The Road Trip Survival Guide: Tips and Tricks for Planning Routes, Packing Up, and Preparing for Any Unexpected Encounter Along the Way

by Rob Taylor

Make the most of your next road trip with these essential tips and tricks for planning the ultimate epic adventure.

During COVID-19, we’ve all had to find different ways to travel. From the disruptions of airlines to the possibility of many travel restrictions at your destination, the car has become a more attractive (and safer) option.

One part Bushcraft 101 and one part vacation planning workbook, The Road Trip Survival Guide provides guidance for new road trippers as well as essential tips and tricks for even the most experienced roadsters
-How to organize your car for trips
-Packing lists for different types of vacations, from city breaks to outdoor adventures
-How to develop the perfect road trip itinerary that will suit the whole family
-Recipes and recommendations for the best car snacks (easy access and less mess!)
-Tips and tricks for making your trip more eco-friendly
-How to reroute a road trip gone wrong
-And more!

The Road Trip Survival Guide is a must-have for anyone planning a vacation. Perfectly designed to fit in a glove box or back-seat pocket, you can now stop dreaming, hit the open road, and start experiencing the perfect road trip.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2021

About the author

Rob Taylor is the founder of 2TravelDads, the Original LGBTQ Family Travel Blog. With a long history working in tourism and marketing, Rob shares his experience traveling and taking his family on the road through his blog, 2TravelDads.com, magazine articles, video content and published books.

Focusing on education and sustainable tourism, Rob Taylor writes through the lens of the LGBTQ and parenting communities.

Rob Taylor strives to encourage families to go beyond their usual getaways and use travel to learn about and be part of a bigger world: “Traveling the globe and giving the kids a broad worldview.”

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Road Trip Survival Guide couldn't be coming out at a more perfect time. As our Covid restrictions are starting to lift, our itch to travel is at its peak, and terrific weather conditions are upon us you should reach for this book to help you plan all your future road travels.
It’s a quick, easy, and beneficial read. The author provides useable examples on how to help you plan your trip and terrific recommendations on where to travel.
As a well-seasoned road tripper, I found this book to have a lot of useful tips, tricks and lists that even the most experienced driver would find essential. The information provided is applicable to families, couples, or friends traveling together and solo travelers.
This guide is coming out just in time to make the perfect Father’s Day or Graduation gift, too!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family is about to go on our first road in years, and I keep having self-doubt that I'm forgetting something important. This book patiently plans out the steps from the very beginning through the end, including often-overlooked planning items like dressing for the seasons, how to find out current road conditions, and tips for budgeting for meals.

Even though I've gone on dozens of major road trips, I'm still really happy to have read this as we get ready to hit the road again. Great for experienced travelers as well as beginners!

[Katya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Tiller Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

Overall, I enjoyed this guide - however, I do think it's geared more towards the beginner traveler. Although I'm not particularly seasoned in road trips specifically (and was excited to receive a copy of this book to read & review as I'm heading off on a road trip in a week) I consider myself a fairly savvy travel planner and traveler, so a lot of the advice in this guide wasn't new to me. As such, I perhaps didn't get quite as much value out of it as I would have liked.

However! That's not to say that there isn't value in the guide - there is, a lot! There's loads of great advice on planning, packing, food prep, and safety. I particularly enjoyed the final chapter, which includes several 'best of' road trips in continental North America, which gave me some ideas for future travels. While Taylor appears to be quite the, ahem, prepared planner (I still don't believe that I'll need a car vacuum, sorry Rob) the advice is there for the taking, for the reader to do as much or as little with as suits one's travel style. I particularly appreciated Taylor's notes on sustainable and responsible travel, and how we as travelers must consider our destinations and the way we move through the world, and leave each place better than we found it.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

The tone is very friendly here and the author covers a variety of topics: Planning, Packing, Food, Safety, and even some recommended itinerates. Since it is written by a parent of young children, the recommendations and tips are especially useful for keeping the little ones occupied and happy. I liked that the author had several 'must do' items such as thoroughly cleaning the car BEFORE the trip to make the actual journey the most pleasant it can be. But at the same time, I didn't find a lot of new items for myself in terms of how I plan or do car trips (and I do not do them that often).

Here is what you will find in the book: PLANNING (researching destinations, calendar making, making a road trip green, ideas and themes for unforgettable trips). PACKING (versatile road trip gear, simple packing lists, car organization). ROAD TRIP FOOD (snacks, meals, food storage in the car). SAFETY (Basics of road trip vehicle safety, researching road conditions, night driving, safety resources). ITINERARIES (Ten US road trips you shouldn't miss, five Canadian road trips, 3 easy and safe Mexico road trips).

