Road trips are an awesome way to spend time with your friends and have the opportunity to see incredible sights and landmarks. But you can't just hop in a car and start your adventure- road-tripping takes planning and effort.

Before you go on your road trip, you have to make sure you have a car. Not just any car will work for a long road trip. A car that has good MPG and plenty of space, like a suburban, station wagon, or van is ideal. You will need room to store your suitcase, food, and blankets. Many people even use motor homes for road trips because they are convenient and functional. However motor homes are big and require a lot of upkeep so it's not always ideal to use one for road trips.

The next thing you'll need to do is plan your trip. Where do you want to go? Just a few states, within your own state, or nationwide? The further you travel from home, the longer your road trip will take. Road trips can range from one day up to many months or even a year. Depending on how much time you have, plan out each destination along your road trip to ensure the trip will go smoothly and you will go everywhere you want. Don't forget to include rest stops and restaurants, too.

Then, you will need to invite some friends. Be mindful in this process because you will be spending an extended amount of time with the people on your road trip, so make sure you are comfortable with them. Think about inviting your best friends, boyfriend or girlfriend, or siblings. Road trips are often a time of bonding and making lifelong memories because of the close quarters and long hours together in one place. At the end of your trip you will definitely have lots of fun stories to tell for the future.

Once all the planning is done, it's time to pack! Depending on the length of your trip, you will need to pack accordingly. Make sure to bring clothes that will keep you comfortable in the weather conditions you will face on your road trip. If it will be warm, bring tank tops and shorts or skirts. And if it will be cold, bring a coat and warm layers. It's a good idea to invest in sensible shoes that you can wear wherever you are on your road trip. Also, make sure all your clothes are machine washable since you'll likely be doing your laundry at laundromats. For sleeping in your car, you will need to bring sleeping bags or blankets, pillows, and sleeping mats.

Bringing money is important on a road trip. You can pay for everything yourself, or ask your fellow road trip-ers to chip in on the cost. When you are budgeting your road trip finances, think about the cost of gas, food, laundry, sightseeing, shopping, and hotels if you will be using them.

Now it's time to get on the road! Enjoy your road trip, stay safe, and have fun.