Planning your own road trip is much easier with a little structure. We usually start with flights, accommodation, rental cars and selected activities. Especially for popular destinations, it pays to plan early because good connections, well-located hotels, rental cars and popular tours can quickly become more expensive or fully booked. On this page, we show you the tools and providers we use for our own trips.
Plan early: flights, accommodation, rental cars and activities
✈️ Compare flights with Skyscanner
We usually compare flights with Skyscanner first. However, we do not only look at the price, but also at flight times, layovers and the arrival time at the destination.
🏨 Find accommodation with Booking.com
We try to book accommodation early whenever possible. On a road trip, the price matters, but the location is often even more important. A well-located hotel can save time and make each travel day much more relaxed.
🚗 Compare rental cars with DiscoverCars
For many road trips, the rental car is one of the most important parts of the journey. We compare prices early with DiscoverCars because larger cars, automatic vehicles and good insurance options can quickly become more expensive.
🎟️ Plan activities with GetYourGuide
We do not always book activities right away, but we also try not to leave everything until we arrive. Popular tours, special experiences and tickets with fixed time slots are usually better planned in advance with GetYourGuide.
Prepare before departure: internet, payments and safety
After booking the main parts of the trip, we take care of the practical preparation. This includes mobile data, payment options and insurance. These things may seem minor at first, but they can save a lot of stress once you are on the road.
📱 Use mobile data with Holafly
An eSIM is especially useful outside the EU or on trips where you rely heavily on navigation. With Holafly, you can set up mobile data before departure and have internet access as soon as you land.
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💳 Check your travel credit card
A credit card is almost always important on road trips, especially for hotels, rental cars and deposits. Before we travel, we check whether the card, limit and foreign transaction conditions fit the trip.
🛡️ Get travel health insurance
Travel health insurance is part of our basic travel setup. Especially outside Europe, it is something we prefer not to leave until just before departure.
Helpful tools for arrival, orientation and departure
Some things only become important shortly before or during the trip. This includes getting from the airport to your accommodation, finding your way around or storing your luggage on the last day. These small helpers can make a road trip much more relaxed.
🚕 Book an airport transfer with Welcome Pickups
A pre-booked airport transfer can be useful if you arrive late, travel with children or simply do not want to look for a bus, train or taxi after a long flight. Especially on the first day, it can make the start of your trip much more relaxed.
🧳 Find luggage storage with Radical Storage
If you have an early checkout or a late return flight, luggage storage can be really helpful. This way, you can still enjoy your last day without carrying your bags around the city.
🗺️ Use Google Maps for routes and saved places
We use Google Maps for routes, restaurants, gas stations, parking, stops along the way and general orientation. Saved lists are especially useful because they let us mark interesting places before the trip even starts.
Our essential setup when we plan our own road trips
For us, a well-planned road trip starts with flights, accommodation and a rental car. After that, we add activities, mobile data and practical tools for the road. Not every tool is needed for every trip, but the right preparation can save a lot of time and stress once you arrive.
Good accommodation, a suitable rental car and a realistic daily plan are especially important to us. If you want to plan your own road trip, these tools can help you structure the preparation and stay more flexible while travelling.
I’m Joshua, and my focus is road trips and round trips. I provide detailed travel information, planning tools, and practical tips for driving abroad. Together, we’ll make your next road trip perfectly organized and unforgettable
