you're headed into more rural outposts.

Before you head out on the first leg of your journey, download select playlists, podcasts, movies, or other media you plan to consume during that section of the drive. Delete what you've listened to or watched as you go to free up space to download more.

Bring water—lots of it

Keeping water on hand does more than keep passengers hydrated to fight headaches and fatigue.

Water can be used to wipe spills inside your car,  poured over your radiator if your engine overheats (lukewarm water only!), and used to wash up after camping. Don't make the assumption there will be potable water everywhere you go. Carry large quantities with you in the vehicle and refill every chance you get in case of an emergency.

Collect something

If you're planning a road trip with multiple stops, collecting a simple souvenir at each destination is a great way to remember the trip. It could be a postcard, coffee mug, key chain, or something more personal. Many travelers also get creative with photography by taking a photo of a tree in every location, for example, or a road sign, and making a collage of the images at the end. Just remember to be respectful and not take things like plants or other parts of the natural environment.

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Bring earplugs or headphones

While many of us imagine a classic road trip as an endless highway with the windows down and the music up, there are times weary travelers want silence, too—particularly around bedtime. When you're trying to sleep at noisy campgrounds, crowded trailheads, or in motels with thin walls, having a way to control what you do and don't hear will be a blessing.

Don't forget emergency provisions

Even the most perfectly planned road trip has its fair share of bumps. Make sure you're prepared for the worst by carrying all basic emergency provisions, including a spare tire and jack, jumper cables, engine oil and fluids, tire chains (if driving through snow), water, snacks, a warm blanket, a fire-starting tool, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit.

Take the scenic route

It's tempting to pick the quickest path between points A and B. After all, seeing the outside of the vehicle is the whole point of the trip. However, if there's an alternate route that doesn't take much more time but offers a significant increase in scenery, it's often worth it to take the slightly slower path. You will spend a lot of time in your car regardless: Appreciating the journey is key.

Get Google Maps offline

Getting lost can be part of the fun of exploration; other times, it can be a giant source of stress and tension. 

If you anticipate being without Wi-Fi, or traveling through areas with spotty cell service, download the Google Maps of the area you're driving in to your phone before you go. Better yet, pick up a physical road atlas at a gas station—tracing your route will make for a perfect piece of frameable art later on.

Don't wait until you're lost, because you'll need the internet by then and it will be too late. To download the map of the area you're headed, simply enter the city or region you're visiting on your mobile device, click the menu, then "Offline Maps," then "Custom Map." You can then drag the square to the specific area you want to access offline and save. This is helpful not only when driving but when walking around a new town or hiking in more remote locations.

Have a rough plan...

Although the flexibility of a road trip is a massive part of its charm, structureless days can be overwhelming and actually take away from the experience. Without due diligence, you may show up at a national park to find that particular entrance is closed due to high traffic—or you might spend half the morning each day figuring out where everything is and what there is to do.

It's fine to keep much of your trip spontaneous, but it helps to spend a few hours before you go to carve out a basic framework of what options are available to you.

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...But don't plan too much!

The flip side of too much spontaneity is too much planning or a trip that leaves nothing to chance. Also, it can be exhausting if you spend every minute of your day racing around with an item to check off of your to-do list. Even if you're planning to create a full itinerary, be sure to schedule downtime to rest, relax, and recuperate.

Organize the car

It's hard to enjoy yourself on the road if you're constantly looking for misplaced items, trying to carve out a space to sit, or retrieving things you've dropped into that annoying crack in between the seat and the console. This is where organizational tools and gadgets can come in extremely handy. The internet is full of car ceiling cargo nets, dashboard organizers, back-seat pouches, console shields, sticky pads, mini shelves, and other auto accessories. Load up before you go.

Whether you're counting license plates, listing off countries by letter, or trying to spot certain types of vehicles, playing games that don't involve screens is a great way to pass the time. If you're traveling with friends or family, create a scavenger hunt before you go, or come up with an ongoing competition that features prizes at the end: Whoever spots the most items with American flag prints or cars that start with the letter T wins ice cream or a free back rub.

Take advantage of apps

There's an app for everything, and road trips are no exception. Countless parts of your journey can be made simpler with little buttons on your phone. There's "Roadtripper" to help you find routes, "Roadside America" to highlight hundreds of roadside attractions along your way, "GasBuddy" for cheap gas, "Waze" to help dodge traffic jams, and many, many more.

Peruse your options before you go to take full advantage of the modern technology available.