A lot of what you will get from the book is a bunch of simple tips to make sure you get the most out of the journey and with the least amount of frustration. How to make sure you don't miss things along the way (check out travel blogs first!) and don't end up with cranky bored kids (get special desk tablet activity sheets sold at many stores). How to avoid getting sick from spoiled food in the car and how not to spend far too much money by stopping for food and snacks along the way.

The book is very quick and easy to read. There are plenty of checklists (you don't want to forget your camera, for example!) and great examples on how to e.g., pack your car efficiently so you don't have to empty it out just to find one item in the middle of the trip. As well, items you may need in emergencies such as med kits or a spare tire. Because the author is upbeat it is also a fun read and not a chore/clinical at all.

I wish I had found more useful tips but I still think there are more than enough tips to make the purchase of the book well worth it. You often save money on a road trip but the driving and frustrations along the way mean that savings come at a price. This is a very inexpensive way to have less regrets and annoyances along the way while at the same time making sure you get to see and visit the points of interest that best reflect your own interests and enjoyment. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

The Road Trip Survival Guide: Tips and Tricks for Planning Routes, Packing Up, and Preparing for Any Unexpected Encounter Along the Way by Rob Taylor gives tips and tricks to make the most out of a family road trip. Mr. Tayler is the found of 2TravelDads.com, a travel blogger, and tourism expert.

I read this book in anticipation to an upcoming three-week road trip the family is going to Midwest United States. We have taken many road trips before, but this will be the longest and any idea, or advice, is more than welcomed.

The Road Trip Survival Guide: Tips and Tricks for Planning Routes, Packing Up, and Preparing for Any Unexpected Encounter Along the Way by Rob Taylor is a short book, full of suggestions, advice, and even sample itineraries. I’ve gotten a bunch of good ideas from it, as well as reinforcing others.

Mr. Tayler starts at the basics, from when to leave (I like to plan the day backwards), to organizing your car. From essential packing lists, to recipes for healthy snacks, and much more.

On the important points that he likes to get across, the author reiterates them several times. I don’t know if it’s on purpose or not, but I would assume it’s important to people who are taking their first road trips. For others, it’s easy to just skip to the next section.

The book is written in a friendly manner, almost – but not quite – a bunch of blog posts put toether. While I’m not a fan, for this style of books it certainly works – especially when one wants to skip around to find information relevant to them. If it worked for such luminaries as Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Ann Druyan, why not for the rest of us?

These types of books are difficult to write, I am no envious of the author. There is a large gap between the people who are taking their first road-trip to the ones who are just looking for a few tips they didn’t think about. I thought Mr. Taylor did a good job walking that fine line.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Road Trip Survival Guide is a well written manual for minimizing stress and increasing enjoyment and efficiency whilst traveling. Released 25th May 2021 by Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 192 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. It makes it so easy to find info with the search function.

This is a well organized book which does precisely what it says on the cover. It is full of good ideas for planning and executing a road trip with maximum efficiency and minimal stress. The chapters are arranged (roughly) chronologically for a theoretical trip: planning, packing, eating, safety, and some destinations with itineraries. The majority of the book is written for the North American reader, but the tips are universally useful for readers from other areas. The author is a travel blogger and experienced family road-tripper and he has a friendly and inclusive style of writing which is encouraging without being pompous or overbearing at all. I also liked his comprehensive advice about safety and how to deal with emergencies.

Everything about travel has changed with the pandemic and camping style road trips are a wonderful way to get out without breaking rules or risking the public health. This is a valuable resource and would make a good selection for library acquisition or home use. There's lots of solid info to be found here.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Road trips have always been and will continue to be a sensible type of travel for individuals, couples, and families. Even though gas prices continue to rise, there are a lot of reasons why road trips are a good alternative to flying. This book is literally chalked full of everything you'll need to plan your next trip.

Planning a theme for your road trip? Yep! Great ideas here - I'm especially jazzed about taking a solo history trip soon.

Tips for easy to make and store snacks (and healthy too, Rob's always got the goods on good for you snacks) and important packing tips for road safety (even when you rent a car! Never thought of that before...)

I love Air bnb but I'm struggling with the fact that so many people are abusing it that it's become a really big problem for small communities. Rob talks about better ways to help the local economies while traveling, like booking a regular bed and breakfast.

Something else I never thought of was flying to a destination to rent a car for a road trip! I've always wanted to go on road trips through other parts of the country but can't take a month off to drive to New York and explore (as much as I would love to).

The last part of the book is where Rob's expertise from being in the travel industry for so long comes in. Fully planned itineraries for road trips in the US, Mexico, and Canada. If you want to travel but are not a planner, this part is worth picking up the book, even if you skip all the other advice he's given.

The last year has been crazy and uncertain, but the good news is travel will always be there.

