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Winter may not be over yet, but the end is in sight, and after several months of going stir-crazy in the house, many of us are eager to get back outside and make a spring road trip. Before you hit the road, though, be sure nothing spoils your enjoyment of getting out and about by engaging in a little preplanning.

Make reservations. Roadside lodging or campgrounds may not seem like the kind of places you need to make reservations for, the truth is that you can never be sure what’s going on along your route – festivals, private events, college weekends – and you may find yourself without a place to stay. Before you set out, make a reservation at a motel, inn, hotel or campground to ensure you’ll have a place to lay your head. Bring documentation of your reservation with you.

Check local events. Speaking of events along your route, ensure you’re not running into large crowds if your goal is to “get away from it all.” Do an internet search for special events that might be happening during your planned travel. Nothing says “peace and quiet” less than a music or arts festival expected to attract 100,000 people to the area.

Get off the highways. While a highway may be the shortest distance between two points, if your goal is to enjoy the outdoors, hours in traffic alongside billboards probably won’t do it. Research some scenic routes to your destination and enjoy some natural beauty, sedate paces and off-the-beaten-track attractions. Use a traffic app like Waze to check for traffic trouble spots or construction before you go.

Will there be a phone signal? While traffic apps are good solutions most of the time, consider that you may be going into areas without widespread cellular coverage. Ensure you have maps and paperwork in case you get stuck without a phone signal.

Identify some restaurants for your budget. If you’re not bringing your own food with you, use a service like Yelp to find restaurants that appeal to you. If you wait until you’re hungry before you start looking for places to eat, you might wind up spending far more money than you wanted.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast. In some parts of the country, early spring can mean thunderstorms, heavy rain or even lingering snow and ice. Check long-term forecasts before you make your final plans.

Ensure your car is up to the trip. After a long winter, your vehicle may not be in tip-top shape thanks to snow, ice, potholes and cold. Get your vehicle serviced, your tires checked, your fluids topped up, your oil changed and other critical checks. You don’t want to ruin the first road trip of the year with a breakdown.

We offer a full portfolio of vehicle and tire services. Customers in Enfield, Somers, Ellington and surrounding areas rely on us to keep their vehicles in tip-top shape during the cold winter months and into spring road trips. Contact us for an appointment today!