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Road trips can be costly, especially once you start to add in multiple days, activities, food and accommodations along the way. No matter what type of experience you want to have on your adventure, there are definitely some ways to keep costs down.
These tips are all things we did to save an enormous chunk of change while driving from Ohio to California over the course of 2 weeks.
| CAMP
I was never the type of person to be excited by the idea of sleeping in a tent. Where do you go to the bathroom? How do you shower? Do you just smell bad all day, every day? I also love to save money, however, so I decided this was the time to give it a shot — and, honestly, I had a really good time!
Since I had never camped before, we decided to stay at KOAs so I would have the convenience of bathrooms, showers, and laundry 🙂 This only ended up costing us an average of $25 per night.
Looking back on our trip, I am so happy we decided to give camping a go. It was the best experience! You learn a lot about yourself and the people you’re with when you don’t have all the other distractions of the world. And the stars you’ll see outside your tent in the middle of nowhere is simply the best.
If camping isn’t your style, you could look into renting cabins or airbnbs. While prices will definitely vary by location, size and time of year, you can find some good places for a low price!
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP
| PACK A COOLER AND REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
Our cooler really saved us some major money! We went to the grocery store before starting on our journey and picked up sandwiches, drinks and other easy meals. Packing ahead kept us from stopping at the gas station for snacks, fast food restaurants or any other tempting places. We ate completely from our packed cooler the entire trip!
*Quick tip: Freeze jugs of water and place those at the bottom of your cooler. They’ll give a good, cold base for your food without taking up any extra space. Once they thaw, you’ll have cold water for a couple days.
If you can’t pack a cooler or extra water ahead of your trip, a reusable water bottle can still save you big time. Some tourist spots will overcharge for water, but you can just use their water fountain to fill your bottle up. Even most fast food or gas stations will let you fill your water bottle up for free.
| GET A NATIONAL PARK PASS
We were primarily interested in seeing the National Parks along our drive so we bought an America the Beautiful National Park Pass. This allowed us to enter each park at no additional charge (most parks average cost is $25-$35 per vehicle).
We ordered our pass online ahead of our trip, but you can also pick one up at most park entrance gates. They do offer free or discounted passes for military, seniors, people with permanent disabilities and fourth graders.
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP
| AVOID THE GIFT SHOP
Ah, the gift shop, filled with every kind of souvenir you can imagine. You have a sudden urge to buy something to commemorate your time there, as well as something for your siblings, parents and co-workers. Don’t do it!
You really don’t need the $15 keychain, mug, shot glass or any other trinket you may be wanting. Save yourself some serious cash and just say no!
If you are still thinking about that t-shirt weeks later, you can most likely find it discounted online or you may even find a more unique souvenir on a website like Etsy.
| FIND FREE THINGS TO DO
Who doesn’t like free? I’ll bet that someone else has already complied a list online of free things to do no matter where you visit. Take some time before your trip to do your research!
You’ll find a wide range of activities for free, including parks, hiking, museums, gardens, concerts and shopping. Check the city websites, too, and you may find some local festivals, farmers markets, concerts or other town events going on during your stay.
In some cities, you could also take advantage of the free walking tours like Free Tours By Foot. We did this in Charleston, South Carolina, a couple of years ago and it was super fun, educational and free — though you can tip the tour guide at the end. Since the tours are done by locals, you can get some insight on the things to see in the area.
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP
| LOOK FOR DISCOUNTS OR COUPONS
If there is something you want to do but it costs a bit of money, that’s okay! Ask if they offer discounts like AAA, military, senior, children, etc.
You can also check online or in those free local magazines for coupons. Some places will even give you a discounted rate if you book online. Groupon is great to use to save on activities and food.
| CHECK YOUR CAR BEFORE YOU GO
Arguably the most important thing to invest in, if anything, is making sure any maintenance needed for your car is taken care of before you go. You’ll want to check your oil, fluids, lights, battery and tire pressure (including your spare tire). Doing this will ensure you are getting the best possible gas mileage.
It would also be a good idea to check that you have jumper cables, a jack and anything else you may need in case of an emergency. Many states even have a free roadside assistance program to help you if you are stuck on the highway. Research the emergency numbers for the states you will be driving through.
What tips do you have to save money while on your road trips? We’d love hear — share with us in the comments!
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