Get a roof rack for storage

If your vehicle doesn't already have a roof rack, planning a major road trip is a great excuse to invest in one. With that, you can put bulky items and other belongings in a cargo box on top of your rig, freeing up an enormous amount of space inside to stretch your legs or pack more items. Don't forget to invest in several sets of strong, reliable straps or bungee cords.

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Be mindful when packing the car

Don't just drag everything to the curb and start packing up your vehicle Tetris-style, according to how well certain objects fit together. Instead, be strategic by thinking about what you'll need and when. If you know, for example, that you won't be in the water for the first few days, keep the beach bag and pool toys buried for now. Likewise, if you know you'll want your laptop as soon as you get to your hotel on the first night, pack that on the outside for easy access.

Have a charging system

Between your phone, laptop, Kindle, and other devices, it's likely that you'll have lots of things you want to keep charged on the road—and if this isn't a solo journey, you can double or triple that number. A built-in USB charger in your car won't be enough, even if it has several ports.

Invest in a car-charging adapter that offers a standard outlet (or several), along with USB ports and other charging mechanisms. If you have a lot of devices, you may even consider a larger external solar battery or one you can recharge with the car's engine.

Get a camera that's not your phone

It's a cliché—but a true one—that most people today are attached to their phones in unhealthy ways. If you want to be more present on your trip and enjoy periods of digital detox, bring a camera with you that doesn't have any smart capacities. That way, if you want to go out and explore the town one afternoon without your phone, you can do so without fearing you'll miss a photo op.

Be adaptable

When you're on the road, the phrase "if it can go wrong, it will" often becomes extra relevant. Although you'll no doubt have tons of fun on your trip, there will also be things that don't go your way. Even the most prepared traveler gets lost, major attractions have unexpected closures, and highway construction cause setbacks—the list goes on. 

It's important to mentally and emotionally prepare for unexpected surprises and to do your best to roll with the punches so they don't ruin your trip.

Bring window shades

Even if you're planning to do 100% of your sleeping in hotels or other non-vehicular accommodations, there will be times when you'll want climate control—or shade—inside your car. On top of keeping it cooler when you're on excursions, window shades will make the atmosphere more pleasant if you want to read a book or take a catnap as a passenger. 

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If you’ve got an EV, Google Maps is about to become much more valuable

New updates address one of americans’ top concerns about owning an electric car: finding a place to charge.

Google has announced new features in its Maps app designed to help electric-car drivers find a charge.

The updates include a tool to help drivers find nearby chargers with real-time information about availability and charging speed, the ability to find charging stops on longer road trips and more detailed instructions about how to find chargers within parking lots and garages.

Google expects to start rolling out these features “in the coming months,” according to a blog post. Some will come first to people who drive a car that comes with “Google Built-in,” the company’s driver-assistance software. Google updated its other route-finding app, Waze, with information on EV chargers last month.

The update addresses one of Americans’ top concerns about owning an electric vehicle: finding a place to charge. Range anxiety remains a significant barrier for EV sales — especially for drivers who don’t own a house . Among people who don’t drive an EV, roughly half say they think finding a place to charge would be “extremely” or “very” difficult, according to a 2023 Washington Post-University of Maryland poll .

EVs make up roughly 7 percent of new U.S. car sales, which some experts believe is a tipping point at which electric cars will quickly become popular and take over the market. But lately, the EV market appears to be cooling off . Sales slowed in the first quarter of this year.

In addition to building more charging stations, companies can make driving an EV easier by building apps that help drivers find chargers, said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of Industry Insights at Cox Automotive. “That could be really helpful with mitigating some of those concerns about charging anxiety,” she said.

Find available EV charging stations

For electric-car drivers who need a last-minute charge, Google is developing a feature that can find nearby chargers with updated information about how many ports are available and their charging speed. The company says this feature will eventually be available to all drivers but will be available first for drivers with Google Built-in.

Plan a road trip with EV charging stops

The Maps update will allow EV owners with Google Built-in to plan where they can power up when taking long trips with multiple stops, such as a cross-country road trip. The feature will access information about your car’s battery life to suggest the best places to charge up.

The company also announced a search feature that allows travelers to look for hotels with electric-car chargers.

Locate hard-to-find EV charging stations

Some EV chargers are tucked in hard-to-find corners of parking garages. The Maps updates will crowdsource information from Google reviewers to generate more detailed instructions about how to get to a charger. According to the company’s blog post, the instructions might read something like, “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

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Road Trips: How to Plan an Accessible Getaway

By Syren Nagakyrie

Planning an accessible road trip is getting a little easier for people with disabilities. There are more resources created by and for the disability community, and the tourism industry is starting to recognize the value of accessible travel. As a disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent person, I take road trips every year and have learned some tips and tricks along the way.