[Lori Alden Holuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been quite a while since I last indulged in a road trip. We're thinking about taking one this summer, but with recent diet and lifestyle changes, I knew I needed help to re-figure out the logistics.

Written in a light, friendly style by an experienced traveler and dad, I found the information in this book practical, affordable and well thought out. I loved the advice about using social media and the internet to plan a trip. Without a clear plan of what to look for and where, it's just too easy to wander the 'net, getting sidetracked by non-helpful but eye-catching time-sinks. Rob keeps his advice specific so you can stay on track.

I also was happy to learn about new products that weren't available the last time I road tripped. When did coolers get power? I need one! I think we're going to be just fine, hitting the road on a summer day soon. I'm feeling empowered now as we start planning our trip. Thanks, Rob. See you on the highway.

Thank you to author Rob Taylor, NetGalley, and Tiller Press for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a perfect book for families that are starting out on a true road trip (not just getting from point A to point B). It goes into great detail about travel preparation, car packing preparation -- just everything that you need to do prior to starting the car and leaving. It has several checklists that would be handy for that beginner. And there are several itineraries for trips that would be very handy with a lot of great directions and details.

Now for me, I would rate it 3 stars. I hope very shortly that my wife and I will be travelling (hopefully extensively) and I was hoping for more of a book that would help with travel in an RV or campervan. The book did help in showing that I've gotten sloppy over time in my preparation (no surprise), so it will help me tidy it up. And for me, a few of the trips he listed made me scratch my head, as I have taken similar trips and wondered why he left some locations out. But I learned some things as well -- such as the best way to enter Yosemite NP is from the east.

So while it fell short of my expectations or needs, it is a very good book for most family travellers!

[Tonya Denmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a seasoned road tripper, I still found plenty of useful tips and tricks in The Road Trip Survival Guide. Plus, I was able to relate to many of the stories sprinkled throughout. (Don't worry, the stories aren't long and don't take away from the fact that this is a survival guide.)

This book truly does have it all. From preparing your car, something everyone should read road trip or not, to advice and recipes for delicious road trip snacks, the Road Trip Survival guide should be an essential part of your packing list.

I particularly enjoyed the prepping advice, both inside and outside the car. I also loved the suggested itineraries. I'm always in planning mode and I will be looking to this book from seasoned road trippers for expert planning guidelines.

Even though I wouldn't normally read a guide like this cover to cover, I did. However, it's a good reference guide to just take what you need when you need it.

Highly recommend. I did receive my copy as a preview guide from the author.

[Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Road Trip Survival Guide by Rob Taylor couldn't be coming out at a more perfect time. The kids are out of school, our pandemic restrictions are starting to lift, our itch to travel is at its peak and terrific weather conditions are upon us you should reach for this book to help you plan all your future road travels. The author provides great examples on how to plan your trip and nice recommendations on places to go.

As a big road explorer myself much of the information I was already aware of . This book has lots of useful information for beginner ‘road trippers’. There are lists to keep you organized and the information is great for families with young children. This book is a quick and useful read.

I would like to thank Tiller Press, Rob Taylor and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an okay book of travel trips for browsing, but Survival Guide is overstating it.

"The Road Trip Survival Guide" is divided into five section ranging from planning to itineraries. It is filled with little paragraphs and bite size pieces of information, but is not presented in a very engaging format. While it may be an interesting starting point for someone who has never traveled and is looking to get started, most of the information here is common sense with a side of some googling.

The highlights of this book, for me, were the forward by Samantha Brown and the overall focus of enjoying the whole trip instead of racing to a destination.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

[Meredith Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of great information (and humor)! It's the kind of book that when you're done reading it you throw it in the glove box. Inside there was charts, drawings, lists, and graphs, one of which included the telephone numbers for the Department of Transportation and State non-emergencies in all of the states and the provinces of Canada. And the latter half of the book was amazing itineraries for some of the best road trips in North America (I'm actually obsessed with the Oregon one). It was a little repetitive but a really useful and engaging read. The author is also healthy and organized like me so I really appreciated his tips for how to do this on the road.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a handle seems be getting gotten on covid, this book may just be what someone thinking of vacation needs. I certainly need a couple weeks on the road away from all the bother, and a much needed change of scenery! This book can help you plan the trip to a T. Everything from deciding where to go, what to take, how to research your trip, cost, staying safe, how to involve everyone in the family, even the kids. Loads of good information for someone looking to take a road trip without going crazy.

I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Charles McCool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Road Trip Survival Guide is a wonderful how-to handbook about road trip travel, appropriate for those who have never been on a road trip to veteran road trippers. This guidebook focuses on planning for your road trip, featuring advice on packing, themes, involving children in decisions, and much more. The author's road trip experiences present examples and evidence on ways to improves your future road trips, along with what to avoid. Itineraries in the USA, Canada, and Mexico are sure to inspire you to dream of hitting the road.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I've encountered another travel guide that was both light and fun and also incredibly thorough as this one! Taylor has thought of everything a traveler might need to know, including preparation, packing and suggested itineraries. I've already added several of his trips to my summer travel to-do list! I'm a fairly seasoned traveler and there were still plenty of new nuggets that I found useful. This guide is going in my car as a resource for all future road trips - right next to the hard copy atlas!

[Adrian Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for the most comprehensive, thoughtful way to plan a road trip, this is the book you need. From how solo trips to couple ideas to family travel, it’s nice to have as a checklist to make sure I’ve got everything I need. There are thoughtful ideas relating to sustainable tourism, and living a sustainable lifestyle in general. The road snack recipes are yummy too!

I’ve got a mini trip coming up this summer I’ll be whipping this book out again to make sure I’ve got all the essentials.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just in time for the "unoffical" kick off to Summer in Canada, The Road Trip Survival Guide could not have come at a better time! I have not been farther than 2 hours from home in over a year, but it feels more like a lifetime! Every one of the Canada road trip ideas hits the nail on the head for perfection and is layed out in an easy to follow manner! I hope to take more than one of these this summer, if things open up here in Canada. Overall this book is great for beginners and those who have road tripped dozens of times. It is practical and insightful and easy to follow!

[Kristin- Kristin's Bookstack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going on a family road trip this summer?.

This is the perfect book to help you plan a successful trip!

Rob @2traveldads shares great tips about planning, keeping the little ones entertained, what to pack, and how to be prepared for emergencies.

Rob also shares snack ideas and itineraries for traveling in the US, Canada, and Mexico. I plan on using some of his itinerary suggestions for my future travels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tiller Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Danika Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Road Trip Survival Guide is an invaluable primer for planning your next road trip. The advice runs the gamut from very detailed planning to big-picture strategy, with a strong focus on considering the environmental and societal impact of travel. Among the useful and practical advice are suggested road trips in the US, Canada and Mexico – they include exactly the right level of detail to confidently plan a trip.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid information for both novice and experienced road trippers complete with just about everything one needs to know to hit the road. I realize it would add a lot of extra pages but I wish it had more information on lodgings available (motel, hotel, resort, AirBnB, VRBO, et al) with tips on what would work best for the vacationer and booking advice. But other than that, it was a fun read in an appealing format.

Thanks to the publisher for the advance digital galley.

[Heather Densmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the way we’re traveling these days has been curtailed, this is a fantastic resource for those who are taking their first road trip and a worthwhile refresher for veteran road trippers. From how to plan, what to pack, food and safety, there are so many useful ideas. There are also recommended week-long US, Canada and Mexico trips.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Goodreads for the complimentary copy of this book.

[Cozy Book Spot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book with lots of informations about everything you would need for a road trip. I'm used to going around the country by car so I enjoyed reading it. Last trip we drove from Raleigh NC to San Diego CA stopping in Vail CO and coming back going through Texas. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

[Erin Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a hint of travel related anxiety: this book is for you. It is full of thoughtfully curated advice and sample road trips that take the guesswork out of travel prep and planning. I feel inspired to “hit the road” and plan to incorporate this book into my family’s travel going forward. Highly recommended!

[Emmy Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came at the perfect time! I was so excited to win it as we embark on our road trip adventure to California this summer. There were so many tips and tricks in this book that were SO helpful. I love that it went through planning, packing, road trip food, safety, and itineraries. I am a very type A organized person and this book has helped so much to make this the perfect vacation!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book.

This book is very thorough with planning a road trip from start to finish. Rob Taylor has 2 young kids, so everything he's writing about he has done with his family. So many good suggestions (like how to pack your car properly, snacks to bring, recipes for lunches, tips and tricks for keeping the kids occupied by involving them in preparing for the trip).

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick read with some good tips and tricks for road trips. Not written with the pandemic in mind, but still had some good suggestions for pandemic-friendly activities. I was surprised by the amount of picnics and camping ideas. I'm probably less of an outdoorsy road tripper, but this was still great information. I also want to visit Southern Wisconsin now!

[Jessica - How Jessica Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got sent this for review, and honestly thought I'd sort of skim it, since we already take a fair number of road trips. But, I read the whole thing, and I've ordered 2 products he mentioned, and made notes about several of his itineraries that sound great! Haha. I'm definitely going to have to check out his blog too.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great title for traveling families! It's got smart tips for packing, stacking and snacking. Easy to read with suggestions that are easy to put in practice and make sense. Bonus is some great sample itineraries!

[Amy Dendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest effects from Covid is that people everywhere are itching to get back to traveling and that includes road trips for many. The Road Trip Survival Guide, is full of advice and tips to help you make the most of those trips and gain memories and fun while doing so.