How to survive road trip with friends: essential tips

The idea of travelling with friends always sounds great. Lots of wild adventures, seeing the sites and sharing in the fun together… But, it’s normal to have a nagging concern that being in close quarters with anyone for too long might do more harm than good. So, how to survive a road trip with friends?

There are some helpful tips and tricks that will make sure you come out the other end best of mates (rather than worst of enemies!). Here are 5pieces of advice on how to embark on a successful road trip with friends, so that everyone can enjoy a stress-free adventure.

Tips On How To Survive A Road Trip With Friends

Tip 1: Plan Ahead

You need to make sure everyone is on the same page before you hit that open road, which is why proper planning is essential.

When it comes to road trips, the world is quite literally your oyster. You can go anywhere and everyone with so many incredible routes to choose from. While it might be tempting to hit the road and leave the rest up to fate, this can become a huge source of tension in a group.

What if you want to head in different directions?

What if you can’t agree on places to stop along the way?

The stress of making quick decisions while you’re already on the road is something that’s best avoided. Plan ahead and you can sit back, relax and enjoy the ride knowing exactly where you’re headed.

So, how do you find the perfect route? Here’s four steps:

1. Pick your starting point: this doesn’t have to be where you live. You might choose to fly to a new destination and pick up your campervan there before hitting the road.

2. Pick your endpoint: this could be the same as your starting point, or you might end the road trip at a new destination and fly back from there.

3. Choose your time: how long are you planning to travel together? This will dictate your itinerary.

4. Plan your route: this is where the research comes in. It helps to read through some blogs on your chosen road trip to find some hidden gems to visit along the way. Make sure everyone in the group has a say at this stage of planning. It’s all too easy to have one person take over without consulting everyone else, which won’t end well.

Need some adventure inspo? Check out the ultimate boys trip travel ideas!

Once you have a route you all agree on, the planning doesn’t stop there. Now you know where your trip is starting, it’s time to have some fun choosing a van! You want to find one everyone likes and will be comfortable in. After all, this will be your home for the entire trip.

Think about what you need, then sit down together and search away on Camplify, Australia and New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing campervan motorhome and caravan sharing community. All rentals come with the below benefits so that you and your friends can enjoy peace of mind, even if the unexpected occurs:

• Easy online booking

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• NRMA roadside assistance

• 24/7 customer support

With the planning stage out of the way, you can rest assured you have set your group up for success on the road. Less stress equals less tension and butting heads along the way!

Tip 2: Share the driving

When it comes to knowing how to survive a road trip with friends, it’s all about sharing the load. Don’t put just one person in charge of the driving – this is a task that should be shared!

It takes the pressure off that one person, which can stop the build-up of frustration that might lead to arguments along the way.

Of course, if this isn’t possible, then it’s important to plan plenty of rest stops for the driver and help them out in other ways to lighten their load. Offer to fill up petrol at stops, head into shops for them, and other ways to make it even easier. Tip 3: Plan some downtime

Just because you’re on the road together, doesn’t mean you have to spend 24/7 together. What do you do at home to relax and unwind after a long day? Whether it’s reading a book, watching some TV, knitting, or even drawing, bring it along with you.

This way, you all can enjoy some solo time during your trip doing something you love.

In addition to this, make sure everyone brings their own set of headphones. Trust us, they come in handy. If you’re sick of the music playing through the campervan, then you can tune out with a show, or pop on your own music, listen to a podcast or tune out to an audiobook. So many great options when it comes tofun things to do on a road trip.

Once again, it’s the perfect escape where you can enjoy a little time for yourself to reset and recharge, ready to join your friends again!

You can also plan activities on your own as well. Once you arrive at your next stop, you might choose to take a hike on your own, or head off to a café to enjoy a bit of space. Just because you’re on a trip together doesn’t mean you have to be glued at the hip at all times.

Tip 4: Expect fights

Let’s face it, when you’re living in such close quarters with other people and spending so much time with them, fights are inevitable. It’s not about avoiding fights altogether (it can be good to release the steam as you go). It’s more about managing these fights and ensuring they don’t escalate into something you can’t recover from.

You’re going to disagree about a number of things along the way. The best thing you can do is remain respectful towards each other. If you’re all feeling the anger rising, then call for a time out. Make it enforceable.

What exactly does this mean?

Everyone has to pop their headphones in (read tip 3) – except the driver – and spend a little alone time to help the anger work its way out. Once you’re all ready, then try and talk again and see if you can sort through the problems. If only one or two of you are fighting, it can help to get one of your other friends to step in as a third party to help diffuse the situation.

Tip 5: Split the costs

If there’s one issue that is likely to cause a divide in the group, it’s money. Make sure you talk about it before you go and plan to split the costs along the way. This should include everything: petrol, groceries, parking, camping…parking tickets! Anything that crops up needs to be divided between everyone.

This includes all the road trip snacks you pick up along the way. Remember: everyone thinks and feels better on a full stomach, which is why these snacks are a must for your trip. Check out theseroad trip food ideas for a little inspiration.

Work out the best way to keep track and make sure everyone is included in all the financial decisions along the way. This is the best way to keep everyone happy.

Ready For A Road Trip With Friends?

There you have it - if you’re wondering how to survive a road trip with friends, then you’ll be glad to know it’s definitely possible! It all starts with some careful planning, then a little help from Camplify to make hiring a van as easy and stress-free as possible. With these tips under your belt, road trips with friends will become an annual tradition!