Driving around the USA can be an amazing experience and is definitely on many people’s “bucket list”; however, it’s not just the route you’ll need to plan.

The United States is the third largest country and with 3.79 million square miles and over 310 million people it shouldn’t be difficult to get an array of experiences during your trip. With so many different states, the best idea is to map out your trip prior to taking off to ensure you get a wide range of activities that match the criteria of what your interests are.

Once you’ve mapped out your preferred trip, here are some important points to take into consideration once you are on your way.

Maintain at least half a tank of gas

If you haven’t visited a country before, it is especially important not to assume everything will work the same as where you have come from. America is huge and there are vast pockets of nothingness with actual signs that announce “no services”.

If you happen to be using a 4WD or SUV for your travels, an even better idea would be to carry a jerry can of spare fuel with you for emergencies.

Check the weather and road closures reports every day

With such a vast array of states and depending on what time of year you are taking your trip, you need to take into account weather changes. It is possible for a dramatic change in weather within a few hundred miles and could mean a huge detour that could upset or delay your entire trip.

Plan your destinations prior

When you come from a country as laid back as Australia it can be very easy to just make assumptions. After all, apart from the centre of Australia, there is rarely an area that doesn’t have accommodation available.

However, when you are taking a trip across such a huge country with such diverse states, it is possible to run into a town with a special event on and no spare rooms/beds. Alternatively, there may be difficulties in finding something within your price range and you can waste a lot of time searching. Pre-planning now could save you hours when you arrive in a city exhausted and just want to rest.

Really plan out what you want to see

With a road trip you need to take into account timing and exhaustion. These will be your biggest hurdles as it is possible that timing will blow out due to unforeseen circumstances like traffic or weather. Also, it can be difficult to realise how tired you may become when driving in a strange country. You don’t want to arrive somewhere and spend all your time sleeping.

If there are certain aspects about a town or area you really want to explore, make sure you book several nights in order to rest and have time to see everything. This will also allow time for any special events that may be on you hadn’t even known about.

Pack a survival kit

Even if you take a hire car when driving around the USA, it is possible that you may break down between towns and therefore could be waiting a long time for help. If this happens at night or you happen to be in an Alpine area, you will be grateful for a good survival kit.

Remember, it is possible that you could be in a mobile flat spot and you may not be able to contact anyone.

Some essential items are a spare tyre, jack and tyre iron, road flares, a flashlight or lantern, spare batteries, snow chains, blankets, tinned food or pre-packaged food and water bottles. Another great tip is some spare cash just in case you run into a small town and there happens to be a mechanic who doesn’t accept credit cards.

There are definitely some fascinating discoveries to be made when driving around the USA. With such a diverse range of states catering to everything from some of the world’s most wonderful theme parks, national parks, rainforest areas to desert and snow, you won’t be disappointed.