Road trips can be fun and exciting and a welcome break from your usual routine. Yet once you actually get on the road, the trip can sometimes become monotonous. No matter how fascinating your destination, you’ll probably be spending time on highways and areas with unattractive scenery. You need some tricks and diversions to keep the ride interesting. The following is a checklist to ensure that everyone has fun on your next road trip.

Be Willing to Improvise

The best road trips are usually a combination of planning and spontaneity. You need a basic route to follow or you could end up just driving in circles for days. However, don’t plan a rigid schedule that you follow to the letter. It can be fun to take detours and explore sights that you find along the way. You should also be flexible about how you get from Point A to Point B. It can be interesting to take back roads, but at other times you may want to make faster progress on the highway.

Bring Plenty of Music

Music can be a great way to keep your spirits soaring on the road. You can’t always rely on what’s on the local radio stations, so make sure you bring along some CDs. Audiobooks can also be a good diversion on the road. Another way to enjoy your favorite tunes is to hook up an MP3 player to the stereo system. Now may be a good time to purchase a new boombox, MP3 player or other device for your trip. You can find Overstock.com coupons for electronics and many other items at Discountrue.

Seek Advice From Locals and Other Travelers

Don’t rely entirely on guidebooks and websites for information on where to go. You can often find better recommendations for restaurants and attractions from people you meet locally. Be willing to strike up conversations with hotel clerks, people who work in convenience stores and fellow travelers who may have stumbled upon some great destinations nearby.

Take Creative Photos and Videos

Taking pictures gives you something to share with friends and helps to preserve memories. Even photos of mundane scenes can be fun to look back on when you’ve returned from your road trip.

Think up Interesting Games

There are many games you can play on road trips that incorporate the scenery you pass. You can create challenges for people to spot certain types makes cars, license plates from certain states, or landmarks such as churches or parks. You can also play games like 20 Questions, Geography or Name That Tune, where someone begins singing or humming a tune and the other passengers have to guess the name of it. Games are another way to have fun and make the time pass by more quickly.

It’s fun to see new places and spend time with friends on a road trip. However, you also have to take certain steps to prevent boredom from creeping in during less interesting segments of the trip. These tips can provide you with diversions that will keep everyone entertained even if the scenery is less than spectacular.