Renting a vehicle

Most major car companies offer adaptive driving devices for their vehicles at no additional cost. Enterprise , for example, offers hand controls, left foot accelerators, pedal extenders and spinner knobs to facilitate steering. Budget can provide hand controls, spinner knobs, a panoramic mirror, swivel seats and transfer boards. Be prepared to request adaptive devices at least three business days in advance.

For a wheelchair-accessible van with a ramp or a lift, rent from a mobility company like BraunAbility , one of the largest builders of wheelchair-accessible vans in the country, with rentals at many locations. MobilityWorks , an accessible-vehicle and adaptive-equipment dealer, has rental locations in 34 states. AccessibleGO , which offers a one-stop shop for adapted rental cars and wheelchair-accessible vans, has agreements with 100 wheelchair van rental locations nationwide; request a quote on their website. For accessibleGO’s rental cars, you can request hand controls and a spinner knob at checkout.

Route planning

You can use Google Maps, Waze and MapQuest for initial accessibility research using photos and street view. Google Maps provides directions for some wheelchair-accessible pedestrian and transit routes.

Sites such as Roadtrippers and Furkot can plot an entire itinerary. While these websites are not disability specific, they are invaluable tools. (Roadtrippers does have a wheelchair-accessible check box in the search function.) You can filter by types of destinations such as national parks or museums, and search for hotels and campgrounds. Furkot allows you to input how long you want to drive each day, whether you want to travel on Interstate highways or take more scenic roads. The app will determine the best route and length of time between stops, and suggest where to stay overnight.

Finding lodging

While hotels and other accommodations are required to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, many hotels do not meet all accessibility needs. Most of the booking sites list hotels with accessible rooms for those with mobility, hearing and vision needs, but this information is not always verified. Do additional research on review sites and look for photos. Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and Fairmont hotels offer allergy-friendly and scent-free rooms in some locations. Call the hotel to verify accessibility and to make sure a specific room is reserved for you.

Vacation rentals are typically not required to be A.D.A. compliant, but some do provide accessibility information. Airbnb recently rolled out an adapted category with accessibility search features and homes that have been scanned for accessibility. Review photos and contact the host for more information. Some hosts will make accommodations, such as changing the cleaning supplies or shifting furniture, but document your request using the in-app messaging system so that customer service can help if you run into issues.

Wheel the World is an accessible travel agency offering bookings at over 3,000 verified accessible hotels in the United States. The hotels have been reviewed in person by trained assessors; only those that meet the criteria are listed. Sign up as a disabled traveler or a companion and complete a personal profile that includes options for a variety of disabilities and accessibility needs. The site will provide listings that match your profile with partial, adequate and outstanding match options.

Food and medication

There are a variety of options to keep food or medication cold while traveling. Electric coolers can plug into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet, but pay attention to the type of cooling mechanism — the less expensive versions are usually thermoelectric and will cool only to about 30 degrees below ambient temperature (if it is 70 degrees in the car, it will cool to 40 degrees). Compressor coolers are more expensive but maintain normal refrigerated temperatures.

Many hotels provide mini-refrigerators. When you know you will be stopping somewhere with a fridge almost every night, layer large ice packs and supplies in a cooler, then top them with another insulating layer like a cooling bag. This keeps everything cold for a couple of days at a time.

It’s also a good idea to travel with a single-burner cooktop — electric to use inside, or propane to use at rest areas and campgrounds — and a camp mess kit so that you can safely cook meals.

Some of the best apps to find food, restaurants and grocery stores that accommodate dietary needs are Fig for allergy-specific options, Happy Cow for vegan-friendly options and Find Me Gluten Free for celiac-safe spots. Add your favorite options to the route-planning app so that you know where to stop.

Finding activities

In addition to the apps mentioned in the route-planning section, state and local tourism organizations are good sources for accessible destinations.

National parks and monuments, which are required to meet federal accessibility guidelines, typically have visitor centers and recreation sites with accessible features. Each park website has information, as well as programs and services within the park. While accessibility varies, you can usually find information on wheelchair-accessible trails and campsites, tactile and audio features, assistive listening devices, and American Sign Language interpreters.

At state parks, accessibility features may not be consistent, but you can usually find some information on each park’s website.

Apps like AllTrails list wheelchair-friendly trails across the country, but the information may not be verified, so contact the park or land manager for verification. Among the parks with notable accessible trails are Redwood National and State Parks, North Cascades National Park, Badlands National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

Syren Nagakyrie, the founder of the nonprofit Disabled Hikers and the author of “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon” and “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California,” among other guidebooks, leads group hikes and conducts assessments throughout the United States.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .